Luggage Addicts meet here

[china mom]

I have various sized Disney Clamshell spinners. I do love to use packing cubes, but have never tried the compression packing cubes!

They are a game changer. But, do not buy the ones where the sipper is on the end and they don't open all the way. Also, the fabric and zippers are crucial since they will be stressed. I have these and hey are great. They actually get easier to use each time as they get broken in.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C9ZCY3PJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wish they would sell the medium size separately as I have never used the large and don't need any more of the small

 

[leahgoogle]

They are a game changer. But, do not buy the ones where the sipper is on the end and they don't open all the way. Also, the fabric and zippers are crucial since they will be stressed. I have these and hey are great. They actually get easier to use each time as they get broken in.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C9ZCY3PJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wish they would sell the medium size separately as I have never used the large and don't need any more of the small

I will check these out for sure! Thanks!

 

[china mom]

I spent waaay to much money on a cosmetics bag...and I don't even wear makeup But, I am starting to love this one.

https://myparallelle.com/pages/the-slate-traveller

I got the medium. It is just big enough for my two hairbrushes and comb (laying down for travel) and all my little things like travel toothbrush/toothpaste, floss, extra hair ties, medication and even injectable pen medications and a few other odds and ends. What is so nice about it is that when open with the sides folded down, it becomes a make-up organized so everything is right there and not all over the counter. No need to pack and unpack it.

My only complaint/improvement is, since it is designed for makeup brushes and such, the small pockets are just a tad too small to be as useful as I would like.

 

[VandVsmama]

My favorite 'personal item' carry on bag for travel is the Bento Bag by Nomad Lane. It's pricey ($298) but this bag is seriously awesome.

https://nomadlane.com/products/the-bento-bag?variant=45459960693041

Has multiple compartments & pockets to put all sorts of things. I've traveled on 3-4 day trips before with just this and my purse. AND that included bringing a laptop, too. Went to Hawaii for a week with this bag + 1 carry-on roll-aboard R2D2 American Tourister suitcase.

 

[china mom]

My favorite 'personal item' carry on bag for travel is the Bento Bag by Nomad Lane. It's pricey ($298) but this bag is seriously awesome.

https://nomadlane.com/products/the-bento-bag?variant=45459960693041

Has multiple compartments & pockets to put all sorts of things. I've traveled on 3-4 day trips before with just this and my purse. AND that included bringing a laptop, too. Went to Hawaii for a week with this bag + 1 carry-on roll-aboard R2D2 American Tourister suitcase.

I was going to ask if anyone had the bento bag. I want it so bad and it is on my list but I just can't justify it.

I have a bag that is a much cheaper but similar concept and I have only used it once.

 

[china mom]

Packing cubes: Roll method or fold flat?

I used to roll and I guess I probably still would if I were going to leave my items in the cube on arrival. More recently, I have been folding my clothes to the size of the cube and using them that way.

I laid out identical piles of two pairs of shorts and rolled one set and folded the other and they both ended up the same size after compressing the compression cubes.

 

[snappy]

I also fold my clothes to the size of the cube. I don’t put pants or jeans in the packing cubes. I have a bunch of the the medium size Eagle creek blue ones which I bought from amazon a few years ago. Not compression

 

[loves to dive]

I'm addicted to packing videos, I'm not sure why since I drive down and can basically bring any kind of suitcase I want but I do try to just do a carry on size and a backpack. I've found if I go with a medium size I have a little trouble getting it in and out of the car and to the room since I travel solo.

Some packing vloggers I like: It's the Kellys. She is strictly a carry on gal and has done tons of reviews on bags, personal items and packing cubes.
Aly Smalls another mostly carry on gal she also has loads of reviews on her site.

Both of the above have taken bags to the airport and tried them in the sizers.

Another one I watch is Perrie's Passport. She is fairly new but once you get used to her style of video, she is pretty good at giving you info. She is also mostly carry on.

All of the above do packing cubes. I'm not a packing cube person. I've tried them a few times and have found I can fit more in my suitcase without them. I do use them if I'm doing a split stay so I can put stuff for the first night or two into a cube, stick that and my toiletry bag and my laptop into my backpack and leave my suitcase in the car.

Some other packing vloggers I don't watch as often. Tripped Travel Gear. Travel tips by Laurie. Genx Gypsy. If you are packing for kids Pixie Dusted Mom has a lot of kids packing tips. Sometimes I watch Away Together w/Nik and Allie, they have a few good tips. See, I'm addicted to packing videos.

 

[Living42Day]

I am a chronic over packer. On our last cruise, the plan was to take a checked bag but somehow we ended up taking two checked and one carry on lol. Then had to buy a larger DCL suitcase for all of the treasures we purchased on-board. The bags fly free with United so it wasn't an issue, but still...

I have been really impressed with American Tourister, they are pretty reasonably priced and hold up great.

You mention not liking the clamshell style, but the American Tourister swivel carry-on bag we have is very sturdy and never falls over like the softsided Mickey Mouse carry on we got at the Disneyland hotel about 10 years ago. You may have some luck checking those out.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I use this (different color) as my "small" carryon that goes under my seat.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09N3LJ5P8?ie=UTF8&th=1

I like that the top opens really wide so I can see everything. I also put an organizer pouch like this inside it...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XJFLMSR?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We also bring a small wheeled carry-on with things like extra clothes, our son's tablet, other odds and ends that we can't/don't want to check like an inflatable booster seat.

I bought a new one to try out this year. We'll see if I like it or not. It doesn't have spinner wheels though. I picked it because it's small enough to go under the seat in front of my son (or at least, it should be.) The old one I had was from Walmart and it worked well...except it was shorter/wider. The wideness made it kind of a pain to wheel down the narrow plane aisle. So I'm hoping this one will be better.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6KMKGQ1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For road trips, when we're going in and out of hotels just for 1 night or 2, we each have a really large backpack that opens like a suitcase.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JCP8BF3?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[happybaker]

I have an Amerian Tourister 4 Kix from Amazon that I bought a couple of years ago. It fits under the seat and is a great carryon. I can fit enough for about a four-night trip. We sometimes use Spirit for quick trips to Florida, and it qualifies as free. I wanted to get another one for my husband, but every time I look, it's unavailable

 

[bdrex28]

I travel with a mobility scooter so if I take a rollerbag, it has to be a spinner so that I can pull it with one hand while I drive with the other. I currently have 2 22 inch spinners that I use but I am looking for something better

I have a 22 inch clamshell hardside Disney bag but no longer like clamshell. They take up too much space when open and they are harder to pack because you are limited to two shallow sides.

My other bag is a softside bag with one large section but when I have a personal item on the handle, the bag gets tippy and falls over every time I let go of it.

So, now I am trying to justify (to myself) buying a hardside, spinner, trunk style 20-22 inch. Does anyone have one that does not tip over?

I got rewarded through work a set of Carl Friedrik about two years ago. One of the bags is their carry on x or something. I really like it. Solid, rolls well and they included a panel for each side to go on top of the clothing much better than the straps typically seen. It also has a pocket for a laptop etc on the outside. It's hardcover spinner.

I like it quite a bit better than our travel pro and very similar to the monos bag my wife uses. Mine seems to hold more though

 

[Giraffe_Zen]

I bought this suitcase years ago because I love the fabric (sloths!). It's held up well for 6 years with a bunch of international trips. I did tear the rubber covering on one of the wheels in Florence on my last trip on a pipe sticking out of the sidewalk. I tore it all off, we'll see how the wheel works without it next trip.

My DH surprised me for my bday with one from this brand, but mine is giraffes!

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

My addition is backpacks for carryon. I have so many, and usually choose the one I take based on my travel destination and what I will be using it for when there. If nothing, then a small one. Or larger ones if hiking. All my backpacks are from Osprey.

But for actual luggage for years I have stuck with the Samsonite hardside spinner for most trips. When we are taking trips that are either with alot of trains or in an old European city, where we have to drag over cobblestone streets we use the Osprey Farpoint 80 travel backpacks. They fit so much. Then when it's time to check it in at the counter, theirs a flap on the back that is rolled when you wear as a backpack and you unroll it and it zips all around the straps to make it just look like a large soft sided suitcases. There's a handle to easily grab off the baggage carousel.

We also recently started on the compression cubes and that is a game changer. It is pretty rare we stay in one destination for a week, Disney is probably the only place. So I note which cubes have what clothes and only unpack what is needed at each destination. Even something like a cruise where we are usually one-night before the cruise at the port area, it's nice to just grab out that one packing cube for our clothes and not rummage around everything.

 

[VandVsmama]

Packing cubes: Roll method or fold flat?

I used to roll and I guess I probably still would if I were going to leave my items in the cube on arrival. More recently, I have been folding my clothes to the size of the cube and using them that way.

I laid out identical piles of two pairs of shorts and rolled one set and folded the other and they both ended up the same size after compressing the compression cubes.

It's roll method for me!

 

[snappy]

All this talk about luggage and bags! I pulled the trigger on a Briggs and Riley expandable cabin bag, $200 rather than $300 on Amazon (probably a returned one, navy to match my 22 inch Briggs and Riley rolling carry on. We plan to travel alot this year, it will come in handy. Now, to break the news to my husband, lol.

 

[china mom]

I am a chronic over packer. On our last cruise, the plan was to take a checked bag but somehow we ended up taking two checked and one carry on lol. Then had to buy a larger DCL suitcase for all of the treasures we purchased on-board. The bags fly free with United so it wasn't an issue, but still...

I have been really impressed with American Tourister, they are pretty reasonably priced and hold up great.

You mention not liking the clamshell style, but the American Tourister swivel carry-on bag we have is very sturdy and never falls over like the softsided Mickey Mouse carry on we got at the Disneyland hotel about 10 years ago. You may have some luck checking those out.

I have the red and black Mickey clamshell and it does not tip but isn't convenient to pack. My soft side disney bag is easy to pack but tips

 

[Living42Day]

I have the red and black hickey clashes and it does not tip but isn't convenient to pack. My soft side disney bag is easy to pack but tips

It makes me irrationally angry when they tip over lol!

Not sure why, but the noise it makes when it clanks on the floor and the awkwardness of picking it back up drives me crazy.

 

[china mom]

It makes me irrationally angry when they tip over lol!

Not sure why, but the noise it makes when it clanks on the floor and the awkwardness of picking it back up drives me crazy.

It's worse when you are on a scooter and have to dismount to get it.

Or worse than that is when it hits someone as it falls.

 

[eticketplease]

My favorite 'personal item' carry on bag for travel is the Bento Bag by Nomad Lane. It's pricey ($298) but this bag is seriously awesome.

https://nomadlane.com/products/the-bento-bag?variant=45459960693041

Has multiple compartments & pockets to put all sorts of things. I've traveled on 3-4 day trips before with just this and my purse. AND that included bringing a laptop, too. Went to Hawaii for a week with this bag + 1 carry-on roll-aboard R2D2 American Tourister suitcase.

I have that bag and it is nice but I don’t use it very often as I find it to be too heavy for me