From affordable Away to ritzy Rimowa.
Aluminum carry-ons seem purpose-built for protecting your belongings — and for making other travelers jealous. But for all their hard-sided beauty, they can be tremendously impractical. Most options ding easily, aren’t expandable and weigh a hefty 9 to 12 pounds. Still, if you want to look more like a Bond villain than, well, every other person at the check-in desk, there’s no better option than one of the five here. Get one before your next trip and wear all the inevitable scratches with pride.
Boasting one of the most recognizable luggage silhouettes in the world, Rimowa’s fluted aluminum carry-on features leather handles, a system of adaptable dividers and four ball-bearing mounted wheels that help it roll with ease.
There’s a kinetic beauty to the fluid lines of Tumi’s aluminum luggage — it looks like it’s moving even when it’s standing still. With a 35L capacity, it can comfortably hold everything you need for a few days away.
If you tend to go on longer trips and avoid checking bags, turn to the roomy interior of Away’s Bigger Carry-On. Both its size — and its removable battery, which will keep your devices charged — are airline and TSA approved.
Founded by former execs from luggage specialists Tumi and Louis Vuitton, Arlo Skye brings luxurious touches to its approachably priced bags. Its aluminum carry-on features an anti-microbial lining and the quietest wheels of all the bags we tested.
Zero Halliburton is one of a handful of American-made brands whose wares have been to space. Its latest edition features the same hard-sided protection as the bags it started making in 1938, and carries a 10-year warranty.