The travel bags I'm using
Context
As noted in my article about what I carry to work, I use different bags while traveling.
I would even say that I'm a geek when it comes to buying travel bags, spending a lot of time checking which bag is the best for me.
Keep Pursuing - Duffle Bag
It's the very first bag I bought specifically for when I travel for work;
see it there.
With 24-liter capacity/2 kilograms, it's perfect for a short trip (3-4 days), and it has enough pockets inside and outside to carry most of my stuff.
Image from Keep Pursuing's website
The things I especially like:
- the look: stylish and clean
- the front pocket, allowing easy access to my wallet and important stuff,
- the side pockets, one for my umbrella, the other for e.g. tissues.
The things I don't like that much:
- no option to use it as a backpack, you have to carry it with your hands (I got rid of the shoulder strap as it wasn't convenient)
Aer - Travel Pack 2
As I started travelling in the US, I needed a back to carry more stuff.
I did a several-weeks "study" on different bags, and ended up choosing the Aer Travel Pack 2.
With 33-liter and 1.7 kilogram, it has more capacity and weights less than DP's duffle.
Image from Pinterest
The things I especially like:
- the capacity: I can easily feet a week worth of clothes + my running stuff
- the compartments: there are 4 different ones, including one with direct access to my laptop, super convenient when passing security at the airport. The other ones I use for clothes, then battery packs/notebook/pens.
- storage space: there's plenty of it, with a lot of small pockets, allowing to conveniently store and sorts things, and find them easily.
The things I don't like that much:
- bulky: because it contains a lot more, it is also a lot bigger and looks bulkier.
- difficult to make it stand: because it's not rigid, depending on how it is loaded, it may fall it you put it on the ground, which can be annoying.
Classical carry-on
I used a Samsonite carry-on luggage for a while (7 years) before it broke last
year.
It was really great: simple but effective.
I couldn't find the reference, but it was a hardshell, 4-wheel one.
When it broke (one of the wheels broke, and it's impossible to replace them on
that model), I was due to travel internationally the week after, so I went to a
local luggage store, and bought a comparable model, although I didn't buy a
Samsonite as they didn't have one that was accepted by Air France.
Instead, I went for a French brand, "Jump", with their
"Moorea 2" model.
It's also a 4-wheeler, but not half-split - you load everything in one-go. I got
used to it, but I still prefer how my Samsonite allowed me to split the load in
a more efficient way.
Next bag
I have my eyes for a long time on Peak Design's 45L Travel Backpack, which covers a lot of my usecases/needs.
I don't travel that much these days, so there's no urgency for me to buy it - it may prove useful when I travel to one of the quarterly trail races I run though!
Tags: Misc