REVIEW – In a world of look-alike bags, you may need to get creative to keep track of your bag. Tie a ribbon around a handle? Child’s play. How about luggage that’s traffic-cone orange? That’s what caught my eye with the Aer Carry-On bag. But there’s way more to this bag than searing your retinas.
[stextbox id=”consumer”]⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $299.00
Where to buy: aersf.com
[/stextbox]
What is it?
The Aer Carry-On (formerly called the Carry-On Small) is a hard shell suitcase with a modern design and made with premium materials. It comes in a choice of four colorways: Black, Dark Olive, Safety Orange and Fog White (not pictured).
What’s included?
[stextbox id=”whats-included”]
- Drawstring slip cover (great for storage)
- Leather luggage tag
[/stextbox]
[stextbox id=”tech-specs”]
Tech Specs
Click to expand
Designed for carry-on size: 21.7″ x 14″ x 9″
Volume: 41 L
Weight: 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg)
Ultra-durable Makrolon® polycarbonate hard shell exterior
Hinomoto miraclent® ball bearing wheels for an ultra smooth and silent ride
Triangular trolley system with 4 height settings for optimal stability and mobility (patent-pending)
Puncture-resistant, double-layered YKK® RCW zipper (3x stronger than other luggage zippers) with gapless slider design
Hinomoto wheel brake system prevents the suitcase from rolling away in trains or busy airports
Sustainable CORDURA® re/cor™ recycled nylon ripstop liner (bluesign® approved)
Smart interior organization featuring quick-action compression system with magnetic Fidlock® fastener
Top and side handles with integrated attachment points (patent-pending)
Hidden smart tracker pocket
Integrated TSA-approved combination lock
[/stextbox]
In my testing, the bag weighed in at less than 7 lbs, 14 oz (3.57 kg).
I also measured the bag to see what the real-world dimensions were. This is what I found:
- Exterior dimensions: 21-3/4″ high (includes wheels), 13-1/2″ wide, 9.5″ deep
- Outer handle protrusion (two total): 0.5″
- Interior dimensions: 19-1/2″ high, 13-1/2″ wide, 4-1/2″ deep (main compartment), 3-1/2″ to 4″ deep (top compartment)
- Caster diameter: 2″
- Handle height (from floor): Four positions at 35-7/8″, 37-7/8″, 39-7/8″, 41-3/4″
Design and features
The bag came out of the box wrapped in a drawstring sack.
The safety orange color is bright and demands to be noticed! Note the TSA combination lock.
There’s not a lot of ornamental detail on this bag. A few lines and the logo here and there.
There are two exterior carry handles, each with embossed Aer logos.
Each caster features Hinomto ball bearing wheels that swivel in all directions.
Under the retractable handle is a slide lever to lock the wheels. Note the lock icon.
When locked, two casters are immobilized.
Ordinarily, the casters provide nearly effortless movement- almost too good! The lock prevents your bag from rolling away.
The retractable handle locks at four different heights: 35-7/8″, 37-7/8″, 39-7/8″, 41-3/4″.
The inside is lined with a gray Cordura fabric. Its light color makes items easier to find.
The main compartment came with a simple partially-meshed slip case with a rigid frame. This is great for flatter items you need to access quickly. It can accommodate a laptop, but keep in mind that there’s really no padding. It’s attached to the bag by straps so you can flip your device out on the X-ray machines for security. There is no obvious way to detach this slipcase, but I did discover you could unscrew the strap anchors under the lining.
The buckle keeps your items in place. It’s an unusual buckle that slides together from the “sides”, unlike the traditional seatbelt method.
A sleek leather luggage tag came with the bag. There’s no ID window on this tag.
As I poked around, I noticed there was some weight in the bag. Weight isn’t always an indicator of quality, but the interior fabrics are more durable than most suitcases I’ve seen.
The top compartment has a zip-around flap with pockets of its own.
You may have to look for it, but there’s a tiny hidden pocket for your favorite tracker.
This compartment has no straps, but the bottom is completely flat without the handle mechanism.
Performance
I wasn’t traveling anywhere, so I grabbed as many T-shirts as I could find. I was able to stuff 17 and still had room for more. I also found the largest laptop I could find (Dell Precision 5570), which measured 13.56″ x 9.06″. It fit the unpadded pouch with no issue.
A family member commented that the Aer Carry-On was noticeably heavier than bargain-store rolling suitcases.
Final thoughts
After I took these photos, my son came home from college for the weekend, and he “claimed” the bag. After a 400-mile trip, he said it “fits stuff” very nicely and nothing got “messed around”, and everything stayed in place. He does mention the interior buckle takes some extra thinking to open and is not quite as intuitive as others.
He found the bag to roll effortlessly. He also thinks the side grab handles might be a little thin, but the tradeoff is that they don’t add extra bulk to the exterior. I like the orange color, but my son thinks the Fog White would be cool, too.
What I like about the Aer Carry-On bag
[stextbox id=”pros”]
- Choice of four colors
- Sleek design
- Premium Materials
[/stextbox]
What needs to be improved?
[stextbox id=”cons”]
- It would have been nice if the complimentary luggage tag had a window
- Pricey (but really nice)
[/stextbox][stextbox id=”consumer”]Price: $299.00
Where to buy: aersf.com
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by aersf.com. Aer did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
[/stextbox][stextbox id=”related”]Check out these other reviews!
- VELO 3-in-1 Expandable Hardside Luggage review – versatile convertible luggage
- Roam Medium Duffel review – Custom luggage that’s a pleasure to use
- PROPS Luggage review – this carry-on bag has legs!
[/stextbox]
