Need a new travel bag and daily carry bag?

This is my research notes for a trip that includes a wedding and two months touring India. That may mean wearing a suit on the trip out and internal flights and have wedding presents to carry place to place for a couple of weeks.

There are two main problems with having a single carry on bag:-

The airline restrictions means the bag has to be under 50x30x20 cm and under 7kg; particularly for local flights. Many go up to 55cm x 35 x 25 cm and up to 10kg. Many bags with organisation and packing cubes are 2-3kg before we start packing clothes and tech gear.
If you need an every day carry tool, such as a Swiss Army knife or SwissCard or even carry knife/fork/spoon they can not be included in the carry on. For two months touring I also want to include needle and thread.

I don't particularly want to go sight seeing with all the luggage and so need a protective daily bag. Ideally a daily carry bag should be able to be stored in the main backpack like a large packing cube with all the tech gear ready to pull out at the airport. This may reduce the need for loads of pockets in the main backpack. Having the daily carry bag being brief case style enables it to be used for the office and carried as a message bag if wearing the main backpack. I have previously had a large 60 litre backpack with internal steel frame, waist straps and a zip-on small rucksack for carrying a camcorder. I find waist straps useful even for 5kg and needed for hiking with 15-20kg of luggage.

Although it might be possible to cram all the things I am thinking of taking into one bag I still have to carry it around and a heavy single bag is going to be harder to manage and handle than two smaller or lighter weight bags even when that means adding another 800-1500 grams for a second bag. Also, to be honest, last time I hauled luggage around I was 43; at 65 my health and physical strength are not as good.

Below are convertible backpacks that made it to my short list after reviewing the many YouTube videos including those from Hack Packer and Chase Reeves (https://matterful.co/). Also are links to those I purchased and reviewed and the two I eventually picked for my trip.

The Wheelie case
Hackpack
Bobby Bizz
Tortuga Set Out Divide
Things to Pack for international travel
Packed Up and Ready To Go
Slings - carrying light | Alpaka Go Sling Pro | Altura Bicycle Handlebar Bag | Cork Shoulder Bags | Instinct Pro Camera Sling | XD Design Bobby Sling

List of carry on sizes and weights for airlines https://www.carryonbagsizes.com/

Backpack specifications

Convertable Travel Bag

Too much to carry; but I am going to a wedding as well as touring so wearing a suit on flights. Ignore the extras such as video camera with its charger and batteries, the Compact camera, MeFoto tripod and large torch and no need for both laptop and tablet. All clothes in packing cubes. Contents is about 32 litre and weighs 10.5kg (plus the weight of the bag). The camera is in a small camera bag. Some travel bags are under 1600 grams, add 400grams for a light storable daily backpack and I then have over 12kg in one bag.

If privately shipping from the USA to Europe the 4-5 pound packing weight will cost nearly US$70. There is then 20% VAT and the charge to collect that by the carrier (£13).

Agile
Black Ember V4 Modular
Bloqbag: The modular backpack and messenger bag
Continuum from Mr.Davis
Digital Nomad
eBags TLS Professional Weekender
Go Bag
Instinct
Loopbag
Monyker Weekender
Peak Design Travel Bag
Standard - The Daily
Tom Bihn Tristar
Tortuga Setout Divide - My review on the Set Out Divide
V Bag - 5 in 1 backpack system

Convertable Camera/Day bag

When touring or daily commute to work, some of the things to be carried.

All this fills an old Minolta SLR camera bag, weighs nearly 5kg with an external volume of 13.2 litres. The items themselves amount to about 11 litres (packed into a box with internal space 440x300x90mm). I would like to take a larger MeFoto tripod, but that adds another 1200g.

	mm			Weight (g)	litre	cost	waist strap
Agile	419		165-215		26-35	$169	no
Black Ember V4 Modular	508	330	203	1800	33	$211	optional	4kg with packing cubes
Continuum from Mr.Davis	500	340	180	1140	30	$79	3rd party	whilst stocks
Digital Nomad	550	350	200	1850	35	€ 179	included
eBags TLS Professional Weekender	533.4	355.6	203.2	1570	32	£135.44	3rd party
Go Bag	500	350	200		35	£180	3rd party
Instinct	500	320	220	1540	35	£125	no
Loopbag	470	320	160	1000	30-40	$179	3rd party
Monyker Weekender	482.6	330.2	152.4	2545	30	$299	3rd party	inc.edc & sling
Peak Design Travel Bag	560	330	230-290	2050	30-45	$235	included	avail. Dec.
Standard - The Daily	450	280	150	1000	18	$119	3rd party
Tom Bihn Tri-star	480	330	205	1253	33	$330	optional
Tom Bihn Western Flyer	455	305	180	985	26	$240	optional
Tortuga Setout Divide	508	330	150-203	1737	26-34	$179	included	no Europe shipping
V Bag - 5 in 1 backpack	483	330	46-203	1360	28	$70	3rd party

Hackpack	406	300	124-154	1115	11	$150	3rd party
Mark Ryden Anti-theft Cosmo Series Water Resistant Laptop Backpack	450	300	140			£77.99
Qwstion Simple Office	400	300	110	900	12.5	£135	3rd party
Temporary Forever 24 hour switch	425	300	115	1250	?	€ 245	3rd party
Temporary Forever 48 hour switch	420	290	100-160	1350	?	€ 330	3rd party
Tom Bihn Stowaway	355	240	205	930	12	$180	optional
XD Design Bobby Bizz	445	310	120	1200	10	€ 99.95	3rd party

Need a new travel bag and daily carry bag?

The Wheelie case Hackpack Bobby Bizz Tortuga Set Out Divide Things to Pack for international travel Packed Up and Ready To Go Slings - carrying light | Alpaka Go Sling Pro | Altura Bicycle Handlebar Bag | Cork Shoulder Bags | Instinct Pro Camera Sling | XD Design Bobby Sling

Bloqbag: The modular backpack and messenger bag

V Bag - 5 in 1 backpack system

CADeN Backpack

Toppu 3 way bag

Not convertible backpack

Wiwu OnePack

Arcido Akra and Vaga

The Wheelie case
Hackpack
Bobby Bizz
Tortuga Set Out Divide
Things to Pack for international travel
Packed Up and Ready To Go
Slings - carrying light | Alpaka Go Sling Pro | Altura Bicycle Handlebar Bag | Cork Shoulder Bags | Instinct Pro Camera Sling | XD Design Bobby Sling