I'm always seeking a lighter, smaller bag. I'm now trying to decide between the Outdoor PRoducts Essential Carry-on and the L.L. Bean Quickload travel Pack. The difference in weight between the two is 6 ounces with the L.L. Bean bag having outside compression straps. The Essential Carry-on doesn't.

I use folders and packing cubes. How important are outside compressions straps. My current bag has them but I'm not sure if it would make a difference. That's the only real difference I can see between the two.

I don’t know if my comments count as informed opinion but though well designed bag, I am returning my Jansport Eurosak carry on bag (http://www.ebags.com/jansport/euro_sak/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=81964) for the very reason that it does not have internal or external compression straps like the Quickload travel Pack.

Internal compression straps stops stuff moving around. Packing cubes have their purposes, but once the bag is loaded and locked to reduce bag bloat which attracts the eagle eyed attention of the baggage police, external compression straps are essential as stealth technology is to a F117.

Thanks, Mike.

I have an Ebags Weekender. And while I like the bag, it's heavy. As I get older, I'm looking to lighten my load. Plus, so many overseas airlines limit how much you can take onboard. I fear U.S. airlines may follow their lead now that they charge for every checked bag.

I ordered the Essential Carry-On a few months and sent it back because I thought it was a little flimsy and when packed seemed lopsided. But I've read so many positive opinions of it that I thought I'd give it another try. And how can you beat $30?

Then I saw the L.L. Bean bag with its external straps. (And it's only 6 ounces more than the Esential carry-on but 1 1/2 pounds lighter than my Weekender.) True, it is much more expensive.

I have the Essential Carry-on, and, for the price, it is a great piece of gear. I've had external compression straps (made from tiedown straps from the camping section at Target) added by a local repair shop. They really assist in making the profile smaller, and in keeping a less-than-full load from moving around. How can you go wrong for $30?

I couldn't find any tie down straps at Target and the only other thing that came close was to tie things down on top of the car.

Could you give me a better idea of what kind of straps you used and how much the entire thing cost including the work done by the repair shop. And how much weight did it add?

I'm wondering if a couple of luggage straps would do the same thing as the external compression straps.

I'm wondering if you couldn't get a couple of straps at REI and run them through the loops for the umbrella holder to keep them in place?

Buzz,

The straps are used to attach sleeping bags and the like to packs. The are nylon straps of various widths (I used the 1"), with a buckle at one end, the other plain. I cut the straps so that there was a plain strap about 12" long matched with a buckle-ended strap about 8"long. These were then sewn to the bag in a configuration similar to the LLBean or RS bags with their compression straps.

If Brad sends me the directions, I can post some pictures, if that would be helpful. The mod has worked well, and makes the bag seem much smaller than the dimensions would indicate, especially with smaller loads.

Vic

I think internal tie-down straps are incredibly useful, I don't know that I would buy a bag without them. But for whatever it's worth, I believe that external compression straps are even more important. Especially now and in the near future, as airlines crack down more on luggage size. And while the outside straps can be useful if you over pack, I think they are most useful when a bag is under packed. The straps keep everything from "flopping around" and settling, making the bag much easier to handle.

Vic - send pix to bradDOTisbellATgmailDOTcom

Thanks. I emailed Outdoor Products who said they would look into adding external compression straps to their bag but if I added them, it would void the warranty. One suggestion was to get two lashing straps and use them on the bag like luggage straps and they should be as effective--but not permanently attached. (This is a hassle as I'd rather have them on all the time.) I may get the L.L. Bean bag instead which has the external straps and only weighs 6 ounces more than the Essential Carryon. And it has a lifetime replacement warranty. But $69 more.

Sadly, we have no one in my area who does luggage repairs.

I agree that both internal and external straps are important especially with lighter loads.

Buzz, call your local airport (or go there). Every airline Baggage Claim desk has a go-to shop in that city for luggage damaged in flight. My brother's gotten dozens of bags damaged in flight, and every city with an airport has a shop to do repairs for travelers. Some may be shoe shops, true, but they know how to repair bags! Most are quite reasonable, and he's never had a repair blow out. (Usually the whole bag goes first - he's just not interested in one-bag carry-on, too bad!)

Failing that, check with the outdoors shops in your area. There's probably someone in town who repairs gear for people, even if it's a seamstress/tailor working out of their house.

I bought the Essential Carry-On last week and would you believe the shoulder strap broke the first time I tried it--and the bag was empty!!!! I'm calling Campmor tomorrow for a replacement strap. (I'm going to use the Tom Bihn Strap when I travel but want the one that came with it as a back-up.)

I was shocked when I weighed it...less than 1 1/2 pounds empty.

Campmor was prompt and I received the replacement today. Guess what...this one's strap was defective as well!!!

I called Campmor who were terrific and are sending out a better strap rather than trying to send a new bag with a possibly third bad strap.

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