The Best Carry-On Backpacks
With the ever-increasing chance that you’ll have to pay extra to check your bag the next time you fly, you may take a shot at flying with only a carry-on bag and not checking any luggage. More and more people are doing so, and there entire websites, such as www.onebag.com, devoted to the art of traveling with only a single carry-on bag. Many people choose to try this with rolling luggage, but as discussed in another article, Luggage or Backpack?, there are some clear advantages to traveling with a backpack – and the advantages are even greater when going the carry-on route.
First, the additional hardware used in rolling luggage takes up valuable packing space and also makes the bag heavier. This means you’ll have a harder time keeping it under the carry-on size and weight limits which vary amongst airlines (see The International Maximum Carry-On Size and Weight Limits). Second, because rolling luggage tends to have a hard structure to it, if your bag is larger than what the airline accepts, you won’t be able to squeeze it down to a size that fits the luggage templates and you’ll be forced to pay for a checked bag. A backpack, on the other hand, is soft and can easily conform to the size of the luggage template – even if it means pulling out a sweater. Carry-on backpacks are also about half the weight of rolling luggage, meaning you’ll be less likely to have to worry about weight limits, which can be as low as 5kg or 11lbs on some airlines.
If you decide to go the way of the carry-on backpack, here are some choices to consider:
Rick Steves Convertible Carry On
If you’ve never heard of him, Rick Steves is the host of a TV travel show where he usually features various destinations in Europe. At 21″ x 14″ x 9″ this bag meets standard US carry-on size restrictions, and if you pack it properly you should be able to squeeze that 9″ depth down to 8″ to fly on foreign airlines with stricter size limits. It’s only 3 lbs and claims 2,500 cubic inches of packing space. You can use it with the included shoulder strap or with the backpack straps, which tuck away when not in use. Most important of all, it has a waist belt with pads for your hips, making it a top bag to consider if you’ll actually be carrying your bag any fair distance on your back, as waist-belts shift the weight off your shoulders and on to your hips.
Also at 22″ x 14″ x 9″ this bag is similar to the Rick Steves bag above. However, it’s heavier at 3 lbs 10 oz and lacks hip pads on the waist belt. eBags describes this bag is having a capacity of 3066 cubic inches, but I think it’s safe to cry foul at that, as if you calculate the volume of a 22″ x 14″ x 9″ object, it’s 2772 cubic inches – so unless eBags found a way to defy the laws of physics, I think it’s safe to say the capacity is closer the 2,500 cubic inches of the Rick Steves bag. It does not include a shoulder strap. It does have the advantage of being cheaper, but with the reduced weight and hips pads, the Rick Steves bag is a better buy.
Lowe Alpine is a reputable manufacturer of backpacks and other hiking gear, and this bag represents part of their aim to move into the travel market as well. At 22″ x 12.5″ x 8″ this bag is a better size for meeting the stricter carry-on limits of some foreign airlines, such as the budget airlines in Europe. It’s also slightly lighter than the Rick Steves bag at 2 lbs 13 oz, yet claims a capacity of 2,600 cubic inches. It does include a detachable shoulder strap, but lacks the hip pads on the waist belt. The big advantage of this bag in my opinion: it just looks better – although the fact that it’s made by a reputable bag manufacturer is a big plus, too.
High Sierra Passport Travel Pack
This may be a good choice for a backpack that’s as useful on a hiking trail as it is at the airport. It’s 22″ x 14″ x 8.5″ with a capacity of 1830 cubic inches and weighs in at 3 lbs 8 oz. The advantage this backpack has over the others is it’s waist belt has much more adequate padding – the kind you’d expect on a pack for the hiking trail. If you’re expecting that your travels will take you well off the beaten path, you’ll be much more comfortable with the weight riding on your hips using this bag. When it comes time to check in at the airport, the backpack straps can be concealed behind a zippered panel to help you avoid raising any eyebrows over it’s size. The disadvantage: those nice shoulder and hip pads take away from your packing space, which is why this bags capacity is lower than the others.
Briggs & Riley Baseline 20 Convertible Travel Tote
This may be the preferred choice if you’re a business traveler looking for something that will look suitable walking through the lobby of a nice hotel. It’s 20″ x 12.75″ x 9″ with a stated capacity of 2571 cubic inches and a weight of 3 lbs 13 oz. It features a should strap or hideaway backpack straps, though without a waist belt. It also features something Briggs & Riley calls a SpeedThru pocket, which is designed to hold your keys, wallet and PDA when going through security checkpoints. Disadvantage: twice the price of any of the other bags here, but if it’s for work, perhaps you can write it off as a business expense.
In addition to these bags which are designed for carry-on travel, you may be able to use a small hiking backpack with the right dimensions or a laptop backpack. Of course, the latter would make a lot of sense if you need to bring your laptop along, but keep in mind that a standard 14″ laptop will take a pretty significant chunk out of your bag capacity, leaving you less room for clothes. Also, if you do go with a laptop backpack, make sure the laptop sleeve is closest to your back when wearing it. You always want the heaviest items closest to your back to ease the load on your shoulders.
Have you found a backpack that works great as a carry-on bag? Let us know with a comment below – and if you’re up for it, pull out your ruler and give us the dimensions.
