Looking for an underseat airline bag reccomendation

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Chad Huff

Chad Huff

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Hey, everyone... I hope your new year is fantastic!

So, we're heading to Costa Rica soon... I've gotten my travel kit pretty well dialed in over the years but one thing I'd really like to add is a day pack that will fit under the airline seat in front of me... hold my laptop and tablet (iPad Air), a few necessities incase I get stranded away from checked luggage over night (change of socks, a t-shirt, a days meds, etc), a camera body and travel lens (35 or 50mm)... but will ALSO be useful when I'm day tripping in Costa Rica or at home and want to carry a wide angle lens, macro lens, a few filters, strap my tripod to it maybe, and also carry my film camera (Yashica Electro 35 Rangefinder)...

I already have a large camera back pack, a wheeled carry on, a couple hard cases, etc that I could use if I wanted... I am really looking for a small(ish), but not TOO small, day pack that will fit under seat for convince while traveling, and not to obviously containing expensive gear...

I was looking at the Think Tank Backlight 18L or 20L (maybe the 20L is called something else)... Or maybe just a rucksack and put like and F-stop slopped medium ICU in it (the 5.11 tactical rucksack Rush 24(?) would be about the right size I just hate looking para-military)...

What are you all using for this purpose???
 
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Chad Huff said:
Hey, everyone... I hope your new year is fantastic!

So, we're heading to Costa Rica soon... I've gotten my travel kit pretty well dialed in over the years but one thing I'd really like to add is a day pack that will fit under the airline seat in front of me... hold my laptop and tablet (iPad Air), a few necessities incase I get stranded away from checked luggage over night (change of socks, a t-shirt, a days meds, etc), a camera body and travel lens (35 or 50mm)... but will ALSO be useful when I'm day tripping in Costa Rica or at home and want to carry a wide angle lens, macro lens, a few filters, strap my tripod to it maybe, and also carry my film camera (Yashica Electro 35 Rangefinder)...

I already have a large camera back pack, a wheeled carry on, a couple hard cases, etc that I could use if I wanted... I am really looking for a small(ish), but not TOO small, day pack that will fit under seat for convince while traveling, and not to obviously containing expensive gear...

I was looking at the Think Tank Backlight 18L or 20L (maybe the 20L is called something else)... Or maybe just a rucksack and put like and F-stop slopped medium ICU in it (the 5.11 tactical rucksack Rush 24(?) would be about the right size I just hate looking para-military)...

What are you all using for this purpose???
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I just picked up an Aer Travel Pack and blown away how good it is. I got the 35L but they nake smaller versions. Very discrete, too.
 
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I use the Think Tank (Mindshift) 26 L which fits under the seat easily if there is no overhead bin space. It's comforting to know I have that option on very crowded flights.

I think any backpack may be too hot for hiking in Costa Rica, unless you're in the mountains. I hike with the 26 L in cooler climates but went with a "fly weight" fishing vest to carry extra gear when hiking in Costa Rica.
 
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my understanding is maximum under seat dimensions vary by airline. i typically fly alaska airlines so i got their dimensions from their web site then headed to a brick and mortar camera store with a tape measure.

i ended up with a mindshift firstlight 40l which i'm happy with
 
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Another vote for Mindshift. Mine is the 26L and I can fit two bodies, two longer lenses and a short lens and accessories. Also room for a laptop/tablet. So far it has fit under any airline seat I've encountered. Tight, but it fits.
 
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Nimi said:
I just picked up an Aer Travel Pack and blown away how good it is. I got the 35L but they nake smaller versions. Very discrete, too.
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That looks like a decent bag! Not sure how big the smaller version is, but they all look sturdy. Thanks!
riseform said:
I use the Think Tank (Mindshift) 26 L which fits under the seat easily if there is no overhead bin space. It's comforting to know I have that option on very crowded flights.

I think any backpack may be too hot for hiking in Costa Rica, unless you're in the mountains. I hike with the 26 L in cooler climates but went with a "fly weight" fishing vest to carry extra gear when hiking in Costa Rica.
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Costa Rica is a very rare, or one time trip... Winter in Idaho, Yellowstone, the olympic peninsula is my normal routine. I can live with it for one trip, but a vest isn't a bad idea either.
 
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Chad Huff said:
That looks like a decent bag! Not sure how big the smaller version is, but they all look sturdy. Thanks!

Costa Rica is a very rare, or one time trip... Winter in Idaho, Yellowstone, the olympic peninsula is my normal routine. I can live with it for one trip, but a vest isn't a bad idea either.
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I think all bags from all brands now come in 20ish, 26ish and 35ish sizes.
 
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John Navitsky said:
my understanding is maximum under seat dimensions vary by airline. i typically fly alaska airlines so i got their dimensions from their web site then headed to a brick and mortar camera store with a tape measure.

i ended up with a mindshift firstlight 40l which i'm happy with
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One other issue is that not all seats on a plane, even in the same class, have the same space for a carry-on. This has gotten worse as airlines use part of the space under seats for electronics.

I have generally put a Think Tank laptop bag (which can also hold a camera body and a lens or two or other stuff) under the seat in front of me. But I have been able to get a larger backpack (e.g., a LowePro Pro Runner 450 AWII) under a seat on some smallish planes (for example, the more modern versions of a DASH-8 turbo prop), at least where they were not using the underseat space for electronics -- and then put the smaller laptop bag in the overhead bin.
 
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The Backlight 18 is a great pack! I’ve used it as my primary pack to carry a D500 with the 500 PF attached for several years. I usually have binoculars and maybe one other lens, but I bet you could fit another body in there. However, if you need more space I’d think the next size up would fit under the seat.
 
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I love my Think Tank Urban Disguise. Holds a laptop along with a lens as big as a Canon or Sony 100-400 with the hood reversed, one or two bodies and a couple shorter lenses, along with all my memory cards and batteries and fits under the seat of all airliners.
 
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I can't tell from the Think Tank website if it opens on both sides. I have the Peak Design 20 which does. I have taken my Z9 with 100-400 on one side with three other lens on the other and some spare room at the top. It would suit your needs. The opening on both sides is HUGE, as basically it can be used as a sling on either side. I did buy the waist support and I find it very comfortable. I have a Think Tank Mindshift sling but it's too heavy for multiple day use on the one shoulder. The Peak is great for multiple days and you don't have to take it completely off to get into it.
 
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Jamie Baker said:
The Backlight 18 is a great pack! I’ve used it as my primary pack to carry a D500 with the 500 PF attached for several years. I usually have binoculars and maybe one other lens, but I bet you could fit another body in there. However, if you need more space I’d think the next size up would fit under the seat.
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Thanks for the input! ... Gripped or ungripped D500??? Once you put that combo in there, what else fits? I thought about my gripped D850 and 500pf and what if I wanted to use the pack with that setup and a wide angle around the states. It just seems like it would be pretty tight if it fit at all, but its hard to say without having it in hand.
 
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abc123brian said:
I have three different Osprey backpacks in different sizes I use for that sort of thing and depending on what I’m bringing. Based on what you said your use is, I’d probably go with the Osprey Daylite Plus you might need more space. I have an Osprey Skarab 30 that I use when taking more stuff.
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I have a larger Osprey backpack that I use with a cube. its a good setup and I like there stuff. Is your smaller one a rucksack or does it have a frame? what cube do you use?
 
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Chad Huff said:
Thanks for the input! ... Gripped or ungripped D500??? Once you put that combo in there, what else fits? I thought about my gripped D850 and 500pf and what if I wanted to use the pack with that setup and a wide angle around the states. It just seems like it would be pretty tight if it fit at all, but its hard to say without having it in hand.
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I can fit a gripped D850 and 500 PF plus a couple of small lenses in mine, so you should be good. In fact I can put a 100-400 in it with the D850 and 500 PF.
 
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BillW said:
One other issue is that not all seats on a plane, even in the same class, have the same space for a carry-on. This has gotten worse as airlines use part of the space under seats for electronics.

I have generally put a Think Tank laptop bag (which can also hold a camera body and a lens or two or other stuff) under the seat in front of me. But I have been able to get a larger backpack (e.g., a LowePro Pro Runner 450 AWII) under a seat on some smallish planes (for example, the more modern versions of a DASH-8 turbo prop), at least where they were not using the underseat space for electronics -- and then put the smaller laptop bag in the overhead bin.
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Yeah, the "under-seat electronics" is a drag these days. There is four of us in our family that are flying together, so it should work out that someone has some under-seat space (at least it always has in the past).

I have a think tank roller bag I like to use for the overhead. It easily fits everything I carry for gear. Its a hassle to open and I like to have my film camera ready for travel photos, so I like it in my regular day pack, plus my laptop and tablet for work during the flights and passport, etc. I bet its a kind of uncomfortable flight with a Lowepro 400 under the seat! Lol, I have a Lowepro 600AW (I think) and their shoulder strap design is perfect for carrying distance (I used the Lowe Expedition for years when I led wilderness trips in my 20s and 30s and it seems like the same suspension). That beefy of a suspension isn't that well suited for travel by plane these days. Your is probably slimed down though.
 
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splatbass said:
I can fit a gripped D850 and 500 PF plus a couple of small lenses in mine, so you should be good. In fact I can put a 100-400 in it with the D850 and 500 PF.
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I do like the 18L for size... They for sure wont give me a hard time about that size being a "personal item" for under the seat... The 26L should be fine, but I can imagine on a packed flight they might say something. Plus, the extra footpace on a long flight is very nice... I hate bag shopping. I always start thinking about "extra" stuff I might want to carry, and then the bag gets BIG again, lol... The Boy Scout motto, "Be Prepared" doesn't serve me well sometimes, hahaha.
 
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Chad Huff said:
Yeah, the "under-seat electronics" is a drag these days. There is four of us in our family that are flying together, so it should work out that someone has some under-seat space (at least it always has in the past).

I have a think tank roller bag I like to use for the overhead. It easily fits everything I carry for gear. Its a hassle to open and I like to have my film camera ready for travel photos, so I like it in my regular day pack, plus my laptop and tablet for work during the flights and passport, etc. I bet its a kind of uncomfortable flight with a Lowepro 400 under the seat! Lol, I have a Lowepro 600AW (I think) and their shoulder strap design is perfect for carrying distance (I used the Lowe Expedition for years when I led wilderness trips in my 20s and 30s and it seems like the same suspension). That beefy of a suspension isn't that well suited for travel by plane these days. Your is probably slimed down though.
Click to expand...

I have different things I use depending on the expected needs of the trip. If I'm going on a trip that isn't primarily for photography like the trip I'm taking next month to Phoenix for a music festival I'll typically use the Mindshift 18L as my carry on, but if I'm going on a serious photography trip like I'll be taking later in the year to Grand Teton and Yellowstone I'll take a Pelican Vault 525 which is carry on size (for overhead bins) and will carry a couple of telephoto lenses (500 pf, 100-400), two bodies and a wide angle zoom for landscapes. Then I'll put the Mindshift 18L in my checked bag (filled with socks and other clothing so it doesn't waste as much space) to use at the destination. With the Pelican if I get on a connecting flight on a small plane where they require me to gate check it I don't worry because it will protect the gear.
 
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Woodyg3 said:
Another vote for Mindshift. Mine is the 26L and I can fit two bodies, two longer lenses and a short lens and accessories. Also room for a laptop/tablet. So far it has fit under any airline seat I've encountered. Tight, but it fits.
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riseform said:
I use the Think Tank (Mindshift) 26 L which fits under the seat easily if there is no overhead bin space. It's comforting to know I have that option on very crowded flights.

I think any backpack may be too hot for hiking in Costa Rica, unless you're in the mountains. I hike with the 26 L in cooler climates but went with a "fly weight" fishing vest to carry extra gear when hiking in Costa Rica.
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I was looking at reviews for the Think Tank 26L and came across this guy... Did he really just take an (almost) $300 pack and slice it open and remove the foam so he could turn it into a standard $100 day pack??? o_O:oops::rolleyes::ROFLMAO::LOL::ROFLMAO:

But it does cause me to ask the question, does the 26L not compress at ALL, is it as stiff and impossible as he makes it sound? I feel like I could generally compress foam with the compression straps if I actually wanted to. IDK.

26L "Pack Hack"
 
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splatbass said:
I have different things I use depending on the expected needs of the trip. If I'm going on a trip that isn't primarily for photography like the trip I'm taking next month to Phoenix for a music festival I'll typically use the Mindshift 18L as my carry on, but if I'm going on a serious photography trip like I'll be taking later in the year to Grand Teton and Yellowstone I'll take a Pelican Vault 525 which is carry on size (for overhead bins) and will carry a couple of telephoto lenses (500 pf, 100-400), two bodies and a wide angle zoom for landscapes. Then I'll put the Mindshift 18L in my checked bag (filled with socks and other clothing so it doesn't waste as much space) to use at the destination. With the Pelican if I get on a connecting flight on a small plane where they require me to gate check it I don't worry because it will protect the gear.
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Makes sense. I'm in between those two uses for this bag. I have a think tank airport security (I think its called) for the overhead bin on flights, and I have a large LL Bean rolling duffel for my tripod and clothing, which I check. I could put the day pack in there for sure, but I wanted something with my laptop and film camera, etc for under the seat and to use as a day pack. It seems like the 18L is pretty perfect for that... but the 26 probably is too (as long as it can compress a bit).
 
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Check out the GuraGear Kiboko V2.0 16L+, or the GuraGear Chobe 2.0 13”. The dimensions look good for airline underseat stowage. The Chobe looks small enough to pass as a carry-on “personal item.”

These are incredibly well made bags. I have used a Kiboko 22L version for five years with no problems.
 
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