Baggage fees - no one likes them, but they're a fact of life. Just when you think you've got the right bag, you turn up at Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways and all the others and it doesn't fit in their little measurer. So we sent one of our writers to test out one people can't stop buying: Narwey's £10.39 cabin bag.
It comes in 28 colours and styles, it's one of Amazon's best sellers for duffel bags and has thousands of five star reviews. It's also the perfect size to avoid those pesky little luggage fees. Ryanair's rules are 40 x 20 x 25cm for a cabin bag and this one comes in at 40 x 19 x 25cm.
But don't just take their word for it - take ours, so our reviewer Lea took bought the bag on a trip abroad with none other than Ryanair. The result? Five stars, it's a Mary Poppins bag. Read on for our review...
Narwey Travel Bag Review
I do not have enough money to book myself a space in the overhead locker, much less can I ever check in a bag. In my years of travelling as a cheapskate, I've perfected my packing skills but still sometimes get pulled over by staff for a bulky-looking bag.
Ryanair are the biggest culprits for measuring bags - we've all felt the stress that comes up when the staff wheel out their measuring contraptions. So when I flew to Italy recently, I was determined to avoid their eagle eyes.
Amazon sells a Ryanair travel bag available in 28 colours. You can pick between a shoulder strap or no strap, and my lavender bag - complete with strap - arrived at my doorstep the next day thanks to Amazon Prime.
Upon first inspection, the bag looked like nothing more than a gym bag, albeit with a practical passport slot on the front. But when I started packing, its Mary Poppins qualities soon revealed themselves.
No matter how many dresses I rolled up and stuffed in, the bag didn't seem to be filling up. Even the unreasonable amount of underwear I added (just in case, as always) didn't add to the bag's bulk.
Clothes all done, I was left with a good five inches of space between my stuff and the zipper. It left comfortable space for my toiletry bag, a pair of extra shoes, and a my favourite book of all time.
When I went to close the bag, I was surprised at its sorcery. Previously shapeless, the bag's straps worked with the zipper to bring the original shape back, morphing the bag into a perfectly rectangular carry-on.
Fast-forward to London Stansted, and the Ryanair staff barely glanced my way. In my tiny seat, the bag slid seamlessly under the seat in front, leaving space for my feet on either side.
The bag has 4,352 other five-star reviews on Amazon, with one person writing "I was really worried about it fitting under the seat as it looks really big in real life and I measured each side about 20 times. The dimensions are as described. In the end it fit into the bag size checker with ease on both my flights. The Ryanair staff didn't even ask to check the bag size. It can hold a good amount of items. I had two tops, one jumper, PJs, a handbag, all my toiletries, hair straighteners, food/drinks and some gifts and knick-knacks and I could have fit more stuff. It's great for short trips."
A few negative reviews mentioned the bag's flimsiness. The zipper did feel slightly precarious at times when I overfilled the bag on the way home. But if you've ever owned something with a cheap zip, you know as well as I do that the trick is to not force it, and it won't be a problem.
The bag is currently on sale for £10.39 on Amazon. You can check out other bags here.
