Aeronaut/Tri-star shoe questions

[dsmking]

Hi,

We are starting to consider buying a new piece of luggage to help be carry-on only for a few flights coming up. One of the trips will be to Italy so smaller carry-on rules could apply which is a reason to consider the Tri-star but it sounds like the Aeronaut could squish a bit if we don't stuff it.

Whatever bag I get would need to handle a pair of my size 13-B dress shoes nicely. Has anyone put shoes that size in the Aeronaut and how well did they fit?

Also, how does the Tri-star shoe area compare in size to an Aeronaut side compartment?

Thanks,
David

[pretzelb]

This may be of no help at all but I have the Aeronaut and I commonly pack size 10.5 running shoes in one of the side compartments. The biggest issue I have with running shoes is the width because they don't really collapse like a dress shoe might. You could probably just measure your shoe and compare that to the dimensions and see if they would fit length-wise in the side. I would guess just about any shoe would fit in the main compartment but then you would have to pack clothes on top of the shoes.

[dsmking]

This may be of no help at all but I have the Aeronaut and I commonly pack size 10.5 running shoes in one of the side compartments. The biggest issue I have with running shoes is the width because they don't really collapse like a dress shoe might. You could probably just measure your shoe and compare that to the dimensions and see if they would fit length-wise in the side. I would guess just about any shoe would fit in the main compartment but then you would have to pack clothes on top of the shoes.

I measured a variety of shoes that I might want to pack and the sneakers came out 13" or a little over while my dress shoes came out to 12.5-12.75". I presume I should compare these to the 13.5" of the Aeronaut End Packing Cube to get an interior size (and the 12.8" on the Tri-star packing cubes).

So based on that I should be fine with either type of shoe on the Aeronaut and the smaller dress shoes on the Tri-Star. Does that make sense?

David

[dsmking]

I measured a variety of shoes that I might want to pack and the sneakers came out 13" or a little over while my dress shoes came out to 12.5-12.75". I presume I should compare these to the 13.5" of the Aeronaut End Packing Cube to get an interior size (and the 12.8" on the Tri-star packing cubes).

So based on that I should be fine with either type of shoe on the Aeronaut and the smaller dress shoes on the Tri-Star. Does that make sense?

David

Yep, quoting myself again. I did some more measuring and I am not certain the Tri-Star can take my dress shoes. They are around 2.75 inches high and the packing cubes are 2.3 inches high - does that mean that all three sections of the Tri-Star are around 2.4-2.5 inches deep?

Assuming that's the case, can anyone with an Aeronaut answer how well it squishes to a Tri-Star type dimensions if its not stuff to the brim?

Thanks,
David

[ozone]

How are you flying to Italy? I went last September via Lufthansa out of Detroit, and there was no problem with my Aeronaut as is. The Aeronaut is flexible and can be "squished" as you suggest, but the back is a stiffer because to provide a bit of shape and rigidity. As soon as you put shoes in the side compartments, the bag will lose some (or most likely all) of it "squishability" (is this even a word!). When full, the Aeronaut still conforms to nooks and crannies quite well, but I wouldn't count on compressing it down to smaller than its intended dimensions.

[scotlib]

As soon as you put shoes in the side compartments, the bag will lose some (or most likely all) of it "squishability" (is this even a word!).

This is just a thought, not from actual experience: I have noticed the Aeronaut seems ready to take two layers of packing cubes in its large compartment--2 large, or 1 large and 2 small (those would be assumably side-by-side), and even 4 small is mentioned on the packing cube page. I might try putting shoes wrapped somehow in the large compartment and items more able to squish in the outer ones. The large and small cubes intended for the Aeronaut's main compartment have depths of 4.25 in.

[stan01]

Yep, quoting myself again. I did some more measuring and I am not certain the Tri-Star can take my dress shoes. They are around 2.75 inches high and the packing cubes are 2.3 inches high - does that mean that all three sections of the Tri-Star are around 2.4-2.5 inches deep?

Assuming that's the case, can anyone with an Aeronaut answer how well it squishes to a Tri-Star type dimensions if its not stuff to the brim?

Remember there is some "give" to the fabric so the shoes can poke out of the standard dimensions of the cube and the compartment by 1/4 to 1/2 inch without deforming the bag's exterior appearance.

That said, I do have a Tri Star on order and I'm hoping that the 3 x 2.3 inch compartments work out OK. In some ways I think a single 2.3 inch compartment and a 4.6 inch compartment might have worked better for packing flexibility. 2.3 inches is pretty slim (for reference a soda can is about 2.6 inches in diameter).