I travel to the UK and Ireland several times throughout the year, so at this point I have some pretty strong opinions about what I do – and do NOT – want to drag through an airport with me.
And one thing I really don’t want? A heavy bag hanging off my shoulder!
I’m only 5 feet tall, which also means wrestling a carry-on into an already crammed overhead compartment is not exactly my favorite part of flying. Especially when everyone is standing in the aisle behind you waiting to get to their seats and you’re trying to hoist a hefty suitcase over your head!
Which brings me to one of my favorite travel purchases: my rolling personal item bag by Kroser.
It isn’t particularly glamorous or fashionable, but it is SO practical. And after using it on multiple trips, I’ve realized that practical wins every time when you’re spending most of a day traveling.
Why I Wanted a Personal Item With Wheels
I fly out of Sarasota whenever I can. I know I can drive up to Orlando and get a direct flight, but by the time I’ve driven all the way there, dealt with I-4 traffic, parked and made my way through that huge airport, I’d honestly rather just leave from Sarasota and have a connection somewhere along the way.
I also tend to give myself a decent layover when I book my flights. I’m one of those people who would much rather have a couple of hours to kill in an airport than spend the entire first flight checking the time and wondering whether I’m going to have to make a mad dash across the next airport to catch my connection. I’ve done the tight connection thing before and I don’t need that kind of stress at the beginning of a trip!
Of course, a longer layover means I’m usually wandering around for a while. I’ll get something to eat, browse the shops, find somewhere to sit or just walk around after being stuck on a plane. And that’s when a heavy tote or backpack really starts to annoy me. It might feel perfectly fine when I leave the house, but a couple of hours into a travel day my shoulder and neck are definitely feeling it.
That’s one of the biggest reasons I’ve come to love having a personal item with wheels. I just pull up the handle and off I go. It sounds like such a small thing, but when you’re halfway through a long travel day, it makes such a difference.
It Fits Under the Seat – And Holds a Surprising Amount
This is probably the biggest reason I love it.
I’ve been able to fit the bag underneath the seat in front of me, so I don’t have to worry about finding overhead bin space.
I’ve included an actual photo of mine underneath the airplane seat because whenever I’m shopping for a personal item online, that’s what I want to see. I haven’t had any issues fitting it under the seat in front and I’ve sat in window seats, aisle seats and the dreaded middle seat!
Obviously, airline and aircraft configurations vary, and personal-item requirements can change, so always check the dimensions allowed by the airline you’re flying before you leave.
But I’ve been really happy with how much I can get into this bag while still keeping it small enough to use as my personal item.
I Can Actually Pack Clothes in It
Another thing I really like about this bag is the way it opens. Instead of digging down into one big tote trying to find something that’s inevitably buried at the very bottom, it opens up more like a little suitcase, which makes it SO much easier to pack and keep organized.
And don’t let the size fool you because I can fit a surprising amount in there. I’ve managed to pack a good three to four days’ worth of clothes in mine, especially when I use my favorite compression packing cubes. I’m a big fan of packing cubes anyway, but the compression ones really help when I’m trying to squeeze everything into a smaller bag.
Obviously, how much you can fit depends on where you’re going. Three or four days of swimsuits, shorts and lightweight tops is a whole different story from trying to cram in chunky sweaters, jeans and boots! But for a weekend away or a short warm-weather trip, I’ve been really impressed with how much I can get in there.
It also has a separate space for my laptop, which is a big plus for me, along with plenty of smaller pockets for all the random things I like to bring with me when I travel. Chargers, cords, pens, reading glasses, lip balm – all the stuff I want to be able to find without emptying the entire bag onto an airport seat.
It’s Great If Your Carry-On Gets Gate-Checked
This is another reason I really like having this bag with me, especially since flights seem to be packed more often than not these days. We’ve all been on those flights where they start making announcements at the gate that overhead space is running out and they’re going to have to start checking carry-ons.
If that happens, I don’t have to worry too much because I can keep everything I really don’t want to part with in this bag — my laptop, medications, chargers, travel documents, a change of clothes and all those other essentials I’d rather not send off in the hold. Then, if my regular carry-on does end up getting gate-checked, it’s really not a big deal. And I’m not standing there at the gate with my suitcase open trying to pull out my laptop, medication and a clean pair of underwear while everyone else is boarding around me!
Another little feature I love is the luggage strap on the back. If I’m traveling with a regular carry-on as well, I can slide this bag right over the handle and wheel everything together. I can do the same thing with my checked suitcase, which makes getting through the airport so much easier. Then, once I’ve checked my larger bag or boarded the plane, I can just pull up the telescoping handle and wheel this one on its own. For me, anything that makes getting through the airport with less lifting and lugging is a win.
And Did I Mention I’m Only 5 Feet Tall?
And then there’s the fact that I’m only 5 feet tall, which definitely plays a part in why I love this bag so much! I can put a carry-on in the overhead bin, but sometimes I just don’t want to deal with it, especially when the flight is packed, the bins are already crammed full and I’m trying to maneuver a suitcase over my head without taking out the person sitting in the aisle seat.
When I’m traveling by myself, I also don’t want to have to rely on someone else to help me get my bag up or down. I’d much rather get on the plane, slide this underneath the seat in front of me and be done with it. Plus, I like having my laptop, Kindle, chargers, snacks and everything else I might want during the flight right there where I can actually reach it. No getting up mid-flight and digging around in the overhead bin trying to remember which pocket I put something in!
Is It Perfect?
Of course, there is one downside – you do lose some of your legroom when you put a bag underneath the seat in front of you. And when you’re on a long-haul flight, every little bit of legroom counts!
For me though, it’s a pretty small trade-off. I’d much rather lose a little foot space than spend a long layover carrying a heavy bag around on my shoulder or worrying about whether I’m going to find room in the overhead bin on my next flight. And since I’m only 5 feet tall, I’m not exactly taking up a huge amount of legroom to begin with!
Who I Think This Bag Is Great For
If you travel fairly often, take weekend trips or, like me, sometimes travel on your own, I really do think a rolling personal item is worth considering. I used to automatically reach for a tote or backpack as my personal item, but after dragging one through an airport for a few hours, my shoulder was usually reminding me why that wasn’t such a great idea!
I especially love this bag on those trips when I have a longer layover. I can wander around the airport, grab something to eat, browse the shops or walk to a gate that somehow seems to be in another zip code without carrying everything on my shoulder. I just pull up the handle and wheel it along with me.
I also really like knowing that everything important is staying right there with me. If the overhead bins are full or my carry-on ends up being gate-checked, I still have my laptop, medications, chargers, travel documents and a change of clothes safely with me.
Is it the fanciest or most exciting piece of luggage I’ve ever bought? Definitely not. But it’s one of those things that has made traveling just that little bit easier – and after enough long travel days, I’ve learned that those are usually the things I end up loving the most.
You can see the rolling personal item bag I use here:
SHOP MY BAG ON AMAZON
Disclosure: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually use and genuinely like.
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