Last time I flew Southwest Airlines, I got away with using a 40L cheapo travel backpack as my personal item... I think I may have skipped on bringing a laptop, but I don't exactly remember I also used my old high school backpack to travel Japan... I have to estimate that it's about 20-25 Liters, but I used it on United / United Express, All Nippon Airlines, and Ibex as my personal item with no issues
For those in Europe I have been traveling all the time with my Wandrd Prvke 21L without buying any priority, i.e. as personal item only. If they need to check, just take that water bottle out and it will fit. I do not know what people do complaining that they are alway checked. Unless you go so early to the queue and you are standing there, they won’t check the size. If you are insecure, just wait, sit and relax and you are good to go, they do not have time later to waste on checking every bag 😅
The Kanken No 2 laptop 15” backpack meets Ryanair’s personal item dimensions. I know as I flew Ryanair to Porto and back last weekend and checked it fit in the Ryanair measurements bin at the departure gate. It fit easily under the seat too. Thought you may want to know!
I only travel with a "personal item" (on airlines that make you pay for carry-on) so I've maxed out the bag I can get away with... the Cotopaxi 28 liter seems to be the goldilocks size. My friend gets away with a 40L bag but I think it only works bc proportionally it doesn't get clocked as a "full size" bag on an average man's body vs. my 5'2 frame haha. He can make it fit into the little metal sizing container, and I still don't understand how.
Please, can you make a video for us older adults that can’t use a backpack due to shoulder or back problems. We need a light personal bag that has wheels and also can be placed on top of a carryon. Thanks.
Or you train you body more and you can care like me. And no excuses I have hart problems had two strokes can’t use legs and arms totally right but I train every morning to keep my strength. 80 is the old 60
Kanken #2 is most versatile: doesn't suffer hyper-organization nor have velcro to snag clothes. Plus they're water-resistant when waxed, you can add pads to the straps and bottle holders to the side pockets (normally flat for sunglasses or cellphone), from Fjallraven. Another contender for versatility, is the Milligan Miles Duffle Backpack. This assumes less than 20 pounds to carry.
One pack to consider, albeit from a mass manufacturer,.is the Jansport Hatchet. It's 18x12x8 (meeting Spirit personal item dimensions), has room for a 15" laptop, some internal organization but does really well with 2 Gonex 2x4x14 cubes plus travel towel, toiletries, electronics pouch, and sleeping slip. There's an external too pocket, water holder, and a few smaller pockets as well. Seems good quality with descent straps and a sternum strap.
kanken 17in laptop bag is perfect for frontier, slides like butter into the sizing box! when fully packed it’s a bit of a squeeze but will still fit!! highly recommend
My usual personal item when I'm flying is my old college backpack. It's an old Jansport with a leather bottom. I've had it for about 15 years now and it's still going strong. If I have a longer trip, it gets supplemented with a small duffle bag. I've never had any problems with it being too big, at least on airlines here in the US. I don't think it would work for some of the more restrictive airlines. However, it does fit under the seat, so I guess it works.
The absolutely best bag is the NIID Cache a versatile 'origami inspired' (sling- & duffle-bag) and this is a recommendation from a professional tour guide and tour director. Never leave home without it! Good looking, versatile, heavy-duty, but light weight. Serves as every-day-carry at destination and (in travel to) all you need carry-on!
Cabin Zero have a bunch of bags that are optimised for cabin or personal carry on, 28l in size which seem to be the most I’ve seen - to qualify as under seat bags need to not be too tall which a lot of back packs are, and to get good capacity they need to be wider. But in your reviews you should always mention the litre capacity otherwise how do we know how big they are?
Yes, the dealbreaker typically is the length (i.e., height) of the bag. Unfortunately a boxy profile is optimal for under-seat bag volume but that makes for an uncomfortable carry. There's no free lunch here.
I LOVE my PacSafe City Safe Backpack! I got it because I'm now carrying a state-issued laptop for work and I wanted a minimal measure of security, but I think it'll be perfect for travel to Vegas in a few months.
I’ve been traveling with my pacsafe citysafe backpack for years now, and it’s my favorite personal item - it fits my laptop, ipad, cables, 3-1-1, travel scarf, water bottle, etc. without problem, and I love the locks (and tab on the front pocket that protects that pouch from pick pockets too). It also has a trolley sleeve, so combining this with my carry-on (Away) for business or personal travel is great. It’s also professional enough looking for work. My only gripe is that the straps are a bit narrow and could use more padding - I carried this all day around NYC and for 30+ hrs of international travel, and my shoulders were sore when the bag was full and heavy.
I just flew a longhaul redeye flight and the Aer Fit pack did not fit under the seat in front of me despite having a luggage passthrough ie intended as a personal item bag. As soon as the poufy duffle part hit what I guess was the life vest under the seat it would not go in anymore (ie only half the bag fit under the seat) so not only could I not stretch my legs but I could not even put my feet down in front of me because my personal bag's stiff fabric could only fit halfway in. When preparing to land, the flight attendant even asked me to stow my bag under the seat in front of me (and because of post Xmas/New Year's travelers all having lots of bags on a full flight and row 40 did not have an overhead luggage compartment on one side, all the overhead luggage compartments were full) but ah it would not squeeze in. So in my use case I chose this bag because of the luggage pass through intending to use it as my personal item computer bag on top of my roller carryon (though this pass through is super tight for travelpro's luggage handles) but scrunched up for a woeful 12 hours on a longhaul flight because my Aer fit pack only goes halfway under the seat in front of me
I use a Thule Accent 28l backpack for short trips here in Europe. It was never checked neither by Ryanair or Wizzair. Overall the bag is amazing, shoulder padding is very comfortable, packing is easy, there are various compartments to keep everything in order.The two mashpockets next to the tablet pocket are amazing to hold a powerbank or to keep my wallet/passport. My only complaint that the bag started to show some wear around the safe zone because the zipper rubs againts the removable hard shell. Also there is no hook for carabiners, so it’s hard to attach anything externally to the bag. I just purchased a Thule Subterra Powershuttle and it perfectly fits, both bags are blue inside.
Have you had any problems placing this bag underneath the seat in front of you? Do you still have enough leg room? This bag is 12.2 x 10.2 x 20.1. I've been looking at the Pacsafe Venturesafe G3 28L that's 18.9 x 11.4 x 9.5.
I think that the Tom Bihn Luminary would be perfect for this list. Simple, yet clever design & great materials. Two quick access pockets and a padded laptop compartment as well.
My favourite right now is my Matador Beast 18. Fits under the seat on Australian airlines fine 🇦🇺 only issue is that it isn’t clamshell, and has a j shaped opening, so it can be annoying getting stuff out. But 💯for comfort, durability, and has water bottle pockets like a trusty steed.
There’s a bag by Jujube called “Be Right Back” technically it’s a mommy daddy bag (diaper) but I swear by it the amount of pockets and organization is just as good for after they’re out of the baby stage or even an every day backpack. Especially in this day and age where there’s places to put hand wipes and not gonna lie the diaper changing pad is a great sit pad when you’re out and about. Ps love your videos
Repurposing a diaper bag is one of the more awesome ideas I've heard. I sent my cousin a heavy duty 1000 denier nylon bag to use as his diaper bag and it lasted 4 babies, but hearing the other way is pretty cool.
You mention the AWAY "small zip backpack". My wife actually carries the AWAY "The back". I find that AWAY's more premium building materials over engineer the bag the point that it makes it less useful, as so much mass in a fully packed bag is its own material. I use a version of the Northface Jester, one with two super deep mesh water bottle holders on the side, and it fits so much more than the AWAY bag. We actually went with Ryanair the other weekend from London to Edinburgh for a weekend trip. Both of us with totally STUFFED bags. We didn't have any issues with staff, and bags seemingly fit just fine under their seats. Something to note with Ryanair and Easyjet though is it definitely depends on staff. My wife has been told before to pack her small one liter bag around her chest into her carry on bag, never mind though it remains on her person the same as my pants and light coat with pockets.
Good point. I wish the team would mention the weight of each bag. It's a pivotal feature - some are quite heavy even empty when you're carrying every item.
Either I'm missing something or there are only 2 bags in this video that would be accepted as "Personal Items" by almost any airline, the Cabin Max Manhattan Stowaway XL and Fjallraven Kanken. Everything else is over the 10" max for width used by ALMOST ALL airlines. 1. A MackBook Pro 16" is 14.01in/35.57cm x 9.77in/24.81cm which is within less than 1/4in//0.64cm from the max without being in the bag. I would think no bag would work for them. 2. Dell XPS 15 9520 is 9" wide. I would think it would fit in a Fjallraven Kanken which is 9.8" x 13.56" unless the pack isn't tall enough. 3. I like the idea of the Pacsafe Citysafe CX Anti-Theft Backpack but with dimensions of 15.4 in x 10.6 in x 6.3 in (39.1 x 26.9 x 16 cm) it would be over the limit for a Personal Item on almost any airline which is 10in/25.54cm. A MackBook Pro 16" is 14.01in/35.57cm x 9.77in/24.81cm which is within less than 1/4in//0.64cm from the max, which would dictate no more than a sleeve.
I bought the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 26L for small domestic flights. It's (19.5 x 12.25 x 6) inches compared to Spirits (18 x 14 x 8) so I figured I could fudge it as it's a soft-sided bag. And the old plum and bright orange colorway was so gorgeous (and discontinued) that I had the splurge on it last summer.
I have been using the Biggs and Riley Concertable Duffle at 17" is a good fit on most underseat. No reviewers have done a review of this bag. Most European airlines are down sizing carry-on and liquids bags. New aircraft are making underseat space smaller
Super cheap option is Amazon basic laptop backpack, which I use frequently. I’ve had mine measured at almost every Latin and Southern American in-country planes. Their local flights are very weight conscious.
My current favorite bag for this use case is the Thule Subterra Boarding Bag. It's a super compact duffle style bag with a full clamshell opening but has 23l of space and can hold a 15" laptop without much problem. It'd be interesting to use compression cubes and pack it for a 2 week trip knowing you'll be doing at least some laundry - thank you Merino Wool.
My preferred international carrier to Asia limts me to 15bs combined for personal item and overhead with normal 45" for overhead and a very stingy 16x12x6 underseat (although that works out to 34" combined). Needless to say, no rollaboarrds. In addition, unlike short USA and within Europe flights, I need a personal item narrow enough for my legs to stretch underseat. So far the REI Flash 18, packed short, is the only one that's narrow enough.
I bought a Pacsafe Metrosafe ls350 15 litre personal back pack for three week trip I planned for March of 2020 to Catalonian and Andorra. I didn't get to put into action yet, but I could get in an 11 inch laptop, a travel pant, travel undergarments, socks, a shirt, a book, toiletries, some tech, money belt, and rain cover for the bag. I didn't have much room. I didn't find that it fit well on my back, but protruded a bit and sagged so that the bulk accumulated at the bottom--like a bear belly attached to my back. I'm sure I packed it clumsily, but I had my heart on getting onto Ryanair without a hitch, without $100 per carryon (who knows?).
I’d love to see you do a review on all of Lug’s travel bags and backpacks, many are convertible from crossbody to backpack. They’ve become my favorite, along with my 27L Swiss Gear travel backpack that opens like a suitcase.
I personally you use the Peter McKinnon Travel Camera Backpack. I do a lot of traveling with camera gear so this packs is great and I can fit a few days worth of clothes. Perfect for weekend trips! Would highly recommend for all you photographers out there. It’s pricey I know but it’s perfect for me.
@@pure69hatred this happened 3 years ago. The bag was pretty new at the time so I didn’t need to treat it with bees wax. I did use water repellent spray (that didn’t help) it was a really heavy rain. Afterwards I just made sure not to use the bag when it was supposed to rain.
If you ever revisit this topic again, you should expand it to also include different international airlines. For instance, a lot of people go to Asia for holidays now. You mention RyanAir a few times in this vid (20cm thickness for the personal item) but AirAsia only allows 10cm.
James, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on travel. I'm not being sarcastic, but since you bring it up I would love to hear your thoughts on traveling there.
I really enjoyed this video. I'm going to be doing the digital nomad thing for the month of September (Germany, Greece, and Spain) and picked up the Able Carry Thirteen for this trip since I will be taking Ryan air to country hop. I'm actually taking several travel items that you have recommended on this trip...I'll get pics and let you know what I think!
Hey, Jen! Make sure to check out our Digital Nomad Packing List if you have already. packhacker.com/packing-list/digital-nomad/ Have a great trip! - Austin
I have 3 kids and we use the Tactical Baby Gear backpacks. My kids use their Daypack Mini and I use their MOD Backpacks. It's great with their packing cubes. The front of the MOD backpacks are also interchangeable.
Check Cabin Zero Bags… I got a great bag at a decent price to use when flying with easyJet after they tightened Cabin Carry On Bag sizes to fall in line with other budget airlines such as Ryanair. 🎒🛫😎👍🏼
I have a small knack pack that I love...it's expandable for extended travel but expanded wouldn't fit in front of you under the seat. I'm going to see if I can put my Eagle Creek compression cubes in the expanded pack and just take that/those out for under seat travel (If not overpacked, those would fit in the front pocket).
I traveled with a 37 liter backpack, but that contained an underwater housing for my compact camera and a laptop as well. I also had a separate bag for my DSLR and lenses. But it’s interesting to think about how small you can go and if maybe it can be worth leaving a big camera at home for. If I just had that compact camera (which is still a Sony RX100 V, so a pretty capable device) and maybe not take the laptop either, maybe I could use a 25 liter backpack. Maybe leave my electric shaver as well, if need be. I’m already cutting down on toiletries anyway. But maybe that’s going too far, for now. My plan in the meantime is to get the gear I want (looking to buy the Aer travel kit) and then see how much of my 37 liter pack that will take up. So then I can go shop for a replacement as the zips don’t have locking lugs (or… maybe I’ll keep that bag for now and just use the metal zip pulls).
Hey Andy! The Gr1 Slick is a great option as well. There were a ton of great bags that we couldn't feature unfortunately. Thanks for the comment! - Austin
Would love to see you review some of the Doughnut bags! The Doughnut Macaroon is way better than the Fjallraven Kanken. They also have a backpack that turns into a chair!
I travel often around the US popular cities, typically we travel Frontier or Allegiant sometimes United or Delta What is the ( Best ) carry on for size that I can get by with I’ve been lucky and used a cheap large jumbo bag but we got busted in Vegas on return LoL 😂 thanks love the channel
Hey toddkrump! It's going to depend on which airline you fly with. We have a tool on our website that tells you if a bag is carry-on compliant for 162 airlines. If you've seen some bags that interest you in our videos, check out the reviews on the website and the info will be there. Thanks for the support! - Austin
Hi Bro, can you share some links or if you have any video on travel bag packs? I am traveling next month and I want to buy Travel Bag Pack with (Tripod Holder) straps. I don't need a proper camera bag, as I will be carrying my camera and lenses in Organizer padded insert in my backpack, but I do need a bag with straps so I can hang my tripod.
Domestically United Airlines has an under seat max of 9 inches by 10 inches by 17 (this is smaller than American). For business use it looks like some of the personal item bags shown here a bit more casual looking then I would want for business. I got myself a Swissgear bag similar to the Swissgear 3988, with a belt loop to go on the handle of my carry on luggage (travelpro international rollerboard) and TSA friendly features.
One thing I found out a long time ago is that if you spend a little extra money, you’ll have a backpack that’s durable and can take a lot of abuse. Doesn’t matter which brand it is, if you plunk down some extra dollars it’s worth every penny.
Every review on our website has the dimensions listed; that’s an excellent place to start! Check out the daypack section: packhacker.com/travel-gear/category/bags-and-luggage/daypacks/ -Eric
How small a backpack can a man wear? I bought an Antler Chelsea backoack as personal bag for travel but the backpack is a lot smaller than I thought it would be and looks similar in size to a sling bag. It's 36x26x12 cm
I love the Topo Designs Core Pack for personal item size travel. Its fairly large and deep bucket main compartment makes for plenty of room to fit stuff, and the water bottle pockets are excellent. Not sure whether it would work for Ryan Air though, and sadly TD no longer makes the pack.
I've subbed and have watched most of your videos but haven't come across any about taking snacks for longer flights. Do you not have any? BTW I'm loving your videos. Have watched several several times already. Thanks for sharing all this information.
do you know of any very simple, soft, ultra light clamshell international sized carry on luggage? Any reviews to go to? Do not want bulky backpack straps.
Hey Angela! A messenger bag or brief might be the way to go. I'll drop a link below. - Austin packhacker.com/travel-gear/category/bags-and-luggage/messenger-bags/
Have you ever had your personal item measured and weighed? If so, by which airline? 👀👀
AirAsia, WizzAir, and Thomas Cook. Been using a Jansport Reilly ever since!
easyjet,norwegian,ryanair,airasia,vueling and volotea...they all have gauges at check-in desk and at boarding gates
Last time I flew Southwest Airlines, I got away with using a 40L cheapo travel backpack as my personal item... I think I may have skipped on bringing a laptop, but I don't exactly remember
I also used my old high school backpack to travel Japan... I have to estimate that it's about 20-25 Liters, but I used it on United / United Express, All Nippon Airlines, and Ibex as my personal item with no issues
Jetstar (7kg total including any "personal items")
Eva Air in2009
For those in Europe I have been traveling all the time with my Wandrd Prvke 21L without buying any priority, i.e. as personal item only. If they need to check, just take that water bottle out and it will fit.
I do not know what people do complaining that they are alway checked. Unless you go so early to the queue and you are standing there, they won’t check the size.
If you are insecure, just wait, sit and relax and you are good to go, they do not have time later to waste on checking every bag 😅
The Kanken No 2 laptop 15” backpack meets Ryanair’s personal item dimensions. I know as I flew Ryanair to Porto and back last weekend and checked it fit in the Ryanair measurements bin at the departure gate. It fit easily under the seat too. Thought you may want to know!
Thankyou for this
I only travel with a "personal item" (on airlines that make you pay for carry-on) so I've maxed out the bag I can get away with... the Cotopaxi 28 liter seems to be the goldilocks size. My friend gets away with a 40L bag but I think it only works bc proportionally it doesn't get clocked as a "full size" bag on an average man's body vs. my 5'2 frame haha. He can make it fit into the little metal sizing container, and I still don't understand how.
Thanks for sharing your insights! 🤙
-Eric
Please, can you make a video for us older adults that can’t use a backpack due to shoulder or back problems. We need a light personal bag that has wheels and also can be placed on top of a carryon. Thanks.
Hey Orthodiva!
I passed along your request to our content team. Thanks for reaching out!
- Austin
Alaska Airlines underseat space is small. Please do a roller bag review for that!
Or you train you body more and you can care like me. And no excuses I have hart problems had two strokes can’t use legs and arms totally right but I train every morning to keep my strength. 80 is the old 60
If it has wheels it isn’t light. Just take less shit
Kanken #2 is most versatile: doesn't suffer hyper-organization nor have velcro to snag clothes. Plus they're water-resistant when waxed, you can add pads to the straps and bottle holders to the side pockets (normally flat for sunglasses or cellphone), from Fjallraven. Another contender for versatility, is the Milligan Miles Duffle Backpack. This assumes less than 20 pounds to carry.
Thanks for sharing!
- Austin
One pack to consider, albeit from a mass manufacturer,.is the Jansport Hatchet. It's 18x12x8 (meeting Spirit personal item dimensions), has room for a 15" laptop, some internal organization but does really well with 2 Gonex 2x4x14 cubes plus travel towel, toiletries, electronics pouch, and sleeping slip. There's an external too pocket, water holder, and a few smaller pockets as well. Seems good quality with descent straps and a sternum strap.
I have two of those Hatchets and I bring them all over my international flights as a personal carry-on. You can fit so much in.
The Jansport Hatchet is wonderful, durable and much less expensive than any of the bags on this list.
nice shot . unfortunatly too big for ryanair personal item dimensions
kanken 17in laptop bag is perfect for frontier, slides like butter into the sizing box! when fully packed it’s a bit of a squeeze but will still fit!! highly recommend
I've managed to get my Aer Travel Pack 2 under the seat and snuck onto Ryanair flights, truly a great bag
did they have any problems with the height of the bag? it's 15cm above the limit
My usual personal item when I'm flying is my old college backpack. It's an old Jansport with a leather bottom. I've had it for about 15 years now and it's still going strong. If I have a longer trip, it gets supplemented with a small duffle bag. I've never had any problems with it being too big, at least on airlines here in the US. I don't think it would work for some of the more restrictive airlines. However, it does fit under the seat, so I guess it works.
The absolutely best bag is the NIID Cache a versatile 'origami inspired' (sling- & duffle-bag) and this is a recommendation from a professional tour guide and tour director. Never leave home without it! Good looking, versatile, heavy-duty, but light weight. Serves as every-day-carry at destination and (in travel to) all you need carry-on!
Cabin Zero have a bunch of bags that are optimised for cabin or personal carry on, 28l in size which seem to be the most I’ve seen - to qualify as under seat bags need to not be too tall which a lot of back packs are, and to get good capacity they need to be wider. But in your reviews you should always mention the litre capacity otherwise how do we know how big they are?
Yep, I have the Military 28L - nice bag.
Yes, the dealbreaker typically is the length (i.e., height) of the bag. Unfortunately a boxy profile is optimal for under-seat bag volume but that makes for an uncomfortable carry. There's no free lunch here.
I LOVE my PacSafe City Safe Backpack! I got it because I'm now carrying a state-issued laptop for work and I wanted a minimal measure of security, but I think it'll be perfect for travel to Vegas in a few months.
I’ve been traveling with my pacsafe citysafe backpack for years now, and it’s my favorite personal item - it fits my laptop, ipad, cables, 3-1-1, travel scarf, water bottle, etc. without problem, and I love the locks (and tab on the front pocket that protects that pouch from pick pockets too). It also has a trolley sleeve, so combining this with my carry-on (Away) for business or personal travel is great. It’s also professional enough looking for work. My only gripe is that the straps are a bit narrow and could use more padding - I carried this all day around NYC and for 30+ hrs of international travel, and my shoulders were sore when the bag was full and heavy.
Thanks for sharing, Alyssa! You’ve given us a ton to think about 😃
-Eric
Its not as elegant as the bag but i use rei accessory straps as a hip belt and sternum belt for this pack. Gets the weight off my shoulders
I do the same been traveling internationally with this bag happily fir a year now.
I just flew a longhaul redeye flight and the Aer Fit pack did not fit under the seat in front of me despite having a luggage passthrough ie intended as a personal item bag. As soon as the poufy duffle part hit what I guess was the life vest under the seat it would not go in anymore (ie only half the bag fit under the seat) so not only could I not stretch my legs but I could not even put my feet down in front of me because my personal bag's stiff fabric could only fit halfway in. When preparing to land, the flight attendant even asked me to stow my bag under the seat in front of me (and because of post Xmas/New Year's travelers all having lots of bags on a full flight and row 40 did not have an overhead luggage compartment on one side, all the overhead luggage compartments were full) but ah it would not squeeze in. So in my use case I chose this bag because of the luggage pass through intending to use it as my personal item computer bag on top of my roller carryon (though this pass through is super tight for travelpro's luggage handles) but scrunched up for a woeful 12 hours on a longhaul flight because my Aer fit pack only goes halfway under the seat in front of me
I've just seen yesterday that Osprey has released the Daylite travel 26+6 and it looks like a great contender to be added into a future list.
I use a Thule Accent 28l backpack for short trips here in Europe. It was never checked neither by Ryanair or Wizzair. Overall the bag is amazing, shoulder padding is very comfortable, packing is easy, there are various compartments to keep everything in order.The two mashpockets next to the tablet pocket are amazing to hold a powerbank or to keep my wallet/passport. My only complaint that the bag started to show some wear around the safe zone because the zipper rubs againts the removable hard shell. Also there is no hook for carabiners, so it’s hard to attach anything externally to the bag. I just purchased a Thule Subterra Powershuttle and it perfectly fits, both bags are blue inside.
Have you had any problems placing this bag underneath the seat in front of you? Do you still have enough leg room? This bag is 12.2 x 10.2 x 20.1. I've been looking at the Pacsafe Venturesafe G3 28L that's 18.9 x 11.4 x 9.5.
@@LB-ou8pytbh you can fit most 25-30liter bags under the seat in front of you without much trouble
I'm so happy you made this!!! Thanks everyone at Pack Hacker ☺️
You can find links to our written reviews in the video description. We have the dimensions there 😁
- Austin
I think that the Tom Bihn Luminary would be perfect for this list. Simple, yet clever design & great materials. Two quick access pockets and a padded laptop compartment as well.
My favourite right now is my Matador Beast 18. Fits under the seat on Australian airlines fine 🇦🇺 only issue is that it isn’t clamshell, and has a j shaped opening, so it can be annoying getting stuff out. But 💯for comfort, durability, and has water bottle pockets like a trusty steed.
Thanks for sharing your insights! 🤙
SwissGear SA3555 18.5" Green Hybrid Laptop It opens like a suitcase, has an external laptop sleeve, 2 water bottle sleeves and so many cool pockets
There’s a bag by Jujube called “Be Right Back” technically it’s a mommy daddy bag (diaper) but I swear by it the amount of pockets and organization is just as good for after they’re out of the baby stage or even an every day backpack. Especially in this day and age where there’s places to put hand wipes and not gonna lie the diaper changing pad is a great sit pad when you’re out and about.
Ps love your videos
Repurposing a diaper bag is one of the more awesome ideas I've heard. I sent my cousin a heavy duty 1000 denier nylon bag to use as his diaper bag and it lasted 4 babies, but hearing the other way is pretty cool.
You mention the AWAY "small zip backpack". My wife actually carries the AWAY "The back". I find that AWAY's more premium building materials over engineer the bag the point that it makes it less useful, as so much mass in a fully packed bag is its own material.
I use a version of the Northface Jester, one with two super deep mesh water bottle holders on the side, and it fits so much more than the AWAY bag. We actually went with Ryanair the other weekend from London to Edinburgh for a weekend trip. Both of us with totally STUFFED bags. We didn't have any issues with staff, and bags seemingly fit just fine under their seats.
Something to note with Ryanair and Easyjet though is it definitely depends on staff. My wife has been told before to pack her small one liter bag around her chest into her carry on bag, never mind though it remains on her person the same as my pants and light coat with pockets.
Good point. I wish the team would mention the weight of each bag. It's a pivotal feature - some are quite heavy even empty when you're carrying every item.
Either I'm missing something or there are only 2 bags in this video that would be accepted as "Personal Items" by almost any airline, the Cabin Max Manhattan Stowaway XL and Fjallraven Kanken. Everything else is over the 10" max for width used by ALMOST ALL airlines.
1. A MackBook Pro 16" is 14.01in/35.57cm x 9.77in/24.81cm which is within less than 1/4in//0.64cm from the max without being in the bag. I would think no bag would work for them.
2. Dell XPS 15 9520 is 9" wide. I would think it would fit in a Fjallraven Kanken which is 9.8" x 13.56" unless the pack isn't tall enough.
3. I like the idea of the Pacsafe Citysafe CX Anti-Theft Backpack but with dimensions of 15.4 in x 10.6 in x 6.3 in (39.1 x 26.9 x 16 cm) it would be over the limit for a Personal Item on almost any airline which is 10in/25.54cm. A MackBook Pro 16" is 14.01in/35.57cm x 9.77in/24.81cm which is within less than 1/4in//0.64cm from the max, which would dictate no more than a sleeve.
Even the smallest one would not work for Luftansa or Brussels Air personal item is 15×11×3.9 inches.
I bought the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 26L for small domestic flights. It's (19.5 x 12.25 x 6) inches compared to Spirits (18 x 14 x 8) so I figured I could fudge it as it's a soft-sided bag. And the old plum and bright orange colorway was so gorgeous (and discontinued) that I had the splurge on it last summer.
U all always seem to put out a video that is directly related to what I am looking for
I have been using the Biggs and Riley Concertable Duffle at 17" is a good fit on most underseat. No reviewers have done a review of this bag. Most European airlines are down sizing carry-on and liquids bags. New aircraft are making underseat space smaller
Thanks for sharing your insights! 🤙
Super cheap option is Amazon basic laptop backpack, which I use frequently. I’ve had mine measured at almost every Latin and Southern American in-country planes. Their local flights are very weight conscious.
This is true! If you bring a personal item and a carry on they'll care more about you than if you just walk with a day backpack
My current favorite bag for this use case is the Thule Subterra Boarding Bag. It's a super compact duffle style bag with a full clamshell opening but has 23l of space and can hold a 15" laptop without much problem. It'd be interesting to use compression cubes and pack it for a 2 week trip knowing you'll be doing at least some laundry - thank you Merino Wool.
My preferred international carrier to Asia limts me to 15bs combined for personal item and overhead with normal 45" for overhead and a very stingy 16x12x6 underseat (although that works out to 34" combined). Needless to say, no rollaboarrds. In addition, unlike short USA and within Europe flights, I need a personal item narrow enough for my legs to stretch underseat. So far the REI Flash 18, packed short, is the only one that's narrow enough.
I bought a Pacsafe Metrosafe ls350 15 litre personal back pack for three week trip I planned for March of 2020 to Catalonian and Andorra. I didn't get to put into action yet, but I could get in an 11 inch laptop, a travel pant, travel undergarments, socks, a shirt, a book, toiletries, some tech, money belt, and rain cover for the bag. I didn't have much room. I didn't find that it fit well on my back, but protruded a bit and sagged so that the bulk accumulated at the bottom--like a bear belly attached to my back. I'm sure I packed it clumsily, but I had my heart on getting onto Ryanair without a hitch, without $100 per carryon (who knows?).
I’d love to see you do a review on all of Lug’s travel bags and backpacks, many are convertible from crossbody to backpack. They’ve become my favorite, along with my 27L Swiss Gear travel backpack that opens like a suitcase.
I personally you use the Peter McKinnon Travel Camera Backpack. I do a lot of traveling with camera gear so this packs is great and I can fit a few days worth of clothes. Perfect for weekend trips! Would highly recommend for all you photographers out there. It’s pricey I know but it’s perfect for me.
Aer Fit pack 3 is bigger than the personal item dimensions for ryanair, could catch people out depending on how strict they feel like being
Yea this title is completely misleading, hope it doesn’t cost some people
The Kanken is definitely durable. Only issue is that if it rains then everything gets wet.
I used to use the 13in as my commuter bag until it rain really badly one day and I ended with with a pool of water in the main compartment of the bag.
What about using water repellent spray or maybe try beeswax? Did the spray on mine and it helped a bit. I hope this tip helps you 😅
@@pure69hatred this happened 3 years ago. The bag was pretty new at the time so I didn’t need to treat it with bees wax. I did use water repellent spray (that didn’t help) it was a really heavy rain. Afterwards I just made sure not to use the bag when it was supposed to rain.
One can always have the Rain Cover tucked away somewhere in the bag for whenever the rain starts pouring.. but I know, hindsight i$ 20/20😎
@@Aksoma Ive kept one in the laptop compartment since lol it was a lesson learned!
This is so helpful. Thank you so much!
Thanks for watching! 😃
-Eric
Always looking for a video for small carry on bags. But videos always show large flight pack all bag. Excited for this personal bag video
If you ever revisit this topic again, you should expand it to also include different international airlines. For instance, a lot of people go to Asia for holidays now. You mention RyanAir a few times in this vid (20cm thickness for the personal item) but AirAsia only allows 10cm.
James, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on travel. I'm not being sarcastic, but since you bring it up I would love to hear your thoughts on traveling there.
Aer lingus is also smaller. 33 x 25 x 20 cm 😞
I love the Morbid Angel tshirt at 1:19
Hello fellow metal fan!
Why is it called the video "Ryanair personal ítem that fit" but all products are listed as not pass Ryanair standars????? WDF
This topic is way overdue. Thank you!
You bet Jason!
- Tom
Kanken is great for flying Allegiant. It fits no problem under the seat in front of you. But definitely need to be mindful of weather 😂
Or have the rain cover with you at all times 😁
There were some great options, but I think you missed the best one in this category, in my opinion. The Tom Bihn Synik 22.
The Synik 22 is a great choice, Sean. Thanks for the comment!
- Austin
I just bought an AWAY 26 liter sized backpack and it is well made and perfect for my needs as a supplement to my carryon.
Thanks for sharing your insights with us 🤙
-Eric
Anyone else see the spider on the side handle at 2:14! That got my attention!!!
🕷👀
I have the Thule accent. Great bag with good organisation.
I really enjoyed this video. I'm going to be doing the digital nomad thing for the month of September (Germany, Greece, and Spain) and picked up the Able Carry Thirteen for this trip since I will be taking Ryan air to country hop. I'm actually taking several travel items that you have recommended on this trip...I'll get pics and let you know what I think!
Hey, Jen!
Make sure to check out our Digital Nomad Packing List if you have already. packhacker.com/packing-list/digital-nomad/
Have a great trip!
- Austin
Day Owl backpack small would have been an excellent add to this video.
This is such a helpful post. I am starting to travel again and I prefer to use a backpack as my personal bag.
Glad it was helpful!
- Austin
I love my Mystery Ranch Rip Ruck 15 for a personal item. Great size and super easy to open in a tight space.
I was going to comment that as well! It amazingly fits a 15" laptop and my son loves it for his EDC carry.
It's hard to beat MR for quality.
I have 3 kids and we use the Tactical Baby Gear backpacks. My kids use their Daypack Mini and I use their MOD Backpacks. It's great with their packing cubes. The front of the MOD backpacks are also interchangeable.
Keep in mind United personal item is smaller than the other airlines. 17 x 10 x 9 and they have a human okay your bag size at check in.
Check Cabin Zero Bags… I got a great bag at a decent price to use when flying with easyJet after they tightened Cabin Carry On Bag sizes to fall in line with other budget airlines such as Ryanair.
🎒🛫😎👍🏼
Would love an update to this video!🙏🏽
Anyone know Tom's watch and watch strap? Looks like a really good industrial/ modern combo
I have a small knack pack that I love...it's expandable for extended travel but expanded wouldn't fit in front of you under the seat. I'm going to see if I can put my Eagle Creek compression cubes in the expanded pack and just take that/those out for under seat travel (If not overpacked, those would fit in the front pocket).
I traveled with a 37 liter backpack, but that contained an underwater housing for my compact camera and a laptop as well. I also had a separate bag for my DSLR and lenses. But it’s interesting to think about how small you can go and if maybe it can be worth leaving a big camera at home for.
If I just had that compact camera (which is still a Sony RX100 V, so a pretty capable device) and maybe not take the laptop either, maybe I could use a 25 liter backpack. Maybe leave my electric shaver as well, if need be. I’m already cutting down on toiletries anyway.
But maybe that’s going too far, for now. My plan in the meantime is to get the gear I want (looking to buy the Aer travel kit) and then see how much of my 37 liter pack that will take up. So then I can go shop for a replacement as the zips don’t have locking lugs (or… maybe I’ll keep that bag for now and just use the metal zip pulls).
Any reason you didn't include a Goruck GR1 here? The 21l is perfect for flying Spirit with just the personal item.
Hey Andy!
The Gr1 Slick is a great option as well. There were a ton of great bags that we couldn't feature unfortunately. Thanks for the comment!
- Austin
I don't use it but wouldn't the Tom Bihn Synapse 19 also be a great option?
I use the Tom Bihn Synik 22L and it’s amazing!!!
Would love to see you review some of the Doughnut bags! The Doughnut Macaroon is way better than the Fjallraven Kanken. They also have a backpack that turns into a chair!
Hi there, which one of those would you recommend that would be ok for hiking too ? Like a day hike between 5 and 10 kilometers ? Thanks
Any new recommendations that have come out over the years or are these still the go tos?
What are the dimensions to these? Icelandic Air limits personal item size to 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 which is smaller than what im used to
Thanks for the roundup! And props to the team member in the Morbid Angel shirt! 🤘
I travel often around the US popular cities, typically we travel Frontier or Allegiant
sometimes United or Delta
What is the ( Best ) carry on for size that I can get by with
I’ve been lucky and used a cheap large jumbo bag but we got busted in Vegas on return LoL 😂 thanks love the channel
Hey toddkrump!
It's going to depend on which airline you fly with. We have a tool on our website that tells you if a bag is carry-on compliant for 162 airlines. If you've seen some bags that interest you in our videos, check out the reviews on the website and the info will be there. Thanks for the support!
- Austin
@@PackHacker Can you please provide a link to your website tool? We need to purchase new bags and want to see what works with Aer Lingus. Thanks
Hi Bro, can you share some links or if you have any video on travel bag packs? I am traveling next month and I want to buy Travel Bag Pack with (Tripod Holder) straps. I don't need a proper camera bag, as I will be carrying my camera and lenses in Organizer padded insert in my backpack, but I do need a bag with straps so I can hang my tripod.
Domestically United Airlines has an under seat max of 9 inches by 10 inches by 17 (this is smaller than American). For business use it looks like some of the personal item bags shown here a bit more casual looking then I would want for business. I got myself a Swissgear bag similar to the Swissgear 3988, with a belt loop to go on the handle of my carry on luggage (travelpro international rollerboard) and TSA friendly features.
One thing I found out a long time ago is that if you spend a little extra money, you’ll have a backpack that’s durable and can take a lot of abuse. Doesn’t matter which brand it is, if you plunk down some extra dollars it’s worth every penny.
Thanks for sharing your insights! 🤙
-Eric
It would have been nice if you pilot dimensions. I'm flying united and looking for an under the seat bag (17x10x9).
Also, dimensions in cm please?
Lufthansa has a 11.8x15.7x3.9 policy on personal item bags. I’ve been trying to find a bag that meets those requirements, but it’s almost impossible.
Every review on our website has the dimensions listed; that’s an excellent place to start! Check out the daypack section: packhacker.com/travel-gear/category/bags-and-luggage/daypacks/
-Eric
How well would a Recycled Firefighter 24 Hour bag do as a Personal Item Bag?
Have you been able to store the Aer Travel Pack 3 Small under some seats? Maybe not the small airlines, but some others?
How small a backpack can a man wear? I bought an Antler Chelsea backoack as personal bag for travel but the backpack is a lot smaller than I thought it would be and looks similar in size to a sling bag. It's 36x26x12 cm
Will a tomtoc 28 (not fully stuffed) male it in Ryanair under seat?
I love the Topo Designs Core Pack for personal item size travel. Its fairly large and deep bucket main compartment makes for plenty of room to fit stuff, and the water bottle pockets are excellent. Not sure whether it would work for Ryan Air though, and sadly TD no longer makes the pack.
What's tha bag shown at 8 seconds? Ives seen it in quite a few of the pack hacker videos. I think that would be ideal for me to use
I've subbed and have watched most of your videos but haven't come across any about taking snacks for longer flights. Do you not have any?
BTW I'm loving your videos. Have watched several several times already. Thanks for sharing all this information.
Hey Tawny! You might find our Travel Snacks video helpful! th-cam.com/video/R6ZnxRPuy8M/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching. 😎
@@PackHacker
Thank you. 👍
Is there a backpack that has the chest strap and waist belt, and will fit under the seat?
It's nice to see all these choices, I'm surprised that the Nordace Siena II Smart Backpack wasn't on the list though.
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll pass it along.
-Eric
How about AER duffel bag 2? Will that be allowed? As a personal item bag..thanks.
does north face no longer carry this model of day pack ?? cant find it on their website
I use a 5.11 MOAB 10 as a personal item bag if I use that instead of a carry on.
Nothing is cheap, today!
What size water bottle can the north face fit?
Another great video guys. I would have mentioned the Goruck Bullet Ruck. Perfect size for a carry on
I just heared eagel creek is going belly up. Thoughts?
Looking for a personal item bag/ Ryanair 40x20x25 cm bag with hipbelt. Someone has a Tip for me?
Decathlon.
Hi. Can you review some Racini bags? 😁
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll pass it along.
-Eric
@@PackHacker thank you 😁🙏
Is Thule accent 20 lt okay for British airways personal item?
Any opinions on the Dakine Essentials 26L?
Vertx make good bags organized too
do you know of any very simple, soft, ultra light clamshell international sized carry on luggage? Any reviews to go to? Do not want bulky backpack straps.
Nice video!
Never, but what I do is buy food at the terminal and dump stuff from my bag to the food bag.
No Osprey packs made the list...?
Hi there! Can you review Lander Timp 25 backpack and Lander Commuter Pack?
Thanks for the suggestion; I’ll pass it along!
-Eric
Any backpack recommendations for Lufthansa's strict personal item measurements?
15.7 x 11.8 x 3.9 inches (40 x 30 x 10 cm)
Hey Angela! A messenger bag or brief might be the way to go. I'll drop a link below.
- Austin
packhacker.com/travel-gear/category/bags-and-luggage/messenger-bags/
the monent travelwear 17? Really love that bag