What are your thoughts on luggage?

I can't tell where you're traveling from, but if from North America, you'll want to find out what the carry-on restrictions are for the airline you'll be flying. Some of the big ones have recently shrunken the size they'll allow on their international flights.

For example:
British Air: Cabin bag: 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 18in x 10in) including handles, pockets and wheels. Maximum weight per bag is up to 23kg (51lbs).
United: The maximum dimensions for a carry-on bag are 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches (22 cm x 35 cm x 56 cm), including handles and wheels.

Kirsten, we traveled to Italy & Switzerland earlier this year & booked our tickets through Delta. A portion of the Delta trip was a KLM flight. The newer restrictions caused me to replace my old carry-on to keep and keep within both requirements, staying within 21.5 X 13.5 X 9”:

Delta's requirements for carryon's are 22 X 14 X 9", including wheels, handles, etc..
KLM (& Air France) requirements are 21.5 X 13.5 X 10".

Be sure to measure any suitcase because a lot of the dimensions stated on-line don't include the wheels, etc. After looking at several, I ended up selecting the Eddie Bauer Travex Expedition Medium Rolling Duffel Bag. I really liked that it had the rugged YKK zippers, very comfortable handles, and the bag was designed to not tip over. The Sapphire blue color is very appealing, too. (comes in 3 bright colors + black) The dimensions are stated as 21 x 14 X 10, but it's closer to 21.5 X 13.5, and the depth is very flexible depending on how much is packed, so I can easily meet the 9".

I've never purchased anything from Pacsafe and have traveled many years - much more important to use your senses & moneybelt, pack light to always be able to carry your suitcase with one hand, and keep any purse, etc. inside your suitcase when you're traveling between hotels. Don't bring expensive equipment on your trip and/or flash your equipment on trains, etc. Enjoy your trip! Italy is fantastic!

American Airlines, British Airways, Air France, and Alitalia allow 22x14x9. Some airlines are more restrictive and allow 20x14x8. For luggage brands - check out Eddie bauer Travex, Rick Steves, Eagle Creek, Ebags brand. REI, LlBean. You can get backpack style, wheeled, or a combo.. If you do not travel much - you can even go to an outlet store like Marshall's or Ross and get a bag for $65. Just bring a tape measurer with you and include the wheels in the measurement. I recommend one carry- on wheelie case and one under seat bag that you will use as your day bag or purse. Also, check out eagle creek packing organizers and ebags packing cubes. I like both. The eagle creek folders are great for compressing clothes and are space savers. Have fun!

PS - I'm not sold on pacsafe products. I looked them up. More hype than is necessary. For security, I used a neck pouch under my shirt and a small samsonite luggage combination lock on my suitcase and daypack. Just be aware of your surroundings. Avoid crowds congregating and beggars or petition solicitors and you will be fine. I had no problems in Italy. Relax and enjoy. Just use the same precautions that you would follow in say, Chicago or NYC.

I have bought a couple of pacsafe products and don't use them. I find them to be heavy, cumbersome, and the cross body strap is too narrow to be comfortable. I have a Mandarina Duck microfiber cross body bag and I love it.

Neck pouch for passport, cards, money.

I would recommend purchasing your airfare first.....then buy the pieces you will need. As many have stated, the luggage size limits vary by carrier.....don't forget that many have weight limits as well! I purchased the RS rolling convertible bag and it served me well on a trip to NYC. Anything will wheels will add to the weight of the bag.....I had purchased a great bag from ebags that I thought would be perfect......only to find out when I opened the box that it was almost 23" (the description said it was 21").

Barb writes:

American Airlines, British Airways, Air France, and Alitalia allow 22x14x9.

This is the perfect example of the need to always verify things you read on a bulletin board. Here's the link to the British Airways info on carry-ons, which shows that their restriction is actually 22x18x10, not 22x14x9:

British Airways hand baggage allowances

The most popular version of Rick's carry-on sized "large" bags is the Rolling Carry-On at 13.5" x 20" x 9". It's a wheeled bag, which is what nearly everyone uses, not a backpack. It also expands if you pack it too full (and will check it on the airplane).

In my experience, the biggest benefit of packing light is to make it easy on yourself all the times that you have to handle your bag at hotels, train stations, etc., more than the occasional option to carry it onto an airplane.

Think about the comfort and empty weight of each piece you buy. For instance, you might be carrying a day bag around for the better part of 10 or 12 hours.

I bought Rick's Convertible Backpack 2 years ago for a trip and use it all the time now. I like the design of it.

I have a small pac safe bag messenger bag. I like it and it fits all my stuff i take with my during the day, camera, extra camera lens, iPad mini. I don't like the money belts or neck pouches so I went that pac safe way and for my needs it works. I know they may not work for everyone.

kirsten the main question you have to decide is whether you want a roller bag or backpack style. Too many pros & cons for anyone but you to decide that. I have the RS classic bag (backpack style) and I think it is a bargain, especially now when its on sale. The best thing about it is that it only weighs three pounds empty, so I had more leeway to fit within the current air carriers' weight limit - its not just size that matters.

My wife has a Pacsafe purse and likes it a lot.

I use a Delsey 22" x 14" 9" carryon. It's a wheeled bag. I can't do heavy backpacks because they hurt my back, so I use the rolling suitcase, a school-type L.L. Bean backpack, and a LeSportSac cross-body messenger bag-type purse. I agree with others that Pacsafe plays on people's fears and is not worth the cost or the weight. You'll probably get lots of opinions about the use of money belts, so here's mine: I use a waist money belt for valuables (passport, credit cards, cash) and keep my day money in the messenger bag. I also don't keep any valuables in the backpack in case of pickpocketing.

I prefer the bags with wheels as they are easier to move around. I must admit that I shudder when I see people covered with backpacks, but then, I like comfort. Might be my age. I have been able to pick up good, light bags at T.J. Max and they are a bargain there. They have carry on bags or checked luggage types.

Do Not get the RS carry-on. I have the new RS 20 inch rolling carry-on that I bought last summer 2013 and have used it for four separate trips since then, 1 domestic, 3 international.

The first trip the bag refused to stand upright. It kept pitching forward hard and fast everytime I stopped. I could Not let go of the handle, which became a bother because I need both hands at times. It was exhausting picking it up off the floor, and everybody hated me, the bag hit dogs, children, and toppled newsstands.

I emailed RS CS from Italy and they emailed back to zip up the expansion and reduce the weight, even though total weight was below max allowance and airline rules. I left nearly half my clothes behind at the B and B, but I kept my 2 paperback books. I closed the expansion. The bag continued to pitch.

In September, I left out the books, and had a total weight of 17 pounds, which was still too much because I could Not maneuver the bag out of the way. It was so heavy and unwieldy that it was exhausting moving the bag to a safe place. It's like the wheels vanish and I'm left with a heavy, out-of-shape, lumpy bag and No control.

The kicker was when I got very ill in Rome the day before departure and 17 pounds felt like 17 tons. That bag has only 2 tiny wheels, placing the whole weight of the bag on me. And I could Not drag it. Needless to say I attracted the (unwanted) attention of the Airlines which then monitored me for the whole trip.

This last trip in November I kept the total weight down to 15 pounds, and the bag was better to manage at that weight.

I'm looking for a 4-wheeled carry-on so the bag can carry its own weight. I'm leaning toward the 21 inch Lipault carry-on, all handles and wheels are included in the 21 inches. I have a 4-wheeled bag I check that I bought at Roma Termini and I just love it. It carries its own weight and just lightly touching the handles moves it along. I need the same experience with my carry-on.

kirsten,

There are a myriad of different types of luggage and different quality levels. Are you planning to carry on only, or will you also be checking a bag?

I'd suggest looking at several different manufacturers and types of luggage, in order to get the best fit for your needs. Here are a few you could check out.....

• www.eaglecreek.com
• http://www.ospreypacks.com/en/activity/travel
• http://www.tombihn.com/ (higher end but exceptional quality and good design features)
• http://1bag1world.com/ (good information and reviews of various types of luggage)

Good luck with your search!

Kirsten,
Two years ago my wife and I spent 3 weeks in Europe (10 of those days in Italy) and we used Rick Steves' Convertible Carry-on. We travel extensively and never do checked baggage, we also backpack so this was our choice. This bag gave us flexibility to "cram" it into overhead compartments when other passengers have taken more than their "allotted space" or toss it into the back of a rental car. The backpack straps came in handy when moving between trains quickly and the no wheels feature kept the bags from rolling in and out of the aisles on trains. I just looked and saw the bag is on sale for $80. Secondly, I recently purchased a carry-on luggage for my wife that has a hard side (rugged polycarbonate plastic) and 4 wheels at Costco last Spring for $45. We liked is so well I had to go back and get one for myself. Safe travels

The big question is whether you want wheels or a backpack. I am happy with my Osprey Porter 46 backpack, which is light weight , reasonably comfortable and holds lots of stuff.

I have a PacSafe MetroSafe bag, which I use frequently at home and sometimes on overseas trips. It's a tad heavy for what it is, but it keeps my iPad, a small camera and other miscellaneous things secure and well-organized. My mother used one of the PacSafe CitySafe bags on a trip last spring, and she liked it. The PacSafe bag does not take the place of a money belt. Think of the bag more as a solid, practical purse, and you will most likely be happy with it.

Kirsten, I've used the RS Appenzell backpack for years. (I don't like rolling bags.) It's light, counts as a carry-on for all the airlines we've flown, and can hold enough for a three week or longer trip - if you do laundry once in a while and pack thoughtfully. It's on sale now, too, which is a plus. Give it a look; I love mine.

If you're going to Venice you may want something that doesn't roll:

http://www.newser.com/story/198973/venice-wants-to-outlaw-your-rolling-suitcase.html

I use a Campmoor essential carry on primarily because it's light - no unneeded weight to carry around. It's also likely the cheapest bag you can find. I've had my current one for at least several years, at least a half dozen domestic and international trips, and it still looks brand new.

Geez, that Venice story is just never going to die, is it?

See the following: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/venice-leaders-roll-back-reported-trolley-suitcase-ban

I saw one nice rolling bag at REI that looks cool: REI carry on bag There is a nice video showing the features.

The width is 10 inches and I understand some carriers have a 9 inch limit. But the question I have is how strictly are rules enforced nowadays? I read one forum dialog that seemed to say Swiss Air did not really push the rules and only occasionally weighed people's bags. And one could load some stuff into a smaller "hand bag" to lighten things for the check-in.

So what do others here think, do we have to take all these airline bag dimensions and weights literally?

Check out t he IT bags. 4 wheels on some and very lightweight. Often at Tjmaxx

I bought the Pacsafe crossbody bag a few years ago and totally regret spending the money on it because I put everything valuable in my neck wallet anyway. What was I "protecting" form pickpockets- my RS guidebook? My lipstick? My pack of tissues? You see what I mean? I used it for a couple of trips anyway since I spent so much money on it but on my last trip I just spent $20 and bought a cuter, roomier crossbody bag at TJMaxx. I did carry my cellphone with me but I just put it in an inside zippered pocket. Now I do recommend spending money on one of those lighter weight carry on suitcases. I am itching so badly for my next trip. I don't have a definite trip planned but do plan to invest in one of those for my next European trip.

Love my little Pacsafe cross-body purse. My every day purse is medium sized and accumulates non-essentials. Having a different bag for travel which is significantly smaller forces me to pack a light purse and consider what I'm putting in it rather than my default load of stuff. That may be the biggest benefit of all considering it's on me or with me for most of the waking hours of any trip : )

P.S. We use a money belt or around the neck 'pocket' for the really important stuff.