Brain Bag size concern

[Jim]

I am considering the Brain Bag as my only carry-on bag for a trip to Italy. However, as the airlines start scrutinizing even legal size luggage, I am worried that the Brain Bag might not make the cut.

Does anyone think this bag could have a carry-on problem on international flights? Thanks for your help...Jim

P.S. I had considered the Smart Alec, but am concerned that the narrow opening might make packing clothes difficult.

[ozone]

After 8 years of using my Brain Bag, it is not too large for a carry on... *however* if you stuff it to capacity, then it will likely exceed the carry on dimensions depth wise. It can hold a lot, and if the items are bulky and non-compressible, the bag will extend out from the back quite a bit. Even if it meets carry on, it will look cumbersome and that might catch the attention of overzealous bag checkers. Just be careful not to overpack it.

[BJ Nemeth]

I had no problem taking a very full Brain Bag as one of my two carryons on Delta flights from Atlanta to Barcelona. Because of the backpack style, the Brain Bag probably looks smaller than it is -- I'd imagine that most flight attendants are used to flagging luggage-style bags than backpacks.

[ozone]

That's true. The Brain Bag is not so bad. However, I remember last summer before the "crackdown" on luggage size really got bad that when my wife and I were leaving Hawaii some of the passengers with larger, more "pack like" backpacks were questioned and I think one or two of them got asked to check in their backpacks.

These weren't the big frame camping packs, and they were larger than the BB, but they weren't *that* big overall.

[pretzelb]

I'm not sure of the rules for international flights but I can see where the BB might be an issue if it's full dimensions exceed the limits. You should be able to find the limits for the flight and then find the capacity of the BB and figure it out though. Would this be your only bag? I think the Aeronaut is approved for international so I can't see the BB being an issue because it's smaller.

For US it might be a problem if you attempt to count is as your personal item. Fully packed it could end up being near the size of your carry on and that might attract attention during boarding if the attendants are looking to save space. As far as I know there are no measurements for your personal item so it's really up to them to decide. All they say is that it must fit under the seat in front and it's really amazing what you can shove under the seat in front if you try. I have a big cheap Swiss Army backpack that holds near the same as the BB and it fits pretty easily under the seat in front when I put it in top first.

[BJ Nemeth]

As I've mentioned in other threads, I have used a fully-packed Brain Bag (laptop computer, digital SLR, extra lens, etc.) as my "personal item" to complement my Aeronaut. The Brain Bag never fit fully under the seat in front of me -- it usually stuck out a few inches as I put it straight in (rather than sideways). But it was secure, and I had enough room to stretch my legs along the sides of the bag to be comfortable.

I fly several times a month (usually domestic U.S.), and I never received even a single comment from a flight attendant or fellow passenger.