recommended travel bag

I recently had 2 business trips, and was very pleased with the bag that someone else on the list recommended.
I used to fly with a rollie + laptop case. And I really didn't look forward to having to carry a third bag. Plus the original case for my cpap can't hold all the stuff I need (surge protector, extension cord, etc.)

The Lowepro Fastpack 250 is a really great camera bag (day pack style) that is very sturdy, has several different compartments -- including a discreet spot to slide in a laptop -- and was really perfect for air travel. No problem as a carry-on with rollie + a tote for reading material and food.

Highly recommended to the frequent flyer.

THanks for the review. I've been wondering what to get.

This is the one I like...

http://www.tenba.com/products/Messenger-Large-Bag.aspx

I am able to fit my laptop, all xPAP equipment and a few odds & ends. Size is smaller than allowed carry-on.

Paul56 wrote:This is the one I like...

http://www.tenba.com/products/Messenger-Large-Bag.aspx

I am able to fit my laptop, all xPAP equipment and a few odds & ends. Size is smaller than allowed carry-on.

Does this have wheels on it? Or is it an over-the-shoulder? It looks nice, but I don't do well with things slung over my shoulders.

No wheels... shoulder strap or carried like brief case.

Paul56 wrote:No wheels... shoulder strap or carried like brief case.

Drat. May be great for some folks, but by the time I got Bipap, mask, hose, computer, and etc. in it, I wouldn't be able to lift it.

I got this one on Ebay. The seller will take a lower offer. I paid $70. It is much less than a LowePro. I was looking at those but they are smaller than this one and a lot more expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Urban-Pro-Rolling-C ... 7C294%3A50

It is a rolling backpack and has changeable velcro dividers. It looks small in the picture but the seller included the dimensions. Take a tape measure and see how large it really is. I am going to use it for my CPAP and accesories and some other items.

BeanMeScot wrote:I got this one on Ebay. The seller will take a lower offer. I paid $70. It is much less than a LowePro. I was looking at those but they are smaller than this one and a lot more expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Urban-Pro-Rolling-C ... 7C294%3A50

It is a rolling backpack and has changeable velcro dividers. It looks small in the picture but the seller included the dimensions. Take a tape measure and see how large it really is. I am going to use it for my CPAP and accesories and some other items.

Wowa... look at the shipping on that:

"Shipping & Handling Rates:

Canada: $36.00

USA: $39.00"

That + the cost of the bag will just about get you a Tenba locally.

Notice the $39 shipping charge on that bag.

How do these bags (Lowepro 250 and Tenba) work in the real world? Sample questions:

How easy are they to use when dealing with airport security screening? Are they easy to use when having to "pull" the cpap for inspection? e.g. can the cpap easily be removed without having to empty other items from the bag?

While either of these bags seems to fit the size limitations for a primary carry-on bag, both exceed the maximum allowed dimensions for a "personal item or laptop" carry-on. For example, Air Canada's max size for a laptop case is 17 x 13 x 6 inches which is smaller than either of these bags.

The cpap itself fits snuggly (w/ humidifier) in its own compartment, with a removable divider that's held in place by velcro to separate it from the power bar/electric wire.
Then there's another compartment for my hose, mask, xtnsion cord, etc. And a few more small compartments for various things. There's also little places for cell phones, and a snug spot on the shoulder pad for an ipod.
No wheels.
It's a day pack style.

ps- This bag was primarily holding my cpap equipment. The original respironics case is too small, now that I need to use the humidifier.

The only additional items were the laptop - and it fits quite snugly into its own spot designed for a 15" computer along the back and well protected - and ipod.

No one at the airlines (Southwest and United, in this case) blinked an eye.
I attached a medical equipment tag on the top.

Paul56 wrote:

BeanMeScot wrote:I got this one on Ebay. The seller will take a lower offer. I paid $70. It is much less than a LowePro. I was looking at those but they are smaller than this one and a lot more expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Urban-Pro-Rolling-C ... 7C294%3A50

It is a rolling backpack and has changeable velcro dividers. It looks small in the picture but the seller included the dimensions. Take a tape measure and see how large it really is. I am going to use it for my CPAP and accesories and some other items.

Wowa... look at the shipping on that:

"Shipping & Handling Rates:

Canada: $36.00

USA: $39.00"

That + the cost of the bag will just about get you a Tenba locally.

You would have to get a Large Tenba to be about the same size. I don't see one anywhere that is less than $215. $70 plus $40 shipping is $110 so the Tenba is about twice as much. Same thing with LowePro.

I paid $129.95 for the Tenba Large Messenger bag locally at http://www.vistek.ca

What works good for me in the "real world" may not work so good for someone else.

I would suggest taking all your gear and everything you might put in a carry-on... head down to a good photography shop in town that has a good selection of bags and try them out. That is exactly what I did and came out with what works for me.

And just because I continue to disagree, let me again offer a differing opinion that I travel regularly by airlines with my cpap and all my equipment (hose, mask, extension cord, surge protector unit, and battery) in the original lightweight company supplied carry-case. I also carry on board my roll-aboard backpack with a shell (no wheels) daypack inside that, so I can separate out the stuff in the liner daypack to be used during the flight (mags, ipod, books, comfort stuff) and then just stow the cpap case and the outer rollaboard overhead, with the liner (stuffed) daypack at my feet. Never had a problem, and it is so easy to deal with the cpap in the xray line, because it is in its own case. FWIW