The convertible carry-on is my favorite type of luggage.  It provides all of the benefits of a simple carry-on shoulder bag, but features hide-away backpack straps for when you need to make longer journeys.

Four of the five bags featured on this page are designed specifically to meet airline carry-on luggage requirements, and bag #5 will easily make it through as a carry-on as long as you don't overstuff it.

This bag was custom designed for the leisure traveler, and is my number one choice for convertible bag.

Red Oxx quality is well known among the safari set.  Everything is reinforced to make sure that Red Oxx doesn't often have to deliver on its lifetime warranty.

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Arguably the most stylish entry on the top 5 list, the Tri-Star is medium sized carry-on travel bag stuffed with useful features.  It's great for the business or pleasure traveler.

Tom Bihn also features add-ons to assist with computer storage and filing that make it the top pick for business-specific travel.

Another convertible with high-quality and tons of features.

Our second entry from Tom Bihn is a slightly smaller bag.  If you're looking for shorter stays or trying to force yourself to limit weight and size, this is a great bag for a weekend or perhaps a week.

This is our only entry that is not specifically made as a carry-on.  You'll need to be careful not to overstuff to make it through all airline regulations, but with a soft construction you should be fine.

This bag is also a bit cheaper than most on our list, and is available at REI retail outlets.