How to choose carry-on luggage
A carry-on bag has to fit your airline's cabin limits and still hold what you need. This guide compares the seven carry-on pieces in our travel range using the specifications the manufacturer publishes, so you can match one to the way you travel.
Check your airline's limits first
Cabin baggage rules differ between airlines, and sometimes between fare types and routes on the same airline. Look up your airline's current size and weight limits on its own website before you buy, and check again before each trip, because they change.
Check whether the size limit includes wheels and handles, and measure the whole bag. The bag's own weight also counts towards any weight limit, so a heavy empty case leaves less allowance for what goes inside.
The carry-on range side by side
Prices are in AUD at the time of writing. "Not listed" means the manufacturer hasn't published that figure.
| Product | Price | Construction | Opening | Wheels | Bag weight | Capacity | Laptop | Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glide Lite Carry-On | $225 | Hard shell | Clamshell | Hinomoto spinner | 2.0kg | Not listed | Not listed | TSA combination lock |
| Glide Carry-On Pro | $250 | Hard shell, polycarbonate with 30% recycled content | Clamshell, expandable | Hinomoto spinner | Not listed | Not listed | Front pocket, size not listed | TSA combination lock with USB port |
| Glide Elite Carry-On Pro | $280 | Hard shell, polycarbonate with 30% recycled content, aluminium frame | Top-opening | Hinomoto spinner with ZeroRoll brakes | Not listed | Not listed | Front pocket, size not listed | TSA combination lock |
| Metro Carry-On Duffle | $105 | Soft, 900D polyester | Duffle | Two inline skate wheels | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Lockable zip pullers |
| Commuter Trolley Backpack | $126 | Soft, polyester | Backpack | Two inline wheels | Not listed | 27L | 15.6-inch sleeve | Lockable zip pullers |
| Weekender Travel Bag | $175 | Soft, recycled RPET twill | Clamshell, opens flat | None | Not listed | 22L | 15-inch padded pocket | Not listed |
| Road Warrior Backpack | $290 | Soft, recycled ripstop polyester | Clamshell, opens flat | None | Not listed | 28L, expands to 36L | Up to 17 inches | Lockable zips, RFID pocket |
Hard shell or soft
The three Glide cases are hard-shell. The Glide Carry-On Pro and Glide Elite Carry-On Pro are made from German polycarbonate with 30% recycled content, and all three have a textured finish designed to show fewer scuffs. A hard shell keeps its shape when other bags press against it, and each Glide case has a built-in TSA-approved combination lock.
Soft bags give up that structure in exchange for flexibility. The Metro Carry-On Duffle is 900D polyester with a PU coating and has tie-down straps inside to stop clothes bunching. The Weekender Travel Bag and Road Warrior Backpack both unzip all the way around and open flat like a suitcase, with compression straps inside. The Weekender is designed to fit under the seat as a personal item on many airlines, but confirm that with your airline before relying on it.
Clamshell or top-opening
A clamshell case opens into two halves, like a book. You pack each side separately and need about twice the case's footprint to lay it open. The Glide Lite Carry-On and Glide Carry-On Pro open this way, which suits keeping clothes apart from shoes and toiletries.
The Glide Elite Carry-On Pro opens from the top. Its lid folds back over one deep compartment that you load from above, which works well with packing cubes stacked in layers and needs only the space of the case itself. It's the only top-opening case in carry-on size. The other top-opening Glide models are check-in sizes.
Laptop access, expanders and charging
Both Pro cases have a separate front pocket for a laptop, tablet, passport and documents, so you don't need to open the main compartment at security. No maximum laptop size is listed for these pockets.
The Glide Carry-On Pro adds an expander zip and a USB port built into the lock, so you can charge a phone from a power bank stored inside. The Glide Elite Carry-On Pro instead has ZeroRoll brakes that lock the front wheels on slopes, a rivetless aluminium frame and three carry handles.
Among the soft bags, the Road Warrior Backpack has separate padded pockets for a laptop up to 17 inches and a tablet up to 12.9 inches, an 8-litre expander, lockable zips on all three compartments, an RFID-blocking passport pocket and a stowable rain cover. The Commuter Trolley Backpack's padded sleeve takes laptops up to 15.6 inches.
Wheels or straps
The Glide cases roll on Hinomoto spinner wheels, so you can push them upright beside you. The Metro Carry-On Duffle and Commuter Trolley Backpack have two inline wheels and a telescopic handle, so you tilt them and pull. The Commuter Trolley Backpack converts to a backpack too, with straps that tuck away and a cover for the wheels.
The Weekender Travel Bag and Road Warrior Backpack have no wheels, but both have a trolley sleeve that slides over the handle of a wheeled case.
Weight
The Glide Lite Carry-On is the only carry-on in the range with a published bag weight, at 2.0kg. If your airline has a tight cabin weight limit and you want a hard shell, start there. Empty weights aren't published for the others, so if weight is the deciding factor, ask us before ordering.
Matching a bag to your trip
- A light hard shell for short trips: Glide Lite Carry-On.
- Work trips with a laptop: Glide Carry-On Pro for the front pocket and USB port, or the Commuter Trolley Backpack if you want wheels and backpack straps in one bag.
- Packing in layers with cubes: Glide Elite Carry-On Pro.
- Casual trips and bulky, mixed packing: Metro Carry-On Duffle.
- Two or three nights, or a bag to sit on top of your suitcase: Weekender Travel Bag.
- Lots of walking between stops: Road Warrior Backpack, with a chest strap and detachable hip belt.
Our guide to compression and regular packing cubes explains how to fill whichever you choose, or browse all carry-on luggage.