We did not carry on the bags. They probably would not be carry on size
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@busdriver11 I used this bag:https://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Expedition-Duffel-True/dp/B0C6775631/ref=asc_df_B0C6775631?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79989681302538&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=95091&hvtargid=pla-4583589160955423&th=1
And while it is more expensive, I have found that I have used it for other trips also.
My kids carried the Patagonia Black Hole Duffel in the carryon size - has backpack straps if needed (they actually did not like them and took them off and just carried like a regular duffel).
We were on the ground for 10 days - remember, most camps do laundry - and you really don’t need that much!
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That looks like the same size as my Micato duffel. I can measure them if you need me to, @busdriver11
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Thank you, @jym626, but no need. Carry one are limited to 22 inches, I believe, and that bag, while lovely, doesn’t look even close.
Looking at your bag, makes me wonder why my Maxlite Travel Pro wouldn’t work fine. It’s 21 inches, soft sided, squishes down.
We brought soft side duffles but they weren’t carry on size. Our plane travel between ledges and camps was a small plane that I think seated around 16 people. We weren’t quite 16 so maybe that is why we didn’t have a weight limit.
Every place we stayed did laundry daily. As mentioned by others they did not do underwear. The females all brought quick drying underwear. We would put our dirty clothes in a basket in the bathroom and at the end of the day they were returned clean. Granted we mainly stayed at smaller places.
I think the service and organization of our African safari was the best trip I have ever taken. The food at all the lodges was fresh and interesting. All of my family felt it was the trip of a lifetime.
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I did a quick measure of the Micato duffels. 25” long so not carryon. I think they prefer duffels b/c of how they fit/stack in the small planes.
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Eddie Bauer often has their bags on sale for 40-50% off. I’ve purchased several over the years, and they’ve lasted pretty well.
H and I have used Eagle Creek for years, and I’m pretty sure my friend who did a safari used an Eagle Creek duffel for that trip. (She’s an amazing packer and can get plenty in carry-on). I think she was actually told what color clothes to wear on her safari trip too, which I’d never heard of.
ETA - shouldn’t have sent to @lucy_van_pelt. Should have tagged @busdriver11 if anyone.
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Eagle Creek does have sturdy luggage. I haven’t owned anything but their packing cubes and also a waist pack that I put heavy batteries in and have used for well over a decade. The replace things as needed and that bag is in regular use. They’ve had to replace the shoulder strap & the clip for the shoulder strap. I believe they may have also replaced the zipper, all at no charge under their lifetime warranty.
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When we flew to Cape Town, we checked a bag each. We actually ended up checking each of our bags because SA Airlines not only measured, but also weighed our bags…and they took both of our carry on bags because they weighed more than 10k.
I have a Travelpro carry on…totally met the size requirements…I thought. But it was too big by maybe an inch for this flight.
I would suggest you plan to check a bag. Take something like a large backpack with you essentials and a change or two of clothes.
Adding…on one keg of our trip, my checked bag didn’t make it to the city when I did. It took a few days for my bag to catch up with me, but I had everything I truly needed in my Jansport.
For this trip…you just might have to paycheck a bag.
Supposedly, colors that blend into the natural background are normally required on safaris for wildlife viewing these days (but camouflage patterns may not be allowed).
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I think we’ll likely end up fine just with carry on bags. We have Diamond status with Delta and premium/hopefully business class seats on our Delta/KLM flights, all widebody airplanes. I would be shocked if we have to check a bag. I have flown a sickening amount in the last 30 years, and it seems every time I check a bag once in a blue moon, there’s a problem with it. We REALLY try to avoid it and usually can fit everything in our little travelpros.
There are soft sided backpack or duffel type bags made specifically for airline carry on size limits.
https://www.osprey.com/sojourn-porter-46l-porter46f23-819?size=O%2FS&color=Brindle+Brown
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Thanks! I sent the travel company a picture of my suitcase to see if they thought of it would work and if not, I’ll research this one and the others people mentioned.
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Spirit Airlines has ceased operations:
However, its legacy lives on, in that the cheapest fares on other airlines are now Spirit-like in having extra charges for carry-on bags not under the seat and pre-assigned seats, in addition to extra charges for checked bags.
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Seems I read somewhere, not too long ago that the major airlines, Delta, American, United were scaling back on Economy Basic and Regular Economy seats so they sell out fast and force travelers to upgrade to Priority/Premium.
Frontier is a leader in this area and has been doing it for years. (I don’t fly Frontier and I never flew Spirit)
To lighten up the thread.
For those of us who are well over 6 feet tall Economy Plus is a big win (if you can either afford to pay for it, or get upgraded). It is also way less expensive compared to first class. It doesn’t quite have me dancing in the aisles, but almost.
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I really prefer E+. Even nicer when S gets us Business Lie Flat seats since we have LONG flights. When we had E+ seats last time, I booked window and put H in aisle and no one booked middle seat, so we had the empty middle—both flying out and flying home! It was worth paying a bit extra! I notice a lot of empty middle seats in E+. My sibs says they sometimes get an empty middle in E+ but sometimes someone is in middle seat.
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