When you’re traveling, it’s certainly possible to cram the essentials into any old carry-on bag, but when you’re on the go as often as we are here at Fodor’s, you understand the difference a great bag can make.
In order to find the best new carry-ons of 2014, we've rounded up an array of bags—varying in size, style, color, and price—and tested them everywhere from the streets of New York City to the beaches of Curaçao.
Here are the carry-on bags that we think make great travel companions, no matter where you're going or what you haul inside.
BRIC'S BELLAGIO CARRY-ON SPINNER TRUNK
The Tester: Perrie Hartz, Associate Travel Editor, Resorts and Cruise
The Review: I took the Bric’s ($525) to Curaçao for four days. I packed the usual beachwear: bathing suits, cover-ups, casual clothing. I loved it as a carry-on. It was extremely light and wheeled nicely. It’s really stylish and I got a bunch of compliments at the airport! The details and color contrast definitely stand out.
The Catch: The handle sometimes got slightly stuck when I tried to pull it up or down. It is small and very shallow, so not for travelers who like to stuff their carry-ons to the brim.
The Verdict: I would definitely use this again on a short trip, and would definitely recommend it to friends.
DELSEY HELIUM CARRY-ON TROLLEY CASE
The Tester: Caroline Trefler, Senior Editor
The Review: I took the Delsey ($140) to Toronto for a long weekend (and the NYC subway and NJ Transit to get to Newark). I had never traveled with a hard-case and had some reservations but I ended up loving it! The bag is separated into two compartments—one side zippers closed, the other has straps to hold the contents—and together they held so much! I packed more than usual, to be prepared for cold, rainy weather, and included several changes of running clothes, plus my computer, and various odds and ends. I was thrilled about how light the bag is: with everything packed inside, it was still easy to carry up and down stairs on the subway and to lift it into the overhead compartment on the plane.
My main concern was that a hard case wouldn’t fit in the overhead compartment of the small Porter Airlines planes, but there was no problem at all—and I saw other people with hard cases struggling and ultimately having to gate-check their bags.
The Catch: I thought the four-wheeled design was fabulous because I could pull the bag easily, or roll it along right next to me in the crowded airport. The only issue is that it kept trying to roll away from me on the subway—if there was some kind of wheel lock that would be an added bonus but this wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me.
The Verdict: Yes, I would definitely use this bag again, and I’d whole-heartedly recommend it. I used the “steel grey” version but the bag comes in other more vibrant colors, which I find more appealing.
TUMI TEGRA-LITE MAX INTERNATIONAL EXPANDABLE CARRY-ON
The Tester: Michael Alan Connelly. Editor, Fodors.com
The Review: I brought this Tumi ($695) on a two-day trip to upstate New York, so I wasn’t able to use it on a plane, but I shared it with a friend and it easily held our clothes and accessories for the weekend. As with all Tumi products, this one is stylish and attractive. This particular bag’s standout features are the integrated TSA-approved combination lock, a clamshell configuration that makes it easy to separate dirty clothes from clean ones, and four multidirectional wheels that make it easy to move the bag around. The bag is made with Tegris, a “revolutionary polypropylene thermoplastic composite material” that only Tumi has the rights to use in the luggage industry. This bag also expands a full two inches; when not expanded, it meets the new carry-on size restrictions.
The Catch: Though the bag is obviously durable and well constructed, I would be reluctant to check it at an airport, as the semi-flexible exterior seems like it might dent if handled roughly.
The Verdict: The price may be prohibitive for some, but if money isn’t a factor, I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a stylish carry-on bag that can do double duty for non-airline travel. It’s also worth noting that Tumi offers a five-year warranty on its luggage products that covers normal wear and tear.
GENIUS PACK 21" HARDSIDE CARRY-ON
The Tester: Margaret Kelly, Senior Editor, Special Projects
The Review: I didn’t exactly go on a trip with the Genius Pack ($158). I had a lot of stuff in my office that I wanted to take home, so I packed it all up and carried it from Manhattan to Brooklyn. That said, the trip involved about 10 minutes of walking on sidewalks, two elevator rides and tons of subway stairs.
The bag performed extremely well given the circumstances—it was filled with books, bottles of wine, and a few articles of clothing, more weight that I would normally take on a carry-on. In rolled over curbs and bounced up and down stairs with no strain or damage to the wheels, zippers, or handles.
The best part of the bag was the compartments inside. I loved the deep, zippered pockets for storing cords, socks and laundry.
The Catch: The only drawback to this bag was that the when the handle was extended, it was a bit wobbly. It could use a little more reinforcement.
The Verdict: I would absolutely use this bag again and recommend it to a friend.
LIPAULT 2-WHEELED 19" CARRY-ON
The Tester: Salwa Jabado, Senior Editor of Countryside and Adventure
The Review: I took the Lipault ($169) on a quick weekend jaunt to Miami to attend a bridal shower. It held a pair of heels, a pair of sandals, two dresses, a couple t-shirts and shorts, a hard-cover novel, a packable down coat and scarf, as well as some bridal shower props. It was super easy to pack with a big main compartment, soft sides, and flexible cover that formed themselves around my items.
I took it as a carry-on and it worked great—I was able to stuff my coat and scarf into the bag quickly once I got to the airport and take them out again easily. The standout is the small size and the soft sides that adjust to what you pack. The flights were full and the airline decided to gate-check bags that did not easily fit into the bag sizer causing a lot of distress for some passengers, but I sailed by with this bag.
The Catch: There is a lip over the outside pocket, which made it hard to stuff my novel into it. I wish the lip was removed and the zipper was higher up—as a carry-on, it should be able to fit a magazine or hardcover without a problem. If you are a chronic over-packer, this bag may rein you in, but it may be too small for more than a long weekend.
The Verdict: Yes, I would use this bag again for a short trip. It fit in a really tight space in the overhead bin on a crowded flight and I didn’t have to gate-check it. That is a win to me!
Click here to see the rest of the bags on Fodors >
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SEE ALSO: How To Pack Light For Any Trip
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