Best Carry-On Finalists:
Fourth Annual Carry Awards

A great piece of carry-on should tick off important flight checks – compact but still spacious enough to be useful for your specific needs, easy access to your gear, and comfortable to use, all while not eating massively into your weight restrictions. Our Carry-On Finalists are more than ready to get underway, soaring high on practical design, convenient access and versatility to suit different travel needs.

Log your vote at the bottom of the page!

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Minaal Carry-on 2.0

First products are typically more about potential than refinement. With so many parts to get right, it’s just too hard to nail every detail. So when a brand gets a chance to design the update, that’s when you find polish and finesse added. Minaal got plenty of attention with their first Carry-on, they shipped lots, and now they’ve had a chance to refine that potential into something more mature and resolved.

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Alchemy Equipment AEL012

The 12 brings more structure and pocketing to this carry-on format, while still retaining the versatile aesthetics that we have been drawn to. The full panel opening lets you quickly and conveniently pack and access gear, while the EVA exoskeleton around the main compartment provides peace of mind against the knocks and scrapes inherent in travel life.

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Arc’teryx Blade 28

The original Blade series was good. The update is great. This is a bag (and a series) that gets the proportions and organization nailed, allowing you to carry more than you expect with easy access and intuitive zoning.

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Pacsafe Venturesafe X30

The thing we’ve been most impressed by with Pacsafe is that their recent bags are excellent, before you even consider the fact that they’re packing all sorts of extra security features. From slashproof panels to Dyneema-reinforced webbing, lockable zips and RFID shielding, the Venturesafe doesn’t ask you to compromise for the extra win of security.

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Seagull Bags NightShift V2

It’s tough. It’s versatile. It has features, and yet it also has a rugged charm. The NightShift V2 is a well-volumed pack for dragging through all sorts of spontaneous adventures. The pack opens wide for easy access, and a variety of exterior attachment points provide ready storage for bulky or frequently needed items.

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Patagonia Lightweight Travel Tote

Packable bags typically look like floppy messes of unstructured fabric. Not so with this tote, which shapes the 70D Ripstop Nylon into a cute and versatile companion. Whether grabbing groceries on the way home, or slimming down for a day’s explorations while away, this is an excellent companion for all sorts of urban adventures.

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WERKS Trip

When it comes to overnight work bags, there’s no country that comes close to the range of options you can find in Japan. Discreet, versatile and well refined, the WERKS Trip is right at home amongst the best of these, bringing a slightly longer and more elegant silhouette to the space.

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Bluesmart Smart Carry-On Suitcase

The world of luggage is at the start of a big disruptive wave, with startups targeting the incumbents for a piece of their multi-billion dollar pie. Bluesmart is one of the most prominent of these, bringing all sorts of electronic tech to a traditionally analogue category. Built-in scales, tracking, charging and digital locks have all been incorporated. Reviews are mixed, but the ambition is awesome.

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Osprey Ozone Convertible 22″

Wheels suit smooth concrete. Straps suit dirt tracks. The idea of a hybrid is that you’re covered for both. But the reality has traditionally been that you’re not really nailing either. With their constant refinement and improving tech, Osprey are now making genuinely compelling hybrids, eliminating the previous weight and mechanism bulk of past versions.

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Triple Aught Design Meridian Transport Case

This is a seriously high-spec carry-on. From the VX-21 outer fabric to YKK water-resistant zippers and Cobra buckles, you’re getting top-end materials and hardware with backpack or shoulder carry options. If you’re not sure where your travel will take you, you probably want something like the Meridian by your side.

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Vote now!

(Closes April 8th)