Ever since the airlines started charging for checked baggage, I’ve made it my personal mission to avoid those fees and bring everything on board. I own two Delsey expandable fabric carry on bags and they have been wonderful. However, the problem with soft-sided, expandable suitcases is that they are easily overstuffed. Two years ago, on our way to Hawaii, a gate agent suggested that my bags were not going to fit in the overhead bins. Not wanting to pay the extra $50 for two suitcases, I insisted that they would fit. Turns out, the bins on Alaska are smaller than the ones on some other airlines, and I could barely wedge the suitcase in. But I’ll be darned if I didn’t smash that thing in there. I wasn’t going to admit defeat!
Last year, my friend Laura introduced me to a new solution: a hard-sided suitcase that even the most indecisive of packers cannot overstuff. It’s guaranteed to fit in any overhead bin! Brilliant. Hers in particular is made by Antler, a United Kingdom company. As we were rushing to our gate, I couldn’t help but notice how she was effortlessly pushing her suitcase in front of her with two fingers, while I was hauling my overstuffed suitcase behind me, trying not to dislocate my shoulder.
I purchased my own Antler carry on, and we have used it multiple times since then. One of the things I love about it is that is that the wheels rotate in any direction, which means you can push it in front of you or wheel it behind you. It is easy for my kids to handle, which is helpful now that they are getting older. We used to be able to put their clothes in with ours, or have them share a suitcase, but their clothes are simply too big for that to work any longer! They argue over which one of them gets to have the Antler when we travel. We needed a fourth carry on anyway, so we bought a second Antler Juno carry on.
I like how the bag is divided into equal halves, so neither side is piled too deep with clothes. This makes it easier to find your items without unpacking everything. The capacity is deceptively large. When I traveled with Laura last year, I wondered how she could fit everything in a bag that looked smaller than mine. She promised me it was magic, and I can tell you that she is right! On a seven day trip to Rome in April, I carried only this bag and a backpack. I was able to fit multiple pairs of shoes, a jacket, and plenty of outfits for both sightseeing and dinners out.
My exact suitcase is available for purchase directly from Antler here. I ordered both of mine from Antler because the price was better at the time. The shipping took awhile given the distance, but the bag arrived undamaged.
Amazon has what looks to be an updated version with slightly different interior pockets here.
Happy travels!
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I need this! When I went to Bali last year, they lost my luggage and I never got it back!!! =(
That’s so sad!! I hope you at least got some money from the airline. But yes, if you are in the market for a new one, the Antler is great!