Left to right: the Red Oxx Air Boss, Safari-Beanos PR5, and Safari-Beanos PR4. (Click for close-up)
Key Stats:
Air Boss
- 21″L x 8″W x 13″H
- Capacity: 2,184 cubic inches
- 3.9 lbs
- 3 compartments, zippers on all 3 sides so bag lies flat for packing
- Practical Hacks review: Bulletproof “one bag” workhorse
Safari-Beanos PR5
- 24″L x 10″W x 10″H
- Capacity: 2,400 cubic inches
- 3.4 lbs
- Duffel style; 6 additional smaller pockets, one of which can serve as a pass-thru panel for use with a wheelie
Safari-Beanos PR4
- 19″L x 9″W x 9″H
- Capacity: 1,539 cubic inches
- 3.35 lbs.
- Same configuration as PR5
- Practical Hacks review: Bag Lust
My goal is to take the PR4 on our 10 day trip to Italy later this year. I’ve done some trial packing and think it’s possible, even with a netbook and a pair of racing flats in the bag. As we get closer, I’ll undoubtedly post about packing lists and approaches.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
January 27th, 2010 at 5:53 AM
Wait! So you want to go on a ten day trip to Italy with your wife (means can’t completely slouch :) ) taking a 36 linear inch bag? And you want to pack a netbook with PSU and an extra pair of shoes in there? Will this be your absolute only bag? Nothing packed in the wife’s 30″ monster? :D No cheating? No, buy it there?
Now that is one hard challenge if that’s what you want to do. 36 l.i. is the size of a normal briefcase for those who don’t have spatial linear inch representation built in.
Till
[Reply]
Kevin Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 6:41 AM
Yes. I have no doubt it can be done.
To do so requires compromises – the other pair of shoes, for instance, and the need to ship back anything I buy there. Too, I never bring sink stoppers and clotheslines and stuff like that, and not knowing exactly what I’ll find in the hotels we’ll stay at, I worry that I might actually need them.
But I’ve no doubt it can be done, particularly if I wear the right sports jacket and slacks while en route.
At worst, I end up with the PR5 and not the 4… we’ll see. I trial packed the PR4 and had a little room left over. The bag did weigh 18 lbs., however.
As we get closer, I’ll update my plans, and will likely do a “what’s in the bag?” post.
[Reply]
Till Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 7:45 AM
Awesome. I am looking forward to seeing your packing list and especially to read your debriefing afterwards. By the way, I think your itinerary sounds really good. That will be one sweet trip.
[Reply]
Mike Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 5:21 PM
I don’t bring a sink stopper or clothesline either. I usually put a plastic bag in the sink, like you get anytime you buy anything, and wash my clothes in that. Usually with a little ingenuity you can find places to hang the clothes: the backs of chairs, on open cabinet or bathroom doors, or in the worst case, flat on the bed.
[Reply]
Kevin Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 7:59 PM
Mike,
Thanks for the reminder – the plastic bag idea is a great one – and you’re right: you can usually improvise something for drying clothing.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:37 AM
Lots of European airlines have an eight inch max for the smallest dimension of your carry-on so even the PR4 is too fat to meet this requirement.
You also have to watch out for the low weight limits – many airlines have limits as low as 7kg (15.4 lbs).
[Reply]
February 8th, 2010 at 11:13 PM
I’ve been doing 2-week business trips to Europe lately, carrying only a bag very similar to the PR4 plus a small laptop case.
This has worked out fine for business: I bring about 4 no-iron shirts, two pair pants, and one pair shoes in addition to whatever I wear on the plane.
As Ian mentioned in a comment, there’s some risk of weight issues…I usually fly Lufthansa and my bag is right at the carry-on weight limit. I also recently had to take a London-Munich flight on EasyJet, and they required that the bag be checked-in…and nailed me with baggage fees.
Though above works fine for business, it would be a stretch to make this approach work for a vacation trip to Europe. Key issue is my DSLR camera, which needs to be in separate bag (i.e., that I can also carry while on the ground.) If you’re only carrying a small point & shoot, then you could probably make it work with just one carry-on bag.
[Reply]