Yoo.

I'm going to Europe in a couple of weeks, and have been shopping around for backpacks. I want to get something small, but not so small that I can't bring the essentials. I do want to make sure I can bring it as a carryon for all my flights.

Any suggestions?

Justin

5/2/2007 9:46:22 PM

http://www.onebag.com/

5/2/2007 9:50:20 PM

Quote :

"I do want to make sure I can bring it as a carryon for all my flights."

Due to weight rules for internation flights (<14 lbs), most lady's handbags won't qualify as carry on baggage. Forget that idea right now.

I took a Jansport Odyssey 38 (380 cubic inches) and my camera bag and I was fine. My fiancee went with me and her bag was slightly smaller. Our only drawback was limited room to aquire souvenirs that were too large. Expect to do laundry every third or fourth day; more often if you're very active.

5/2/2007 10:27:27 PM

i'm going to europe, too! i found that this site was really helpful, and they have an online store that sells bags: http://www.ricksteves.com/

5/2/2007 11:10:31 PM

^^ did they just change it or something? Cos i went last semester, and like, carred a hugeass backpack on, must have weighed 45 lbs.

5/2/2007 11:49:05 PM

Yeah, are you sure about the 14lb thing? I can't find any evidence of that.

5/3/2007 12:12:54 AM

Every international flight I've ever been on has had that rule. Maybe I just fly the airlines that are more anal about that sort of thing. I've always had my carryon bags weighed.

Quote :

"All items will be x-ray screened and must not exceed 6 kilos in weight in Economy and Premium Economy, and 8 kilos in Upper Class."

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/us/passengerinformation/baggage/handbaggageus.jsp

Quote :

"7kg (15lb) per piece"

http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/beforeYouTravel/baggageCarryOn

[Edited on May 3, 2007 at 12:30 AM. Reason : found some info... check your specific airline's website]

5/3/2007 12:22:34 AM

That 14 lbs thing is made up.

[Edited on May 3, 2007 at 12:30 AM. Reason : dsdf]

5/3/2007 12:30:16 AM

I'm flying northwest... I can't find anything on their site about a max weight. It only mentions size. Can't find anything on http://www.tsa.gov either.

[Edited on May 3, 2007 at 12:39 AM. Reason : ]

5/3/2007 12:39:36 AM

^ Call to make sure they don't call you on it at check in. They get real picky on international flights. Having to check your luggage is a pain in the ass if you're not prepared for it.

5/3/2007 12:40:51 AM

It looks like British Airways repealed their carry on weight limit in July 2006.

5/3/2007 12:47:39 AM

I've flown Lufthansa and US Airways international and never had a problem carrying on bags or ever had anything weighed. I assumed the international flight rules for carry ons are the same as for domestic flights, and packed accordingly. Have Fun! I'm jealous!

[Edited on May 3, 2007 at 12:54 AM. Reason : ]

5/3/2007 12:53:46 AM

I'm excited

For the sake of not letting this post go off-topic, I'm going to assume that there is no ridiculously light weight limit. However I will call tomorrow and find out.

That said, what packs have you guys used in the past? That onebag.com site is cool, but I guess I'm not a big fan of most of the packs they mentioned. Either unavailable, or too bulky.

I went to REI today, and saw this bag: http://www.rei.com/product/721425?vcat=REI_SEARCH

It's really nice, and I don't think it's too big. However, it just looks a lot like a backpack... I'd rather be less "touristy" and get something that is more bland... like black, tan, or gray. I also don't like the fact that you can't fit a padlock on it.

5/3/2007 1:05:53 AM

regargless of whether there is a weight limit or not, I agree with darkone. forget about it and just check the bag...you need something with enough size that you can carry enough clothes that you dont have to wash every other day, as well as the souvenirs you will get throughout your trip.

5/3/2007 1:49:52 AM

Naw, I'm going to wash my clothes a few times a week, and I probably won't buy any souvenirs. I'll be travling for a month, so I'm not going to deal with a large bag. I'll be fine with something small. Heck, the girl I'm going with is bringing a smaller bag than even the ones I've been looking at.

5/3/2007 1:55:09 AM

^suit yourself, I am living in france right now and it is very expensive to use laundromats here...if you insist on washing clothes that frequently, I would suggest buying powder detergent, washing them in a sink, and letting them dry overnight.

5/3/2007 5:25:54 AM

If you want a more bland pack you could always look into a military issue duffel with backpack straps or a ruck. They can be had for cheap and may be an option for you since you want to look less touristy. That said, no matter what you do, if you are carrying a large backpack around with you in the major tourist areas, you will stick out like a sore thumb as a tourist. Thats not really a bad thing though.

As far as the weight limit on international flights go, i wouldnt sweat it too much. Im sure that there is a limit for hand luggage but I have flown overseas (various euro countries in particular) nearly 20 times and I have never had my hand luggage weighed. However, if you plan on using the low far airlines while youre in europe (ryan air, easy jet, wizz air, german wings, etc), they do tend to be strict about hand luggage. When I was flying ryan air home from brussels the other week, they made everyone weigh their hand luggage but when coming back from paris on tuesday they didnt weigh anyones that i saw.

Where will you be travelling when you are here in europe?

5/3/2007 6:04:23 AM

Quote :

"I also don't like the fact that you can't fit a padlock on it. "

The bag is made of cloth. Who's a padlock going to keep out? Anyone with a pocket knife would be slowed down by the lock for 0.3 seconds.

As for the bag you mentioned, I'd look for something just a little bigger, nut not too much so; maybe just 50-100 cubic inches. Also, if you get it from some place like REI, try it on with weight to test the comfort. Put about 40 lbs in it and wear it for about half an hour while you browse around the store. That will give you an idea of what it's going to feel like walking around Europe.

5/3/2007 9:56:58 AM

a lot of hostels have free laundry facilities, although you probably have to buy your own detergent.

5/3/2007 10:25:29 AM

any suggestions or recommendations on this bag? i am trying to avoid a top-loading bag.

http://www.rei.com/REI-Outlet/product/745607

5/3/2007 2:02:54 PM

1. pack 1 week's worth of old clothes and wash them as needed
2. at the end of trip, throw them away leaving room for souvenirs in your bag
3.
4. profit


and buy wash-by-hand/machine detergent in case you don't have access to a washing machine you'll still be able to wash clothes

[Edited on May 3, 2007 at 2:20 PM. Reason : ]

5/3/2007 2:16:55 PM

is your friend.

spray it down (shirt, pants, whatever), hang it near a window or outside overnight and youre golden. sure its a little gross, and you DO have to wash it at some point, but hand washing sucks so every little bit helps.

5/3/2007 2:23:50 PM

I really like packs in the 40 L +/- 5L range. TMMV

5/3/2007 2:59:32 PM

Whatever you do, dont get one with a bunch of crap that hangs off of it (chords, buckles, straps, etc..) they get caught on everything.

5/3/2007 3:13:35 PM

^truth

5/3/2007 3:47:53 PM

http://www.golite.com/product/product2.aspx?sc=110&s=1

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/collection.jsp?OPTION=COLLECTIONS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&catcode=MAIN_SP07_US.CLOTHING_GEAR.PACKS/TRAVEL_GEAR.TRAVEL_GEAR#yc

http://gregorypacks.com/seriesintro.php?SeriesName=Fast%20and%20Light

5/3/2007 4:08:27 PM

I have a gregory forester M men's pack, and while it's probably a little bigger than what you need, it comes highly recommended from me.

5/3/2007 4:43:31 PM

Thanks for all the advice. I'll probably buy a 35-40 liter pack tomorrow and try to cram everything into it. Then I'll return it and get something smaller or bigger, depending on how it goes.

We're going to be spending four weeks in europe. Our plane lands in London, and from there we'll go to Paris, then down to the French Riviera. The Cannes Film Festival is going on, as well as the Monaco Grad Prix, so we'll probably hang out there for a few days. Then probably over to Barcelona, Madrid, and some smaller Spanish towns (no idea exactly where, yet). From there we'll fly to Rome, and then Cinque Terre. Then we'll finish up in Greece (Athens, Greek Isles, etc).

If ya'll have any advice on where to go, feel free to advise . I'd like to find some nice, culturally intact towns that aren't quite as crowded as the typical tourist hotspots. Some cool beach towns would be neat too.

5/3/2007 10:19:25 PM

bmdurham: I didn't look in detail, but I did notice that the pack is too large to carry-on for most airlines, if that matters to you.

5/3/2007 11:20:18 PM

http://www.eaglecreek.com/bags_luggage/adventure_travel_packs/Explorer-LT-10049/?compare=1&id1=10049&id2=10054&id3=10052

5/4/2007 1:29:02 AM

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=48163933&storeId=8001&catalogId=40000008001&color=BLACK&img=/media/y/1185650.jpg&view=large

5/4/2007 1:34:01 AM

i'm taking the gregory jade backpack with me to the philippines. its has a side zipper that allows you to go into the main compartment.

5/4/2007 9:31:06 AM

4^ nah it's exactly the max size you can usually carry-on... 45" total dimensions, sometimes it has a inch too much "thickness" but it fits most international airline limits exactly...

5/4/2007 11:07:18 AM

if i were to backpack again, i would take a very large one and pack it incredibly light on the way there.

on the way back, i would fill it with t-shirts and other souveniers.

5/4/2007 11:32:35 AM

There's a really nice hostel in Barcelona called Kabul - it's right on La Rambla. It's pretty popular, so you'll get a chance to meet people from all over the place. It fills up quickly, so definitely reserve you beds ahead of time.

If you end up in southern Spain, check out Malaga - it's BEAUTIFUL. It's Picasso's birthplace, it has an enormous Moorish castle, and it's also a beach town. There's a nice hostel there called Picasso's corner. I'll try to add photos to my gallery so you can get an idea of what it's like.

5/4/2007 2:45:29 PM

i backpacked through europe last summer. I thought Rome was the worst city we went to. The history is great but it was by far the dirtiest place we went. The best place we went was interlaken switzerland, definately was the best city we went to.

5/4/2007 3:18:26 PM

Wow, really? Funny you say that.... Yesterday some girl told me that Interlaken was awesome, so I was considering skipping Rome to go there. Now I'm really thinking about it! What was it about Interlaken that you liked? She told me there was some hostel there called "The Fun Hostel" (or something) that had a lot of stuff to do.

I'll check out Malaga... sounds like something I'd want to do.

5/4/2007 7:53:40 PM

Well, I went to REI, and they tried to fit me for a 35-40 liter bag, and the only one that they thought fit me was the REI Pinnacle (40 liter, 2441 cu. in.)

http://www.rei.com/product/747528

So, I bought it ($80 after the coupon), and stuffed a bunch of stuff in it, then measured it. It's just below the max carryon size (22.5 x 13 x 8). I'm not crazy about it only being top-loading, but it does have a side-access zipper that might work. The suspension isn't as fancy as some of the other bags, but I doubt I'll be climbing the alps with it!

I'm still going to keep my eye out for other bags... but I'll probably keep this one. It seems to be fairly nice for the money. I do admit though... I sort of like the idea of buying a huge bag and then packing light, so that I have room for souvenirs. I guess the key would be to find one that has a small frame (less than 22x14x9), but can be packed "fat".

[Edited on May 4, 2007 at 8:53 PM. Reason : ]

5/4/2007 8:51:04 PM

i backpacked through europe for 53 days with the REI Lookout backpack...it worked pretty well for me.

but i also took a daypack (http://www.rei.com/product/48111574.htm) this was BY FAR the best thing i took with me...i could leave my main pack at the hostel and just carry some water, snacks, and guidebook. 20 pounds on your back gets really old really quick, so carrying 3 or 4 pounds is much better. and you can stuff this particular daybag in your main pack because it's very small and light.

5/4/2007 9:07:19 PM

That daypack is cool... I like how it doubles as a stuffsack when you're not using it, so it virtually takes up no space in your main pack.

5/4/2007 9:22:30 PM