Tips for Carry-On

[Reggie28]

This may be a no brainer, but make sure you join the frequent flyer program. Some airlines board by groups and the later groups are frequently forced to sky check their carry on. Being a member will set a floor on your boarding group.

[DeluxeMoustache]

If you’re packing an extra pair of shoes, stuff your socks in them. Keeps the shape of the shoe and saves space

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Locke

Carry on? Carry on? Is there going to be a party on the plane?

In a pinch for time, or I suppose if you don’t like people, it helps avoid the (after)party at the baggage carousel

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I managed to snag the Bugatti Oslo set of 3 when it was just $499 CAD. The compartments are friggin' awesome on this thing, you have three small zipped compartments on the right-hand side (top compartment is not pictured) and a clear compartment on the left side, plus it can be fully zipped closed in case you have stuff you don't want intermingling with the other side (this is how I usually separate my clean vs dirty stuff after a trip). It's expandable, and the wheels are buttery smooth and whisper quiet. It makes my Zero Halliburton ZTex carry-on look pedestrian by comparison, and the ZH was ~$400 when I bought it brand new in 2013, though I think the ZH polycarbonate is thicker and has definitely taken its share of beatings without cracking. The cheapest you could get a carry-on size like mine is in the Birmingham for $200.

Hard-sided luggage really is the way to go IMHO.

I snagged a Samsonite Winfield 3 piece set for around $380 a few years ago. It's $500+ for that set now. That zipper separation compartment which is great, but I don't think the strap is as fancy. Usually my wife uses this for her carry on while I use a back pack. Agreed with the smooth durable wheels. It's great to just give the thing a nudge and have it roll beside you.

I stopped using cloth luggage about a decade ago. I went on a trip where both the carry on and full sized luggage wheel became damaged. Some friendly guy in Japan chased me down and returned the wheel that fell off to me. It was embarrassing. I had to figure out how to jerry rig the two luggage to roll on 6 wheels without dragging on the ground from Tokyo to Kyoto.

I can vouch for the comments about Heys luggage being a decent option. I borrowed my brother's set a few times before I bought my Samsonite set.

Hilariously, the Winfield set had negative reviews about it scuffing easily. I noticed this on my first trip and I too was quite upset and surprised at how awful the scratches looked with the scratches and loose plastic... until I realized there was a plastic protective film on the colored plastic. It was kinda weird to find out that the luggage wasn't supposed to be as glossy like the pics but more matte once the film was removed. It looks great in matte though and scuffs and scratches aren't easily noticeable.

[jar_e]

Quality luggage can take a beating and will last you a long time. Be wary of “carry on” sizing. My Tumi carry on is an inch too large for WestJet but perfect for Air Canada. WestJet also is at minimum an inch shorter then the rest of the major North American Airlines and can be a real bitch to accommodate from one of the higher quality brands.

If I am on a short trip and want to 100% avoid being gate checked/size checked, I use a Tumi weekender duffle. Never been hassled about it.

[jwslam]

Originally Posted by brocoli

I couldn't find any other thread with this info, but if I'm also looking at getting a new suitcase and have been looking at the Briggs & Riley. Does it make that much of a difference to pay the price or are the cheaper options just as good?

I went into a youtube rabbit-hole on carry-on only and ended up at this channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl6fXuWhtcc

The guy talks kinda slow which is a bit annoying to me, but the content is pretty solid.

[marsplasticeraser]

I've switched to carry-on only. I use the Osprey Porter 46 https://www.osprey.com/sojourn-porte...19#color=Black

Great size can use it for any trip (but too much for shorter 2-4 day trips). I often do trips where I need formal and informal clothing, so the extra space is great.

Also fits perfectly above in overhead bin.

Other nice things:
- Can strap stuff to outside (most often this is my coat, but have also done stuff at airport).
- Good waist belt
- laptop sleeve built in
- Good passport access from top.

the Farpoint 40 is also good and a bit smaller.

I have the Transporter (https://www.osprey.com/transporter-b...73#color=Black), but it's a bit too small and doesn't expand. It looks great, but I use it far less than the Porter

[Jimmy Stang]

It has been mentioned a couple of times, but definitely check the size. Westjet and Air Canada have slightly different maximum sizes. I have a cheaper small suitcase (that I don't use) that is advertised as being carry-on size, but there is no way that it would fit in the sizing device. The manufacturers and retailers don't care - the airline might.

I would actually guess that the majority of those little suitcases would be too big if the airline wanted to get sticky about it.

I would also get something that would also withstand checking, and not so deluxe that you'd be upset if it got damaged. Some days I'm just not in the mood to compete for overhead space, including joining the boarding line super early. People always did that, yes, but even more so now that they're competing for space. Depending where I'm arriving and whether I'm in a rush (usually I'm not), I'll prepare for carry-on but occasionally check it when I get to the airport as my company includes one on the fare. Or volunteer to be a free gate checker when the announcement inevitably comes. If the flight isn't full and they don't need gate checkers, even better.

The speed advantage of carry-on is real, but when you're landing in Saskatoon/Winnipeg/etc. at 8pm on a Sunday night, by the time you've emptied your bladder, the bags are usually tumbling down to the carousel anyway.

Also, I am a big fan of packing cubes. Nothing fancy or the ones where you can suck the air out (but I can see the advantages of those too) - just simple packing cubes with zippers. It makes packing so much easier, and it keeps everything tidy when you're away. Whether you're going overseas for a few weeks with a checked bag, or something shorter with carry-on only, I love packing cubes.

[FurnaceFace]

We travel carry on only, and not just for short trips.
Pack about a week’s worth of clothes only This is the key carry on tenant. 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 months of travel, it doesn’t matter. One week. This requires planning and being purposeful with what you bring. Some considerations before you go:
- A clean simple wardrobe that can be mixed and matched. Nothing gets packed that applies to the statement “this only goes with that.” Your goal is to ensure you can mix and match. Stick with basic colours and limit the prints.
- Clothes that don’t need to be washed after a single use or are quick dry. You can wear pants multiple days without washing, especially jeans. Merino wool is your ultimate friend for shirts as they can also go days without a wash, are good in warm or cool climates, and can easily be washed in a sink if needed and dry by morning. They also look good when you are out during the day or at a nice dinner. They are pricier so something you will invest in over a bit of time.
- Layers over bulk. Pack a light wool sweater or long sleeve shirt that you can wear over your tshirt instead of a heavier fleece.
- Related, know the climate before you go. If you’re heading to Paris in April you’re assured to get cool rainy weather vs going in July. If you’re going to be spending time in the Alps or going to Peru, then that lighter puffy jacket could be useful.
- Don’t pack “I might need this” items. “I’m going to The Phillipines, I’ll take an extra pair of pants just in case.” Nope. You don’t need it. The pair you wore on the plane is enough.
- Shoes. Pack one, wear one. Pack only shoes that go with all your clothes and for all occasions.
- compression or packing cubes. These are a bit polarizing. They can be helpful to organize your clothes and can reduce the size of them a bit. The danger is you just pack more stuff because you think it’s smaller now.

Carry on bag. I’m a believer in no wheels. My view is wheeled bags are far heavier and the structure takes up space. I am a believer in simple backpack like bags that open fully not top loading ones. I find this style of bag is easier navigating the airport, transportation, and the city streets that are often not wheel friendly.

Last year we were on a 6 week Europe trip later March-May and another 4 week trip in Sept-Oct. I took similar stuff on both trips:
- wore 1 pair of pants and took 1, (grey)
- 2 pairs of shorts (grey and black)
- 3 wool tshirts, 3 cotton, 2 dry fit (black, navy, red)
- 3 pairs of socks
- a weeks worth of underwear
- Wore black Asics, packed black waterproof shoes (Vessi)
- 1 long sleeve
- 1 wool sweater in the spring (wore on plane)
- rain jacket
- toiletries
- chargers, adapters, other stuff

My bag of choice is an Under Armour Undeniable. My personal bag in a Pacsafe crossbody bag that is no longer available. It holds my tablet, cameras, phone, snacks, water bottle.

You can find a billion packing videos on YouTube.

[Hessen]

I've done 3 weeks in Europe with only a carry-on (airline sized luggage from Costco), a backpack and a fanny pack for documents and phone. Book a rental with a washing machine, find a laundry mat or what I did was wash in the shower and hang dry. For liquids just check the amount allowed, it's based on a single container volume so you can buy multiple small bottles from the dollar store and dole out shampoos and lotions accordingly.

For clothes an extreme option that my friend does is to buy multiple shirts, underwear and socks from Amazon. Leave in the packaging. Wear new each day and throw away each night. After 2 weeks he ended up with a near empty suitcase for mementos and gifts. Only brought shorts and a swimsuit.

[Azure]

Tips? Go with 2, and buy a ticket at the part of the plane that boards first so you can take up multiple spots while everyone else has to hope and pray they find an empty compartment in another part of the plane.

Isn't that what everyone is doing these days?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I fly carry on only or personal item only a lot.

An important key is first knowing how strict the airline will be with baggage sizers - a lot of them are cracking down now. Bags that will EASILY fit under the seat will not fit in the personal item sizer. My Gregory Border 35L was basically the ideal travel bag - perfect fit under all seats - but won't go in the sizer when it's packed. Find yourself a bag that has a fairly smooth exterior so it slides in the sizer without getting snagged. This is a good example of one that's a good idea and this is an example of a bad idea.

By the same token, for overhead bin carry on, just get yourself an Osprey Porter 46, is my advice. Best travel pack there is. All the straps stash away to make it really easy to fit in the sizer provided it's not super overpacked and the compression straps allow you to fit a lot of stuff.

To fit more stuff, do not buy packs with a lot of internal organization or dividers - get a pack with a large, open compartment. Then use compression cubes / bags like these: https://unluggage.com/collections/ea...packing-system

I had a longer response with examples linked but I lost it so here's the shrot version. Get a 20k MaH power bank and MAKE SURE it has the right output to charge your laptop (65W is what I use). Then get a mini power bank like the TNTOR ones on Amazon that easily charge your phone while it's in your pocket. Then get an Anker GaN charger that you can bring in place of your laptop's stock power brick. Those three things will save you tons of space on tech.

I suggest wearing leather boots with a vibram or similar sole to travel so you don't need to pack an extra pair of shoes (unless you really need dress shoes in which case I'd wear those to travel and pack some minimal sneakers that don't take up much space). Get a jacket that is versatile re: temperatures (i.e. OK from +10 to -10) with large pockets that you can use to carry your water bottle etc. on your person so you don't have to fit it in your carry ons.

[FurnaceFace]

Thumbs up on Corsi’s post. Agree with all the bag stuff. I always have a hard time going with a single pair of shoes for longer trips but thinking about it, on many trips it wouldn’t have been an issue. I like having another option and my packed pair compress well. I don’t travel with a laptop so that saves space. For a water bottle, one that compresses flat is great. You won’t want to lug that giant Stanley bladder buster everywhere.

Another tip is to pack everything you want to take on your trip and then take the train downtown and walk around before going home or take a good long walk around your neighbourhood. Also lift your bag above your head a few times. Some airports and metro stops are huge and have multiple stairs to go up and down. Chances are you aren’t staying in one location and will need to sheep your bag around a bunch. A heavy uncomfortable bag can really suck, better to find this out at home before you go.

[DoubleF]

Leaving clothes behind is a great idea I've done a few times before. Usually just one or two sets of older crappier stuff that I was using as sleeping clothing or something like that. I've heard of people that wear their clothes and then take it off to put into an expandable bag after they've beat the sizer challenge. But that seems kinda extreme to me for anything more than a spare sweater/light jacket. It might make sense for shorts/t shirt vs pants/sweater though.

[Frequitude]

Learn how to fold your clothes to fit your bag. Folding is more efficient than rolling if done right. And way easier to quickly unpack.