I like this suitcase but I'm concerned that the side pockets will make it hard to fit into the little sizer at the gate. So far, I've only taken the suitcase in the car. From a volume standpoint, I was able to pack a long weekends worth of clothes and shoes. Doing that though, didn't leave much room for my laptop. Honestly, I'm probably not going to put my laptop in the bag because once it goes in the overhead, it's probably not coming out easily. That, and if I have to gate check, I don't want to my laptop getting away from me. I'm also not sure about the lock being responsible for both security of the laptop as well as the overall suitcase. If something happens to the lock, how would I get into the bag? Having said all that, the bag has a very sharp and professional look. The side saddlebags are good for quick items like phonea, chargers, and earbuds. The polycarbonate material and aluminum frame should bear up well. The $200 price tag is probably a bit high though. Read more
I was excited to pick up this bag because I travel frequently and go through an unusual number of suitcases. But, at $199.99 I feel like it needs to be something truly spectacular. Beginning with the good, the listed features seem to be solid and intact. While I can’t quickly test durability, the overall shape and size is just as I expected and all the features work. I am particularly fond of the safe laptop space, though I wouldn’t put my laptop in my roller bag for a flight because of the likelihood that I could be forced to valet or gate check it when boarding. While the deep well of space isn’t right for every occasion, I can see it having advantages with some items when traveling. That said, I think there are noteworthy disadvantages to this luggage. Most importantly, I think the extra width added by the side pockets makes it likely to be noticed and flagged by gate attendants as too wide to go onto flights. The rest of the measurements are pushing it, but I think they would generally be allowed. In my mind, at $199.99 the “aluminum frame” was going to be more pronounced and extend into the casing. Instead, I was able to spot aluminum around the center seam of the bag and possibly in a few other small locations. When I’ve had luggage crack, it has consistently been at random points in the outer plastic, so I feel like the aluminum here might be more bluster than build quality. Time will tell, and the durability of the plastic will be a big part of the true durability. Looking into the materials, the shell appears to be polycarbonate, which isn’t as durable as aluminum but is one of the better plastics. You can’t really tell what luggage is durable until you’ve used it for a long time. I’d also like to note some concern with the lock latch. I can imagine a few potential issues with the design. 1. I could imagine it getting triggered inadvertently, however unlikely. 2. I don’t like that the lock release is the same as the latch release. I want the lock for security, and I want a separate mechanism to keep my bag sealed. 3. I feel like this single latch could easily jam or break, causing major problems during travel. Hopefully my concerns won’t prove justified over time. Overall, I think this is a find bag, and I might even grow to love it. For my needs, I would not purchase it again for a few reasons. 1. I feel like the emphasis on aluminum in marketing is deceptive. 2. This bag is wider than I’m comfortable with trying to get past a gate agent. 3. Unless this bag shocks me with its durability, $199.99 is way too expensive. Read more
