Article and photograph by Josette King
I have long nurtured the fantasy of one perfectly versatile suitcase that would take me across the country or to the far reaches of the planet, preferably in carry-on only travel mode. When the complexity and length of the itinerary required more, it would expand just enough to carry all my travel necessities to my primary destination, then gracefully retract to its carry-on purpose for shorter side trips. And of course, it would hold much more than a carry-on bag ever could, and take all the abuse a memorable trip can dish out without adverse effects.
Enter my new Briggs & Riley Baseline 20” Carry-On Upright, an expandable wide body suitcase. Sized to meet most major airlines carry-on requirements for domestic as well as international travel, it also featured a zipped expansion gusset that extended its capacity by almost 25 percent to become a checked bag able to carry the necessities of an eight-week, winter into spring European trip across the Atlantic. Its interior was a masterpiece of thoughtful design. Wide enough to accommodate side-by-side two neat stacks of sweaters and shirts, it also had a small zipped garment bag compartment fitted in the case’s lid.
Briggs and Riley Carry On
Its sturdy construction allowed it to withstand less than ideal traveling conditions. It was dragged across the cobblestones of Bruges in a downpour (yes, its ballistic nylon exterior is water repellent), and up one flight of stairs in the Paris metro. It even became a handy stool when I found myself traveling in the corridor of a German high-speed train. Click here to read an article about the Briggs & Riley Baseline 20” Carry-On Upright.
