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Lee mentioned on the LL Bean thread some criteria I likeregarding weight, shape, and designthat unfortunately I'm not sure the Shuttle II quite meets.

The bag is a trifle heavy, a bit over 2 1/2 lbs. The zipper to the main compartment goes around 3 sides, so it does open completely for packing. On the picture of the bag is a front zipper you might think is an organizing pocket, but it's almost 3" deep, puffing out the bag, to arrive at the total width of about 7". I do wish some of that space had been given to the main compartment instead!

I wear sizes 2x, so a smaller person will get more into the bag. I bundled wrapped clothes for two days and a set of pj's into the main compartment. You might assume that bags that open completely use a long side for the hinge, but the Shuttle II uses a short side. Feels/looks weird, but, hey, it's open for packing.

Sundries and toiletries would have to go in the puffy outside pocket, which does have lots of little organizing bits inside (too many according to one reviewer). It's so puffy, you could put sandals in there, easily, and/or a small packing cube with some more clothes pieces.

If the LL Bean Expedition were 20-20.5" instead of 22, I'd use it next trip for sure, but now it'll be a toss up with this Shuttle II.

The Shuttle II's shoulder strap is detachable, if you'd rather use a different one. When I used the LL Bean Quickload for a trip and the Tom Bihn Aeronaut, I left the straps behind.

If I didn't mind the weight/hassle of the strap, I'd just use a regular duffel. I've purchased convertible bags for the hidden backpack straps for a reason, I figured! Also, I really am trying to start out with only 15 lbs, another reason the shoulder straps seem overkill.

Not convertible, but I did do one trip with the North Face Flyweight, http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/flyweight-duffel.html .. yes, lightweight, but the backpack straps are just more comfortable (to me) than a shoulder strap.

Happy travels.

Red Oxx Sky Train:
http://www.redoxx.com/Airline-Carry-On-Luggage/Sky-Train/91019/100/Product

Rick Steves' Convertible Carry On:
http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=8&id=139

EBags Mother Lode TLS Weekender Convertible:

http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/mother-lode-tls-weekender-convertible/143101?productid=1370036

I have the Red Oxx Sky Train and Rick Steves' CC. As a traveling photographer I need to check clothing bag so I can keep my camera and computer gear with me. The Red Oxx is guaranteed for life much more sturdy then the Rick Steves' bag albeit a bit heavier.

Actually, this bag (MEC Shuttle) seems to fit almost all of my criteria - opens flat, squarish shape, hideaway straps, minimal pockets. I wish they had better pictures, particularly of the backpack straps.

The only thing I don't like is the weight. I almost jumped for joy when I saw the weight (1.24), until I realized it was kg, not lbs. I stopped using my RS Convertible because of the weight, and it's not this heavy. Somewhere I thought I saw it was made of over 1000 denier nylon. Heavy construction might be needed if you plan on checking a bag, but the whole idea here is not to check it.

"You might assume that bags that open completely use a long side for the hinge," - RS Convertible, Essential Carryon, and Goodhope bag all use a short side (bottom) for the hinge. Makes it easy to open it at the top to get to things.

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for the bag names and URLs.

I looked at the Red Oxx bags looong and hard, though never bought more than some of the grocery bags .. used every week and terrific!

I really wanted to add my info the that last spring thread (http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/48680/lightest-weigt-carryons.html) because of the great list of bags, but oh well, I couldn't, so more names and links are helpful to new readers.

Hi Lee,

You want Shuttle II pictures? I'll work on getting some posted. I'll try to weigh it, too.

And would you believe, I have a couple other bags in the "pile it" room. They're smaller, but definitely lighter, I think. I'll look for the URLs where I got them.

Cheers.

My scale is not a sensitive digital, but it reads 2 lbs for the MEC Shuttle II and about 2 1/2 with the shoulder strap.

Still pics in a movie file of the MEC Shuttle II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5agDfbfKOHE

I always use the scale at the post office. It reads in 0.1 oz. I'm not sure it is really that accurate, but it has to be close.

BTW, I have on several occasions come back month later and recheck a weight. It's read the same within 0.1 oz.

Hi,

More info on the MEC Shuttle II travelpack, thanks to a friendly postmaster:

pack itself: 2 lbs, 6.7 oz

pack with shoulder strap: 2 lbs, 13.1 oz

Cheers.

i liked rick's basic classic bag but i felt i could go a tad smaller with just a bit more shape...i use a patagonia mlc...still a soft sided bag but made very sturdy

Lee,

I wish I had thought of the Post Office before I bought a luggage scale last year.

I had always used the bathroom scale "me with bag minus me without bag equals weight of bag" method until we flew SAS and wanted more confidence about the weight of our bags.

"i liked rick's basic classic bag but i felt i could go a tad smaller with just a bit more shape"

And a lot more weight at 2.9#.

Neither the Shuttle nor the Patagonia bags mentioned meet my weight requirements. I don't know the weights of Rick's current bags; it just says under 3#. My circa 2000 RS convertible bag weighs 2.27#, and I stopped using it because of the weight. My most recently used bag is the Essential Carryon at 1.82#. I'm debating whether to go with the smaller, slightly heavier (2.03#) Goodhope bag.

When you are limited to 17.6# (Lufthansa, SAS, SwissAir) or it's on your back, every ounce counts.

I dug out a couple of bags in my spare room:

Sierra from Uphill
18x13x8 inches
http://www.uphill.com/product.php?prodcode=608&category=luggage-and-totes&subcategory=luggage%20and%20travel%20bags

and
Trager Runway Convertible Backpack/Shoulder Bag
17 x 13" x 6.5"
http://www.luggage.com/Trager-520R-TRA1025.html

both bags cost more than the Goodhope mentioned by Frank II, and they're smaller than 2000 cu in, though so is the Goodhope: 12" H x 18" W x 6.5" D

Side by side they look extremely similar, though listed with different sizes. They are also extremely uncomfortable wearing in backpack mode, and this is trying them empty. They feel like they are kid sized.

Like the MEC Shuttle II, they are more a 2 compartment bag. The bigger compartment is a few inches and then a few more is in the smaller section on the front.

I'm going to take my LL Bean Expedition to the postmaster tomorrow. It's bigger, but I'd like to know the weight to compare with the Shuttle II.

The backpack straps are not comfortable looking, and it's a closer to 3lb bag. Here's a review of a bag from Lands End:

http://www.practicalhacks.com/2010/11/15/review-lands-end-flightwise-carry-on-softsided-bag/

You might also want to look at ebags.com. :-)
Good luck in your quest to find the perfect bag! It's fun to search.

Here is another nice yet pricey smallish bag by Tom Bihn
http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/500/TB0940

DW, yes, part of the fun is the search. I've made some of my purchases through ebags.com.

Lisa, I do enjoy Tom Bihn products, and have several items, but as much as I like the Tri-Star's size, its weight always make me back off from purchasing one. The Aeronaut weighs less, though it's bigger in size .. that structure adds weight issue.

Just back from the friendly postmaster again:

LL Bean Expedition Travel Pack alone .. 2 lb 8.5 oz

with strap: 2 lb 11.5 oz (it's quite a simple strap :-)

Because my travel goal is very low (ideally 15 lb going over), I'm not worried about the strap's simpleness; it'll stay home. At 22" x 14" x 9¼", I just wish for a size adjustment, which could possibly take down a few ounces of weight.

I don't know if I'll fly Ryanair someday, but the cabin baggage limit is 55cm x 40cm x 20cm or 21.6 x 15.7 x 7.8 in, so a 21 x 15 x 7 (2205 cu in) could be a real dandy size. I say 7 not 8 on the assumption of some bulge when stuffing a soft case.

6 members of my family flew Lufthansa(17.6 limit) to Italy last year.All of us used Steves backpack and they weighed between 10-16 pounds. The problem is my wife(73) didnt like to carry so she used a small rolling bag.She needs a new rolling bag that is lightweight and less then 22 inches with the wheels.Any suggestions?

jack, the thread from last year (http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/48680/lightest-weigt-carryons.html) was actually about rolling bags, though wheel-less quickly got into the conversation.

One suggestion was bags by International Traveler, ex: the Sub-0-G, which you could look for.

Ebags isn't listing the Sub-0-G, but it has an IT-0-1, http://www.ebags.com/product/international-traveller/it-0-1-205-carry-on/146092, under 5 lb.

Best advice I have seen for shopping a wheeled bag is to take a tape measure with you to the store and measure it while there.

We've taken two eBags Weekender eTech Convertible bags to SE Asia (twice, one month each time), Vienna and lots of US locations. Not one problem, and it gives you an incentive to pack light. They've been our only lugggage for all these trips. I can't recommend them enough.
There's also the eBags Motherlode TLS Weekender. I've not used it, but the general dimensions are the same as my bags. The differences are in the details of fabric, straps, pockets, etc.

Follow up on Betsey's comments:
My wife and I are not bag/luggage aficionados, but, for what it's worth, we looked for a single piece of luggage each of us could use as a "carry on" that would suffice as our only luggage for a 3-week trip to Europe in late-April early-May. Not having read this thread before we started looking, we found a simple, straight forward, no frills legal carry-on that was not expensive and yet light weight. It is the Landor & Hawa Sub -0-G, 20.5" x 14.4" x 7.6", 4 lb, 13 oz. We purchased these recently at J.C. Penney for a special promotional price of $59.99 each (regular price $69.00 plus shipping at Penney's, MSRP $140.00). We'll know in late-May when we return if this luggage functioned as we hope it will.

The first word of this post is "Light". Bags that weigh 3 pound or more are not light, nor is their weight necessary for carry on. I would say that the bags in this category should be no more than 2½# (I'd really like to say 2#, but I've had some trouble finding many bags at less than 2½#.

I think the lightest of lightweight carry on convertible backpacks is the 2lb one by golite.com

http://www.golite.com/Product/ProdDetail.aspx?p=355002110&mc=185&t=&lat=

The Golite is actually tied for second as the lightest bag.

The lightest full sized carry on is our old friend the Campmor Essential Carry-On at 1 lb, 12 oz.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___60795

But you do have to live with that huge logo.

http://www.backcountry.com/golite-travelite-convertible-carry-on-240cu-in

as I type, backcountry.com has the Golite at 10% off, $112.46

This won't be in the correct thread for lack of lightness, but it's a bag I had never seen before: FLIEGERDUFFEL™ Adventure Bag

http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=21&idproduct=920#details

The way the guy swings the loaded bag around in the demo video, you probably wouldn't guess its weight (I e-mailed to ask): 4lbs 15oz.

But you do have to live with that huge logo.

Black permanent marker. I've used it on a few bags' logos, though I admit they were smaller.

^^^ It will take at least 4oz of ink/paint to cover a logo that large :-) we are back to 2lbs.

Other than the fact that it is still too voluminous for my light packing, and sags, the Essential Carryon is still the winner. BTW, didn't someone say that the Campmor logo can be removed.

Update: I wonder if I could fill the extra space with bubblewrap. That way if I need more space, I just pop the bubbles. Now I'm looking at a low-cost inflatable camping pillow. Reuseable and could come in handy on the plane.

I've been looking at luggage, and just found this thread, so I have checked out some of the unfamiliar bags, such as the MEC and the Goodhope. I do have the older model RS convertible bag and have happily used it on numerous trips and am now considering buying a new one for an October trip. My ideal bag would be slightly smaller, but am thinking that the outside compression straps would actually work well, making it a big smaller. The 3# weight doesn't bother me too much....
Does anybody have experience with "cinching" the RS bag down to make it smaller?

(from Lee): "I wonder if I could fill the extra space with bubblewrap..."

Everytime I see someone say their bag is too floppy (because it's too big), but they REALLY love it, I ALWAYS think 'why don't they just stuff it with bubblewrap?' LOL!

We always pack bubblewrap - it doesn't weigh anything (until it's full of beer steins), and sometimes comes back with us, unused. And if I'm returning with TSA 'contraband', it helps fill out my soft-sided checked bag.

Semi-on-topic...

Good luck to everyone in the never-ending quest for the perfect bag...until the next bag comes along...;-)