This has been asked twice, can someone answer the question please? :)

Another "idiot" here looking to invest in a $300.00 Scott Leather and a PNT Stealth. Scott comes in 7 or 8", and I need it to fit in a CRJ.

Anyone?

I can't speak for Scott bags, but you'll never go wrong with the smaller bag in the CRJ if you don't get an answer from someone. Will you really miss the inch anyway?

You have so many things to learn little CFI.....so many

He's at CHQ now, and he has one of those super fancy office depot bags :D (from what I read somewhere). Hell, it'll probably hold up better than my PNT Split Grain Leather bag.... that thing is starting to look pretty rough.

I don't know about the CRJ, but I got the smaller Scott bag back in 2000 for the ERJ. At the time, all the ERJs had a little lip (which sounds like it might be similar to the CRJ) and the larger width bag wouldn't fit right. A few months later they started modifying the aircraft and the lip went away. The larger bag would have been better, because even with the lip and the bag sitting a little awkward, it does add more room than I thought.

I ended up buying the larger width when I moved on (had a lot of money left over in my uniform allowance that would have gone back to the company). My Scott bag that I had with me for 7 years had held up great. A little bit of black shoe polish through the years and it was still looking good. No duct tape or over abundance of "bag band-aid" stickers. I would have liked to keep using it, but that extra inch did push me to getting a new one. I would also recommend having the inside pouch installed. I got it with my new one and it has been great holding all the little things I could never find a place for.

I also went through about 4 Travel Pros in 2 years. I gave them away at Christmas for family members that wanted to have them fixed. I got the PNT bag and it has also held up good for 5 years. I don't think it has all the room the Travel Pro does, but it won't take long to learn how to pack light. I've met guys that have had them for years and they still seem to be holding up.

I used my DC-13.4s in the ERJ for a few years until I came across a cheap Telex 750. I used earplugs with it, but it is loud no matter what over 250 knots. I also used the Telex 850 briefly, but it doesn't do much in the ERJ (still wore ear plugs). I would advocate for new pilots to modify their DCs with the Oregon Aero Comfort Kit. I think it is about 100 bucks, but I can wear my DCs continually for 8-10 hours in the military without hot spots. The first time I flew with the kit on; I couldn't believe the pain I had been putting up with through the years. I probably would have gone that route in the beginning to save a little cash since the cockpit was noisy and I already had a good headset, but I didn't know about it.

With all that said, in retrospect, I would have bought a good flight kit, a good suitcase, and a good headset (or the comfort kit) in that order. Money is going to be tight for at least the first year. Once the newness of the job wears off, it can be depressing seeing your paychecks. Taxes, Union Dues, Payroll Deduct uniforms, and (if you're really smart and are eligible) 401K deductions will all add up to leave you without much. A good flight kit will last you your entire career if you take care of it. I feel the Scott bags are made well and can be backed up with good customer service. I wouldn't go with a super cheap suitcase because you'll more than likely be stuck with some of the horror stories people have talked about above. I've seen more than one pilot carrying their stuff around in an "emergency" trash bag because a zipper broke. The PNT bags are great and will last a long time, but it can wait until 2nd year pay if you don't have the money. "Jet" type headsets don't seem to work well IMO in RJs. The ERJ was loud and I've heard the CRJ can be as well. DCs (or similar) work well and will hold up to the the abuse of the regional type environment (and hence it helps to have a little bigger flight kit). If you had the money, I would look at making the headset you have more comfortable since it will be on your head for close to 8 hours a day almost 4 days a week. It is a much cheaper alternative until you reach 2nd year pay.