Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro luggage review: Is it worth it?

If you’re someone who travels often and tends to fall on the style-conscious side of things, then you definitely know the importance of having quality luggage you can count on… but that also looks amazing.

 

From having enough space for all of your things to being easy to open and close, a high-quality carry-on suitcase is a must if you’re constantly on the go. Whether you travel by plane, train, car, or boat, this suitcase is worth checking out. Let me tell you why I love the Carry-on Pro from Carl Friedrik.

First, if you’re not familiar with the brand, Carl Friedrik is a London-based brand that was launched in 2013 by two brothers. They’re all about well-made premium leather and travel accessories. Functionality is the game of the game above all else with a bit of understated elegance mixed in.

If you’re a professional who travels frequently and wants to look put together with a quality piece of luggage, this is THE carry on you’ve been waiting for.

 

The first thing I noticed about the Carry-on Pro is that it is one sexy hard-shell suitcase. The durable aluminum lock frame looks incredibly high end and has sturdy built in combo locks to keep your belongings safe. The build quality is stunning and the leather accents you’ll find on the handle and horizontally across the top of the suitcase when upright give it an extra bit of flair.

Mine is all black but it comes in a couple other color options as well.

 

 

 Another premium feature is that it has silent Japanese 360° spinner wheels made by Hinomoto, a leader in wheel manufacturing. No one wants to be that person whose suitcase is so loud that it turns heads from across the airport. You won’t have that problem here. This baby maneuvers with quiet ease. 

In addition, something else I noticed and loved was the easy-to-access padded laptop compartment right on the front of the suitcase that zips open. It makes it a breeze to grab your laptop or tablet without having to open the main suitcase and go digging around. Your laptop is right at your fingertips whenever you need it along with some other interior storage pouches for a book, pens, phone, or whatever.

You’ll also notice that this suitcase doesn’t zip closed. The main compartment pops open and locks closed via an aluminum locking mechanism. It’s my first suitcase that doesn’t have a main zipper. The front laptop compartment does open and close with a zipper (no lock on that).

Once you open the suitcase up, you’ll see that inside features two equal size compartments that both come with compression straps. There’s one compression pad with a pocket that you can lay over one side to keep your things in place.

 

The compartments are open and don’t have individual zipper closures to keep things separate. Definitely use that compression panel and strap so your belongings don’t spill out upon opening it. The panel itself has a zipper so you can stash smaller items.

Here are the Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro’s specs:

Width: 38cm (15 inches)

Height: 55cm (21.7 inches)

Depth: 25cm (9.6 inches) 27cm expanded (10.6 inches)

Weight: 4.3kg (9.5lbs)

Volume: 43L

Price: US$565 / 575 €

Here are the Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro’s best features:

Sleek look and feel. This suitcase looks luxurious and is a breeze to pack, snap open and closed, and wheel through the airport.

Spinner wheels. I will never go back to suitcases without spinner wheels. The Carry-on Pro turns on a dime and maneuvers flawlessly.

Pop-out laptop compartment. I love this front compartment because it’s easy to access and keeps your things organized. My laptop, book, notepad, and pens are all just a quick zip away and each have their place. It tilts opens at an angle so your hand can easily fit in and grab what you need. With other suitcases, front zippers don’t always open up wide enough to be able to get your hand in. 

Textured surface. Regular hard-shell luggage can scratch and that’s my beef with hard-shell luggage in general. The good news is you can wrap it or get a luggage sleeve if you end up checking it, but covering up this gorgeous suitcase would pain me. That’s why I was happy to see that the Carry-on Pro has a subtly textured surface that minimizes the appearance of blemishes. 

What can be improved:

If you’re someone who appreciates solid design and luxury luggage, the Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro is absolutely worth it. It’s perfect for the modern professional who wants a quality suitcase that looks as good as it functions.

 

This is a stunning suitcase that will turn heads in the airport lounge and last you for years. You might even get some compliments on it from fellow travelers!

 

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