Contributor Sal Vaglica depends on the Thule Aion 35L duffel to fly without checking bags. It opens flat and has plenty of internal organization to prevent things from getting lost inside.
A series where we share products that are so good we would do an entire infomercial about it. Read moreFor the past two years, across about a dozen flights on various airlines, I’ve been able to avoid baggage fees by optimizing my carry-on’s contents.
And to do that, anything that is not clothing gets stashed in my. The bag strikes a near-perfect balance: It has the bulk storage of a duffel but is as easy to pack as a carry-on, and it offers just enough tech organization. It is a joy to use — but comes with some risk.The gamble? Technically, the Aion, with its roughly 20.5 inch–by–12 ⅝ inch–by–11 ¹³⁄₁₆–inch dimensions, is about 34 percent larger than what most airlines allow for a personal item. There’s a bit of gray area, though, with airlines like Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines, which don’t publish specific personal-item dimensions as long as the bag fits under the seat in front of you. And, honestly, the Aion’s 35-liter capacity isn’t much smaller than what qualifies as a standard carry-on , so if an airline employee asked you to check it, they’d probably be justified.that have the standard zippered-cylinder shape, the Aion folds open nearly flat, like a book. Each half drops away from a padded center divider that includes sleeves for a 16-inch laptop and a 13-inch tablet, plus a zippered pocket for odds and ends. On either side is generous bulk storage — roughly half of the overall dimensions. One side also includes a TPU liner and a retractable frosted-plastic panel designed to corral dirty clothes, wet swimsuits, or sneakers. The exterior is fairly simple: a zippered pocket for quick-access items like a phone, and next to it a stretchy sleeve for a water bottle. That sleeve is probably the bag’s biggest drawback. While it expands to grip a bottle up to about 3.5 inches wide — like Yeti, Hydro Flask, and even chunky Nalgene bottles — it holds it horizontally and not very securely, so if you tip the bag the wrong way, the bottle slides right out.Around back is a pass-through sleeve that lets the bag slide over the handle of a rolling suitcase; when not in use, a magnet keeps it neatly closed. After shoving it under airplane seats with my feet and flinging it into cabs and Ubers, I’ve come to appreciate the waxed-canvas finish. It shrugs off light rain and develops a lived-in patina, which is ideal if you’re not the type to baby your luggage. The bag doesn’t have much structure, so if you’re not packing tech and leave some room, you could stuff it under the seat. I stash the bulkiest items I travel with in here: a toiletry kit and a tech pouch filled with chargers, cables, external drives, dongles, and earbuds. I might also tuck in my over-the-ear noise-canceling headphones, aWhile the bag is technically too large to count as a personal item, there are a couple of ways to make it work. First, I never use the included shoulder strap. The bag bulges too much when worn over the shoulder or cross-body. Instead, I slip it over the handle of my roller bag, which helps it blend in with the sea of ordinary travel-tote-topped suitcases waiting to board. Once seated, I compress the bag enough to wedge it under the seat in front of me until the plane reaches cruising altitude. And because each half opens independently, I can unzip just the side I need instead of rummaging through the whole thing mid-flight.The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read aboutWhat Gavin Casalegno Can’t Live WithoutYou'll receive the next newsletter in your inbox.New YorkNew York*Sorry, there was a problem signing you up.You'll receive the next newsletter in your inbox.New York
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