I'm a Shopping Editor, and This TV-famous Carry-on Helps Me Fit 10 Days of Clothes Thanks to Its Unique Design

Whether it’s a long weekend away to my family’s house in Upstate New York or a two-week trek through three Asian countries, I overpack. This, coupled with the fact that I refuse to check a bag and wait for it to come down the airport carousel, means I’ve tried everything from packing cubes to rolling every dress and shirt into a tight cylinder to make it all fit—not always successfully. That’s why I was so impressed by the Carl Friedrick Carry-on.

This hard shell suitcase is deceivingly roomy on the inside. And with the help of some strategic packing (my shoes always line the bottom of my personal item), not only did I successfully close my overstuffed bag for a 10-day vacation in Europe last month, but I did so without sitting on it. That’s thanks in large part to the case’s aluminum frame that has two combination locks that snap into place versus a zipper that struggles its way around the perimeter of the entire bag. 

Plus, this luggage brand was good enough for the many trips it took with Succession’s dysfunctional family, so the bag’s sleek, tough design was good enough for me, too. 

The Carry-on

While I didn’t have to part ways with the bag on any of my flights between New York, Paris, Lisbon, and back again, I felt more than secure in its ability to keep everything inside safe. It’s made out of lightweight polycarbonate that feels like it could take a fall onto the tarmac like a champ, yet it was easy to hoist it above my head and into the overhead bin — even with the two sweaters I decided to stuff under the internal compression pad at the last moment for my trip…in July. 

As an added bonus to bring style and sophistication to the look, there’s a leather strap that wraps around the top and covers the side handle in a light cognac color, chocolate brown, or dark gray. The cherries on the top (er, bottom) are the totally silent Japanese spinner wheels that glide around seamlessly with easy-to-navigate, 360-degree maneuverability.

The Carry-on

Shoppers agree that the suitcase is a “great looking” bag, with one describing it as having “beautiful, stylish and understated elegance” with “classy leather details” and “fancy features” like the built-in tech charger. Another reviewer added that they love the zipperless design that’s “so easy to open and close.” One person said the bag is so elevated, that “only serious travelers” carry it. 

Take your suitcase game to the next level ahead of your end-of-summer vacation or early fall adventure, and upgrade to the sleek and sturdy Carl Friedrick Carry-on today, and shop more travel-ready options from the brand below. 

Palissy Weekend

City-hopper Backpack

The Carry-on X

The Check-in