Bags: Carryon AND a day-pack?

Matt,
I use a Civita day pack which is limp enough to be rolled up and put in my carry-on. What it carries will change based on where I am and what time of year it is. This summer I'm going to Ireland. The day pack will probably have a snack, my rain shell, a camera, water bottle and Rick's guide book. I put it in my carry-on because I don't like to have more than one thing to keep up with. I hope this helps.

Ditto to everything Larry said except that, in addition to my RS carry-on wheeled bag, I use the Civita day bag as my personal item on the plane. It is filled with all the things I need on the flight over and stuffs under the seat easily. When I get to destination, it becomes my actual day bag for out and about excursions, with water bottle, etc.

We have a light backpack which we take for picnic lunches, drinks, cameras, caps or other things we might need that day. I found my backpack at a discount store for $2. It is truly light!

Yes, I feel that straps are required.
Either style is OK. Single or double strap. Your preference, just as long as it is comfortable for you.

I have a ditto to Larry: I plan to tuck my day pack in my carry-on. I want to worry about only one bag/strap while en route (I admit, this is my game plan after two trips with a carry-on and day pack out).

My preference (personal, yours could vary) is for a strap to wear cross-body, keeps my hands free. Happy travels!

I have both Civita bags. I also keep it in my carry-on while traveling. I want to watch one bag only.

I used to use the backpack style but I'm slowly switching over to the shoulder/messenger bag. Much easier. Which style you choose is your personal preference.

If you already have numerous frameless bags, see if one matches the size of the RS Civita bag and use it. No need to buy something else.

Our day back packs served as our purses on the planes. In addition we carried on Rich Steves' 21" Roll Aboard.

Now I put my PacSafe fanny pack inside the day pack and pull it out once I am on the plane.

Hello Matt : the style and shape and size of bags that you carry with you in the passenger compartment in an airplane is a passenger's personal choice. My primary bag is a check-in bag. And I carry one small bag (12 inch length, or smaller) with me in the passenger compartment in an airplane. I put that small bag on the floor by my feet. I do not put anything in the overhead bin. In airplanes (Boeing 767, or Boeing 777, or other big airplanes) there is not enough space in the overhead bins for a carry - on bag (maximum allowable size) for every passenger in that airplane. You asked : what do most people use the day-pack for. For many people, doing sightseeing in Europe or Britain, the Rick Steves Civita shoulder bag is the desired size : it is smaller than the Rick Steves Civita day pack (back pack). I prefer to carry a small shoulder bag : the shoulder strap is across my torso, around my neck, so the strap will not fall off of me. Do not be concerned that people in Europe will think that your small shoulder bag lookes like a woman's hand bag.
In my next trip to Europe, I will carry a small shoulder bag made of tan canvass : it looks like a man's bag. When I am in a very crowded place, where there could be a thief, such as a METRO train car in ROME, my shoulder bag is in front of my torso (where I can see the bag) with my right hand clutching the bottom of the bag. You can decide which shoulder bag or day pack is big enough for your needs. If you carry a shoulder bag that is not big enough for holding a lunch and a jacket, I would put the lunch in the bag, and carry or wear the jacket (if I need a jacket). After the lunch is eaten, I would put the jacket in the bag. From my experiences of travelling in Europe and England (in trains, and busses, and walking), I prefer to carry a small shoulder bag (approximately the size of the Civita shoulder bag). A small back pack (such as the Civita day pack) is good, if that is what you like.

When travelling with my husband and 2 teen daughters, we each carried a mini-backpack.They were the single strap, diagonal over the shoulder type.(MEC right hand Pod sling pack) We carried our water bottles (outside compartment specially for this)lunch,camera,sarongs (used these for everything) & jacket where needed. On train rides, we added i-pods,paperbacks,a deck of cards and snacks.When walking around town, the packs were on our backs. When wearing our RS Backpacks or when in questionable situations, they were carried on the front (like a kangaroo pouch). We didnt do any "research" on the type of daybag, we just hit a backpacker store in downtown Toronto, and tried them all on.( I just googled the site so I could give you the "name" of the bags)

Matt,

I use only my detachable Daypack for carry-on (although I'm usually carrying a small Camera Bag for my dSLR also). On recent trips I've also been packing along a Civita Daypack in my checked Pack, as it's very compressible and easy to fit in. Having an extra Daypack means I don't have to unload and re-configure the other one, and it's great for quick day trips.

Cheers!

If I only carry on then I put the items I cant be without in the Civita bag and then into my carryon.In the event they make me check at the door I take the Civita with me on the plaane.

I use my daypack on non-travel days for lunch and small stuff I might need for the day. I don't put my camera in my daypack. I take only a pocket sized camera, change the wrist strap for a neck strap (from a thumbdrive), and keep it inside my shirt or jacket when I'm not taking a picture.

I used a one strap daypack for a long time (it came free with five rolls of 35mm film on an Irish Ferry) but recently changed to Rick's Civita daypack because it's lighter and folds up smaller.

When I have my carry-on with me the daypack is inside so I only have one thing to keep track of.