Lightest weigt carry-ons

The lightest convertible is the Outdoor Products Essential Carry-on at just under 2 lbs. (The misnamed "Campmor" bag.) L.L. Bean's Quickload is a close second)

I think the lightest wheelie is the Sub-0-G made by International Traveler.

However, the ultimate of wheeled bags, albeit a different design is the Medium Foldaway Wheeled Cabin Holdall"

I like the High Sierra ELEVATE line. The 22" wheeled carry on is 6.5lbs. Some may say that is heavy, but I want something that is STURDY and will last, and this line will. I bought one for myself, and one for the hubby. http://www.hssc.com/Item?number=EL100&lang=en

When I go convertible, I use my Eagle Creek ORV trunk, it's about 3lbs... http://eaglecreek.com/product/ORV-Gear-Bag-20206/?search=orv

Being totally the lightest weight bag is not always the best way to go...you have to consider how long your investment will last with use.....adding a pound or two is OK in my book...especially when it's a wheeled carry on...you want a great frame, better wheels and some stability in the back panel so your bag will survive.

"Being totally the lightest weight bag is not always the best way to go"

Buying a bag just because it is heavier (and more expensive), and assuming, therefore, that it is better made, is naive.

I've used my 2½# ETBD Convertible bag for 5 trips, and my 1¾# "Campmor" OPEC bag for 3. Both show no wear and appear to have many more trips in them. Depending on airline carryon policies in future, I might be using a 1¼# Appenzell bag for my next trip.

However, unless you can pack very light, or only fly American flag airlines (Ugh), keeping the overall weight of the bag down is crucial to carrying on.

I went with the ebags.com TLS weekender.

It's 3.2lbs, i weight it myself.

It's ripstop nylon and is much stronger than Ricks bag. its probably 3/4lb heavier, but its made of better material, has an extra handle and more compartments. It also holds a little more.

I'm using it for 30 days in Europe coming up soon. can't wait to try it.

Thanks for your responses so far. I'll go online and take a look.

My current bag is an ebags weekender. My digital scale weighs it as 4.2 lbs. (although it's supposed to be under 4).

My wife has a roll on that weighs about 8 1/2 lbs. I was surprised to see hers is about middle of the pack. I've been looking at roll-ons that are anywhere from a low of about 5 lbs. to upward of 14 lbs., all of them with names that imply they are very light-weight.

As airlines get more picky about carry on weight, I think it's going to be important to stay under any carry on weight limits. Saving pounds with a lighter bag is the easiest way to get there without having to decide what to leave home. Imagine trying to meet SAS/Lufthansa's 18 lb. or Virgin's 16lb. requirements with a 14 lb. bag.

Brad, here's a list of convertible type bags from lightest to heaviest (approximately):

Outdoor Products Essential Carry-On
GoLite Convertible Carry On
L.L. Bean Quickload
Rick Steves Bags (Convertible Carry-on & Back Door Bag)
Eagle Creek Overland
Tom Bihn Western Flyer
Tom Bihn Aeronaut
Patagonia MLC
Pacsafe Metrosafe 400
Osprey Porter 46
Tom Bihn Tri-Star
Tough Traveler Tri-Zip
MEI Voyageur
Ebags Weekender Mother Lode
Red Oxx Sky Train
MEI Executive Overnighter

I used to own the Ebags Weekender (sold it) but I like the new design of the Ebags Weekender Mother Lode. It is "heavier" than many of the others ones. I'm also drawn to the L.L. Bean Quickload. Hard to decide.

Lightness is only one attribute to consider. After all, the ultimate light carryon is a plastic bag!

I also consider durability--I travel a lot; flexibility in how to pack in, comfort in use--straps, balance, and the like in wheel-less bags, and wheel quality and interior space in wheeled ones. My ideal bags are made in the US rather than in China. I also favor bags that look nice--YMMV here.

Let us know which ones you get and how you like them.

This doesn’t really address the original question, but I’m going to try a ridiculously small bag this summer that I just purchased today…17x10x6 inches and 7.4 ounces. It would be hard to go much smaller and still be able to pack what I need, but I’ll see how it goes. It’s actually a daypack from Mont Bell in Boulder, CO. The bag I used last November was a little larger at just under 21x16x8…same size I’ve always used. If I can get away with this new bag, I will consider it to be the lightest/smallest carry-on ever. I'll pack it this weekend and will see if it's going to work for a two-week trip...I'm optimistic. I'm a light packer, but this will challenge me.

BTW, this place has great gear…check it out at: http://www.montbell.us/

I purchased a TLS Motherlode and love it. I especially like the four compression straps, they go over the zipper. I also have an OPEC and worry about the zipper letting go in the middle of a crowd. Although it IS lighter.

The top two in the running for my wife's bag now are the Heys USA X-something and the High Sierra Elevate. Both seem functional and lightweight.

For me, I'm deciding whether to keep what I have, get the LL Bean, or go for something smaller than max carry-on size that rides more like a backpack.

I decided to rule out anything without compression straps because I really like them. Since I rarely hike more than a mile or two with my bag in tow, I think I can live without chest and waist straps.

I know I can make the weight limits on even the most stringent airlines with my current bag. My two biggest gripes today are I only fill my bag half to two-thirds full (thus the need for compression straps) and it rides more like a duffle bag than a backpack.

If anyone's interested, Ebags is having a big sale this weekend...20% off and free shipping on orders over $75.

As an example, the TLS Weekender Mother Lode is going for $79.99 delivered.

Rick's Convertible Carry-on....does anyone have this in Merlot color? On the Travelsmith website it shows as a dark rose pink. Ugh. If it's more red, I would consider buying it. BTW. Travelsmith is having a sale right now and this bag is discounted $20.

Jane, I bought the merlot color on sale because it was a discontinued color. It is not pink at all. It is more of a burgundy color.

Edit - Look at the home page of this website at the picture that revolves at the top. One picture is of a couple waiting for a train. Both are wearing the convertible carry on. The man in the picture has one in merlot. The picture fairly accurately depicts the color.

Thanks for starting this thread. I too am interested in a new rolling bag. I like my ETBD rolling bag and it weighs less than 7#. However, it does not roll or stand on end like I think it should. I've used it for several trips and it becoming a hassle. The handle also likes to stick making it difficult to pull up quickly. Thanks Frank for the list of bags!

i use an REI "tote cooler" as my carry-on! http://www.rei.com/product/797875 it's only 22 ounces, holds an enormous amount of stuff, had great shoulder straps, generous side pockets and two areas for holding bottled water. it's only $24.50. it has an insert that you can remove, although i leave it in so i have four different sections for my clothes, shoes, whatever. i bought a red one and i love it!! i also carry my PacSafe 200 bag, so those are my only two carry-ons when i travel.