For almost 10 years, I’ve been using the same bag on all my travels, and I’ve sung its praises in print and to all the women who have traveled with me in Peru, Paris–where ever. I loved my Osprey roller so much that I put off buying a new bag even though the frame was dented and the fabric had begun to fray. How could I not love something that took me so easily through a month in Europe in 2023? But finally, a couple months ago, I gave in and decided it was time to find the best new carry-on bag possible.

The logical answer was to simply buy a new Osprey. But the company has changed the design of my beloved bag, so I was at a loss. I decided to do some research. I looked at Wirecutter (I love their product ratings) and other sites to get recommendations on the very best carry-on bags.

What Makes a Good Carry-On Bag?

Here are some basic guidelines I followed in my search.

It had to fit carry-on specifications exactly: 22″ by 14″ by 9″ for U.S. flights. I read that some international airlines have other size limits, but I felt if I fit the domestic flight requirements, I could make a case for my bag on any other airline.

Watching travelers scoot along with their four-wheel cases did strike a vein of envy.

It had to be a rolling bag, of course. My Osprey had two wheels, but I confess that toward the end, it didn’t always stay upright when I parked it (possibly because of the bent frame?). Watching travelers scoot along with their four-wheel cases did strike a vein of envy. So I was leaning in the four- vs. two-wheel direction.

It had to be soft-sided. One reason I loved the Osprey so much is that the fabric seemed to expand, allowing me to fit more in it.

The Carry-On Contenders

After doing my research, I picked five soft-sided bags. But at the last minute, I threw in a hard-shelled bag–one made by Away–because it was so frequently lauded on the sites I checked out.

I packed my Osprey bag one time and then packed six other times to get a feel for the packability of each.

I conducted my own personal experiment on the six contenders. I packed my good old Osprey for a 16-day trip to Italy. All the things I would need for Rome, Umbria (where we base our Creativity Retreat) and then on to Bologna (where I scouted out a future NextTribe trip). Then I took the whole load of clothes and accessories that fit into my Osprey and packed them into all of the new possibilities. (By the way, I pack cosmetics, medicines and electronics in my personal bag that I’m allowed to bring on the plane with the carry on.) I wanted to make sure my new bag would hold as much as my longtime go-to, and that the packing compartments, pockets, etc., made sense.

So I packed my Osprey bag one time and then packed six other times to get a feel for the packability of each. Whew! All this in the name of finding the best carry-on bag. May you never have to pack so much all at once.

Packing Up: How Much Can Fit in a Carry-On Bag

Here are the results of my little test.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Carry on

Features: This is a really well-made case–very sturdy material and smooth spinner wheels. Lots of pockets, and it comes with a garment bag and a USB charger pocket. Highly rated by Wirecutter and Travel & Leisure, among other sites. Expandable. Four wheels.

My Results: This was a fine bag, though I don’t need the garment bag, so that was superfluous. It fit all the clothes I had for the Italy trip. But it didn’t pack easily. I wasn’t quite comfortable with the closing. The zippers felt a little cheap.

Rating: B

Price: $365

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Carry on 

Features: Super light (five pounds), which the brand demonstrates on the label by showing the suitcase on a scale with a chihuahua on the other side. Four wheels. Expandable.

My Results: This was really easy to pack. I liked the way the case was configured with a compartment for lingerie and socks (or that’s how I would use it) on one side) and lots of external pockets. The zippers felt really strong and the price is amazing.

Rating: A-

Price: $144

Victorinox Crosslight Frequent Flyer Softside Carry-On

Features: Sleek styling. Extra foldable organizer. Four wheels. Lock. Expandable. Great brand.

My Results: I have a Victorinox overnight bag that I’ve loved for years, and I decided to try this because of the good ratings it’s received. The soft shell is a bit stiff so I don’t know that it would have enough give to allow for stuffing extra items, which I like to do (especially at the end of a trip).

The “Y”-shaped cinch that supposedly helps tighten down your clothes for more efficient use of space was almost worthless. There was almost no compression. Plus, it has only one pocket on the outside. I like outside pockets because it’s a convenient place to put things you might need en route. However, this pocket was so shallow and the entry zipper was so short I could hardly get my hand in. I couldn’t image it being of much use.

Rating: C

Price: $400

Osprey Sojourn Shuttle Wheeled Duffel

Features: This two-wheeled Sojourn Shuttle seemed to have most of the features I loved in my old bag. Tough fabric siding, lots of pockets. But it also had outer flaps that I think are supposed to help you compress what’s inside and keep the bag very contained. Size was just like my old one, 45 liters, so I had high hopes. Not expandable.

My results: Ugh. I’m not sure how a 45-liter bag cannot easily fit the same amount of packing as a 45-liter bag made by the same company. But this didn’t. It was a struggle to get everything in. Plus, the flaps were just weird. I feel like they only add bulk and weight. The inner pocket is divided into two parts, which means, for some reason, it didn’t hold as much as my other Osprey. Plus, after testing all these four-wheel bags, the the two wheels seemed like a real detriment.

Rating: C

Price: $375

Osprey Transporter Hybrid Carry-On

Features: This case has a combination of hard and soft sides, so I thought it could offer the perfect compromise for me. Fabric was good quality. Four wheels.

My Results: This was the biggest disappointment of all. I could not even close the bag with all the items that my old Osprey held. Not even close. I could zip up every other bag except this one. I tried packing it in different ways, but it never worked. Plus, the zippers didn’t feel very strong.

Then there’s the main packing cavity. First of all, it’s not lined, which is weird. You’re just placing your things on the plastic shell. Secondly, the zipped opening was smaller than the actually cavity. That means you don’t have easy access to the whole packing area. Very inconvenient. This one is unlikely to earn the crown of “best carry-on bag.”

Rating: D

Price: $320

Away Carry-On Flex

Features: Sturdy plastic construction. Lock. Inner compartments. Expandable. Four wheels.

My Results: I certainly didn’t intend to like this bag. As I said, I’ve long been a fan of soft-shelled cases. I thought I would have trouble packing everything because there wouldn’t be give in the material it’s made out of. But I was wrong. I got everything in with not one bit of struggle. The zipper closed smoothly and quickly.

I also liked the two compartments. When you unzip the bag, it opens like a butterfly with two compartments on each side of almost equal size. This helped a lot with shoes (the biggest bugaboo in packing). I brought three pairs of shoes to Italy. One I wore on the plane. One went into the left compartment, and the bulkier of the two packed pairs went into the right side, which is just a tad larger.

Also, the device used to compress the larger compartment is really effective. I thought I wouldn’t like the fact that there were no outer pockets, but with everything fitting so well inside, I didn’t need them.

Rating: A

Price: $325

The Best Carry-On Bag

So, which bag did I take with me to Italy?

The hard-shelled Away bag, and I loved it. It’s my top pick for lightweight carry-on luggage. With its easy-rolling four wheels, it was a breeze to push through the airport. Plus, I could slip my personal bag over the extended handle, and the hard shell gave it a nice firm perch to ride on. I also loved the bright orange color that I chose out of a bunch of fun shades.

The bag served me well through five hotel changes, the cobblestone streets (in Rome), and on several train rides through Italy.

I carried the bag onto my flight to Rome, and the only hitch was that I had to put it in the overhead sideways, rather than wheels toward the front, to get it to fit. But I got no grief from any flight attendants and saw others with similar bags doing the same.

The bag served me well through five hotel changes, the cobblestone streets (in Rome), and on several trains while zipping from Rome to Bologna and Modena and back again.

When I was packing to return home, I did unzip the extension to make the bag larger. That way I could fit all my new purchases. It still didn’t feel overly large, and I was tempted to try carrying it on even though it exceeded airline specifications. But in the end, I decided to give in and check it for the non-stop flight home.

Eating Crow

So now that I’ve made such a stink about not liking hard-shelled cases, I realize I need to eat some crow. But this is how I rationalize my awakening from such an etched-in-stone judgment. The NextTribe way is not to get too set in your ways. Be open to possibilities. Try new things. Surprise yourself. So, with my new Away bag, I’m just putting that into practice–very happily, as it turns out.