CATEGORIES
CATEGORIESAs luggage goes, carry-ons are the most relied upon. Road warriors trust them, from weekend road trips to spontaneous adventures around town and across the globe. Never far from our backs and shoulders, these 3 easy-carrying carry-ons earned applause from the Active Junky team, hauling essentials from San Francisco, California to Santiago, Chile.
Though Rangefinder looks like your average messenger bag from a distance, closer scrutiny proves otherwise. The fabric was a highlight, sloughing off rain and grime without sucking up damaging moisture. While at home on bike commutes, we found this bag from a respected brand shined forth as a carry-on, especially when hauling a second, larger duffel on the opposite shoulder. Best For: Toting, riding and day touring use
17 liters of waterproof hauling, simple features and a load-bearing frame sheet. SealLine raises the bar with this backpack, integrating performance features developed for surfers and sea kayakers into an urban-friendly design. Flying out of Seattle, with enough time for exploration of the metro area before departure? SealLine is the ticket. You’ll squeeze years of adventures out of this affordable alternative.Best For: Challenging travel scenarios; salty weather
Built ruggedly for road tripping into Utah’s tourist-free recesses but practical enough for regular air travel, Excursion tucks (or crams) into car trunks and overhead spaces alike. Active Junky testers loved the spacious end pocket, no-frills space to pack grimy mountain bike shoes away from favorite hoodies and button-downs. Weekend trips demonstrate the bag’s winning combination of generous volume and road-wise features.
Best For: Minimalist weekends, part of a 2-3 piece long-haul ensemble
