6 Best Under The Seat Personal Item Bags For Any Trip
The personal item that you choose to travel with can say A LOT about you.
Are you the savvy traveler who packed for the entire weekend in just a personal item?
Are you the tote carrier who never leaves home without enough gum and hand lotion to go around?
Or are you none of these because you have yet to find the perfect personal item to suit your travels?
How To Choose the Best Personal Item For You
We’ve curated a list of our favorite personal item bags to travel with. One that will fit everyone’s needs no matter the trip!
Personal Item VS Weekender Bag
Many people choose a “weekender bag” as their personal item. Many of these bags are designed to allow you to fit everything you need for a weekend in a bag smaller than a carry-on.
In our personal opinion, we have yet to find a weekender bag that does all that it says it will.
Here are a few reasons why we have decided to ditch the weekender:
They’re Heavy
Weekender bags end up being quite heavy because of everything you can fit in them. Without them being on wheels, this weight is having to be hauled through the airport.
The Shoe Compartment
Many bags that are marketed as a weekender, include a separated shoe compartment. If you’re planning to bring a shoe with any height at all , you’ll find it difficult to fit them in this area which calls for wasted space.
The Size Matters
We have felt like Goldilocks trying to find a weekender that’s size is juuuust right. Weekenders that we have tested tend to be too big or too small. Too big will take you from personal item to carry-on and too small will not have the space for an entire weekend.
The Daypack
This is the perfect personal item to take along with you if you’re planning on any hiking, excursions, or day trips during your travels. The Tripped Daypack can hold enough items to work as your only piece of luggage for a weekend, or can be used as the perfect personal item for a long haul trip.
The Daypack has plenty of pockets for organization, including a felt-lined pocket for your sunnies and a back computer slot. The breathable straps give you use of both hands, which between balancing passports and roller bags, is a must.
Best part? When not in use, the Daypack can fold and collapse into itself to easily packed into a carry-on.
Tripped Travel Gear Daypack
The Over-The-Handle Bag
The backpack style of personal item isn’t for everyone. For a handled option, check out the Nomad Lane Bento Bag. The Bento Bag opens up fully like a suitcase while still being compact enough to adhere to TSA personal item regulations.
This is the closest bag to a weekender on our list! There are plenty of zippered pockets and by leaving out the separate shoe compartment, there is more space for your items.
The Bento Bag will slip over any roller bag handle for ease through the airport and aisle.
Nomad Lane Bento Bag
The Cooler Bag
This may sound like a wild choice for a personal item, but hear us out. This might be one of our biggest travel tips yet:
TIP: Use something you’re already packing as your personal item.
For example, if you’re going on a beach vacation or maybe planning to rent a car for a road trip through Western Europe, pack a cooler bag as your personal item.
This will give you more space in your luggage because you won’t be packing a larger item, and now you won’t need to buy a cooler at your destination.
This soft sided Picnic Cooler Bag is the perfect option. Looking at it, you’d never even guess it’s a cooler!
INNO Cooler Bag
The Beach Bag
This goes along the same lines of our ultimate travel tip of packing your personal items into a bag you’ll already be needing or using on your trip. If you’re planning a beach vacation, then a beach bag is a must.
Choose a bag that is waterproof and sandproof like this Bodysurf Beach Bag. A zipper is a non-negotiable so that sand stays out and your items stay in.
This bag comes with a carrying pouch to fold your beach bag into when not in use. Perfect for stashing in a carry-on!
Bodysurf Beach Bag
The Tote Bag
The Beis East To West Tote is an easy tote for a grab and go trip. It is deep enough to hold items for a minimal trip or has a back loop to slip over the handle of your carry-on.
While this tote is about the size of a weekender, the lack of shoe compartment is what lands itself on our list.
With an inside water bottle pouch and laptop pocket, this personal item is perfect for a work trip or for those with the “work from anywhere” mentality.
BEIS EAST TO WEST TOTE
The Roller Bag
Between electronics, changes of clothes, books, and snacks, personal items can feel like a load to carry through the airport. A great option for a heavy personal item, is to pick a roller bag like this Verage Underseater Compact Roller Bag.
This roller bag complies with most airline size restrictions (double check with your airline first) and can also slip over top of any other luggage you’re bringing.
A roller bag is a great option for a trip where you’re already checking a bag and don’t want to worry about lugging around a heavy bag during your travel.
Verage Underseater Compact Roller Bag
