1st Place

Arc'teryx Blade 28

The Blade series has been epic from day dot, influencing legions of wannabe work-meets-travel backpacks along its journey. And the recent upgrade has taken it up a notch, no doubt. Charming frequent flyers here at HQ and across the globe with its all-rounder appeal and attention to detail.

The 28 is dynamic. Offering an awesome balance of zoning – it has a place for everything: your work tools, change of clothes and the small things you need on-hand – that lifts packing and accessing gear to another level.

It's hardy but lightweight, and easy to clean, both must-have features for a carry-on bag worthy of clocking serious miles. Its silhouette: sleek and trim enough to maneuver inside overhead baggage compartments and around crowded trains and cobblestoned alleys. Its aesthetic: equal parts office and understated fashion, flexing from work-ready to adventure environs with ease.

And the kicker: the 28's 1st class when it comes to comfort (Arc'teryx know how to craft a strap or two!) making sure you bypass those long-haul aches and pains. Ranger roll these elements up, and you have yourself one of the strongest carry-ons we've had the pleasure of lugging. Are we gushing? It feels like we're gushing… Anyways, nice one, Arc'teryx! You've made the awesome happen.

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Highly Commended

These are the pieces that just missed out, and in most cases, by the smallest of margins. To them, we award a High Commendation. The below were of outstanding quality, displaying fine craftsmanship and design flair. With honour, we bow our heads in the upmost respect and kudos. If this were a dias, they’d be biting their teeth into silver medals, while their flags were hoisted into the horizon – a feat not to be overlooked. And we're sure they’ll be back, to take it one notch higher, next year.

Triple Aught Design Meridian Transport Case

The Meridian Transport Case is a serious bit of kit. Black, burly and pimped to the nines. It feels like it's for certain type of character. Someone who's not sure what's coming at them next. Someone with a ticket to somewhere gnarly, where a business meeting might be followed by car chase or jungle hike (it beckons to have secret docs or launch codes inside). And boy is it intriguing.

Solid construction with top-notch materials and hardware including Cobra buckles and water-resistant YKK zips means this case will go the distance, no matter what.

Consider the three clamshell-style compartments that lay flat for convenient packing and which can be customized with bomber modules for different setups. Add in the understated aesthetics that suit work and play (and who-knows-what) environments, and you've got a highly versatile bag that merits a High Commendation.

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Osprey Ozone Convertible 22"

Good convertible luggage is a big engineering and design challenge, and Osprey dominate this space. Their updated Ozone range improves their already class-leading solution, resolving and fine-tuning.

Surprisingly light, the Ozone Convertible 22" weighs just 6 lbs 2 oz (including the main bag and detachable daypack). It's comfortable, something expected from the Osprey stable. And conversion from bag to daypack is easy and intuitive (no head scratching required). So if you're swapping between tarmac and dirt trails and need the one solid solution, this needs to be on your list.

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