Picture this. You just landed in a foreign country. You’re excited! You’ve been looking forward to this trip for months! You get off the plane and go through customs. You make your way to baggage claim and… YOUR LUGGAGE IS NOT THERE!!! So you wait by the carousel as it goes around one time, two times, TWELVE TIMES. Still no sign of your luggage. You go to the counter to report your missing bags. They tell you they’ll contact you once they find it. So, here you are. Starting your vacation with no clothes other than the ones on your back. What a kick in the teeth!
On your next trip, you learn your lesson. You pack everything in a carry-on. If you’re cheap like me, you probably booked an Economy or Basic Economy ticket. At the gate, they tell you the overhead bins are full and make you check your carry-on. So, here you are. Sitting anxiously in the plane, praying that your luggage won’t get lost.
I’ve heard the stories
I haven’t checked a bag since I was old enough to travel by myself. And my bag has never gotten involuntarily checked despite flying Basic Economy 99% of the time. (Ok. I got a few gate-checks over the years, but only on regional flights. And my carry-on was waiting for me on the jetway when we landed, not at baggage claim). When I post my packed bag on social media, I often get comments on how I manage to travel so light. It all starts with picking the right carry-on.
Forget what your heard, size matters
The growing popularity of hiking backpacks among travelers has overcomplicated the shopping process for many people looking for the best carry-on. Who hasn’t heard the oft-repeated question, “Can I use a 60L bag as a carry-on? What about 40L?”? The answer is always, it depends. For instance, there are 32L backpacks that are borderline in terms of of size while there are 40L backpacks that fit just fine in the overhead bin. There are even 35L backpacks that fit under the seat (and I’m a happy owner of one of those). The capacity doesn’t matter. The number one rule is to look at the size guidelines recommended by airlines. The guidelines vary from airline to airline but the international carry-on luggage size limit is about 55 cm x 40 cm x 25 cm (21.5″ x 16″ x 10″). Carry-ons this size go in the overhead bin. You can find a list of carry-on luggage rules for over 100 airlines by clicking HERE.
Now that you know what size your carry-on should be, it should be easy to find one that fits, right? Sure. If you’re only taking international flights, and never flying basic economy, and never taking ultra low-cost carriers, you should be fine. However, if you want to get on all of these flights AND reduce the chance of getting your carry-on checked, here are the three types of carry-ons I recommend and their best uses.
For the casual traveler – the roller carry-on
A classic. The roller carry-on with small backpack combo is what most people who transition to #teamcarryon start with. It’s like having a suitcase. But smaller. There are two types of cases: hard shell or soft shell. I personally prefer the hard shell. It’s sturdy and water-resistant. If you have the misfortune of getting it checked, it won’t get wrecked in the cargo hold like a soft shell case. However, the soft shell is often lighter. Something to keep in mind if there are carry-on weight restrictions.
Roller carry-ons are great for easy trips. By easy, I mean you’ll be taking a shuttle or taxi to your hotel. And the hotel will have an elevator. This is the case in North America and most hotel chains worldwide. If you’re the type to take public transportation to your accommodation of choice, you’re gonna have a bad time. Most public transportation systems in Europe involve taking stairs. And after that, you have to deal with cobblestone streets and sidewalks; or in the case of less-developed countries/cities, dirt roads. One of the wheels of my roller carry-on is falling apart due to rolling all over the uneven streets of Reykjavik, Paris, and Venice. Needless to say, I only use it in the United States if I really need it or lend it to family members.
In terms of color, there are two schools of thought: black or solid color that is not black. I’d say a good 80% of travelers have a black roller carry-on. My roller carry-on is black and I almost lost it in Orlando a few years ago when a shuttle driver unloaded it thinking it belonged to another passenger. Thankfully, the passenger realized it wasn’t his and the driver rectified the error. On the other hand, a gate agent once mistook my roller carry-on for a drone case because of its design, which spared me from a gate-check when I was flying basic economy.
Popular and reliable bands are SWISSGEAR, Samsonite, and Away.
For the backpacker – the, umm, backpack
When you start flying ultra low-cost airlines and begin to steer away from shuttle rides and hotels, the roller carry-on becomes cumbersome. Enter the outdoor backpack which has helped to create an entire movement of travel – backpacking. Backpacks come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Since it’s on your back, it’s easier to navigate old cities, annoying stairs, and otherwise rugged terrain (just please take it off when using public transportation). There are only four things to worry about when shopping for a backpack: its size (i.e. will it fit in the plane’s overhead bin), its weatherproofing (a rain cover is a must, both for rain/dust and as an anti-theft measure since it shields the zippers), the hip belt (not too thick but thick enough to be comfortable for long periods of time), and the chest strap (always go with the bag that has a vertically adjustable chest strap).
There are hundreds of brands and everyone (including myself) swears by Osprey but this is one of the rare cases where I recommend going into a store and physically try the backpack before buying it. Hiking/Outdoor shops will even fill it up for you so you can simulate the weight and see how it feels on your back. This is important. I had my eyes set on one bag and after trying it on, I ended up buying another that wasn’t even on my list, because the bag that I had picked from online suggestions didn’t fit right. So take your time and try several models.
For the ultralight packer – the smaller backpack
This is the ultimate level of traveling. When your packing is so efficient that you can put everything in a backpack that fits under the seat in front of you. Check-in agents and gate agents don’t even verify your bag. You breeze right onto the plane, put your small bag in the overhead bin, and enjoy the leg room. Isn’t that the dream?
The most hardcore among us will bring a packed Jansport backpack and call it a day but those backpacks are fairly limited in capacity. What you want is a military-style/rucking backpack. They’re the size of a regular backpack but can carry A LOT of stuff. For example, my small backpack is 35L whereas my Osprey backpack that is almost twice the length is 32L. And as bonus, they are a lot cheaper than backpacking backpacks. A simple search for “Tactical Backpack” on Amazon will give you what you need. Careful though. Since this backpack is expected to fit under the seat, it has to match the Personal Item size, not the Carry-On Item size. To understand the difference between both sizes, consult my carry-on baggage rules tracker.
What’s next?
So you’ve memorized the carry-on baggage rules and you know which type of carry-on will best fit your needs. Yet, you’re not convinced about making the switch. After all, how are you going to pack all the stuff you’re used to bringing in your suitcases? Stay tuned for articles about accessories that will help and a lesson on how to pack a single backpack. For those of you who already are #teamcarryon, which bag do you use? Let me know in the comments!
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