Travel Bags

Cabin bag dimensions: check before you fly

Budget airline bag charges frequently cost more than the fare, and the free allowances are smaller than most people assume.

• Ryanair: one small personal bag free at 40 x 20 x 25cm, which must fit under the seat in front.
• easyJet: one small cabin bag free at 45 x 36 x 20cm, also under the seat.
• Larger cabin bags for the overhead locker are typically around 55 x 40 x 20cm and nearly always cost extra.

Several bags here are 40 x 30 x 20cm, which fits under the seat on many carriers but exceeds Ryanair's free small bag allowance on the depth dimension. Check your specific airline's current published dimensions before flying. They change, they differ between carriers, and measurements include wheels, handles and any external pockets.

Getting a bag through the sizer

• Soft-sided bags compress. A backpack marginally over will squeeze into a sizer where a hard case won't.
• Don't overfill the front pocket: it's what pushes a compliant bag over on depth, and it's the first thing staff look at.
• Wear your bulkiest clothes. Coats and boots aren't measured or weighed.

How to pack a backpack so it's comfortable

• Heavy items low and against your back. Weight close to your spine and near your hips is carried by your legs; weight high and away from your back pulls on your shoulders.
• Roll clothes rather than folding: around 20-30% more fits in the same space and it creases less.
• Use packing cubes to keep the shape square. A bag that bulges won't go in a sizer even at the right volume.
• Keep documents, medication and a change of clothes in the bag that stays with you.
• Do up the chest and waist straps if the bag has them. They transfer weight off the shoulders and most people ignore them.

How to choose a laptop backpack

• The laptop compartment should be padded and suspended, a sleeve reaching the very base of the bag transmits every drop straight into the corner of the machine.
• Water resistance is enough for British weather; fully waterproof bags are heavier and rarely necessary. A rain cover is a useful middle ground.
• A luggage pass-through strap slides over a suitcase handle, genuinely useful if you travel for work.
• Check the empty weight. A heavy bag before you've packed anything makes for a poor daily commute.
• Padded, contoured shoulder straps matter more than the number of pockets.

How to look after bags

• Zips fail first. Don't force an overpacked zip. That's what breaks the slider, and a broken zip usually ends the bag. Candle wax on a stiff zip helps.
• Empty and air after every trip. Damp gym kit or swimwear left inside causes mildew that's very hard to remove.
• Spot clean rather than machine washing. Machine washing strips water-resistant coatings and can delaminate padding.
• Store loosely, not compressed under heavier luggage, which sets permanent creases in coated fabrics.