Lightweight Flight Bags - Do they exist?

[daveporter]

Hello,

After having damaged caused to straps and buckles on rucsacs carried in aircraft holds (and having had items stolen from inside packs in the past) I've started to use a flight overbag to protect the pack and sleeping mat. The flight bag I've got is working fine. Normally, once we arrive at our destination, we leave the bag and any unwanted stuff with a hotel/guest house/friendly shopkeeper in a place we will return to. On our most recent trip to the Taurus Mountains (Southern Turkey) over the Easter holiday we were so rushed leaving our Pension that we ended up taking the flight bags into the mountains. This meant lugging approx 700g of unwanted "dead" weight around. On top of 6 days food and fuel and all the other (beach) stuff we normally leave behind, it made our packs rather too heavy and bulky.

Does anybody have any suggestions for lightweight flight bags? I wonder if they are available in Dyneema fabric? The bag I use is from Canada "North 49 Flight Overbag" and weighs in at 700g and it is quite bulky packing down to the size of a summer sleeping bag. It is big enough to take my Golite Odyssey pack with a karrimat strapped on outside. It certainly protects the pack from careless baggage handlers but it defeats my attempts at light(er) weight backpacking.

Any ideas?

Dave Porter

[El Perro Negro]

You got me there Dave. I've always used the classic North Face bags for transport on aircraft, trains and mules etc. For our last Patagonia trip the large (or was it XL?) version was able to take my mountain rucksack and all personal expedition and climbing gear for a 3 week trip (excluding food which we bought locally).

I have never had one of these bags break. I do put a separate padlock on the though. Agreed, they are a touch on the heavy side. Let me know if you come across better options.

[Tinkerbell]

Yep it was the XL version you took 

It will be interesting to see if anyone comes up with any ideas for lightweight flight bags 

[El Perro Negro]

Reply from a forum member, Gary Scully, who is having trouble logging in

"I was going to suggest the UK military style flight bags I use...I've hauled them all over the world in all types of aircraft and conditions and haven't been gentle with them...I've only had one rip on me...it did have a bayonet in it though!!...(lightweight too)

For examples Take a look at
http://www.fatiguesarmynavy.com/store/subcat/286/_Flight_Gear_Bags__Gear_Bags_

Recommended styles;
Aviators Gear
British Army Style
Para Cargo

Hope this helps
Gary

Flight Gear Bags (Gear Bags), Fatigues Army Navy Surplus Gear
www.fatiguesarmynavy.com
- Field/Cargo Fatigue Pants - BDU Shorts/Fatigue Field Shorts - BDU Fatigue Pants & Fatigue Jackets - Fatigue Pants - Codet Wool Outdoor Pants - Military Belts - Military Wool Pants - Vintage Washed Infantry ..."

[La Gringa]

About two years ago I bought a Regatta X-LT huge nylon holdall. It registers zero on my luggage weight scales !! It is nylon and relatively flimsy however as you all know I make regular trips to Spain with airport luggage including horserugs, saddles etc using only this bag. If I had to guess the volume I would say 130ish litres. It fits a fully packed 60l rucksack Ok. I keep expecting it to split but so far no damage. I would recommend this to anyone. Hope this helps. 

[daveporter]

Well, thanks for the advice and "Thumbs Up" for this Forum. I posted the same query on the TGO web site and received no replies at all.

The Military style bags look really tough but are probably too heavy and bulky to be rolled up and stuffed at the bottom of my pack (same goes for those sturdy North Face Kit Bags). The Regatta bag might work though. My wife has a LifeVenture Flight Holdall that weighs 450g, but it won't take a karrimat as well as a pack. Incidentally, she bought herself a new pack yesterday - Womens Golite Quest: about 60 Litres and only 1.25kg, at 30% off from the Outdoor Warehouse (web store as well) in a very sunny Windermere. It "looks" very nice, not sure how it will stand up to rough treatment in the Sierras.   

I guess the answer is to always make the effort to find a safe place to leave excess gear and clothing before heading out into the wilds. But this becomes difficult on some trips if you end up leaving the mountains miles from the start point with no easy way back.

Cheers,
Dave Porter