carry-on weighing under 7 lbs?
 

I'm still having trouble finding a good roll carry-on that's 7lbs or under. Suggestions greatly appreciated.

Also: Does it matter a lot whether it's 4 wheels or 2?
I found a 21" 2-wheeler Samsonite at Filene's basement. It's handsome and easy to maneuver, but it's 81/2 lbs (tho it says 8) and it doesn't appear to me to have much space. I wish I could find one that's around 7lbs and that still has good carrying capacity. Have never used a roll carry-on before, but would like to start.

Thanks for help!

Try Eagle Creek. My duffel type wheeled carryon is 6 pounds 7 ounces.

Louise-- thanks. Can you tell me the model of your bag? I looked on EC website and couldn't locate. I'm not sure I'd want a duffle bag, but I'd like to take a look.

You're looking for the impossible, I'm sorry to say :-)

Once you commit to a rolling suitcase, by virtue of the frame, handle, wheels, etc. 7 lbs. is about the best you will find. Believe me, I've looked!

For a truly lightweight carryon you need to skip the wheels and use a nylon duffle bag, or something along the lines of Rick Steves non-structured bags.

Is this your only bag? Or one in addition to your checked suitcase?

Try the Eagle Creek website again . They have a Load Warrior 22" at 6 pounds 8 ounces which is actually what I have had in use for years. Their newer model, Hovercraft, has a 20" at 6 pounds 14 ounces.

I have a Heys xcase that I got on ebags.com. It's under five pounds and pretty flashy to look at. It was also only $65

luggageonline.com lets you compare luggage and gives weight of each. I use it for research.

Get a large duffle bag & buy a luggage trolley - you can get then that weigh under a kilo

There are some I saw at REI (most are wheeled backpacks) that weigh less than 7 lbs.

I have the 21" Rick Steves bag with wheels and it weighs just 7 pounds. The design is very good and holds a lot. Last summer 3 of us bought these bags and we each had just this one carryon for France for almost 2 weeks. 3 women, 1 carryon only...so yes it is roomy, lol!

mms: when I goggled the RS 21" carry on with wheels, the weight given was 8.5 lbs. Can you tell me exactly what that bag is called so that I can look further? Also. if you don't mind-- what did you pay for it (and where did you get it)?
danie: the Heys x case seems to have stiff sides and no outside pockets? Not sure I'd like that design.
Thanks everyone!

My first wife often travelled with a brown paper bag! One home to another. 50% of baggage contents are never used. A travel vest can carry everything most carry-ons do. Why shoudn't a 150 pound passenger be allowed 150 pounds of baggage if 300 pound passengers are not charged premiums.

yes it's a hard sided case which I didn't think I'd like either! But it has proven itself to be very easy to pack and keep organized. I travel a lot for work and I love it.
In my research I found that surprisingly the hard sided ones weighed much less than the duffel soft sided variety. It's a personal choice I agree but I've actually found it easier to pack because each side can be packed strapped down and folded back together to be zipped.
Good luck!

poss--We bought the bags in June 2007 (last summer) and paid about $115 or so at the AAA store. REI also carries them, or at least did. I don't know the exact name since tags are long gone, but it is the 21" bag with rolling wheels, not the convertible to a backpack one though. The tags did say 7# and we did weight it to be sure since we were all doing carryon only. I hope this helps. My DH has been traveling a lot for work the last 6 months or so and he uses one of these bags every week and swears by it.

Thanks for continued responses.
I'm very interested in seeing that Rick Steves bag. Called both AAA and Rei and neither carries. (??) Have posted query separately. Hoping to find out where I can see/purchase it.

I didn't know anyone except the Rick Steves website and his own shop near Seattle offered them.

The model of his my friend has and likes is one without wheels. It's softsided, shaped like a suitcase, but with no structure to it. (I think perhaps even has backpack style straps tucked away.) Weighs almost nothing.

poss--Joanel, another poster here at Fodors, just said this bag has been redesigned, so that is probably why the bags weigh more. They used to be found all over. You might look on ebay and some other sources for the old design since it does weigh 7 pounds and does fit the size limits.

I have been searching for something like this, too.

What I do not know is if the 22" truly includes the frame/wheels or not. I hope to get down to the store with a measure tape sometime. Maybe they would answer an e-mail asking the question?

Both LL Bean and listed at 9x14x22

Quickload Upright Duffle 6 lb, 10 oz
http://www.llbean.com/cd-15/48310/4518.shtml

Carryall Rolling Pullman 6 lb, 3 oz
http://www.llbean.com/cd-15/53794/4518.shtml


I do hope luggage makers get "with it" and knock 1-2" off the length so a so-called carry-on meets today's carry-on requirements.

Still trying to get my hands on one of those (older) Rick Steves bags. Can't find so far.....

i assumed you checked already www.ricksteves.com?

poss--I emailed the Rick Steves company and asked about this. This is the response I got this afternoon.

"We did receive a few Roll Aboard bags in a batch that were not consistent with the 7.1# weight, however, it was not because we updated the bags it was an error with the manufacturer and has been taken care of. Our bags will stay at the weight advertised because of Rick's commitment to "carry on" travel."

suze: Being a bit of a troglodyte, I'm not comfortable ordering things on line-- and definitely not comfortable ordering something like that without seeing/hefting it first. Is there nowhere one can buy these bags except on line, sight unseen?

mms: Thanks for your homework. I sure wish I could speak with someone at Rick Steves. I've got various questions. Seems so odd that one can't either talk to someone directly or buy the bag at a place where one can "try" it first.

In short, do stores not carry these things?

poss--I would suggest calling the Rick Steves office. I have been there several times and they are great. I am sure they could help you sort out if the bag would work for you or not, and if so you can order from them on the spot. They are located in Edmonds, WA, so are on Pacific time.

L.L. Bean (www.llbean.com)
Quickload Duffle $99, 6 lb. 10 oz
Guaranteed!

LLBean duffle (just looked it up--looks nice) measures 47 linear inches. Air France limit for carry on is 45 linear inches.
Sigh. I'll keep at this.
(Will call Rick Steves.)

ooops! Just re-did the math.
Cindy-- why do you like the duffle better than the "regular" roll carry on? I'd think that for camping/hiking kinds of clothes duffle would be fine-- but for "real" clothes (blazers etc), regular might pack better, no? Will pursue...
Thanks!

Have checked thoroughly into the 2 ll bean. duffle much too small. other one doesn't have strap to hold clothes down. sigh.
Will call RS when they open.
Always thanks.

Hi poss,

How do you figure the Bean duffle is too small?

Just curious. I will be going down to look at it in person, but it may not be for a few weeks until I get the chance to do so.

I took the Eagle Creek Sport Companion duffle on my April trip on British Airways, but it got too heavy for me to just carry, so I am looking again at something with wheels.

But as so many threads about carry-on note, to say "wheels" adds weight, and some international airlines are very restrictive for weight.

What a circle I am going!

Living here in Maine I got to go see the LLBean luggage last weekend as we are planning a 10-day trip to Greece in late Sept. My last trip to Europe I took a larger rolling pullman and stuffed it so full that it weighed a ton! Wheels are fine on flat surfaces, but not at CDG airport or in the Paris Metro! We are determined to pack light and each of us will take a carry-on rolling bag and a personal bag such as a small knapsack on this trip. (Of course, the new liquids rule will prevent me from overloading on wine on this trip!)

We have had other Bean luggage over the years and my husband swears by the Sportsman's rolling pullman for his many 3 - 4 day business trips. I find it too rigid and hard to pack, but I'm not packing business clothes. The Quickload duffle is sort of a cross between a true dufle and the rolling pullman. Beans also has the Carryall line but for some reason we didn't like that as well when we looked at them. I think it does have some inside dividers and might be what you're looking for.

We had also looked at the Eagle Creek Hovercraft 22 at a local store. It is a nice bag but just couldn't justify paying twice the price, it is $200. It does have more inside dividers as I remember.

We also saw some Rick Steves luggage at the local travel store, but I just didn't like it. Looked dated and kind of cheap or something.

As far as size, I don't think you can get a bag with any more cubic inches than the Bean one and still meet carry on limits.

But I'm no expert!

Thanks for all the detail, Cindy-- very kind of you to take the time. Duffle just won't work for us. The 21" carry on (whatever it's called) seems just right. Crazy that they made it without a simple tie-down. Can't imagine such a thoughtless design.

I saw a 21" Samsonite that looked pretty good. A lb or so heavier, but I think we may go with that. Filene's basement (in Maryland) had it at a good price.

Try ebags.com. I got a nice little rolling bag there that fits right under the seat in front of me. I use it when travelling alone rather than a larger one that my husband can heft into the overhead bin.

This one is very similar to mine, and it weighs in at 7 pounds:

http://www.ebags.com/travelon/14_car...?modelid=18629

cindyj--We have a couple of the Rick Steves bags. Yeah, they aren't the most attractive bags, lol...very simple and straightforward. But they are incredibly durable! Trust me, the only thing cheap about them is the price.

mms - that's good to know. I didn't mean to bash Rick! I'm just glad to see other travelers a little obsessed with which bag to buy!

cindyj--No worries:) I know the bag looks so basic, but that's why I commented on how great it is. The looks are decieving.

poss:

On other tread on Fodor's they suggested:

http://www.bagsandbaggageusa.com

for the Rick Steves bags. I just looked and they had RS 21" on sale.

(I'm not editing spelling very well)

Sue--The site says the RS bag is 8.5 lbs. That's pretty heavy! (and doesn't square with other weights mentioned for that bag) ????

I think a duffle is OK if you are going only one place & unpacking once. I use a cheap lightweight rolling duffle for beach vacations (it's a bit roomier & 5 lbs. lighter than my regular 24" rolling suitcase).

But a normal suitcase shape is better if you are 'living out of it' or unpacking and packing multiple times.

Hi poss-

I want to tell you what I ended up getting. I didn't find anything that would fit my criteria... But I ended up buying a TravelPro 19" Rollaboard from Marshalls for $80. It weighs around 8lbs (which I was a bit disappointed), but it rolls well (2 wheels only) and seems to maximize the space it's got.

Just FYI, I did bring my measuring tape with me, because many of the suitcases don't have the actual specs listed (except when they call itself 20" or 21" or 22" etc). The 19" TravelPro actually measures just under 21" from wheels to handle; while the interior space measures 18". Good luck on your quest! Here's the link to the one I bought:
http://www.luggagepros.com/mpb/IID14105.shtml