When traveling abroad with only one bag to fit an entire wardrobe, toiletries and basics, you need something versatile enough that can carry it all - AND - be able to physically lug the thing around the airport. I own and can speak to two of the top rated bags in the one bag enthusiast camp.
Red Oxx's Airboss
The One Bag Test: Travel 2 weeks in the winter in Europe
The challenge: In the past, I have had luggage lost in Eastern Europe, and I wasn't about to let it happen on this trip. This bag, combined with some practice in packing, allowed me to take a 2 week trip to Eastern Europe in the dead of winter. I was on a trip that required me to wear business attire for 5 days, and at the end of the trip I went to an Opera and had to wear a floor length ball gown!! The second week I went skiing in Serbia. I got everything into this bag. Believe me - It is possible!!By bundling my clothes, I was able to get all of the things I needed into this bag. I also bought and stuffed an additional 2 dresses, a bottle of perfume, and some small gifts into the bag on my way back.
Bag Pros: I like the bag's sturdiness. You can tell it is made of quality material. There is one big pocket on one side of the bag that non-important accessories like food and magazines can be stuffed. On the other side is a zipped large pocket that larger documents (ie: tickets, travel documents) can be stored but not secured. There is one small zip pocket on the exterior that can be used for smaller items. I love the shoulder strap - which is wide and hugs the shoulder. This is one of Red Oxx's big pluses. Unfortunately on one business trip I was forced to check a bag at the gate. During this process I forgot to remove the shoulder strap - which was then lost in the process. Luckily the airline covered the loss and it was quickly replaced. There are three compartments, which is nice when rotating clothing from dirty to clean. The middle compartment allows for bulkier items like shoes, or a laptop to be stored.
Bag Cons: I do not like 100% of the weight on my shoulder when traveling long distances. I had a long layover in Heathrow airport and was forced to lug around 2 weeks of clothing in my carryon all around the airport terminal. This also can be quite a hassle if you need to physically RUN across an airport with such a heavy bag. For a woman this is a HUGE downside!! If you have back problems, I do not recommend this bag at all.
Overall the Airboss is excellent for business travel. I recommend it for this use, and not so much for the international vacation travel.
The MEI Voyageur Backpack
The one bag test: Traveling to Asia for 2.5 weeks out of one bag. Travel includes 3 days on a raft, 3 days on a beach, 3 days in the jungle. 2 nights on a train and the rest in Bangkok.
The challenge: Fitting all of the gifts for my family into this bag along with my clothes!!! I ended up packing too little in clothing
Bag Pros: This bag is quite literally the bomb. I love the shoulder straps!! They can be tucked away so you can't even see them, in a hidden pocket on the back. And the shoulder straps are not just straps. They are padded a million times better than a high school backpack. There is a lumbar support strap, as well as a waistline strap for additional support. This bag was a lifesaver when darting through an airport for a late arriving flight. I had but minutes to make it across the airport. Running with the bag by my side in my arms was not helping, but strapping it to my body made the physical feat less painful.
There's one large pocket on the outside which is nice for a book or documents.
Bag Cons: There is only one pocket inside. It's small. It's big enough to fit your keys and passport in. All of your clothes fit in the one large compartment inside. This is fine if you don't mind if your clothes are mingling with your workout sneakers. That was fine for a trip to Thailand but for business travel I need to wrap the sneakers in a separate bag. Plastic baggies are a must with this bag.
The last con is that this bag is custom made. This means that there is a long wait for the bag to arrive on your doorstep. The first MEI bag that I bought took 3 months to arrive. We weren't even sure if it would come. The result is a beautiful quality bag with excellent quality materials.
Overall this bag is excellent for vacation travel. Business travel is fine for use, but you may appear like a backpacker with the straps out. You should hear the comments I have gotten from my coworkers when I show up with this pack on my back.
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