Okay, you’ve waited long enough. Let’s talk about choosing a bag.
I’m assuming you’ve gone through the first two steps and now know why you’re traveling, where you’re traveling to, and you have a fairly decent packing list. Now it’s time to choose a bag. What I’m going to attempt in this posting is to give you a primer on things you need to know to get the bag that will work best for you. Since this website is geared towards those who travel with non-wheeled carry on sized bags, we’re not going to discuss wheels and handles. You’ll have to find that information somewhere else. You’ll also realize that the answers to the first two steps of this how to series will come in handy when choosing a bag. If you haven’t done them, you might want to go back and review.
As many of you know, I’m a Certified Travel Goods Specialist so I’m “supposed” to know something about this topic. (I was tested on it.) Let’s see how much I remember.
Let’s first talk about the design of bags. Most bags—and I’ll be using the generic term “bags” to refer to those wheeless ones I mentioned—come with either one, two or three compartments. This does not include the outside pockets. These are the main packing compartments. Which one to choose is really a personal preference. Some business people like the multi compartment bags so they can separate their work and personal items. Others like them for their extra organization. Others, like me, prefer a one compartment bag because the way I like to pack is more conducive to that. I like to see everything at once, and having less compartments makes it easier to keep an eye on security. (More on packing techniques in the next “how to”). Keep this in mind, multi compartment bags generally weigh more than one compartment bags because they have more material.
Outside pockets are another consideration. Do you like lots of little pockets to store things, or do you prefer one or two larger outside pockets to keep track of their use. Remember, it’s easier to secure fewer pockets than many. Think about what you would put in these pockets. That should help you decide which way to go.
Inside pockets. Some bags have them, some don’t. Is this something that is important to you?
Backpack straps? Do you need them? Do you want them? If so, do you want them exposed all the time or would you prefer a convertible bag which offers the option of stowing the backpack straps into their own pocket. Some backpack straps come with a waist belt and/or a sternum strap. These latter two items help to distribute the load of the the bag off your back.
Size and weight. In North America, this is fairly lenient. The standard measurements for carry-on are 22 x 14 x 9 inches or 45 linear inches. Weight, on many airlines, can go as high as 40 lbs. (If you’re carrying 40 lbs in a wheeless bag, you need to go back to earlier How -To’s to learn how to make a better packing list.)
If your travels take you outside the above mentioned area, then size and weight, especially weight, is very important. A bag too heavy under many airline restrictions does not necessarily mean it will get gate checked like in the U.S. or Canada. Chances are it will go into the hold with the rest of the checked luggage. Where you travel has a major affect on the size and weight of your bag. One caveat: Just because a bag gives measurements of 22 x 14 x 9 doesn’t mean it stays that size. Soft sided bags, the ones we’re talking about, can be pushed and shoved to conform to luggage sizers as long as they are not packed to the gills.
How the bag opens is also important. There are three main designs:
Wardrobe style—opens on three sides with the non zippered portion along one of the longer sides.
Clamshell—opens on three sides with the non zippered side along the bottom when held backpack style.
Top Loading—limited to real backpacks. Only the top of the bag, when held in backpack mode, opens. I don’t recommend these unless you are truly backpacking. Should you need to get anything out of the bottom, you must unload the entire bag. They also don’t look very professional should you use the bag for work purposes.
Compression straps are handy to keep things in place. Most bags have them inside. External straps are also good to keep things from shifting while wearing the bag as a backpack or to help “thin it out” for those airline luggage sizers. If a bag you’re considering has external compression straps, look to see if it takes some of the load off the main compartment zipper which is what it’s supposed to do. Some are designed poorly and don’t do this. They actually put more pressure on the zipper.
Shoulder strap attachments. Most bags have them and are referred to as “D” rings. If you want to attach a shoulder strap, you need these. I recommend having them.They come in either plastic or metal. Modern plastics are pretty strong and remember, they won’t have too much weight to hold. (I hope.). You might also want to check out the placement of these rings. When used, will the strap be on one side of the bag causing it to feel lopsided or are the rings placed to the bag is balanced?
Now we talk about material. And here’s where it’s going to get fun. This can get very technical but I’m going to keep this as brief as possible.
When you read about the type of material used in the bag there are lots of words thrown out: denier, ballistic nylon, ripstop nylon, Codura, polyester, and more.
Denier has nothing to do with strength. It is a measurement of weight. It has to do with the thickness of the fibers over a specific area and involves a very complicated formula. You just need to know that a 1000 denier fabric is heavier than a 500 denier fabric. But not necessarily stronger. I’ll get to that in a moment.
Ballistic nylon is commonly used for many carry-on bags. It’s a material originally developed during WW II for flak jackets. It is difficult to puncture. 1050 denier is considered the best. Wait, you’re thinking, I’ve seen 1680 denier ballistic nylon advertised, isn’t that going to be stronger? Aha, that’s the catch I eluded to earlier. Besides weight, the weave of the material is also important. Most ballistic nylon is in a single basket weave. Except for 1050 which is double weaved. So, 1050 ballistic nylon is strongest because of that. While each filament is 1050, the double weave gives it a weight/strength of 2100.
Ripstop nylon has recently begun to be used on bags. It was developed during WW II as well but for parachutes. It has a crosshatch pattern and was designed to stop rips from getting larger. It has a tendency to be water resistant as well. Some manufacturers are looking into replacing ballistic nylon with ripstop because it is lighter.
Cordura is a brand name of nylon. Excellent quality.
Polyester and microfiber are becoming popular with bag manufacturers because they are cheaper than nylon. While some of the newer fabrics in this area are good they are considered inferior to nylon. If you can afford it, get a nylon bag.
Zippers. They are usually the first things to give out on a bag. The best zippers on the market are made by YKK. They are the gold standard. That doesn’t mean that non-YKK zippers are bad, it just means you need to spend some time opening and closing a bag, and giving it a good once over to see if the zippers don’t catch, if run smoothly and seem to be solid.
Zippers also come in different types: coil, chain, invisible. Don’t worry about this. It’s rarely mentioned by manufacturers and is not as important as brand and strength. Zippers also come in numbered sizes. A #10 zipper isn’t necessarily better than a #5 zipper, just bigger.
Zipper pulls are also important and you want to make sure they seem sturdy. Some zipper pulls are lockable meaning each size of the pull has a little circular ring that lines up so you can attach a lock.
If they don’t have this, look to see if the zipper pulls themselves have holes in which a lock or fastening device can be used. Don’t assume this. One manufacturers has recently replaced the holes with the initials of the “celebrity” European traveler the line is named after.
The shape of the bag can also affect the easibility of packing. Think corners. Rectangular is easier to pack than oval. Especially is you’re using packing cubes.
Handles. Most bags have at least one carry handle “on top.” But if you’re putting the bag into the overhead bin, handles on the ends would make it easier.
And then there is all the other stuff. Some bags have unique design items found only on their bags. Check each one out and see if it’s something you’ll use or does it take away from other useable space. And what about the weight?
Lastly, there’s the price. Bags can go for as little at $25 and up to and over $400. Which bag you buy has a lot to do with your budget. If you plan to do a lot of traveling, I’d suggest getting the best bag you can because more than likely it will last the longest. By all means, stay away from the big box stores no-name or their own brands. Even if they cost practically nothing. Having a bag come apart while traveling is not fun. And don’t forget to see what kind of warranty comes with it.
As to which bag is the best, that’s truly subjective. I have numerous bags and can tell you the pros and cons of each. None is the perfect bag. When choosing a bag, realize that you may not find the perfect bag for you. In that case, find the bag that comes closest.
Have you noticed I didn’t mention color? Sure, it’s important. But what color you choose is strictly up to you. (I still get black bags because they don’t stand out and get by gate agents much easier.)
Shoulder Straps. Some bags come with them, some don’t. With all my bags, whether they came with one or not, I’ve switched them out with a Tom Bihn Absolute Strap. Still, in my opinion, the best shoulder strap on the market.
Almost all the convertible bags on the market have been reviewed on this website. If there’s one in particular you like, do a search to find that review and then post a question in our Readers Forum to ask more specific questions or for more opinions.
Next time on “How To”—packing techniques.