Need help - can I use the Aeoronaut? this is my situation...

[thisisme]

...I'm going on a 10 day trip, by plane, for a wedding. I'm bringing along my two kids, age 4 and 6. I plan on using their towels, shampoo, and such. (Basically mooching -- hey, she's my mum!)

I don't have a proper suitcase. The one I have is probably from 1960 and has the four tiny wheels on the long side of the case and only one of the clasps closes.

I was wonderign whether it would be feasible to take an aeornaut with me, and have the kids bring a small portion of their own clothes themselves, in their school bags.

Attached you will see the three bundles, one per person, and how they fit into a 20" X 10" X 10" duffle. (OK, they don't all fit.)

Would this work? Or should I buy a 'real' suitcase with wheels instead of the aeornaut? Maybe a Briggs and Riley 22"? Briggs & Riley BRX Explore 22 Upright - eBags.com

I realise I'm posting on the Tom Bihn forums, and answers will likely be biased in favour of light luggage. :-)

[Just]

With two children aged 4 and 6 I think you would prefer the hands-free option of the Aeronaut, backpack style, just so that you could keep a firm grip on their hands!

[dorayme]

I have seen demonstrated with my TB bags that they always hold more than I think they will. You may want to try to pack your smaller bundles into packing cubes. i.e. small or medium for each of the kids, large for you. When I travel with my children, it seems that their clothes each fit within a packing cube and it's so much easier to pack one large bag for several of us/them. (When I say large, I still mean an ebags equivalent of the Aeronaut or Tri Star). My recent traveling with my new bags (all travel in 2011) leaves me convinced I would rather have my hands free and put the bag on my back than be wrestling with heavy wheeled luggage. It also demonstrates to me the ease of pulling out a packing cube and saying, "C (8), your clothes are in Red, M (6) you have green, Z (3) you have blue" so that during the trip, they can get to their personal things without disturbing everybody else's.
If you can afford it, getting an Aeronaut or a TriStar (3 people, 3 compartments) would never be an investment you would regret.
The one bag group has lots of information on minimalistic travel. I found the information invaluable because it has changed how I go about packing for any length trip, to any occasion. By using toiletries of your host you are definitely saving on space. I think a little organization goes a long way and can help your trip be more enjoyable, both going, while you are there and coming.
Best of luck, make sure you come back and let us know what you chose to do.

[Yonkdaddy]

I agree with Dorayme! I've stuffed my Aeronaut REALLY full... and it carries flawlessly via the shoulder straps. It looks like your load will go in there without trouble, and it seems that having hands free to manage the kids would be a great advantage. But, having said that, you were probably right in your first post... you're asking a bunch of TB groupies for advice!