Compact luggage

[great mooglie]

This is a question about luggage. My past trips I have brought with me smallish backpack, the size you would see someone bringing to school, which carries my laptop, Anker charger, a couple books, and other small items I may use on the plane.  In addition there is the luggage I check in for the flight. That is one of those wheeled monstrosities most passengers take with where I carry clothes,  toiletries, and other such things.  My next trip I would like to go a lighter as I plan to move around a bit. I also plan to avoid taxi’s. My first 4 nights will be in Bangkok and I plan to use the airport link to the BTS and from there to Nana. I also plan to get to Pattaya via a bus from Ekkamai station. I want to be able to grab a motorcycle taxi to my hotel from the Pattaya bus station.  I don’t want to be weighed down. Could I get a recommendation from you guys that travel light on what kind of bags you carry for travel?

[Sticky Fingers]

My first suggestion would be to invest in a good piece of luggage. Something that will give you 10+ years of service.

I purchased this item from Samsonite - the "Samsonite Cosmolite Spinner". 55cm so it qualifies as cabin luggage. Weighs 1.7 kgs  (3.75 lbs).

Some carriers allow me to carry on 10kgs as cabin luggage, so that typically is enough for me for a ~2 week holiday in a tropical climate. 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Sticky Fingers said:

My first suggestion would be to invest in a good piece of luggage. Something that will give you 10+ years of service.

I purchased this item from Samsonite - the "Samsonite Cosmolite Spinner". 55cm so it qualifies as cabin luggage. Weighs 1.7 kgs  (3.75 lbs).

Some carriers allow me to carry on 10kgs as cabin luggage, so that typically is enough for me for a ~2 week holiday in a tropical climate. 

If it can carry enough luggage for 2 weeks, it's the same for 2 months, just do laundry.

i use a carry on backpack, and a shoulder carry computer bag. Easy to travel with, as I travel a lot.

whether it be on long tail boats, motos, bus, ferris, bts.

and no dragging down broken sidewalks. Of course if I am only going to a single destination, I pack different.

[HimBadMan]

2 hours ago, Sticky Fingers said:

My first suggestion would be to invest in a good piece of luggage. Something that will give you 10+ years of service.

I purchased this item from Samsonite - the "Samsonite Cosmolite Spinner". 55cm so it qualifies as cabin luggage. Weighs 1.7 kgs  (3.75 lbs).

Some carriers allow me to carry on 10kgs as cabin luggage, so that typically is enough for me for a ~2 week holiday in a tropical climate. 

Yeah those asian airline carry on weight limits are a killer..    i use a lucas lightweight bag about the same weight as above  plus carry on a 2nd bag that fits under seat . And i can pacl 2 weeks of clothes in 2 small carry ons

I stopped buying expensive luggage cause it gets beat up so quickly  ..  used and abused..  s

[Little Evil]

Most modern 21" or smaller hard side spinners (not the TG variety) will fit into the overhead compartment of an international plane. Although, I don't know what it would be like holding on to one that is packed tight while on the back of a scooter. For that scenario, a good duffel back might make more sense, but then those suck to have while running through airports instead of a wheeled option.

In any case, my 21" Delsey Helium Shadow is only good for 1 week's worth of clothing. I just do laundry a lot while traveling (I have red & blue yarn knots in half my clothing, if you know what I mean). It's so cheap in LoS that it makes sense to pack light. If you want to do 2 weeks without laundry, you'll definitely need a bigger luggage option, but Scooters will be out at that point. I like this model Delsey because it is a hard shell, but also has a separate compartment that you can get into without completely opening the suitcase. 

[taylor1975]

Years ago, i toured around SE Asia with a big north face duffel bag. Quality bag brilliantly made, absolute bastard to move around. 

Whatever you get, get wheels. 

[HTW]

I bring only one carry- on bag.  No checked luggage.  For 3 years I've been using the Arc'teryx Covert Case. It is soft shelled, maximum international carry- on size, and has detachable straps so it can be easily converted to a backpack. There are plenty of detailed reviews with specs on You Tube and Google.

I've been very happy with it. Air Asia and other such airlines have never asked me to weigh it, though I'm sure it would have been over the 7kg. limit. I just wear it to the check-in desk in backpack mode because it's compact and doesn't draw attention like a wheeled bag would or like a typical "backpackers" pack would. 

[jcemariner]

I agree with Sticky Fingers, good quality luggage is essential and should last at least a decade. The hard shell rolling luggage can either be carry on or checked. 

I prefer to take a backpack with my electronics, a book, one change of clothes, and two sets of underwear/socks. Then I check my small rolling luggage carrier so I don't have to carry it and worry about it for the 20-27 hour trip to Asia. If the luggage gets lost along the way, I know I'm able to live out of my backpack for a day or two. 

I personally use Ricardo luggage, and have for about 7 years now. Holds up well over the years, and the TSA combo lock on the side is nice. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J7U8LPA/ref=asc_df_B00J7U8LPA5275051/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00J7U8LPA&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198060554633&hvpos=1o12&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5939152420333872221&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1021048&hvtargid=pla-383126045400

[great mooglie]

Just to follow up, I ended up buying an Osprey Farpoint 70 travel backpack. I should have no problem now riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi from the bus terminal to hotel with all my gear.

[likeaking]

This is what I use for a two month stays in Pattaya with side trips to PI . 

https://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/mother-lode-tls-weekender-convertible/143101?productid=1370034

1. First and formost, it's super rugged, seems indestructable. 

2.. It's relatively light weight, an important consideration for a carryon. 

3. It holds a lot, has many separate compartments, separators, compression straps, comfortable backpack harness with chest and waist strap that all fold into the luggage, shoulder strap, heavy duty zippers that can be locked with TSA locks. 

4. Unexpanded it is the maximum allowed carryon size but can be expanded for more capacity but needs to be checked in then. I've done about 20 R/Ts with it, checked in to Thailand and carryon to PI. It's been loaded with around 22 lbs and thown around without a single sign of wear. 

5. Any wheeled luggage will hold less and weight more because of the wheels and frame. I use one shoulder strap over one shoulder around the airport and both shoulder staps for longer walking, stairs, dirt roads, motorbikes, etc. 

Ebag makes a wheeled model and a smaller model but I like to have the extra capacity there if needed. Check out reviews on Amazon, ebag, etc. It's a quality piece of kit.

 

 

[likeaking]

On 12/4/2017 at 07:36, great mooglie said:

Just to follow up, I ended up buying an Osprey Farpoint 70 travel backpack. I should have no problem now riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi from the bus terminal to hotel with all my gear.

Just noticed your post above. The Ospray Farpoint 70 is too large to be a carryon so will have to be check in luggage.

[great mooglie]

3 hours ago, likeaking said:

Just noticed your post above. The Ospray Farpoint 70 is too large to be a carryon so will have to be check in luggage.

The farpoint 70 is meant to replace my current check in luggage.  I wanted something I can easily take with me on the back of a motorcycle taxi or up and down the stairs of the BTS.  Wheeled luggage monstrosities is only practical for getting from the airport’s luggage carousel to a taxi and from the taxi to my room. It limits my mobility. I don’t mind checking in the farpoint. It does have a smaller 15 liter pack attached that I will only have to unzip from the main pack to take as my carry on.

[ThailandForever]

I haven't taken checked in luggage on a trip to Thailand for many years.

Usually I fly with budget airlines (usually around 7 Kg carry on),  it is the only way I could afford to do it as I like to travel to Thailand every 4 Months and I refuse to go to on a holiday without a decent amount of spending money.

I travel light anyway also I don't want the hold up at baggage collection, as I have a taxi waiting, not to mention queue at immigration. (The more people that don't fill out their immigration card on the plane, the better for me, as they have to queue up outside the entrance until it is completed 55555)

The final straw for me with regards to checked in luggage was my case not meeting me at BKK after getting lost somewhere in Singapore (even although it was checked right through with the same airline), and to add insult to injury,  after it was located, it took almost 3 days to arrive at my hotel.