The 10 Best Carry-Ons For Men
Special Honors
Lotuff No. 12 Weekender For quick two- or three-day trips, this may be the only bag you need. It comes in eight colors, and you can request swatches of any of them to see how they look in the real world while also getting a feel for the leather quality. The company can also add a monogram to the exterior in one or two initials to add that personal touch. lotuffleather.com
Ermenegildo Zegna Leggerissimo Black Cabin While the exterior of this model is a rugged polycarbonate, its handles are made of Pelletessuta, an in-house fabric made of extremely thing strands of leather woven together like a traditional textile. It's both durable and soft to the touch, giving you a little luxury feel every time you pick it up. zegna.us
Globe Trotter Trolly Case If you long for the days of steamer and rail travel, you'll appreciate the aesthetic of this option, which comes in a lovely sky blue color with navy leather accents. The inside boasts a nautical pinstripe theme with a simple divider to help you organize the main compartment. In keeping with modern needs, however, this model does feature a pair of wheels and a telescoping handle. globe-trotter.com
Editor's Notes
May 22, 2020:
While we had to say goodbye to a few of the models from our previous ranking due to things like durability issues — especially around zippers — we also found opportunity to upgrade here and there, as with the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Expandable, which is a big upgrade to the previously included Samsonite, which had some problems around a few of its seams. I've always found Samsonite's hardshell bags to be among their best offerings, as well, and among some of the best hard-sided luggage on the market. They do scratch a bit more easily than I'd like, but it's a small price to pay for what is otherwise a durable selection.
Among the new additions to our list, we included the London Fog Kensington Two-Wheel, which just screams English elegance with that window pane pattern, and that offers a nice system for accessing certain necessities when flying, like snacks or even moisturizer (it gets dry up there; if you're not moisturizing on your flights, you're doing it wrong). We also added the Briggs & Riley Baseline-Suiter Duffel, which effectively combines all the best parts of a duffel and a garment bag for anyone who needs to regularly travel with one or two suits. It's small enough to serve as a "personal item," allowing you to combine it with one of the larger options on our list like the same company's Briggs & Riley Baseline Upright and still meet airline restrictions.