Team carry-on travelers all have their go-to bags, from slick rollers to mega duffels, and they’re all destined for the overhead bin. Then there’s the personal item.
Meant to fit under the seat in front of you, it can be a tricky accessory to get right. Too small, and you’ll be limited in what you can bring; too large and you risk a gate check and a trip to the baggage carousel upon landing, which is exactly what a savvy carry-on traveler wants to avoid at all costs.
The key, instead, is to choose a personal item that not only fits underneath the seat in front of you but makes the most of every inch. From a cleverly designed backpack to oversized weekenders and totes, these are the personal items that secretly double as luggage, no overhead bin or baggage claim required.
In this article
A Deceptively Spacious Backpack
Portland Gear’s Cascade Backpack is my holy grail personal item. The secret is in the wireframe top that pops open and shut, which allows me to fit so much inside, I keep waiting for it to burst at the seams. But it never does. I can fit books, a laptop, layers, toiletry bags, snacks, tech accessories, a water bottle, and still have room left over. The padded adjustable straps are comfy to wear even when fully loaded, and I really like that it has so many internal pockets and stays upright when placed on the ground. This backpack has flown with me several times and always slides underneath the seat in front of me, every time, without issue.
A Super-Sized Weekender
While I like using a backpack to evenly distribute weight across my back, some trips call for something else, and in those instances, my go-to is Caraa’s Nimbus Large. I can fit nearly as much as in my backpack, and there are a whopping nine pockets inside and out including a padded laptop sleeve, pouches meant to hold water bottles or umbrellas, multiple zipped pockets, and a separate shoe and wet pouch that can be attached with a lanyard. So even with an oversized interior, everything stays in its rightful place.
A Double-Duty Tote
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Here’s a trick I think more people should try. If you’re headed on a tropical trip, use your beach bag as your personal item. You’d otherwise need to pack one and you just freed up extra space in your suitcase. If you go this route, I’d point you to Bagsmart’s Coast 40L Tote. While technically designed for the beach, it’s so large you can pack it like luggage and use it even if you’re not planning to spend time on the sand. It’s lightweight, foldable, and roomy without venturing into gate-check territory.
The interior can fit clothes, toiletries, books, and accessories, plus it’s water-resistant and includes both long and short handles, as well as a separate accessory pouch for safely stowing smaller items. Unlike most beach bags, it also comes loaded with internal and external pockets, and has top snap buttons to keep anything from spilling out.
The Shortcut
Personal items are meant to be small, but some won’t hold much, and others risk an unwanted gate check.
The best personal items can double as luggage without taking up too much space.
Prioritize deceptively spacious personal items with loads of organization like backpacks, weekenders, and oversized totes.
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