mamagull... i know that ;-)

but i can't schlepp a duffle any more, so i love a 22" or 24" roller. mine are only 7 lbs. empty & i pack at ~25-27 lbs. total. so for me that is really the way to go. you'll have to trust me on this one.

Suze - Love ya, gal - for point of reference, I'm 57, hubby 66 w/Parkinson's... and no, we are not using wheels.
You have fun TOO!!!!

wow I'm impressed.

Wishing everyone safe, happy, and *light* travels.

3 summers ago we were in costa rica. My family all carried only 1 major suitcase each, and that was a carry-on. I found that even the quik-dry clothing did not dry completly in the wet season climate. We had our wash done at our hotel in Monteverde. It cost us about $10 for our families laundry. It was such a luxury. Our underwear was even ironed! I would carry at least 3 pair of shorts, plus a zip off pair, and bring several tees as you'll want to change into dry, clean clothes for dinner. Don't forget a few shoes. shoes get muddy and wet in CR so you'll want 2-3 pairs. sldo, if going to Monteverde, the roads are very bumpy. A sports bra was mentioned on these boards. That helped immensley on the trip in and out of Monteverde. Have a great trip!

If you are skipping wheels, then you might want to look for outdoor products' "essential carry-on". It's super-light (under 2 lbs) and I found it surprisingly large and well organized (although it doesn't have as many compartments as the ebags weekender). It's here for $40, but I've seen it at Campmor even cheaper. Like the Ebags convertible, it can be used either as a duffel or as a backpack (note that I think the convertible does not come with a shoulder strap, so you might want to pick one up cheap at ebags at the same time).

http://www.greatoutdoorsdepot.com/ou...l-carryon.html

Another possibility would be Tom Bihn's aeronaut, which I think comes in under 3 lbs. People seem to really like those, but you are paying for high quality material and craftsmanship. http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/500/TB0906