Airplane Seat Pocket Accessories?

[evbro]

Hi everyone--just bought my first ever Tom Bihn bag (S25) and a couple accessories. So far so good! But I have a conundrum I was hoping you could help me solve.

When flying, I could easily fit the S25 under the seat in front of me (it's about the same dimensions as my old backpack which fit with ease). But for those times I'd rather stick it in the overhead bin, it would be nice to have an easy accessory that I can grab and keep with me at my seat, preferably in the seat pocket. I've seen a few people use the Side Effect, which is great although I usually keep a magazine with me so I wouldn't be able to fit that in there. I'm thinking maybe using a Freudian Slip (either the S19 or medium Cafe size, not sure if the large Cafe would fit in an airplane seat pocket), but I'd love to hear anyone else's solutions or ideas since I'm new to the world of TB.

For reference, the things I'd like to have on hand include:
A magazine/book
iPad mini, possibly in cache
Some snacks/gum
My phone and wallet
A few small miscellany like earbuds, a pen, etc.

Thanks in advance!

[benh]

Maybe a Packing Cube Shoulder Bag?

[Lani]

The PCSB is a little on the big side and won't actually fit IN the seatback pocket, although you can hang it using carabiners. The Side Effect will also work for this.

[evbro]

Thanks benh! It may still be a tad small for a magazine, but looks like it has space for the iPad. Maybe I just just switch to books

[evbro]

Thanks Lani--hanging is definitely an option.

[BearHorn]

PCSB Option

Here is an oldie that somewhat relates to your hack:
http://forums.tombihn.com/general-ba...light=bearhorn
You could put the PCSB in the S25 instead of attaching to a co-pilot.

[Frank II]

My suggestion is to find something to hang. Those seat pockets are not cleaned out regularly and you'd be amazed what people put in there.

[evbro]

Thanks everyone--after re-looking over the options several times I think the medium cafe FS is actually the perfect size/organizational layout for my needs. Might try to find a way to hang it from the loop.

[Kaz]

You may have to experiment a bit before finding what works best for you. It took me a couple of flights and different bags/approaches to work out the system that I've now used for the past few years on long-haul flights.

Instead of rigging up a bag to rest against the seat pocket, I clip mine onto the tray table framework so that it hangs down from its strap. My soft & lightweight nylon bag from Muji (bought long before I discovered TB) is roughly the same size & shape as a Side Effect (SE), with a 39 cm (15.5 in) strap that detaches at one end. I use a carabiner to facilitate hooking the detached strap back onto itself after I've looped it over either the tray table side arm/strut or the metal bar that runs between the two arms. Then the bag dangles at the bottom of the seat in front and in the airspace below it, depending on how much that seat is reclined.

I like this arrangement for a couple of reasons. It allows me to hold the bag in my lap while I use it, which just seems easier and a bit more discreet. My access to the bag is never impeded; if the seat in front is fully reclined, it's easy to fish the bag up from the dark depths, using its strap. And last, it doesn't add to the seat pocket a bulge that would make egress and ingress a tad more difficult for my row mates if the seat in front is fully reclined (I'm generally on the aisle, and the economy-cabin seats on the Qantas 747-400's that I often fly recline quite generously).

[imperator]

I use carabineers attached to loops on 3D packing cubes, platypus bottle, or cache rails to avoid putting anything in the seat pocket. Or just bring hand sanitizer.

[wayoflife]

Maybe this is an option for you. Won't provide the link since the company makes travel bags too. It's called the Recon Ipad Caddy made by Alpha One Niner.

[John]

I have a slightly different issue. I'm sometimes lucky enough due to using miles/points saved up over a year to fly in business class or above but find that there often isn't much space to put my things during an overnight flight, e.g.

Glasses case
Watch
Phone
Wallet
Ear buds
Kindle
Water bottle
Passport, pen and boarding pass
Pyjamas and socks/slippers
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Eye mask and ear plugs

I have to put these things on the adjacent seat (if free) or somewhere else like the plane window "sill" (if I'm sitting by a aindow and there's one) or in a dirty seat pocket. Then I have a fear of leaving something behind or losing it in the chaos of a long flight so I count everything which I leave lying around my seat and mentally keep track during the flight.

I was thinking of getting a Travel Tray or perhaps a Side Effect to hold as much of the above as I can.

Then I read the above suggestion of the Packing Cube Shoulder Bag (thank you!) which looks ideal for what I want and so I just ordered one - ultraviolet (so I hopefully won't leave it behind), two mini Q-Kits with key straps for the main compartment (for keeping keys, coins and my watch away from other things which may be scratched) and an organiser pouch with key strap for the front compartment.

[evbro]

Thanks wayoflife, that's actually a really cool accessory. I wound up getting the MCFS for my purposes. I'm not that worried about the cleanliness of the seat pocket because literally the entire airplane is a festering germ paradise so what's the point in pretending I can avoid it? Haha.

I have posted my whole bag setup now, thanks for your help everyone: http://forums.tombihn.com/photos-vid...ck-system.html

[wayoflife]

Thanks. Whatever works for you is what matters most
.