The perfect "one bag" solution | Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on

Perfect for a two-week Europe trip | Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on

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	• Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on Rick Steves average customer review:based on 11 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Best bag for travel

I wanted to have a bag that would carry everything I needed that would be a carry on. This bag more than fit the bill. I was able to use it as a backpack when walking through airports but I could easily and quickly store the shoulder straps when I needed to check the bag plane side on the smaller planes. Because I was traveling with several other people, including babies, I was responsible for holding all of the passports and boarding passes. Having so many different size pockets allowed me to have easy access to these things plus my personal items. I also felt that everything was quite secure while on my back. My first trip with this bag was for only 5 days but this fall I will be traveling for 2 weeks and I plan to use this as my only bag.

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The perfect "one bag" solution

I purchased the Rick Steves Classic, which is a slightly simplified version of the Convertible sold here. The Classic does not have the expanding zipper or waistbelt, but is otherwise identical, right down to inclusion of the great security pouch and mesh ditty bags.

The Rick Steves Classic is the "ultralight" of soft-sided carry-ons. It is to other carry-ons, what a sil-nylon backpack is to conventional backpacks. The outermost fabric is tough but not "ballistic nylon thick." The inner separator panels are VERY thin (but tough). The back straps are comfy, but not 2" thick (and space-hogging) like on some imitators. Everything is refined to the point where there are no extra straps - but the straps you DO need, to compress the load to prevent shifting and sagging, are there. On the other hand, the padding on the handles is extra thick, and I appreciate that attention to detail.

This bag has one large main compartment, suitable for "wrap packing" your main clothing and "cube" (see www.onebag.com for optimized packing instructions), plus three additional "official" compartments and one "unofficial" compartment (the backpack strap slot). The two zipper slots on the front of the bag will take care of almost all your inflight odds and ends; the large, top to bottom side entry slot is good for folding up a sweater or jacket for inflight or destination use; and the "unofficial" backpack strap area is good for stuffing in a couple of magazines or newspaper.

The back of the back had a foam pad to cushion your back from your travel items, it also "hides" the backpack straps by masking their shape. In a pinch you could empty the bag and sit on the foam pad.

There are no extraneous clips, pen holders, i.d. holders, etc. Nothing that appeals to most buyers on first glance, only to go unused by most buyers. This bag wasn't designed by a theoretician, it was designed by someone who has lived, eaten, and breathed this concept for decades now. Not too many places to "lose" things. Enough places to organize.

I use a Patagonia Lightweight Pack made of silnylon and weighing under 10 ounces with a very, very thin foam back pad as my day bag. The Steves day bag is much cheaper and lighter, but the Patagonia backpack is my "luxury item" and serves as a separator between the tied down clothing in the main compartment (under the tie down straps) and the remaining space on top in the main compartment, where I shove a neck pillow, refillable water bottle (to fill after transiting security) and any other loose odds and ends.

I love this bag. It uses the thinnest possible materials and least bulky coil zippers, without sacrificing durability, so the bag "gets out of the way" of the maximum space permitted by the carry-on "test boxes." For long walks when a taxi or jitney are not available, the straps come out, for check-in to a nice hotel, the straps get hidden.

Contrary to what one reviewer said on the Rick Steves website, this bag is NOT inexpensive looking to scare off thieves who pray on backpackers. It's well-engineered and looks smart, and I wouldn't hesitate to check into any fine hotel with it. Rick Steves has put his "signature" as a logo on the front of the bag and his initials on the zipper pulls - nice branding for those in the know.

A BARGAIN DESERVING 10 STARS.

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Perfect for a two-week Europe trip

I just returned from using this pack for a two-week trek across four European countries, and I was extremely happy with it. By the end it got heavy and I somewhat wished I'd got something with wheels, but I am a very short and small female, so that's to be expected with any large bag. This was generally the perfect travel pack.

There were so many expanders and pockets and nooks in this bag. I underpacked at the beginning, knowing I would accumulate things as the trip went on. By the middle of the trip, I thought the bag was totally full, though I kept shopping. Somehow at the end of the trip, I was still able to fit everything into this bag. I used certain techniques such as rolling clothes and stuffing my shoes with small items to utilize the space, but I was still amazed that this one bag could hold all my belongings in addition to a ton of extra stuff.

The bag itself is lightweight, with tons of convenient zippered pockets. It fits perfectly in overhead compartments in airplanes. It has handles in all the important places. I mainly used it as a backpack when going from place-to-place, though used the top handle to drag it around the security lines at CDG airport when my back was getting tired.

I strongly recommend this bag if you are on a budget and need something light and roomy. I saw a similar bag from a different brand, though with a hard foundation and wheels, at REI, but it was double the price. I was on a budget and went with this bag, and while those wheels may have been handy from time to time, I was extremely pleased with this bag. It was durable, expandable, and did the job. I will gladly use it again for both long and short trips.

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A Great Travel Bag!

Rick Steves Convertible Carryon Bag is the best bag I've found. Steves knows how to design bags for people who travel for a living. Given the current reality of the airline industry, people will want to learn how to travel light. This bag is the one to use. Rick Steves has refined this bag over the years and has thought of everything. I highly recommend this bag.

Rick Steves' Convertible Carry-On, the most versatile carry-on bag you'll find. As Rick's favorite, he had no problem living out of it for three months every summer. This large 2,500 cubic-inch bag features three outside pockets - perfect for often-used items. Includes handy extras: a pair of mesh bags and a clip-in security pouch, and both internal and external compression straps. For extra capacity, just pull open the full-perimeter expando-zipper, and its capacity jumps to 3,000 cubic inches. The Convertible Carry-On easily converts from a smart-looking suitcase to a handy backpack, with comfortably curved shoulder straps and a padded waistbelt. To use as a suitcase, the straps and waistbelt safely tuck away in the back (or check it as luggage in "expanded" mode). Note: This bag does NOT have wheels.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

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