Lightweight Bag for Checking in Backpack on Airline

[Stephan the Painter]

I was looking for a bag to check in my backpack on the airline. This 50L Van Nova duffel bag was suggested to try by @J Willhaus and @trecile.

I'm very happy with it. I put my fully loaded Osprey Kestrel 38 and my hiking poles in it (as you can see in the second picture). It fit well. I wouldn't want to put anything much bigger in it. I didn't have to jam it in, but there wouldn't be much space left.

The bag itself is extremely lightweight. So the fabric is sturdy, but not that thick. Although I had rubber caps on the ends of the poles, I probably would put my poles inside the backpack because I would be worried that the bag might be torn when it gets tossed around by the airline people.

As you can see from the last picture, you can roll it up really small and it has a band attached to it to hold it in shape. I would definitely recommend this.

I did also get the FRAKTA bags, ordered online from a third party, so I was not sure they were IKEA, who has discontinued them. But I didn't even open the package. You can tell just from looking at it that it's much heavier.

Here is the bag on Amazon USA. About $12 in January 2025.

 

[J Willhaus]

Yup, we have the smaller version of this bag, but we don't ship our packs, just poles and a pocket knife. We've used it several trips now and it is still intact with a functioning zipper and no holes.

 

[trecile]

Thanks for reporting back @Stephan the Painter. The duffel would also be perfect to offload heavier items to be sent ahead if one found themselves unable to carry their full backpack.