12 Best Carry-On Luggage (2024): Away, TravelPro, and More

Aer's Travel Pack 3 is about as close to a travel-bag Swiss Army knife as you can get. This practically indestructible backpack is made of 1680 dollar Ballistic Nylon! This is a state-of-the-art briefcase with one handle! It's a tech organizer and a laptop bag and a suitcase! Although it may be over-engineered for some (“About Too much bag,'' according to my husband), the travel pack has a sleek, unisex design (available in black, grey, navy or olive) and utility that make it perfect for everything from day-to-day errands to business trips. Makes it usable. For international backpacking.

There's a roomy, clamshell-style main compartment that fits shoes and about two outfits, or more with more packing cubes, plus a separate divided laptop compartment for two computers. The front zip opens to reveal two rows of pockets reminiscent of a Small Over-the-Door Shoe OrganizerPerfect for pens, power cords, snacks or notepads. There are compression straps on both sides to compress it to a more manageable size. It should be noted that even when not compressed, the 21.5 x 13-inch profile is still small enough to stuff under an airplane seat. Both main compartments have zippers that can accommodate a lock, and a loop on the bag allows it to fit sideways over the handle of a suitcase. The only detractor is that the water bottle holder is oddly small even when opened to full capacity. It barely fits in a 40-ounce thermoflask, and the included magnetic strap won't even fit half of it. As long as you don't get thirsty, this is a pretty solid bag that I think most people will be happy with. -Kat Merk

★ Optional: I recently took TravelPro Altitude Travel Backpack ($280) On a work trip. I liked the full-access, flat-top opening, which saves space in a small hotel room. I also love that it has structure, so you can pack it like a suitcase, and it's expandable, so you can bring home a larger book or library souvenir t-shirt if you really want to.