We compared the carry-ons everyone asks about so you do not have to

This is the story behind our carry-on guide: how we chose the field, what we rolled over cobblestones, and why the bag with the battery went back.

The short version: wheel quality and weight predicted how much we liked a bag far more reliably than shell material or price. The aluminum bag was beautiful, heavy, and dented; the 'smart' bag's battery was one more thing to remove at security. The two bags that survived to the guide were the unglamorous ones from companies that have made luggage for decades.

Read the full guide for the picks, the methodology and the warranty fine print that decided the winner.