For me, that suitcase sweet spot is the Optimus Luggage Carry On. I live in New York City, a place with endless flight options to any destination you can think of; I have family scattered across the country (and even abroad); I like traveling to far-flung places for vacation, and I occasionally get the opportunity to travel for work, too. With all that, I end up on an airplane several times a year (hello, Frequent Flyer status), so it’s a necessity that I have a suitcase that can count as a carry-on (so I can avoid bag fees), fit all my travel necessities (I’m a notorious over-packer), and withstand the challenges of traveling and being dragged through city streets. I’ve had a few options in the past that, for various reasons, haven’t worked: Some get scratched on my first trip with them and look dingy and grungy forever thereafter; others only fit in some airline overheads; still more can barely hold a pair of shoes, much less my travel wardrobe. So much can go wrong with a suitcase, particularly a rolling suitcase that gets tossed into closets, onto planes, and into taxis, but my Optimus Carry On hasn’t let me down yet. The wheels are 360-degree (aka spinner wheels), so they roll in all directions: I don’t have to drag my suitcase behind me, and I can easily traverse rough terrain (aka cracked city sidewalks). The handle is sturdy and extends and retracts easily. Many suitcases’ handles break, and though that hasn’t been a problem with mine, if it did, Optimus offers a 10-year warranty. On the inside, the suitcase is surprisingly roomy, with smart zippered compartments that make fitting a long-weekend’s wardrobe inside easy. (Learning how to pack a suitcase has never been easier.) The compartments are so smart that packing cubes aren’t completely necessary, but when I choose to use them anyway, they fit into the spacious main compartment just fine. The Optimus Carry On even comes with a removable (and waterproof) laundry bag, so I can easily separate my clean clothes from my dirty ones during the trip. If I pick up a few extra souvenirs on my trip, I can expand the suitcase to fit a few extra items, and the polycarbonate shell exterior keeps everything safely contained—and it stays scratch- and ding-free, too. The suitcase even has a built-in TSA-approved lock, so you can keep your possessions protected. All these features aren’t necessarily unique or new to suitcases in general. What sets Optimus’ items apart is the price: The Carry On is $100 ($99.99, to be exact), more than $100 less than other popular, top-performing suitcase options. $100 is a large chunk of money, but for a reliable carry-on suitcase, it’s positively affordable.
