The topic of luggage is a divisive one.
On my most recent trip abroad, I met someone whose philosophy surrounding luggage was to buy cheap, expect to use it a handful of times and then dispose of it when it inevitably reached a point of disrepair. I believe this is both bad and wrong. Why purchase luggage with the intent to replace it in a year? Is it even a cost saver if you’re routinely having to swap out your cases?
Further, and crucially, whatever you might possibly save in greenbacks, you sacrifice in quality, and as a frequent-flier, I can’t fathom how anyone would feel comfortable checking a bag that they didn’t have the utmost confidence in, in terms of quality. Haven’t we all, at least once, bore witness to a case with a busted zipper coming around the baggage carousel, contents strewn all over the belt, and thought, couldn’t be me?
It’s for this reason — and also because it’s my job — that I’ve tested more luggage than any one person has any business doing. Check-ins, carry-ons, trunks, backpacks and weekenders, in every color conceivable and from every brand under the sun — I’ve tried them all.
It’s not necessarily something I brag about at dinner parties, per se, but it is important context here. Because now, when I tell you that I’ve finally landed on a favorite, it holds a bit more weight. And while you may not be able to snag it on sale at your local TJ Maxx or Marshalls, it’s guaranteed to last you more than a handful of trips. This, reader, is the correct approach, and the luggage is Lojel.
I was first introduced to Lojel a few years back, though they’ve been in the luggage game since 1989. Their product line has expanded over the past 35 years, but the luggage, and, more specifically, the Cubo collection, has remained their bread and butter. Since my first trip with the Cubo Small, a carry-on, I haven’t traveled with another.
For starters, Lojel polycarbonate cases are sturdy yet lighter than other well-built, hard-sided luggage. My most consistent gripe with polycarbonate cases is that they often feel flimsy. Even some of the buzziest brands are proprietors of insubstantial polycarbonate cases that, despite their lofty price points, tend to feel cheap.
The Cubo Small is exactly the right size carry-on. It’s got a handy front compartment with a laptop sleeve that can fit anything you might find yourself reaching for in a pinch — charger, travel documents, what have you — and its expandable body offers extra space when you need it (read: you’re packing sweaters instead of bathing suits, or you spent a little too much on souvenirs). A particularly interesting feature that feels hyper-specific to the Cubo, though, is that the main compartment is accessed from the front — separated from the laptop sleeve with a magnetic door — so you pack it the same way you would a duffle, rather than unzipping it down the middle and packing two halves. This allows you to really maximize space, while also offering more security to its contents as there is less strain on the zipper. I should add that it took far longer than I care to admit to figure this out, which bodes well for security purposes.
As far as aesthetics go, Lojel stands with the best of them. The Cubo feels polished without being fussy. As a general rule of thumb, I tend to steer clear of black luggage — I concede that it looks good, and is arguably the most versatile, but nothing kicks my anxiety into high gear like the sight of a sea of black luggage at a busy baggage claim — but fortunately, Lojel has an answer for that, too. The Cubo collection comes in 10 sleek colorways, all of which would make for an easy-to-identify case. I chose the Warm Gray, which, in certain light, almost looks like a muted gray-brown. Even the orange and yellow feel less offensive than orange and yellow luggage generally do.
And though it has enough of the features you’d want in a good carry-on — e.g., a TSA-approved combination lock and 360 dual wheels — it’s not over the top. Sometimes there’s so much emphasis on the bells and whistles that it’s easy to overlook basic functionality. At the end of the day, we’re talking about a vessel to transport your shit from point A to B. For that, the Cubo is my vessel of choice and, as I don’t foresee it reaching the point of disrepair anytime soon, I have no plans to dispose of it.
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