Just returned from our 4th trip using this bag as a carry on for tablets, chargers, snacks, water bottles, etc. Gotta say I love the bag because it has so many great pockets, but hate the bag because of the way the front flap zips open with no support.
Leaving again in September and considering switching to something else. We have the RS small day backpack. Might consider using that instead.
Anyone else love/hate the Euro bag? What do you use?
Thanks for your help
I also have a love/hate view of the euro flight bag as well. I like the organization. It's great as an overnight 1-2 day pack. Good for car travel. Things I hate about it - rather large and bulky. Can be heavy when fully packed. I have flown with it and taken it to a multiday convention. I find it heavy and difficult/bulky to carry around on my shoulder. It doesn't fit under plane seats particularly well either - depending on the plane. I use a Merrell rouge backpack - not perfect - but works much better for me. I also purchased an ebags - lunch crew cooler II for a friend. It can be used as a general flight bag. Right now - I'm sticking with backpacks for carrying comfort.
How about the RS Veloce Bag? When expanded it holds about 75% of what the Euro holds and you can carry it either as a shoulder/messenger bag, backpack or use the passthru to piggyback on a roller.
It's great...as a flight bag or an overnighter. However I like my "flight bag" or personal item on flight to double as my daybag. In that regard it falls short. I'd have to pack a second small messenger bag to use daily while traveling and I'm all about minimizing.
So...no. This bag is too square and lunchboxy to carry comfortable for me around touring so I either bring a messenger bag or stick a small purse in a fold up tote for my flight.
I like the RS Euro Flight Bag, but tend to tie different personal bags to different trips (based on length, type, destination, camera gear etc.) Two that I like which are not RS are the Gator and Sun Chaser by Red Oxx. Both are built like tanks and certainly protect anything I have inside.
I am using my second Euro Flight Bag, first one was stolen in South America. I agree with many of the comments. It can get very heavy and I try to limit what I put in it. My spouse has the RS Ravenna Day Pack which has almost the same capacity as Euro Bag. He loves it. Plus you don't have to carry it rather use as backpack. It also has a nice compartment for a tablet. They are 20% off now on RS website. I am considering switching to this back pack.
Sue,
I recently answered another post about the Euro Flight Bag with the response below.
((I have had the Euro Flight Bag for about 2+ years. Been to Italy and beyond a few times. My latest use has been using it as my daily walk to the shower bag at an rv resort. Have used it for about 150 days straight. No failures of any kind.
I usually put a book or something similar, if necessary, in the front to keep small items from falling out. Doesn't happen that often.
But...mine does seem to collapse on itself. No big deal though. It holds quite a bit of anything that you want to put into it...and there-in lies the problem. You can over load this bag very quickly. Remember that you are going to carry this bag either by the handle or by putting it on your shoulder or cross body with most of the weight sort of on your neck. If you put more that 5 pounds, or so, into the bag it feels like a millstone around your neck. Especially if you have to cover distance. Camera gear might be a determining factor.
But it has a bunch of little pockets inside and outside and fits over the handle of my RS rolling bags.
Having said that I'm not trading mine in. Has plenty of uses as do all bags.))
The Veloce Bag is another alternative as was previously mentioned. We used one last May in Italy and a cruise for about three weeks. Worked well. It's a good deal smaller that the Appenzell or Euro but it's size will keep you from overpacking.
As an example we used one RS rolling bag, one RS convertible backpack, one Veloce, one Euro /flight bag and two small Veloce for I-pad bags as our daily carry / tour bag. Got it down to a system...Finally.
Good Luck,
Gene
There was a recent long thread originally comparing the Ravenna vs. RS Rolling Carry-on. In that discussion, I explained why I like and use the Euro Flight Bag. One of my long responses is below. Not all of it applies to to your question, but offers some of my pros and cons regarding the bag.
I wouldn't totally disagree that the front flap isn't perfect, but overall I like the bag.
I think travelingmom and I have just had different expectations and experiences with the Euro Flight Bag. I got it to solve the problem of juggling three bags. I started using a CPAP several years ago. You can carry on a medical device as a third item, in addition to your carry-on bag and a personal item. The first couple of times I flew with the CPAP, I tried carrying the machine in the bag it came in, attempting, VERY unsuccessfully, to secure it to the handle of the RS rolling carry-on. Plus, I had the Civita bag over my shoulder. It was an ungainly arrangement to begin with, made much worse as the CPAP bag constantly flopped around atop the carry-on.
My current arrangement is to use the Euro bag to carry the CPAP, my camera wrapped in the otherwise empty Civita bag, my Kindle and stuff I want access to on the plane. So, two bags instead of three, and in my case, the Euro bag sits quite securely on the carry-on handle. Maybe I've packed the carry-on full enough to give the top some structure, but I've had good luck. And I like that the Euro bag is unstructured, as it will squish down easily in case anyone at the gate thinks it looks too big for a personal item. It slides under the seat on the plane with no problem. Also, those inside pockets that travelingmom has no use for are perfect for stowing the power supply, cords and mask for the CPAP.
Like the RS carry-on, the Euro bag has unexpected capacity. I've used it several times as on overnight bag with plenty of room to spare. My wife and I even shared the bag for a weekend trip once. I have carried my smallish laptop sometimes, but I don't want to lug it to Europe. I did a practice pack the other day with the CPAP, camera, etc., also adding my packable rain jacket and the Don't Tell Rick Bag, with those items wrapped in a pillowcase to serve as a makeshift travel pillow. All told the bag came in at about 10 lbs., which I hope to reduce with a travel-size CPAP before our trip in May.
My one knock on the Euro bag is that I don't find the shoulder strap terribly comfortable, especially if the bag is fairly heavy. Otherwise, I've been well-pleased and will put it to the overseas test on our May trip to Italy.
So, I think there's no right or wrong answer. You just have to figure out what's going to work for you. In any case, I now own the RS 20" rolling carry-on, the Euro Flight Bag and the Civita day bag. I find all of them to be functional, versatile and durable. No regrets on giving Rick the business.
