Travel
Bags, organizers, and gadgets that have to survive airports, overhead bins, and other people's driving. Weight, wheels and warranty fine print matter more than color.
Travelpro Maxlite 5 21-Inch Carry-On Spinner
The carry-on we would buy again after too many airports.
The catch: Expanded, it is over the size limit on many airlines. Use the expansion for the trip home and plan to check it.
Best-of guides
Comparisons
Travelpro Maxlite 5 vs. Samsonite Freeform
Choose the Travelpro for weight, pockets and forgiving expansion. Choose the Samsonite for protecting what is inside.
Recent reviews in Travel
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Products to avoid
Physix Gear Compression Socks 20-30 mmHg, Black
Why we passed: They are comfortable, well-made socks, but we cannot verify the stated compression level or any health effect, and neither can you without equipment.
Life360 Tile Pro Bluetooth Tracker, Black
Why we passed: It rings loud and tracks keys well, but we could not verify that its finding network would locate a bag away from other Tile users, and the best features sit behind a subscription.
Buying advice
Weight and wheel quality matter more than shell material. A lifetime warranty usually excludes airline damage — read what it covers before paying for it.
How we test travel
Luggage is judged on weight, real overhead-bin fit, wheel quality, handle wobble, and the warranty text read in full. We favor bags with replaceable wheels and handles. Full methodology.
Investigations
We compared the carry-ons everyone asks about so you do not have to
Softside, hardside, aluminum and 'smart'. Wheels and weight separated the good bags from the bad ones; brand and shell did not.
What a lifetime warranty usually leaves out
Airline damage. Cosmetic wear. Normal use. Which is to say, most things that happen to luggage.