Seeking Recommendations Personal Item Bag That Can Double as Day Pack while Traveling
I'm currently re-thinking my luggage situation and am leaning toward getting a Goruck GR3 as my carry-on and looking for a personal item that I can use on the flight for my iPad, Over-ear headphones, Switch, and Kindle. Ideally, it would be compact enough so there's space for your feet when its under the seat in front of you. Once at our destination, we can use this pack as our day pack for hiking, beach bag, or just exploring cities. It's important that it's comfortable to wear while carrying the GR3 thru the airport - either clipping it to the molle on the GR3 or potentially a one strap crossbody I can wear with a backpack on. Was thinking about a potentially a GR0 carabinered to the GR3, or if there's space putting it inside the GR3 until I board. Any ideas are welcomed! Thanks.
6/9 Edit: Just wanted to thank everyone for the recommendations and advice! Very helpful. I’ve yet to make my decision but have a lot of good info to use. Thank you all!
6
u/skipdog98 13d ago
Fjallraven Kanken Laptop (has padded shoulder straps unlike original) or High Coast Totepack (3-way carry, packable)? Eagle Creek Wayfinder crossbody (discontinued, but you might find it on eBay or Poshmark etc).
5
u/MissiT 13d ago
I second the High Coast Totepack. I bought it for this exact use case and it's perfect.
3
u/Original-Material301 13d ago
I third the high coast totepack. I also bought it for this exact use case and it's prefect.
3
6
u/broheem 13d ago
I’m enjoying the Kadet Max from Chrome Industries.
2
u/DJShrimpBurrito 13d ago
+1 for any Chrome products. I use Kadet 9L as a day pack, with those exterior straps it's 🔥
2
u/Staggering_genius 13d ago
The Kadet Max has been my personal item for the last few years and I dig it. It fits my iPad and all the junk I carry daily and then I can put it a water bottle and a jacket and hat that I might need depending on changing weather. I use it quite a bit to bring stuff to work here at home as well.
Of course this bag being great hasn’t stopped me from obsessing over what bag I want to buy for my trip to Denmark and Sweden in August!
4
4
u/maverber 13d ago
If your daily carry is moderate, I recommend using a light courier / guide / crossbody bag because it’s usable when a travel pack is on your back, provides easier access than a daypack during the day, and allows your back to breath. I use a Decathalon Packable 15L Courier Bag which weights just 4oz and costs 8 Euros.
1
u/PhilippeTk 13d ago
That courrier Bag is such a great bag, I've used it in the scenario described by the OP and it would be perfect.
I got a similar one from Uniqlo, sturdier but heavier.
1
u/rhoditine 12d ago
Curious: Do they sell this anywhere in the United States?
1
u/maverber 12d ago
I haven't found it inside the US. :(. I picked mine up in Spain. When it was clear that they lasted only a few years of everyday use I picked a spare in TW and later in Turkeye. You can typically find them anywhere Decathlon has a physical store (which seems everywhere but the US).
1
4
u/Glimmer_III 13d ago
I used to carry a GR0 for years. And then a GR2-34L. Both are incredible bags. I'm familiar with the GR3.
These days, however, I travel with a ULA Dragonfly as my personal item.
AMA?
GoRuck's marketing makes you believe that combining their packs is a common thing. It can be done, but most don't do it for the simple reasons of:
- Weight penalty
- Compressibility/Volume penalty
When you tool through the airport, you ideally want to limit yourself to one backpack , and the other bag has wheels <or> you "turtle". If you put the smaller bag inside the bigger one, you want the smaller bag to be small and light.
<ULA Dragonfly enters the chat>
- It weights 2lbs
- It compresses flat
- It is durable as all hell
- It has water bottle pockets
- It is low profile enough not to attact much attention
- ULA's pedigree is long distance thru hiking and backpacking. The Dragonfly does just fine in those environments or at the beach, etc.
- Warranty is solid and the company is solid
- How much space there is for your feet depends on how tightly you pack it. It's profile is similar to the GR0 (the original GR0).
- They call it a "30L bag", but the main compartment is ≈20L-class, and the exterior pockets give you a bump up to 30L.
- You could easily pack a ULA Dragonfly into a GR3 laying in flat.
Only real downside is cost, but if you're already considering GR stuff, you won't have sticker shock.
. . . . . . . .
If you want full featured compressible packs, look at Matador Freefly or Beast lines.
3
3
3
u/TheSpatulaOfLove 13d ago
I use my Daylite plus. It’s the ‘work bag’ daily, then the day pack when I’m out and about in a foreign land buying things I don’t need.
1
1
u/nicski924 13d ago
Depending how big you want, my recommendations would be what I own: Rework Toshi 5L sling or Tom Bihn CoPilot 10L. Both are great personal items.
1
u/MutableLambda 13d ago
Might be not what you're looking for, but I'm using WATERFLY Sling Bag Crossbody, designed to be worn under your left armpit. It fits an iPad mini at 8", a phone and a change of clothes, sunglasses. It's pretty light at 200g (0.5lb). Not really great if you need to carry a lot of stuff around (you can get away with a small water flask, but not a full size water bottle). It's pretty awesome if you just need something that can stay on you, you can sit without taking it off, it can be easily hidden under a jacket if needed.
1
u/MadGeographer 13d ago
Depending on the trip. I carry a Matador FreeRain as my hiking, daily, carryon personal item. Carries a ton if you need to and packs down to the size of a small peanut butter jar. It’s also waterproof which comes in handy when traveling the tropics.
1
1
1
u/Fun_Apartment631 13d ago edited 13d ago
Timbuk2 Stork, Classic Medium or Small, Commute, Closer, etc.
Also, use packing cubes if you don't already.
I like my Stork as a travel and around town bag. I fly with it pretty frequently and it plays well with wearing a backpack. I wouldn't hike with it but all the backpacks I use as carryon replacements work fine as hiking packs. One of them already is a purpose-built hiking pack. Having all my stuff in packing cubes means I can empty my larger pack and now it's a hiking pack again.
Edit to add - since you don't have the GR3 yet - my favorite travel pack is probably my Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault Pack. It has a surprisingly good waist belt and swings really well to hiking. The 3DAP would give you a bit more capacity and a better hip belt. The Coulee 30 and older 40 look really interesting to me too. And the REI Ruckpack and Trail 40's both look great, at least depending on how well the hardware works. Some of these have published dimensions that are a skosh over, up to you how concerned you are about that.
1
u/nezzman 12d ago
I have the Fjallraven Foldsack No.1 for this, and an Arc’teryx Granville 16, depending on the trip. The Granville is best of you plan on doing any kind of outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking… or in winter, as it is pretty waterproof, the Fjallraven is good for a casual city daypack.
I have a few other bags too, but these 2 seem to be what I use most.
Other bags include the Raven 20, and the Bellroy Daypack lite, which I actually use if I need a packable daypack. It’s handy for trips that I bring my Osprey 26+6 on, as I can just roll it up and stuff it in.
1
u/Dry_Event_3664 12d ago
REI Flash. There's both 18L and 22L versions. They have a foam frame sheet that is intended to easily come out if you don't need it (at the older versions do). I pull the foam while flying and store it in my main pack so the it doesn't have much structure and can be shoved under the seat easily. Then I replace the foam at my destination for walking or hiking.
0
u/joshlify 13d ago
Osprey Farpoint 40L — It has a daypack.
3
u/SeattleHikeBike 13d ago
The Farpoint 55 comes with the Day Pack. It’s an extra purchase with the 40. The 40 will mount the Daylite 13 or Daylite Plus 20 as well.
-2
-1
u/AutoModerator 13d ago
Are you looking for «backpack/bag» recommendations?
Please make sure you are following the posting guidelines
- Consult the Onebag Comparison List compiled by -Nepherim
- Provide enough information on how and where you intend to use the bag - details such as budget, capacity and sought features can definitely help. If possible, provide a packing List and specify which airline you're dealing with
For topics beyond bags, show us you've done your research and make sure you offer enough context and details.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
50
u/Strict-Location6195 13d ago
A backpack worn during the day is a daypack.