I’ve been dying to test out a four-wheeled carry-on for a long time. Though I’ve always tried to be respectful of other people’s feet, I’ve tripped more than one person as I pull my two-wheelers through the airport.
Briggs & Riley launched their TORQ line of spinner (four-wheeled) bags earlier this year and I got to test their carry-on during a recent trip to California.
I discovered that I like having the four wheels and the ability to roll my bag next to me through the airport and hotel lobbies. It really does beat having to be so aware of who’s behind you.
The lightweight polycarbonate siding is similar to a hardshell case but it has a bit of flex it in so there’s some give as you’re packing and moving it around.
There’s a front compartment (grey, pictured) that opens up so you can slip your laptop or tablet in for safe keeping but the compartment is also easy to get to. This compartment also has an automatic lock so that if you were to pull your luggage out of the overhead bin, it wouldn’t open up on you.
The sides open flat so you can pack clothes in both sections (unlike a bag where you load only one side and the top is restricted to magazines or paperwork).
When I travel, I almost always bring only a carry-on bag. Therefore, I need the maximum amount of room in the bag for my clothes, electronics and, these days, workout gear and food. I found that the Briggs & Riley TORQ carry-on is good for a shorter trip where I don’t have to pack quite as much but for longer trips or those where I need to pack more clothes, it’s just shy of being perfect.
As a test, I first packed the TORQ with clothes for a two-week trip to Atlanta, New Orleans, and Kansas City. Everything just barely fit. I took those same items and put them in the Briggs & Riley BRX carry-on, and they fit fine.
So, yeah, love the spinning ability with the four wheels but will only be able to use this on shorter trips (and I do have plenty of those, too!).
Here’s a short video of me packing up for one of those shorter trips (shot on a GoPro HERO3 Black Edition, using time lapse).
What I Love
- The four wheels, of course!
- Separate compartments so I can divvy up items between one side and the other
Not So Much
- The size is just a tad small for me to use it for all my trips but luckily B&R has a great fallback option (the BRX)
- I like the idea behind the front compartment but I can’t realistically see me using it for my laptop – I keep that in my daybag in a padded sleeve (either built into the daybag or in it’s own sleeve)
Travel Well,
wanderingeducators says
what a cool carryon -and video! You’re VERY ORGANIZED!
Jennifer says
I have a spinner and love it. It’s so easy to push that I can literally push it with one finger.
Beth Whitman says
@Jennifer – aren’t they amazing? I’m sold!