I’m a stickler for traveling carry-on only. Not that carry-on only is the only way to travel, but it is the only way to travel for me. So, over my past seven years of near-full-time travel, I’ve become something of a connoisseur of carry-on luggage.
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Incase’s newly released EO travel collection caught my eye and their EO Roller, in particular, is a well-crafted bag with a clean, urban, minimalist design to boot.
The Skinny
Incase describes the EO Roller as:
… engineered for comfort, and sized to fit everything you need for a long weekend. With a tech compartment that fits up to a 17-inch MacBook, weather-resistant coating and an expandable main compartment, the EO Travel Roller offers dependable protection for your device and plenty of space for all your other must-haves while you travel.
The Traveler’s Take
On first glance, the exterior material of the Heather Gray case (which Incase confirms is “Durable 300D heathered weave Ecoya eco-dyed poly”) doesn’t appear to be designed to hold up to the rigors of long-term travel. It has a soft, textured, linen-y feel, like something you’d find on an upscale peacoat from Banana Republic. It doesn’t seem like a material designed to be tossed around by a ground crew during a blizzard at O’Hare. So far, however, it appears to be holding up just fine.
While there is no option for spinner wheels, the large, bold yellow-green rollers are well-constructed to move freely and easily over most any terrain.
Some folks prefer the freedom (I prefer the term “chaos”) of an open concept bag where their gadgets and goods are free to haphazardly co-mingle with one another in a large space. Call me organization-obsessed, but I prefer everything to have its own place. The EO Roller delivers on this front with plenty of pockets and compartments to wrangle my gear, cables, and clothing into place and ensure that it stays right where I left it. The padded laptop compartment is even large enough to accommodate a 17″ MacBook Pro.
Another big selling point is the clever zippered main compartment which expands to accommodate an extra 35% more luggage. If you’re the sort who likes a bit of extra room once you’ve arrived in country, this is huge (literally).
But, of course, I’m paid (sometimes) to find the good and the bad in the latest travel gear. Thankfully, there’s only one issue I have with the EO Roller and that’s its “carry-on” moniker. The EO Roller’s footprint is a modest 23.5″ x 15″ x 9.50″, which seems paltry to most travelers. However, minimalists will notice that this is just slightly above the maximum allowed carry-on dimensions (22″ x 14″ x 9″) for many U.S. carriers, including American, United, and Delta. While this usually isn’t a problem on most flights — slightly larger bags will typically fit without issue — you don’t want to board your flight, expecting to fly carry-on, and wind up having to check your luggage. It’s a seemingly minor point, but could be a deal breaker for some travelers.
Pricing + Availability
Available now in Black or Heather Gray for around $300 (USD) directly from Incase.