What Size Duffel Bag For Carry On

Duffle bags are an ideal carry on luggage choice for certain trips and travelers.

There are times when duffle bags make the most sense as your behave on luggage. As examples, duffles work well with a backpack that's personal item-sized or in situations when you need to bypass final-minute, forced gate checks.

While they aren't hands-free similar a travel backpack, they do have advantages. Unlike suitcases, duffles don't take wheels that could easily interruption. They besides have up less infinite than a suitcase, both at home and in airplane luggage bins. Plus, if y'all already have a backpack you're using as your personal item or laptop pocketbook, it's much easier to pair it with a duffle bag than trying to wear a 2d haversack on your front.

If you lot're bringing a duffle on your side by side adventure, read on to learn what to put in it and how to pack your duffle bag for travel.

Can You Apply a Duffle Bag equally a Carry On?

Yes. Equally long as your duffle bag is inside the airline'southward size requirements for conduct on luggage, you lot tin can use a duffle bag every bit a carry on item. More than on size requirements in the next section.

Size isn't the only consideration for choosing a proficient duffle bag for travel. You'll as well desire to make sure information technology's functional. For this, steer clear of gym or sports duffles that lack organizational components. A big, unstructured space is your enemy.

Instead, opt for a duffle that'southward specifically designed for travel, has a scrap of structure to make packing easier, and comes with a cross-trunk strap for carrying it hands-complimentary.

Comport On Duffle Purse Size

For most airlines and flights, a carry on duffle bag must be no larger than 22 x 14 ten nine inches or 45L. These dimensions tend to be more common for suitcases and backpacks.

Duffles are longest in i dimension with like measurements in the other two dimensions. More than mutual duffle bag dimensions would exist closer to 22 x 11 x 9″ or 22 x 9 x 9″. These dimensions would be for a 29-36L duffle bag.

Avoid roller duffles, as they're heavier than a regular duffle. This is especially important if you lot accept to bide by strict weight restrictions—particularly on budget airlines like RyanAir, TigerAir, EasyJet, Norwegian, or JetStar—and would rather use those actress two pounds for your photographic camera, not your wheels.

Duffle Bag Packing List

While you may adjust a few things in your packing list from trip to trip, mostly the bulk of what nosotros bring when we travel stays surprisingly consistent. After all, y'all'll ever need a toothbrush.

So, to demonstrate the best mode to pack a duffle handbag for travel, I'll be using our definitive carry on packing list equally an example of how to fit everything in your duffle handbag.

Whether you're packing for a calendar week-long trip to a cold weather destination or a long weekend somewhere warm, your packing list will resemble something like the following:

Clothing

iv bottoms: brim, pants, or shorts
six tops: t-shirts, tanks, and long-sleeves
i sweater
1 jacket
7 pairs of underwear
ii bras
vii pairs of socks
1 swimsuit
1 scarf or sarong
1 lid
2 pairs of shoes: one to wear, one in your pocketbook

Toiletries

Shampoo and conditioner
Soap
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Deodorant
Lotion
Razor
Bones first aid items
Minimal makeup

Paperwork

Passport and ID
Copy of itinerary
Copies of important documents
Extra passport pictures
Piffling cash
Travel-friendly debit and credit cards

Electronics

Smartphone with an international programme or unlocked for a local SIM
Chargers
Headphones
Travel adapter
Laptop or tablet
Kindle or due east-reader (optional)

Other Gear

Baggage lock
Packing cubes
Travel towel
H2o bottles
Earplugs
Eye mask
Pen
Notebook or journal
Book

How to Pack a Duffle Pocketbook for Travel

Now that you lot accept your packing list, what'south the best way to fit it all in your duffle bag? Use these tips to pack your duffle bag for any trip.

Curl Clothes And Use Packing Cubes

With duffle numberless, it'southward too easy to stuff everything in your bag or let information technology all come unfolded the minute you accept to comb around for a new pair of socks. Information technology's also harder to run across everything you have in your duffle bag than in a suitcase or backpack.

To keep your wearing apparel folded, organized, and piece of cake to admission, employ packing cubes. Start past choosing a packing cube you tin can see into, then roll your dress and stand up them up (only like Marie Kondo recommends) and then you can quickly meet everything you accept in a single cube.

Utilize multiple cubes to further organize your travel wardrobe, either by clothing type, dirty/clean, or whatsoever other way that makes sense to you. Personally, I like to sort my clothing by apply case. Hiking and adventure clothes in one cube, coincidental outfits in another, and PJs and underwear in a third.

Once yous have your packing cubes packed, put these into your duffle bag beginning to grade a base.

Identify Shoes in a Separate Compartment

Let'due south confront it: shoes become dingy. We don't want them mingling with our make clean clothes, even if they aren't caked in mud. To pack your shoes (we advise wearing one pair and packing one pair), place them in a separate compartment of your duffle handbag from the rest of your items.

Some duffles designed for travel accept a dedicated space for shoes. If your duffle does not, you can always utilize a shoe purse to create a separation. Then, place your shoes on the lesser of your bag, with your vesture packing cubes side by side to and/or on meridian of them.

Put Toiletries in Reusable Containers And in a Dedicated Bag

Adjacent up: toiletries. Whether you lot're bringing information technology all or just a few items to supplement the free goodies at your hotel, make sure all of your liquids and gels are in containers no larger than iii.4 ounces. Nosotros recommend using a reusable container (the GoToob line is a Tortuga favorite) for these.

Next, pack them all in a single toiletry bag—information technology must be clear and quart-sized or smaller if you're going through drome security—and add together them to the top of your bag. This way, they'll be easy to access should you demand to take information technology out for TSA screening or take hold of something mid-trip.

Place Paperwork in an Outside Pocket

Side by side, place all of your important paperwork—passport, boarding pass, notebook, etc.—in an easy to access outer pocket. You'll want them easy to get to, but as well non freely floating around the main compartment of your duffle, since these small items are like shooting fish in a barrel to lose.

Some travel duffles will have organizational features that go on all of these small, yet important items in gild (pen holder, pocket-sized pockets, etc.). If yours doesn't, you can use a pouch or accessory bag (I like the style-forrard ones past Topo designs ($15) to go on these items together and easy to reach for.

Put Laptops And Chargers in a Defended Sleeve

If you're traveling with a laptop, tablet, or Kindle, you lot'll next want to identify these in a dedicated exterior pocket. Does your duffle come with a laptop sleeve? Put your laptop or other large device into information technology and place your chargers alongside it.

If you lot do not have an outer pocket for your device, place it in a sleeve and add together it on pinnacle of your dress in the primary compartment. This will aid proceed information technology from getting damaged if you, say, toss your bag downwardly on the floor while collapsing in burnout after a 12-hr flight.

Organize Odds And Ends in Pockets or Accompaniment Bags

For any other odds and ends—particularly those y'all won't need while in transit—layer these on top of your clothes in the main compartment. For pocket-sized items, make use of small-scale pockets in your duffle or an accompaniment pocketbook to forbid them from floating around and getting lost.

Bring a Personal Item With Your Duffle

Your duffle bag is your comport on particular, which means you're still permitted to carry a personal item alongside it. If you're opting for a backpack every bit your personal item, aim for something around 20-26L. That size will be large enough to fit any additional travel essentials you're bringing (camera, h2o bottle, etc.) merely pocket-size enough to fit under an airplane seat.

The Outbreaker Laptop Haversack fits the pecker. It'south designed to fit under (most) airplane seats, comes with organizational features you'll want while traveling, and packs like a suitcase for easy access to all of your gear. If you're not traveling with a laptop, a simple daypack will do.