Can Brain Bag travel as carry on luggage?

[dcphotoguy]

Is the Brain Bag too big to use as a carry on? I assume it won't fit under the seat of the person in front you. But will it fit in the overhead bin? Has anyone flown with a Brain Bag lately?

[Joy]

I have no problem putting my fully stuffed Brain Bag in the overhead bin. With the umbrella attached to the front it's a bit more awkward, but doable. (I think there might also be a past thread on this somewhere in the forums if you look.)

[dcphotoguy]

Originally posted by Joy
I have no problem putting my fully stuffed Brain Bag in the overhead bin.

Thanks, Joy. That's good news because the Brain Bag seems like it would be great to travel with. I could take my laptop and clothes in the same bag.

[Joy]

Yep, that's exactly what I do for short trips. Just take everything in the Brain Bag, then I have my hands free and nothing to check!

[bigsnit]

Brain Bag great flyer

My big brain bag has logged close to 400,000 air miles since I bought it 3 years ago. I usually have a sony VIAO along with 3 days worth of clothes firmly packed. And now, it won't fit under the seat but goes nicely overhead.

The amazing thing is my bag still looks new. Its ridiculous. I've got 3 other of Tom bags, and they just don't seem to wear at all.

Maybe it's the clean Canadian air up here ?

r

[dcphotoguy]

My thanks to both joy and bigsnit.

I really love Tom Bihn bags. As a new customer, it's great to hear from the experiences of longer time customers!

[jesbacon]

I had my Brain Bag stuffed pretty full on my honeymoon to Hawaii, but it still fit under the seat in front of me, no problem.

[Tom Bihn]

Technically the maximum FAA carry-on size is 22 x 14 x 9", making the Brain Bag, when fully stuffed, slightly too thick.

But it doesn't seem to slow anyone down!

[maverick]

when fully stuffed, you might run into an issue with smaller jets (like the crj's we fly on short haul flights up along some parts of the east coast).

the airlines have been pretty accomodating, however. we took an iMac G5 in its original packaging on a flight from washington, dc to toronto, flying in a little crj. in the larger jets from boing and airbus, you have the coat closet where you could put the box for the g5, but no such coat closet in the crj. we were able to slide it underneath the seats in front of us and it extended into the area under our seats. the airline attendant was totally fine with it, and being a short one hour flight, we didn't have a problem with the adjusting ourselves in our seats -- we were just happy we could take it with us.

if you're wondering why it wasn't checked in, both the person checking us in and the person at security assured us that if we checked it in, it wouldn't arrive at our destination in one piece.

maverick

[nik]

I ran into small trouble with the BB at the airport. I was over by about 1.5" due to having a Nalgene in the bottle pocket and everything else bulging.

I yanked out the Brain Cell (with Powerbook) and cranked down on the compression straps to make up the room. Now, instead of one oversized bag, I had a regulation bag and a "small bag, laptop or purse" additional carry on item.

I got frisked, but I also got my luggage on the plane.

[Tom Bihn]

Quick thinking, excellent story.
Next time, take pictures!