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Let’s start by saying that if you can avoid taking a flight, that would be best. Aviation accounts for 2.5% of global carbon emissions – and the levels released by aircraft could double or triple by 2050.
Regrettably, you can’t always reach your destination by rail, sea or hot-air balloon. If flying is unavoidable, one way to reduce your carbon footprint is to take a cabin bag, rather than hold luggage. This encourages you to pack less, so your baggage is lighter, and less fuel is required to spirit it through the stratosphere. If that doesn’t move you, consider that you’ll also pay lower fees to the airline.
Cabin bags should be sized to slot neatly into a plane cabin’s overhead bins, rather than sliding under the seats as hand luggage. They’re also handy for rail travel, as operators including LNER allow passengers to place these bags in a train’s overhead racks – surely preferable to marooning a larger case on the racking near the door.
Within reason, many bags can be used as carry-on luggage, but appropriate cabin bags are adapted for travel. There are hard-shell examples that rank among the best suitcases; hybrid or soft-shell ones that can keep weight to a minimum; and versatile alternatives, such as duffels, that may come in handy at your destination. Many cabin bags have features intended to help you travel smoothly, including telescopic handles, casters and, in a few cases, integrated power banks for device charging.
At a glance
Why you should trust me
If there were a product-testing passport, mine would be inky with travel-themed stamps. As a regular contributor to the Filter, I’ve reviewed countless on-the-go items, including travel pillows, reusable coffee cups and luggage. I’ve spent months of my working life assessing travel essentials, which taught me a good deal about what makes the portable functional, from materials and dimensions to features and finishing.
My actual passport has also accumulated a fair number of stamps, and my own travel experiences affect how I test things like suitcases. Since not every trip goes smoothly, I always add stress-testing to the review process.
How I tested
So, as any rational person would, I tested seven cabin bags by carrying them over an assault course. I had first tested a wider field of 11 bags in more leisurely, real-world conditions – packing them, wheeling them over tarmac, and trying the locks and other features to get a feel for each model. Having weeded out the worst performers, I rewarded the best cabin bags by dragging each one over obstacles and through mud to find out which could be handled easily under duress, while weathering scuffs, scrapes and uneven terrain.
The reviews below are equal parts assault course and concourse. I’ve focused heavily on manoeuvreability and packability, with one eye on the jumble of baggage limits imposed by different airlines. Durability was a factor too, although I believe this is a more important facet in larger suitcases that might be dropped from a great height during baggage (mis)handling.
We’re grateful to the kind staff at West Leeds Activity Centre for facilitating our testing. Alongside other activities such as rafting and go-karting, the centre also gives support to young people living in challenging circumstances, and the cabin bags left over from testing have been donated for their use.
The best carry-on luggage and cabin bags in 2026
Best cabin bag overall:
July Carry On luggage
July
Carry on luggage
from £245
What we love
Combines toughness, style and practicality
What we don’t love
Borders on oversized for some airlines
July’s distinctive suitcase design is at its best here in the Carry On, which pleasingly combines high-quality components such as a rough-textured polycarbonate shell, shiny metal corner guards and nicely shaped zippers.
Why we love it
Every aspect struck me as characterful and well made, from the indented detailing on the outer shell to the neatly stitched and covered zip. The telescopic handle is a highlight, with 20 height positions. As for the casters, these roll smoothly but work at their best when all four are on the ground at once – tipping the case to pull it on two wheels sometimes causes friction with the bottom edge.
Storage options inside the case are excellent. Between the silkily lined main compartments, the free-floating (and removable) mesh sleeve and the roll-up laundry bag, you have enough spaces to house a long weekend’s worth of belongings in orderly fashion. There’s also a power bank under the telescopic handle, with USB-A, USB-C and microUSB ports to top up your devices.
This case excelled at the assault course. It proved surprisingly easy to carry, and the corner guards gave superb protection to the main body of the shell.
It’s a shame that … it’s a little large for some budget airlines, although it just about scrapes under the cabin bag allowance for many carriers. The upside is that it has a 42-litre capacity.
Dimensions: 38.5 x 21.5 x 55cm (WDH)
Weight: 3.4kg
Capacity: 42l
Outer materials: polycarbonate, anodised aluminium corner bumpers
Closure: zipper with TSA combination lock
July
Carry on luggage
from £245
What we love
Combines toughness, style and practicality
What we don’t love
Borders on oversized for some airlines
Best budget cabin bag:
Tripp Holiday 8 cabin suitcase
Tripp
Holiday 8 cabin suitcase
from £45
What we love
Great style and quality for the price
What we don’t love
Limited internal storage options
Often reduced far lower than its £100 RRP, the Holiday 8 is my top pick for solo travellers who need to pick up a decent cabin bag for a good price. It’s nothing fancy, but it looks good, works as it should and has all the features that matter most, including a TSA lock and a durable shell that’s easy to clean.
Why we love it
The polypropylene shell feels tougher than its modest weight and pricing might lead you to expect, and I liked its textured finish. The casters roll smoothly, although they don’t change direction quite as silkily as the wheels on some higher-end cases. And I got on well with the two-position telescopic handle, which felt pretty solid and dependable.
As far as storage is concerned, the Holiday 8 couldn’t be simpler. The internal space is split into halves – one side covered by a zippered mesh flap and the other with tightly fastening compression straps.
This proved a nimble option over the assault course: lightweight, balanced and capable of surviving a tumultuous journey.
It’s a shame that … the straightforward internal organisation will suit some, but I’d prefer more options to keep items separate.
Dimensions: 40 x 21 x 55cm (WDH)
Weight: 2.7kg
Capacity: 35-7l
Outer materials: polypropylene
Closure: zipper with TSA combination lock
Tripp
Holiday 8 cabin suitcase
from £45
What we love
Great style and quality for the price
What we don’t love
Limited internal storage options
Best luxury cabin bag:
Carl Friedrik the Carry-on X
Carl Friedrik
The Carry-on X
from £495
What we love
Sensationally stylish, with ample storage options
What we don’t love
It’s very expensive and quite heavy
A show-stopping case for short-haul travel, the Carry-on X from Carl Friedrik is the most beautifully designed and finished cabin bag I’ve tested. I felt sacrilegious when I dragged it through the mud.
Why we love it
The polycarbonate is nicely textured as well as tough, and the aluminium lock frame with its pair of TSA combination lock clasps is securely riveted into place. Open the case and you’ll find plenty of room for a few days’ worth of personal effects, with formidable compression straps for each half of the evenly divided space. I appreciated the removable sleeve inside the case, which is a great place to stash worn clothing mid-holiday.
There’s also a surprising wealth of storage options within the zippered front compartment of the case, including a laptop-size sleeve with a fastener, a mesh stuff pocket and even some pockets especially for a pen or pencil. I’m not sure how many people will use the latter, but it’s a nice thought.
The carry-on “X-cellence” continues in transit. Its casters glide serenely, and the telescopic handle feels dependable. However, this was the most difficult bag to carry over the assault course, due to its weight. I wouldn’t recommend it to travellers who prefer a lightweight option, or who intend to break their journey with a swing on some monkey bars.
It’s a shame that … I’ve been on holidays that cost less.
Dimensions: 37.6 x 26 x 56.6cm (WDH)
Weight: 4.7kg
Capacity: 44l
Outer materials: ‘Makrolon’ polycarbonate shell, aluminium lock frame, vegetable-tanned leather detailing
Closure: pair of clasps with individual TSA locks
Carl Friedrik
The Carry-on X
from £495
What we love
Sensationally stylish, with ample storage options
What we don’t love
It’s very expensive and quite heavy
Best expandable cabin bag:
Away the Carry-On Flex
Away
The Carry-On Flex
£265
What we love
Excellent expansion capability
What we don’t love
Likely oversized for some flights
Is it a compact bag for one, or is this a case fit for a couple’s weekend getaway? The answer really depends on whether you’ve used the expansion zipper, which boosts the Flex’s capacity from 41l to 46l.
Why we love it
Some expandable suitcases add only a small volume of extra storage when adjusted to their roomiest extent, but the transformation here is a boon, adding versatility – especially for train travellers who won’t have to worry about expanding the case beyond an airline’s cabin luggage limit.
As I’ve come to expect of Away cases, this is an impressively constructed piece of luggage with a tough exterior, comfy handles and comprehensive internal organisation. It has some thoughtful extras that set it apart from other models around its price, including an extra recessed handle on the underside (effort-saving at the luggage carousel) and a cleaning sponge to relieve the polycarbonate shell of scuffs.
This case stood up admirably to my assault course testing. The material feels really tough, and the telescopic handle stood up to some hard knocks. The case feels less solid when expanded, though – a little like an accordion, with hard ends and a yielding centre.
It’s a shame that … it may need to be treated as hold luggage on flights when used at its largest extent, due to the increased depth. I certainly struggled to fit it through a small car tyre.
Dimensions: 36.7 x 22.9 (extends to 28.9) x 55.1cm (WDH)
Weight: 36kg
Capacity: 41l (46l when expanded)
Outer materials: polycarbonate
Closure: zipper with TSA combination lock
Away
The Carry-On Flex
£265
What we love
Excellent expansion capability
What we don’t love
Likely oversized for some flights
The best of the rest
Ogio Pace Pro Hybrid
Ogio
Pace Pro Hybrid
from £249
What we love
Great for trains or flights with generous allowances
What we don’t love
Offers little protection to belongings
Best for: sporty style
With hard polycarbonate on the back and an expandable compartment with soft fabric on the front, this Ogio case offers a distinctive blend of resilience and flexibility. It feels sturdy and well built, albeit a little back-heavy.
There’s an abundance of storage options, including two mesh pockets, an additional zipped area and a main compartment split into vertical sections by a removable divider. You can also make use of a generously sized, free-floating pouch – great for worn clothes or swimwear – and an external zipped pocket.
The zip sits quite close to the ground when the case is wheeled on all four of its excellent casters, so you’d be best off pulling it on two casters over bumpy surfaces. It rolled well over challenging, muddy terrain, though.
It didn’t make the final cut because … for a partially soft cabin bag, it’s fairly heavy. It’s also right at the brink of some airlines’ size limits.
Dimensions: 37 x 23 x 55cm (WDH); weight: 3.6kg; capacity: 34l (36l when expanded); outer materials: 100% polycarbonate back, 100% recycled polyester front; closure: zipper with TSA combination lock
Ogio
Pace Pro Hybrid
from £249
What we love
Great for trains or flights with generous allowances
What we don’t love
Offers little protection to belongings
The North Face Base Camp Voyager duffel 32L
The North Face
Base Camp Voyager duffel 32L
from £97.75
What we love
Doubles as a day bag at your destination
What we don’t love
Suitably sized for trains; risky for planes
Best for: a duffel cabin bag
Stylish, practical and lighter than a pair of hiking boots, this water-repellent duffel from the North Face is equally well suited to backpacking, commuting or long weekend breaks.
It’s made with the same sorts of polyester tarp and ballistic nylon that would feel right at home in a tent, and if you don’t fancy carrying it by hand, it can be worn on the back via a pair of stashable straps. I appreciated its plethora of pockets, which include a shoe-friendly space at the bottom and a sleeve for laptops up to 15in.
There are no casters, and the soft material means contents won’t be protected from bumps or droppage. On the plus side, you can conveniently carry the Base Camp Voyager Duffel throughout your holiday.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it’s a risky choice for flights, as its full length makes it fractionally too long to meet most airlines’ carry-on limits. You can squish it down to make it smaller, provided it isn’t jam-packed with belongings, but it’s perhaps best reserved for train or coach travel.
Dimensions: 35 x 22 x 57.6cm (WDH); weight: 910g; capacity: 32l; outer materials: 300D recycled polyester tarpaulin with TPU laminate and 840D recycled ballistic nylon with non-PFC durable water-repellent finish; closure: zipper
The North Face
Base Camp Voyager duffel 32L
from £97.75
What we love
Doubles as a day bag at your destination
What we don’t love
Suitably sized for trains; risky for planes
Mous hard-shell carry-on suitcase
Mous
Hard-shell carry-on suitcase
£359.99
What we love
Cool design and incredible toughness
What we don’t love
Could do with more internal lining
Best for: durability
I can think of a few reasons why I might be drawn to this Mous case. Perhaps it’s the idiosyncratic, Y2K-inflected design, or maybe it’s Mous’s OTT approach to durability testing. Where I once threw suitcases from a ladder, this brand lobbed its luggage from a light aircraft.
Durability is clearly part of the appeal, and I would trust this case to protect my belongings. It was easy to handle over the assault course and came out looking as good as new, albeit understandably muddy.
Inside, there’s an array of storage options, including mesh and zippered pockets, although I thought that the two halves of the case could have benefited from more internal lining. Note, too, that it’s also too wide for a few airlines, including Virgin Atlantic and Emirates.
It didn’t make the final cut because … the storage capacity is towards the lower end of the cabin bag spectrum.
Dimensions: 40 x 20 x 55cm (WDH); weight: 2.9kg; capacity: 37.2l; outer materials: ‘UltraMatrix’ polypropylene composite; closure: zipper with TSA combination lock
Mous
Hard-shell carry-on suitcase
£359.99
What we love
Cool design and incredible toughness
What we don’t love
Could do with more internal lining
What you need to know
What size should a cabin bag be?
This depends on the mode of transport. Rail operators tend not to check the size of cabin bags, so you’re unlikely to have issues boarding a train with your luggage, regardless of the size.
Choosing a cabin bag for air travel is trickier, as size allowances vary among operators. Typically, the upper limits are in the following ranges:
Always check your specific airline before travel. If, during boarding, your cabin bag is identified as being larger than an airline’s cabin luggage size limits, you might be asked to pay a fine, and the bag may be placed in the aircraft’s hold during the flight.
Most cabin bags fall narrowly within common airline carry-on size allowances, but you should always check your bag’s size against the relevant carrier’s policy before you set off to prevent an unpleasant surprise.
What is the best material for a cabin bag?
The swankiest hard-case cabin bags are often made from polycarbonate. This highly durable, plastic-like type of material is also used in bulletproof glazing and safety goggles, to name a few of its other applications. (There are different grades of polycarbonates, so don’t expect to fire a bullet at your suitcase without consequence.)
Not only are polycarbonate cases strong, but they also tend to be easy to wipe clean. One of the downsides is that they’re often expensive – sometimes in a similar price bracket to suitcases made from premium materials, such as aluminium.
If you want a hard-shell cabin bag but need to keep the cost down, a polypropylene case will often be a good bet. This material belongs to the same family as polycarbonate (thermoplastic polymers), but polypropylene suitcases tend to be far cheaper, somewhat lighter and less durable than their polycarbonate cousins.
You’re not obliged to get a hard-shell suitcase. Despite how we name them, soft-shell suitcases are usually made from a pretty hard-wearing fabric that does the trick for many travellers. Woven polyester is a popular and generally affordable choice.
For more:
The best suitcases for your next holiday
The best travel pillows, tested
Travel packing hacks to save you space and money
Pete Wise is a journalist from Leeds with a decade of product reviewing experience for titles including the Filter. He also writes about various other subject areas including DIY, nutrition, music, traditional crafts and travel. If Pete had to pick a favourite travel destination, it would be a toss-up between Berlin (for its music scene and modern history) and Madeira (for its levada walks and year-round natural beauty)
