What is your personal carry on item?

I am considering a change to my luggage plans and one item I'm pondering is the personal carry on item. For US travel on a typical plane this means an item that can fit under the seat in front of you. For the main carry on item I usually go for something around the size of the Aeronaut. The personal carry on is normally a backpack for me.

I've found that you can fit a pretty big backpack under the seat in front of you in most cases. I have one for a laptop that is huge yet still fits. I also have a small Kata backpack that fits easily but doesn't hold much. The Kata is my preferred carry on lately because it's protects the camera very well. But I would like more room so I'm thinking of trying something else.

Anyway, just thought I'd ask to see what others do for their personal carry on item.

I use the Aeronaut and the Imago when traveling.

I always have the same carryons: My Aeronaut goes in the compartment up top, and my SmartAlec slides in front of my feet.

I was debating of trying to go to something small like an Imago (I don't have one yet but it appears on the small side compared to some other bags) but I get the feeling I'd be ripping myself off. I know I can get a pretty big bag under there so why not go with something bigger? If it will fit, and I can carry it then why not? I think I'm reading too many of the travel lite web sites.

I want my personal carry-on bag to be the bag that I use everyday on my trip, and I usually prefer a smaller bag like the Imago or the LUX, unless I will be carrying my Powerbook with me on the trip. That said, most of my recent trips via air have been short trips, and I didn't bring my camera equipment, so I didn't need the extra packing space that a bag like the ID would provide.

I second the Aeronaut/Imago - I actually felt pretty stupid when I took the Ego instead of the Imago on a trip and some shopkeepers gave me the "no large bags" line... what could I do? I had no other bags. Although next time if I do that again, I'll have the Convertible Packing Cube on standby.

I hate to take more than I need - if for nothing else for the extra exertion required to lug it around. So I can't agree with your "if it can fit and I can carry it on, why not?" opinion... in fact, I am anxiously awaiting the smaller carryon to use in place of the Aeronaut on short (week or so, or to a relative's) trips. ...this coming from the girl who brought a single 15 liter duffel bag to a three-day camp in grade school. :)

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Originally Posted by Just

..in fact, I am anxiously awaiting the smaller carryon to use in place of the Aeronaut on short (week or so, or to a relative's) trips.

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The Western Flyer is turning out to be so cool. I can't wait to be able to post pictures of it!!

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Originally Posted by Darcy

The Western Flyer is turning out to be so cool.

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Eeeeee! It has a name already!!!

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I can't wait to be able to post pictures of it!!

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Can't wait to see 'em!!

My successful combination with many different airlines in 5 different countries this summer has been Aeronaut for overhead bin, and Imago with my Macbook for "under the seat in front of you".

if i'm not checking in luggage (works well if it's just me traveling), i will carry on the aeronaut. if i'm taking my macbook pro with me, inside the aeronaut will be a brain cell, to which i will attach the absolute shoulder strap at my destination.

if i'm checking in luggage (a wheeled suitcase), i prefer to just carry on the buzz or the smart alec, depending on how much stuff i am carrying.

the aeronaut has amazing capacity. the only thing i have to discipline myself about is ensuring all of the bathroom articles are in small enough containers.

maverick

I usually take my Ego as my only carry-on. I always take my laptop with me when I travel (in a Brain cell, of course) and with all the little pockets in front, I can fit all of the small stuff that would normally go in a purse and in the main compartment, some journals. And headphones!!

I like to get on the plane with as few bags as I can get away with.

For those who use the Aeronaut with something else, are you going backpack style? If the Aeronaut is your backpack then your personal bag would need to be on the shoulder or in your hand. A bag like the Imago would appear to not work well with the Aeronaut on your back. Plus, I'm not sure I'd like a full Aeronaut on my shoulder.

My SmartAlec is the backpack (actually, I always have it hanging off my left shoulder), and I carry my aeronaut by its handle with my right hand, as if it were a briefcase. That way, I stay nicely balanced. My aeronaut is almost never very heavily packed, as that's what I throw extra things into during the trip. Because of that, it is a fraction the weight of my SmartAlec, which contains the laptop, cables, paperwork, etc.

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Originally Posted by dsg29

My aeronaut is almost never very heavily packed,

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If I were traveling with my laptop then I would do as you and make sure it was on my back. But when I do liesure travel I don't take the laptop so my main weight tends to be clothes, which would probably be the Aeronaut or a wheeled bag. I wouldn't want a heavy bag in my hands or on a shoulder. Seems like business travel is easier for me than liesure.

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Originally Posted by pretzelb

For those who use the Aeronaut with something else, are you going backpack style? If the Aeronaut is your backpack then your personal bag would need to be on the shoulder or in your hand. A bag like the Imago would appear to not work well with the Aeronaut on your back. Plus, I'm not sure I'd like a full Aeronaut on my shoulder.

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I put the Imago on first, then the Aeronaut, backpack style. The Imago is at my lower hip area while the Aeronaut is on my back. If I need to quickly access my identifcation, I move the Imago around to the front of my body. I love wearing the Aeronaut backpack style when going through the airport!! It's so comfortable and easy to carry this way. It's easier for me to carry it on my back than by the handle.