Jaunted

Packability: Holy moly, does this thing have a lot of pockets. We loved the internal top pocket that can separate delicates from the rest (or, on the way back, clean clothes from dirty). Instead of the classic clip over the bottom of the suitcase, there's a stretchy mesh belt -- we didn't end up using it, but it would hold clothes pretty securely. The case also zips around in the front to expand, which was helpful on the way home when our luggage was fattened with suburban shoppin', but in that bloated state it probably wouldn't have fit in the overhead bin of the Embraer ERJ-170 we were on. (We checked it as a precaution.)

We'd rate its capacity at somewhere between a long weekend and a warm-weather week-plus; it'd be perfect for a wedding or other special-occasion trip but could carry much more if you're not particular about stuff getting wrinkled. On the way back we toted about 30 pounds in it with ease.

Handling: We wanted to see how the bag would work in a variety of situations, so we took it on a city bus, Amtrak, checked it on our return trip and pulled it into and out of a cab. Because it's wide and flat, it fits easily under a public-transit seat but won't roll straight down a plane aisle (not the Boeing 717 we boarded anyway). What impressed us most was how stable it was, despite our best attempts to accidentally knock it over by the handle; it's pretty wobbly on the turns though. The bag emerged from the cargo hold with a scuff, but it rubbed off. The handles were a little stiff at first but sturdy.

Appearance: We put this one on last because we've had some ugly suitcases that went the distance before. (What up, 7-year-old Jansport rolling duffel!) Briggs & Riley sent us the brown sample, a warmer and lighter color than pictured; normally we'd go for black, but it made this one slightly easier to spot on the luggage carousel. The interior is a lighter khaki nylon which we wouldn't risk an exploding pen on, but it had a nice feel and seemed pretty sturdy.

Price: Here's our major sticking point. We liked this bag but its price point of $369 is, in our opinion, too high compared to similar bags with the same capacity. We'd pay about $200 for it, but keep in mind we're extremely budget minded and would rather pocket that extra for an overnight adventure.

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[Photo: Briggs & Riley]