scotlib

Best wishes, Therese, for the healing of your surgery.

I've looked for a lightweight roller at times, though pulling a roller can feel like pulling a toddler around. A wheel-less is like holding the baby all the time and with backpack straps the "baby" can then be out of the way, though that then brings up the problem of back strain.

The search for a <i>perfect</i> bag goes on, such a chore ;-)

scotlib

I rather liked this new bag in the most recent Magellans catalog: GoLite Rolling Tote, http://www.magellans.com/store/Lugga...gsLC140?Args=#

Now, if it were about 2 inches shorter and no backpack straps. One thing that currently is keeping me from the roller bags is the hard sides. I flew prop jets this last trip. A squishy bag, or at least squishy on one side like this appears, looks better for getting in those small overhead bins. I think the 20" instead of 22" would be safer for foreign airlines.

The soft bag with folding cart as kathcoli describes could be the way I go in 10 years, but not yet, I think.

tarquin

scotlib, the Magellan bag looks practical but it is slightly too big for European budget airline size restrictions and, at over 5 lbs, it weighs a quarter of the weight allowance.

Therese

Five lbs for a bag (scotlib's Magellan bag) that's got both wheels and backpack straps is pretty amazing, weight-wise. And even though it sounds like a big chunk of Ryanair's weight allowance it's not actually all that challenging to make it work. I manage just fine on Ryanair with a bag that weights a little over 6 lbs empty.

It does at least appear to be truly a 22" bag, with the handle and wheels recessed into the frame rather than sticking out. Maximum length on Ryanair is 55 cm, which is equivalent to 21.65". So really just a shade over, and if you make the weight limit it's unlikely that you'd be flagged for that dimension.

I like the idea of a wheeled-to-backpack style bag, and this is the first one I've seen that was anywhere near reasonable weight-wise.

I've also considered kathcoll's option of a soft bag (probably a backpack style) and wheeled cart. I love the mental picture of your scottevest packed with paperbacks. I've also largely abandoned print books, but am using my iPhone instead a Kindle. The small screen doesn't bother me, and the display is illuminated, so it's great for the plane.

Ryanair is actually selling a Samsonite suitcase now: http://www.ryanair.com/doc/samsonite/cabin-bag-en.html

No details re actual measurements or weight of the bag.

Therese

I don't routinely wear a suit for work, tarquin, but often end up wearing some version of one (blazer with coordinating trousers, skirt, or dress) when traveling for work, as I'm typically lecturing and if it's the sort of meeting where most of the audience is wearing a suit or jacket then I'm pretty much obligated to do so as well. If that's the case then I often wear the blazer onto the plane, removing and storing it in the overhead bin (after it's filled with bags, of course) on top of my suitcase. Or if I'm upgraded the flight attendant will hang it up for me. If it's a very formal meeting I'll pack another blazer.

Even if I'm not wearing a suit I typically travel (on planes, I mean) dressed in such a way that I could go directly to a meeting or the office: dark dress, tights, and boots. At first this might sound strange---why wouldn't I wear something comfortable, like jeans, right? Well, I'm so claustrophobic that I find jeans uncomfortable: not only do I have the sense that there's too much heavy fabric, but in the event that I get too warm or too anxious I can't take them off (well, not without looking altogether bizarre). Whereas I can easily slip off my tights and even my dress (I wear a full slip underneath) if things get dicey.

I have never had to resort to removing my dress, but the idea that I could is very comforting, and claustrophobia is all about perceptions.

Kristinelaine

I ordered the Skyway Ultra no-weight 19" carryon on your initial advice. Came back and now see you have reservations about it. Wondering if I should cancel my order. Are you still worrying about it?

Therese

Although the suitcase in question is not, alas, the perfect carry on that I've been looking for, Kristinelaine, it is pretty good, especially compared to many others, and not particularly expensive. So I'm going to keep it, as I needed another one this size anyway.

Your mileage may vary, of course, so see what you think of it when it arrives. I'm very picky about luggage.

Kristinelaine

I'm anxious to see it. It is about 1/3 bigger than the one I have been using, with apparently about the same weight and looks alot sturdier. Lately I've been carrying a piece of a thin foam mattress in order to deal with hard beds and it isn't heavy, but it does need some space (I flatten it in a plastic space bag.) This add'l space (in the new bag) should just about do it, I think.

Therese

You might be able to compress that very squishable piece of foam into the space behind the liner that I describe upthread, Kristinelaine, and just skip the plastic space bag altogether. I use a latex foam pillow and just let the suitcase do the squishing for me, tucking it in as I zip it shut. If you tucked your pad behind the lining your other belongings would gradually squish it as you finished your packing.

Every once in a while I get to show off this feat of packing magic to the general public. The last time was at check-in at CDG a few months ago, where the extremely officious clerk tried to dissuade from carry-on only, pointing out that security wouldn't let me through with my suitcase and a day pack. The day pack looked bulkier than usual as it was full of food for the return trip and my pillow. Initially I just cinched the pack down (and thereby squishing the pillow) but that wasn't good enough and so I just took the pillow out of the pack and added it to my suitcase. Since the suitcase was obviously already full, the clerk pointed out that the pillow certainly wouldn't fit. "Wanna bet?" I asked. (What I actually said was "Vous voulez parier?" as this conversation was all in French). He didn't, and good thing, as he'd have lost.

Kristinelaine

I guess I'll see when it gets here. By the way the 19" was not easy to find. It is out of stock many places. By googling for it I finally found it at Bergman Luggage. With shipping it came to $61.45. Since other places didn't have it at all, I went ahead and ordered it.

scotlib

Hi Therese, possibly I asked before, though I don't remember .. where do you buy a latex foam pillow? I've been looking, but I've not found one yet. Thanks.

Therese

I've never been able to find latex foam pillows at a conventional department store like Macy's, and only rarely at specialty bedding stores (though when I do I usually buy a couple). So that leaves on line shopping, where you can find super deluxe expensive ones (billed as "natural") as well as less expensive versions. They can be pretty heavy, so see if you can find a lighter one if that's important to you.

Therese

So I've checked and there are lots of latex foam pillows available on line. Target's is $49.99 and estimated weight for shipping is 3.3 lbs. Walmart has a Simmons version for $24.99 but it's out of stock at the moment. Estimated shipping weight is 2.51, so this is the one I'd choose of the two. Walmart will ship to your local store.

Kristinelaine

Well, it has arrived. I'm not sure it is in fact going to have more room in it than my old one, since the handle mechanism and the wheels are actually within the measured suitcase (does that make sense?). I don't think they really need the piece of zippered fabric across the bottom, but I suppose it would look strange without it. Nevertheless the bottom is lumpy due to the handle mechanism that goes across it. Maybe putting small items in the ridges will use up that space. (If this doesn't make sense, you probably have to see it to believe it.) It is a very sturdy case and it feels like it will pull very nicely. I like the outer pockets also. So I will keep it and hope to use it for a long time.

Therese

I know exactly what you mean when you say that the wheels are inside the measured suitcase (and it's one of the reason's that I picked this suitcase) and the sliding mechanism is also inside the suitcase (as opposed to entirely outside). Again, this is a feature that I like as it means that the sliding mechanism is protected. I just pack around the lumpy base and haven't found that it makes much impact in how much I manage to get into my suitcase.

The zippered piece of fabric may be there to keep the sliding mechanism from getting caught up in the suitcase contents. I didn't like the way it's attached near the wheels, as there's wasted space there (unless I get rid of the fabric entirely).

Therese

FAQ: When do you really start packing?

Really? Less than an hour before I walk out the door, and most of that's re-stocking my toiletries (or rather checking to make sure that I re-stocked them immediately upon returning from my last trip).

But since I do it pretty much the same way every time I can tell you well in advance what I'll be packing and how I'll pack it. It's now T minus 25 days for this trip, so let's get started, shall we?

Therese

Packing List (part 1):

I'm labeling the packing list parts so that anybody who has a specific query about the list can refer to that part.

Pillow: as mentioned upthread, this is a latex foam pillow, standard size. It's my one true luxury, as it is relatively heavy (so very important when considering Ryanair's 10 kg weight limit). It's very compressible, though, so not a problem in terms of space.

Coat: as this trip includes time in Sweden, I'll be taking a black down dress coat. It's knee length and has a stand up collar. It's reversible, with one side being quilted and zipping up the front, and the other side not quilted and snapping up the front. Both sides of the coat have two pockets that zip up (for a total of four pockets), into which I can fit particularly heavy items. At this point I'm planning on putting at least the two following items in two of the pockets (most likely the ones that will be facing inside, towards my body):

Flat iron: okay, so another luxury. Most people will tell you to avoid bringing something this heavy on a trip with a limited weight allowance, but remember, we're talking about a high maintenance female here. Fodorites will often argue that there's no point in fussing with your hair when you travel, pointing out that "these people will never see you again." But in my case these people will see me for several days in a row, and they'll likely see me again next year or next month or next week. So scruffy is out. The good news about the flat iron is that I don't have to wash my hair every day (and instead use dry shampoo on those days) and so save on time and shampoo, etc. and water. So it's worth it for me.

Umbrella: a small one (I've got several, in colors that coordinate with whichever accent colors I've chosen for the trip in question) that would normally fit in my purse, but I'm not bringing a standard size purse on this trip (because Ryanair and Easyjet don't permit a personal item) so have to find another place for it. I could just skip the umbrella and hope for sunny weather, reasoning that I can buy one if it does rain, but I'm convinced that I can keep it from raining at my destination if I bother to drag an umbrella with me all the way from the U.S.

Therese

Whoops, just remembered that I'll be traveling in Europe AND North America on this trip. So that means that I'll need TWO flat irons, one for Europe and one for North America.

So that's three of the four pockets in my down coat filled.

Where on earth did I get the idea that I travel light?

Therese

Just checked the pockets of my down coat and it turns out that they are just a wee bit too short to accomodate my flat irons.

So I went with plan B, the two long pockets in the front of my Scottevest. No problem whatsoever. One flat iron in either side.

Umbrella goes in one of the coat pockets, leaving me with three still to fill.

scotlib

<i>but I'm convinced that I can keep it from raining at my destination if I bother to drag an umbrella with me all the way from the U.S.</i>

lol .. I've taken a travel umbrella on 3 trips to Scotland. Total use: 15 minutes, but I admit to being very glad to have it for those minutes!

I learned this past trip: be sure to have an umbrella on the outside of luggage when going through security at Dublin. Don't know how long it's been their rule, but it definitely was in effect in June.

Q: flat irons can't just work with an adapter, like my camera and cell phone do?