Hey all,

I have a med/large Dana Design Bridger backpack; are they allowable on the planes as carry ons? or do I have to check it in. i would hate to do that given it doesn't have anything to lock it on to. I would have to resort to the that safety net thing... any suggestions?

All carry-on items must meet Federal Aviation Administration regulations, fit easily in a Size Wiseâ„¢ unit (approximate dimensions 22" x 14" x 9"), and weigh less than 40 pounds.

The TSA wants all checked luggage to be unlocked nowadays anyway.
Grumble, grumble. Keep you valuables with you at all times when flying.

The Pacsafe is worthless when luggage is out of ones sight for very long, just as a padlock is easy to open when you have the time, tools and with nobody watching (Don't ask me how I know this).

In my opinion, the biggest danger with checking a pack thru are loose, dangling straps which get eaten by moving cargo belts. The simplest, most effective solution is to put your entire pack in a used woven-plastic feed sack. It will no longer show your pack as having something desirable to thieves, the sacks are cheap and lightweight, they contain the 'dangling straps'.

the woven plastic feed sack? i don't know what that looks like. I have a fishnet laundry hamper.. will that work the same way?

I was once allowed my 60L backpack as cary on. It was in prague with CSA airlines. I had too much luggage (three bags in total, about 70 kg) and even had to leave one bag behind with friends and come back to pick it up a few months later. Maybe the lady behind the country felt sorry for me and allowed this exception. I don't think they'll normally would let you do this.

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the woven plastic feed sack? i don't know what that looks like.

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The type of sack that animal feed or rice comes in. They used to made of burlap, now they are made of woven plastic "cloth". They look like this.

It serves several purposes for the backpacker:
It disguises the pack as something less valuable.
It protects the pack during travel.
It serves as a laundry bag or as a Halloween costume.
And in a pinch, you can fill it full of rice.

My Eagle Creek pack has straps that can be zipped away so they don't catch on conveyor belts. It's also of legal carry-on size - though I've found that it's very easy to sneak a carry-on bag that exceeds the maximum limit, unless it's ridiculously large. The personnel rarely grab your bag and try to measure it.

Also, if you want to keep your check-in luggage locked, you can have them X-rayed first while you watch. Once they pass the X-ray inspection, they can remain locked during the flight. I refuse to have the contents of my bags subjected to the pilfering hands of baggage handlers.

oh okay! right on, got those!

Kdees,

May I ask what model your pack is? I'm looking at the Global 65l - the dimensions are 16x28x10. (way too big for a carry on)

Question for the frequent travelers: is a cover (to secure those infamous straps) REALLY necessary for your pack on flights?

I fly out in a couple weeks, bought a nice canvas duffle bag just for that purpose, then realized the heavy pack is IMPOSSIBLE to carry that way with a shoulder strap...it just may slice my arm off. So, I'd have to stuff it in the bag at the last minute at the travel counter, which means I'd spend most of my trip having to store away the rolled up bag until I needed it again. So, I'm tempted to ignore that concern all together and see if the airlines (US Airways and United) have something at the counter for that purpose.

Anyone know if I can get away with travelling the world without providing my own method of securing the straps?? I don't know how I'd find a feed sack at this point nor do I want to take up the space to carry one around for the whole trip.

Thanks!

"Henceforth I ask not for good-fortune, I myself am good fortune. Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing." –Walt Whitman, "Song of the Open Road"

I've taken my backpack on several flights unprotected, and have had no significant damage. The most damage I've seen - on a flight from Edmonton to London via Toronto, was a small plastic clip (used to keep the excess waist strap out of the way) was broken. I have not replaced it. Aside from the one trip to Europe though, all of the flights have been domestic Canadian flights, on WestJet or Air Canada, and I suspect the airline might make a difference.

In some airports (Edmonton and Montreal are the only ones in my personal experience) Air Canada has had plastic bags for putting over the backpack. They haven't had these (when I was there, anyway) in Wabush(Labrador), Vancouver, Victoria or Paris. Notice how the one flight when it was damaged, it was in a plastic bag. I blame the baggage handlers at Heathrow.

So end story - not protecting your bag properly does pose a risk. In my personal experiences, the risk is not high, and I wouldn't worry about it, but there's no guarantee.

Also - my bag can't be locked, and I have never had anything stolen from it.

-Neil.
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It is better to stand corrected than to walk on your knees.