Recommendations for foldable extra bag to be checked?

I am thinking of purchasing a extra foldable bag that I can check in at at the airport with a TSA lock on my way home. This would be for extra souvenirs. Does anyone have any recommendations on one that does not take up a lot of room?

 

Found this one on Amazon

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L8S12M2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1QD2XL8TSIH8D

We have one we bought (got given?) years ago that is similar except it is smaller. It folds and zippers up to be about 8" square which means it will fit in one of the smaller pockets onnour rollabard whichnit where it lives unless we need it. It is made of very thin material (like a windbreaker) so it is truly our emergency bad. We have another one similar to the one you linked to that.takes up a bit more room and is a bit more durable. We take it along when we KNOW we are going to need the extra space.

Just Google discount luggage.

I would highly recommend you not get the very thin and lighweight bag IF you are planning to check the luggage. If you read the reviews, it says it's great as a carry-on.

 

How durable do you want this to be? I tend to err on the side of luggage that won't come apart into separate pieces.

 

I highly recommend the gear from Redoxx. Quality made in Montana, I have used their "small" and "medium" Aviator bags as checked "shapeless duffles". Lots of abuse and they have held up well. Note that the "small" is actually full carryon size, equivalent to a rollaboard in size. The medium is checked only. Strap handles are well sewn and zippers are heavy duty. They are not lightweight fold-em-ups, but do the job well.

 

Pricey for a simple duffle - probably. But I have never had any second thoughts on putting in just about any kind of item that fits.

 

Aviator bag link HERE.

There are thin ones available and yes I am afraid it would tear in baggage process. I just would like one that would survive the process and not break the bank as I would have to pay baggage fee.

 

Thinking this one may hold up better

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M4MF8QC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1E0IW7LI6WZQ9

There are thin ones available and yes I am afraid it would tear in baggage process. I just would like one that would survive the process and not break the bank as I would have to pay baggage fee.

 

Thinking this one may hold up better

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M4MF8QC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1E0IW7LI6WZQ9

 

This appears to be designed for use as a carry-on, not a checked bag.

This appears to be designed for use as a carry-on, not a checked bag.

Another way to think is to look at the weight of the bag. See the latest one you posted - it has a shipped weight (including its own packaging) of under 6 ounces. How durable do you think that might be?

 

A clue is when they promote the "packable" or "foldable" nature of the bag. That's code for "light, thin and small".

 

Of course, you can choose to use whatever you wish. Just know what you are buying.

Cruiseoholic --

The second one you linked has more than twice the volume of the first one and weighs less. If you did not fill it, things would be slopping around inside! Also it could never be a carryon (27" long, combined L+W+D=53").

 

Whereas I liked the look of the first one very much and may get one against the time we foresee needing it. But what I would do in that case would be to check one of our carryon sized suitcases, and carry the expanded duffle on the trip home. (I also tend to keep my souvenirs in my "personal item" daypack and risk gate-checking my clothing -- as much as I have curated our travel wardrobes, most of those things could be replaced. Souvenirs would entail repeating the trip, which we usually are not planning to do.)

 

I have not planned to check bags in many years now, so I have no suggestions for you, just made the observation I opened this post with!

Edited January 17, 2017 by crystalspin

I have a LeSportsac bag that I often send through as checked luggage --just stuff it with clothes and shoes. You can find them quite reasonably https://www.amazon.com/LeSportsac-Large-Weekender-Happiness-Allover/dp/B01GG2EZ7E/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1484669973&sr=1-1&nodeID=9479199011&keywords=lesportsac+large+weekender

Edited January 17, 2017 by Alaskanb

Go to REI, the store or the website. They have house-brand packable bags made from Cordura fabric called Roadtripper. It comes in various sizes. But, for the durability, you do sacrifice some weight.

I have several packable bags - I may take one or another based on where I'm going and what I plan to buy to bring home. Some I will check, some I will carry on and check my carryon instead...

The Eagle Creek "No Matter What" duffle has saved my butt on a few occasions. It's sturdy enough that I have no qualms checking it, but also folds up small. I have picked up the small and medium ones on various sales. Here's a link:

 

https://www.luggagepros.com/eagle-creek-no-matter-what-flashpoint-duffel-medium.shtml?selectedItem=61989&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=feed&utm_term=Eagle%20Creek&utm_campaign=PID24393&gclid=Cj0KEQiAnvfDBRCXrabLl6-6t-0BEiQAW4SRUNFf02WP7hH888arxHrUQbhXxv1ykKsSUhOW9hNuAX4aAoIE8P8HAQ

I have used one of those soft thin material ones and checked it. It is a risk that it could tear so I would use it to pack dirty clothes and use your sturdier bag for odd shaped or bulky items. I have also taken the extra precaution of packing a black garbage to use as a liner inside the flimsy packable bag. Was it ideal, no, but it was cheap and worked just fine.

 

I wouldn't bother with purchasing a TSA lock for any sort of packable bag. Even the best of the packables are still a material that a thief can easily cut the fabric if they really want inside. Besides if there is a TSA key then you can rest assured that the thieves have a copy of that key as well. Save your money and buy yourself a cocktail. If you want to stop the casual thief you could always put a ziptie thru the loops where a lock would go.

Edited January 18, 2017 by nolatravelgirl

Any thoughts on this one? It has good reviews and I think I would like to stick to carryon-size.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01724Z47K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A37UJ127EZMKF3

Any thoughts on this one? It has good reviews and I think I would like to stick to carryon-size.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01724Z47K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A37UJ127EZMKF3

If you are actually going to carry it on the plane I would look for something with a sturdy shoulder strap. Based on how tiny that thing folds up to then it is going to be a thin parachute type material. You mention that you want carry on size only. Will you be checking your carry on that you used going over so you can then tote this thing on board? You are only allowed one personal item (purse, backpack) and one piece of hand luggage.

Reviews look good and it's cheap enough to buy and check it out.

I use zip ties for items like this.

I'm actually thinking of using it as my carryon both ways. Plus an extra in the bag in case i need more room coming home. (Not that I have EVER gone crazy buying souvenirs ...) The reviews include people who used it as a carryon and also checked it.

 

What do you do with the zip ties?

I'm actually thinking of using it as my carryon both ways. Plus an extra in the bag in case i need more room coming home. (Not that I have EVER gone crazy buying souvenirs ...) The reviews include people who used it as a carryon and also checked it.

 

What do you do with the zip ties?

If you are checking it in I use them to hook the zippers together.

Make sure that whatever you use as a carry-on has either wheels, a shoulder strap, or handles that will not cut into you. You never know how far you need to walk at airports.

> You never know how far you need to walk at airports.

 

Actually I'll be using my mobility scooter - but your comment made me realise I need to make sure it will fit in the little storage space between my feet. (There is a pullout luggage rack at the back, but anything there I wouldn't be able to watch, so it will probably go unused in airports.)

I got the foldable bag I posted about earlier. I'm a little disappointed at its thickness, almost 2" - although I suppose that means it's sturdier than it would be if it was thinner. I'm also thinking maybe I should take pictures of it as I unfold it, to know how to get it back into the bag (which turns inside out as the bag is stretched to its full size, is that normal? Seems like it would put stress on the zipper). There are no inside compartments for organization and only one (zippered) outside compartment, which has another zippered compartment inside it. The shoulder strap is unpadded, about 1-1/2" wide. The buckles are what I would call medium-weight plastic, not so thin I'd be afraid they would spontaneously break, but not so thick I would expect them to stand up to hauling a bowling ball. It has a strap across the back to hold it onto a wheeled bag (that is important to me). The stitching is longer than I like to see - I may run over the stitching lines using a shorter stitch, just as reinforcement. The points of stress where the straps stop being attached to the fabric have half-hearted reinforcement, square-and-diagonal stitching and a single, unedged layer of the same fabric as the bag underneath the attachment point. Not outstanding but better than no reinforcement at all. I pulled as hard as I could on a piece of the fabric and it didn't stretch at all. My guess is that it would stand up to normal being-thrown-around as a checked bag, but if subjected to very rough handling (as a checked bag might be) the plastic buckles could break. I don't think the fabric would tear but the seams could - I will definitely reinforce one bag to use as a checked bag if needed. It is NOT large enough to use as a laundry bag, which I was thinking about, but is a good size to use as an excursion bag and a carryon for the flights. Plus it comes in a wide variety of colors, so if any of my fellow travellers want one, they can get one that is NOT yellow like mine. ;) I wouldn't consider this suitable for fragile or valuable items, and it would be a poor choice for anyone more concerned with sturdiness than convenience, but I think it will work fine for me or anyone who wants portability and is willing to work within its limitations.

Edited February 9, 2017 by mamasylvia