Travel pack recommendations?

[frugalone]

I'll be going to England for a week next May and I'm looking for a travel pack that won't break the bank. I like the convertible type (i.e. works as a backpack but has handles and a shoulder strap). Some brands I've been looking at are Eagle Creek (Weekender or Tarmac), ebags Weekender, Tom Bihn Aeronaut, Air Boss Sky Train, MEI Voyageur, Tortuga.

Any recommendations/advice?

[herbgeek]

I just purchased an Aeronaut, but it took me a year to do so because the price tag is steep, and I don't really travel enough to justify it in my mind. But nothing else I looked at had the same aesthetics and features. Quality stuff, but you pay through the nose for it.

[frugalone]

My thoughts exactly. I don't travel much at all, so yes, I am having trouble justifying it! But I have one of the TB handbags and I love it. The stuff wears like iron!

I just purchased an Aeronaut, but it took me a year to do so because the price tag is steep, and I don't really travel enough to justify it in my mind. But nothing else I looked at had the same aesthetics and features. Quality stuff, but you pay through the nose for it.

[kib]

You might try checking a second hand sporting goods store. here we have Bookmans Sports Exchange, which is pretty picky about what they buy. If you know the brands to look for, there can be great deals - I just picked up a lightly used Marmot Nano jacket for $60.

[frugalone]

We don't have anything like that around here. I live in a kind of poor area. We've got the Salvation Army and Goodwill and that's it.

You might try checking a second hand sporting goods store. here we have Bookmans Sports Exchange, which is pretty picky about what they buy. If you know the brands to look for, there can be great deals - I just picked up a lightly used Marmot Nano jacket for $60.

[Tradd]

I have this one from LL Bean. $129. Love it. It's unstructured, so it works best if you have packing cubes.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/51615

[rodeosweetheart]

You might try Ebay. I wanted an Ameribag and saw one in a local store for 187, bought the same bag, used, mild waterstain on bottom, for 25 dollars on ebay. I have treated the leather and it looks pretty darn good, and I don't have to worry about walking outside in the rain with it--it's actually the color I wanted, while the local store only had black.

[rodeosweetheart]

I have this one from LL Bean. $129. Love it. It's unstructured, so it works best if you have packing cubes.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/51615

That is REALLY pretty, Tradd. For me, I have to go with wheels, even on my carry on, since it's so hard walking through the airport without having an asthma attack.

But if you can manage carrying stuff, that Bean one looks fantastic.

[freshstart]

I have good experiences with Travelon and Sherpani products, I look them up at ebags, then try to find what I want cheaper elsewhere or on Ebay. Travelog has been adding pockets that block RFID

[Birdie]

I have a 21 inch roller I take sometimes and also this bag which does not have wheels. It's similar to the LLBean bag, can be carried or worn as a backpack.

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/carry-on-backpack