Pack It On, I

I have a passion for luggage—trunks and so on. I have a collection of them, but I can never resist buying another piece.
~ Alain Ducasse

I understand that completely. I have a passion for luggage (and organizing bags and packing cubes and the like), and I’m always searching for the right one. For me, the most important packing essential is my main piece of luggage. Over the last 10+ years, I have tried a number of brands, and I have yet to find that “perfect” piece of luggage, be it carry-on or check.

My wants and desires are not that difficult: I want a sturdy, easy-to-handle, good-looking piece that will hold what I need to take. In addition, I must have luggage with wheels because my shoulders and arms do not appreciate carrying or dragging bags from the house to the car to the airport and on.

Rollink

I recently received the Flex Vega Carry-On Suitcase from Rollink to try. I’ve used it for a short trip and for our move back to St. Pete, and it performed well. The real test will be when I take it to Italy in a few weeks, but let me tell you why I like it so far.

Size

At 22 x 14 x 9 inches when fully open, it is the correct size for domestic carry-ons. (NOTE: Make sure you check with your airline to see their carry-on size requirements.) The front and back have polycarbonate shells while the sides are flexible, water-resistant expanders. Unlike a lot of suitcases that have a thin, nylon-like material that expands a few inches, the sides of the Rollink cases appear to be more durable.

When collapsed, the Vega fits perfectly under your bed or in a small corner of the closet. That, for me, is essential since we have moved into a small condo.

To open the Rollink completely, you just have to pull the sides up and attach the velcro bottoms. They do not collapse once connected.

Rollink advertises that the carry-on can hold  “3-5 days of clothes and 2-3 pairs of shoes.” (See photo at top courtesy of Rollink.) Since neither of the times I used the Rollink last month were for long trips, I wanted to see what it would hold. I packed A LOT of clothes in it when we moved. (While I usually use packing cubes, I did not do so for the move.) The Vega held six skorts, four capris, three jeans, two nightgowns, a number of t-shirts, and a framed photo that I needed to protect. I probably could have added a few more things, but I didn’t want to stress it too much.

NOTE: I wish I had taken photos, but I was stressed over the move and forgot. I will have photos when I pack for Italy.

Weight

One of my biggest pet peeves about luggage is what it weighs BEFORE I put anything in it. I had to finally get rid of my 5-year-old favorite carry-on because the thing weighed 13 pounds. Adding a pocket pack of tissues to the thing made it too heavy for me to lift into the overhead compartment.

The Rollink is not like that. Even though I had loaded it, the Vega was a breeze to pull because, unpacked, it weighs just over five pounds. Before I unpacked it, I even picked it up and placed it on the top shelf of my closet easily just to see how it fared.

The Flex Spinner & The Aura

Rollink also offers a similarly sized and designed suitcase with a soft front pocket, the Aura. The pocket is perfect for a laptop or a place to store tickets, passport, etc.

While the Vega and Aura have two wheels, Rollink makes a spinner that has eight wheels (two on each of the four corners). In addition, the Spinner has a TSA-approved lock and multiple pockets on the interior. The Spinner weighs about one pound more, and it packs 40L as opposed to 42L for the Vega.

Final Thoughts

Rollink offers all of its cases in a variety of colors. In addition, they offer a three-year warranty.

I like the Vega very much so far, although I have a few suggestions to make it better:

• I would prefer more pockets on the inside. The one large pocket is okay, but having a number of pockets like on the Spinner would make the Vega even better.
• I would like to have a TSA-approved lock on the Vega and Aura. I’m not sure why they don’t have the lock since the Spinner does.
• I prefer spinners since they are, as a general rule, easier to navigate. Having the option to purchase a Spinner vs Vega is good. 

I’ll be taking the Rollink on an adventure in fewer than three weeks, so I’ll let you know how it goes.

Coming Soon: Pack It On, II: Packing Tips

PLEASE NOTE: While Rollink did supply me with a Vega carry-on to try out, all of the opinions are true and my own.