After travelling recently with an older carry-on, I realized that it's larger than the newer restrictions allow so I was in search of a new bag. My criteria:
1 - lightweight enough for me to be comfortable lifting it into the overhead compartment
2 - not too many pockets (find they usually just add bulk and weight)
3 - maximize interior space, which means I lean toward bags that are more box shaped rather than with the very curved portion seen on many bags
4 - wheeled and probably 4-wheels rather than 2
5 - soft sided
6 - well constructed
7 - something I could use on domestic flights as well as international ones, fitting into the overhead compartment -- adhering to the strictest 22" X 14" X 9" measurement.
Over time, I ended up ordering nine different bags since each one seemed to have one drawback or another, but this process allowed me to directly compare all bags. One reason for this relatively frustrating process was the inaccuracy of the stated dimensions.
Here is how the Lipault 4-wheeled 22 inch carry-on measure up on each item:
1 - Weight was great. It wasn't feather light, but definitely lighter than the majority of the other bags.
2 - Not an overabundance of pockets which was good, but the front pocket has a "lip" over the zipper which makes it a bit more difficult to use.
3 - This one criteria is what was the deciding factor in my returning this bag. While the body is square and I loved it, the body of the bag only measures 17" tall! While the height of the bag is 22 inches, the wheels and handle take up 5 inches. The wheels are small and I had no problem with those. My issue is the handle on the top (and side) of the bag. It is oversized, doesn't compress into the bag and takes up a whooping 2.5 inches ! I suppose it makes the bag comfortable to carry, but since it is 4-wheeled I don't anticipate carrying it by the handle except for short spurts such as up and down the subway steps or lifting it on and off a train. By oversizing the handle and making it rigid, the bag loses SIGNIFICANT packing space -- approximately 252 cubic inches of space -- and for something that adds no real value.
4 - The bag is 4-wheeled and rolls smoothly over carpet and hard surfaces. Wheels are small but solidly attached to the body of the bag.
5 - The bag is soft-sided but with a sturdy frame. I loved the fact that if the bag weren't packed full it would allow you to potentially fit it into smaller spaces if desired. While I loved it, my daughter thought the aesthetics of the bag suffered. She thought it looked slouchy and ugly since it had a caved-in look when not full.
6 - While I didn't use the bag while travelling, it appeared to be very well constructed. The outside nylon appeared to be able to handle hard usage and obvious points such as the stitching, zipper smoothness, and sturdiness of the handle all appeared to be excellent.
7 - It did adhere to the 22 X 14 X 9 dimensions which was so important to me but, as I stated in point 3, the body of the bag was only 17 X 14 X 9 due to the huge handle.
One other note: the bag I received was the Chocolate color, not the Espresso. Chocolate is what was pictured but the item description is incorrect in stating it's Espresso which is a much, much darker color.
Bottom line: I loved the bag is so many ways and was so impressed on so many fronts that I tried to talk myself into keeping it. In the end, what I believe to be the design flaw of the handles and the resulting loss of packing space let me to return it. If you are only needing a 17 inch bag, this would be a great choice but that's not for me
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I just unboxed this and I'm in love with it already. I own the older 2 wheel model in the same size (but a different color) and jumped on the sale price for this. These bags are the ultimate for those of us who don't want a lot of gizmos and want to maximize interior volume. I plan to fit an entire 2-weeks of clothes for an upcoming European vacation in there (with one clothes washing midway through my trip). I am amazed at how much these things hold and the soft fabric gives just enough room for a touch of over-packing.One note on the Espresso color. it's actually quite a bit darker than it appears in the photos, which for me is a really good thing. (See photo)
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 8, 2016
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 29, 2016
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 11, 2016
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 17, 2015
I just unboxed this and I'm in love with it already. I own the older 2 wheel model in the same size (but a different color) and jumped on the sale price for this. These bags are the ultimate for those of us who don't want a lot of gizmos and want to maximize interior volume. I plan to fit an entire 2-weeks of clothes for an upcoming European vacation in there (with one clothes washing midway through my trip). I am amazed at how much these things hold and the soft fabric gives just enough room for a touch of over-packing.
One note on the Espresso color. it's actually quite a bit darker than it appears in the photos, which for me is a really good thing. (See photo)
One note on the Espresso color. it's actually quite a bit darker than it appears in the photos, which for me is a really good thing. (See photo)
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waitingnotsopatiently
rolls easily, very attractive
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on November 5, 2016
