After finding how heavy the fully packed Osprey Porter 46 bag was for me (posted about 6/18/14) I began to do a lot of reading about wheeled bags vs. no wheels. Much has been written about the virtues on bringing a wheeled bag on a long-term trip. I decided to focus on wheeled bags that convert into a backpack. The Osprey Meridian 22” pack is carry-on size, has backpack straps that can be zippered away behind a panel and a detachable daypack. Between the main bag and the daypack it holds 60 liters. This is a very well built pack that got excellent customer reviews. After checking it out at REI several times it seemed like it would be a good fit for me. It was comfortable on my back and has the benefit of being able to be rolled, worn as a backpack or carried as a suitcase. I purchased it just before our 2012 trip to Florida

Off we went to Florida for a two-week vacation and once again my bag was totally stuffed (I have got to learn to pack less before we leave on our year long trip!). My Meridian was great in the airports and anywhere I could use the wheels. I discovered, however, that its size and the wheel structure made it much too heavy for me. I had a hard time lifting it up stairs or into the overhead bin on the airplane. Also, the wheel structure makes the bag very ridged and it was difficult even for my husband to fit into the overhead bin. So although the Meridian meets the size restrictions for carry-on luggage, it doesn’t really fit in the places designated for carry-on luggage.

While I like the Osprey Meridian 22” pack and have taken it on several car trips, I won’t be taking it on our year long trip.   I want to be much more mobile and agile than the size and weight of this bag would allow me to be.

They say, “third times a charm” and I hope that is true. In a later post, I will write about the next travel bag I am trying.