Perfect daybag?

I really like PacSafe's Metrosafe 200. You can wear it sling/crossbody & it's very comfortable and well-organized. The black one goes with everything and, if you don't use the dorky water bottle holder on the side for a water bottle, looks like an everyday bag when you wear it across you. It fit my light jacket, but it might get tight with a sweater so double-check the dimensions to make sure it is big enough for you. I put my wallet in the zippered pocket against my body, my passport + phone + iPod in one of the zippered & layered pockets in front, and left my camera/guidebooks/journal/food/drink/day stuff in the main compartment. I always knew exactly where everything was when I needed it & it didn't interfere with my movement at all. It was the perfect little travel bag, and it's become one of my favorite bags at home too if I'm not packing around bigger items.

although it's from a Canadian company, check out Mountain Equipment Co-op's sling pod. There are 2 sizes, and it comes both right and left handed. I love this bag and use the smaller version as my everyday bag at home, and the larger version for travel. www.mec.ca product code 5017-260 At $21/$24 CAD this is great value.

i agree with rachel - i purchased a pacsafe city bag 200 for a two-week trip to paris, and now i use it every day at home. it's amazing how much you can fit in that bag. the adjustable strap is very comfortable. it's so roomy that i used it as my second carry-on bag (i never check bags). the security features are wonderful. i love this bag!
http://www.pac-safe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=25

I have the Metrosafe 200 and it's a great bag. I'm probably going to get a Roamsafe to have the backpack option.

The Citysafe is an excellent bag, I'm sure, but it is made for women.

Took the PacSafe Metro 200 bag to Italy this past July and it was perfect. Bought it in black and it went with everything. Previously used a bag by a company in Santa Barbara called DayMakers but the Metro 200 bag had more room. My DayMaker bag have a cable through the strap but no mesh in the bag itself.

While we are on the subject of bags, maybe someone can help me with this. For five trips I used a vintage 2000 Rick Steves convertible bag. I really like two things about it, the rectangular solid shape, no volume lost to tapered sides or rounded corners, and the hideaway straps, nothing to catch on other bags in the overhead bin. However, as I learned to pack less and less, the bag became a little too big and sags because it is not full. Also, because it is a well made bag (1000 denier nylon) it weighs more. I got tired of carrying the excess weight of "well made" around.

Several years ago, I went out an got an "Essential Carry-on" bag, by outdoor products, and I've used it for three trips. It's still a rectangular solid and has hideaway straps, but it's a little smaller than the ETBD bag, lighter material, and weighs 12 oz less.

However, it's still too big. I'm looking for something a little smaller, maybe 18"-19" high, so it definitely looks smaller than a regulation carry-on. It would be nice if it had compression straps on the side. I've found a lot of smaller bags, but none have the efficient shape, and none have hideaway straps.

So, that is what I am looking for. A smaller bag, 2000 cu in or a little larger, about 19" high, it must be blocky shape with hideaway straps (no compromise on that), no more than 1½ to 1¾ lb. External compression straps would be nice.

BTW, I think it goes without saying, at this weight it won't have wheels. Since my bag will only weigh 15-16#, total, wheels aren't necessary, in addition to being a pain in the ***.

Does anyone know of a bag like this?

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag is almost the right size and shape, has hideaway and compression straps, but is twice the weight I want.

Lee,

I haven't seen anything that meets your description, however, I'm tempted to move on down to a smaller size(I use the classic back door bag)and the autobahn backpack is very close to what I'm looking for. The price is right, so I may just buy it and try it out on domestic trips before I go to Europe again.

https://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=8&id=406

Bill

I looked at the Autobahn Bag, but it doesn't have hideaway straps. I found several comparible daypacks on the Internet, all less expensive than the Autobahn Bag, but they also didn't have the hideaway straps.

Lee, I went on an exhaustive search for a bag very similar to what you are looking for. Sadly, I couldn't find it. Plenty of bags with backpack straps that size, but not hideaway. Nor that lightweight.

The Tom Bihn Tri-Star is that size, but it weighs twice what you want.

The TB Western Flyer is 18 x 12 x 7 but it weight 2 lbs 8 oz. and has 1600 cu in of packing room. Costs $160

There's a new lightweight convertible carry-on with hidden backpack straps on the market:

Travelite Convertible Carry-On

Its dimensions are 21 x 14 x 7 (I wrote the company and asked) and the zippers are not lockable.

The wheeled version can be found here:

Travelite Rolling Carry-On

Okay, Lee, I'm getting closer. What about this one:

Patagonia Lightweight Travel Duffel

14 oz. Hidden backpack straps. Boxy. A little thick but if you don't fill it the bag will conform to any sizer.

There's a discussion of this bag over at 1 Bag, 1 World website.