The luggage we’d actually travel with
After more than 30 years of traveling, we have opinions about luggage.
Wheels matter. Weight matters. Organization matters. And yes, looks matter too.
So instead of giving you another enormous list of things to remember when you pack, we’re making this much easier.
Five carry-ons. Five hardside checked bags. Five weekenders.
Pick your bag. Pack your clothes. Go somewhere fabulous.
"Good luggage should make traveling easier, not become another thing you have to manage."
THE 5 BEST CARRY-ONS
1. Away The Carry-On Flex Best for: The stylish overpacker Sleek, easy to maneuver and expandable for those vacations when you somehow come home with considerably more than you left with.
2. Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Carry-On Best for: Frequent travelers A polished workhorse from a brand that knows its way around an airport. Great if your suitcase spends almost as much time traveling as you do.
3. Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Best for: Keeping things light Lightweight, practical and easy to lift into the overhead bin. Your shoulders will appreciate this one.
4. Briggs & Riley ZDX Essential Carry-On Best for: The investment-piece traveler Definitely a splurge, but Briggs & Riley has built a serious following among frequent travelers for a reason.
5. Travelpro Maxlite Air V2 Hardside Carry-On Best for: Hardside without the heft A great option if you love the protection and look of hardside luggage but don't want the suitcase itself eating up your weight allowance.
THE 5 BEST HARDSIDE CHECKED BAGS
Going to Europe for two weeks and pretending you're going to fit everything into a carry-on? We admire your optimism.
For the rest of us:
1. Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 Best for: The traveler who wants pretty luggage Distinctive, elegant and much easier to spot at baggage claim than another anonymous black rectangle.
2. Travelpro Platinum Elite Hardside Large Check-In Best for: Long-haul trips A serious suitcase for a serious vacation. This is the kind of bag we want for a longer Europe trip.
3. Away The Large Flex Best for: Overpackers The expansion is the selling point. Shoes multiplying during the vacation? Shopping in Italy? We understand.
4. Samsonite Proxis Large Spinner Best for: Lightweight durability A premium hardside option designed to give you plenty of packing space without starting out unnecessarily heavy.
5. Samsonite Freeform Large Spinner Best for: Great value You don't have to spend a fortune to get a solid, spacious hardside suitcase with spinner wheels.
THE 5 BEST WEEKENDERS
The weekender has one very important job: hold a ridiculous amount of stuff without looking like you brought your gym bag to Italy.
These make the cut.
1. Away The Weekender Best for: Overall Clean, organized and designed to slide over your suitcase handle. Exactly what we want from a personal-item bag.
2. Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 Weekender Best for: Looking fabulous This one has fabulous hotel written all over it. Pretty enough that you won't mind carrying it through the lobby of a beautiful hotel.
3. Briggs & Riley Rhapsody Weekender Best for: Understated luxury Polished, practical and sophisticated without looking overly flashy.
4. Samsonite Paralux Weekender Best for: Organization For the person who wants pockets and compartments instead of one enormous fabric cave containing everything they've ever owned.
5. Peak Design Travel Duffel Best for: Versatility A little sportier and more rugged than the others, but extremely practical if your vacations aren't always about checking into a five-star hotel.
THREE PACKING RULES WE ACTUALLY FOLLOW
That's it. Three.
1. Use packing cubes. Once you start, it's very difficult to go back. 2. Keep medications, valuables and at least one change of clothes in your carry-on. Your checked suitcase can be replaced. Some things cannot. 3. Weigh your checked suitcase before you leave home. Nobody wants to be the person on the airport floor moving shoes from one suitcase to another.
THE TROPICAL TRAVELERS TAKE
Great luggage won't make your vacation, but bad luggage can make getting there considerably less fun.
Buy for the way you actually travel. If you're constantly moving, prioritize something lightweight. If you're spending two weeks in Europe, get a checked bag you genuinely enjoy using. And if you refuse to travel with only one bag, find a great weekender that slides over your suitcase handle.
Then stop worrying about packing and start thinking about where you're taking it.