I travel a lot. A lot! Which means I’m always on the lookout for good quality luggage that can pack all my stuff in it, be versatile and reliable and still look good too. I’ve got absolutely no time for unreliable luggage that pulls on my shoulders, breaks or weighs a tonne. No time. So, when the guys from Bags To Go contacted me about reviewing one of their products, I was stoked to be able to put one of their bags to the test.

After scouring their website, looking for the best bag for me to try out, I settled on the American Tourister Bon Air suitcase. I opted for the small cabin-size suitcase, as I use these sized bags a lot more than I use a big suitcase. Here are my thoughts on the bag and whether it’s totally awesome or completely crap.

What is it?

A suitcase, ya knuckle-head! Specifically, though, it’s a cabin-size suitcase produced by well-known luggage brand, American Tourister. The hard and fast facts are; it’s 55cm tall, weighs 2.9kg, has a 42 litre capacity, comes with a 10-year global warranty and looks pretty dang sleek. I love bright luggage, I think luggage is the best time to flash a bit of colour, and while my case is in black, they have some really nice colours. The bright red looks gorgeous.

Yea, but, is it any good?

In short, yes. I’ve been testing out the suitcase for the last fortnight, putting it through the gruelling task of being my take-everywhere luggage and I’ve had no complaints about it whatsoever (except that one time I wasn’t watching where I was walking and kicked it, full-stride, and thought I was dying. But that isn’t really the suitcases fault).

The amount of space inside the suitcase is great, there has been ample room for me to pack my clothes on one side and then my shoes, beauty products and toiletries on the other side.

In terms of function, it is a real dreamboat. The wheels on this thing are slick! It handles really easily, swerving in, out and around with no troubles. You can change direction quickly and easily, without the suitcase pulling on your shoulders, arms and neck. They might have spent a bit of time making sure it was balanced well or something because it’s just so easy to manoeuvre.

Another big plus are the zips. That sounds weird, but trust me, when you get a suitcase with those slow, sticky zips, you know about it. The Bon Air doesn’t have that, the zips just glide around and do up or undo really easily. When you use a suitcase a lot, you begin to learn details like that matter a lot.

I also found the handle was really reliable and easily slid in and out. It never stuck or baulked, it just eased out effortlessly every time I went to grab it. Again, the kind of small detail that makes a big difference.

Sure, but what are the suitcase features?

A suitcase is a suitcase is a suitcase, right? Well, sort of. They all have the same similar layout; a rectangle on wheels with a handle. Brilliant. So, what can a company do to stand out or make their product different and appealing to us? Features, my friend. Features.

The Bon Air is made of polypropylene, which means it’s tough and light. Just the way I like my luggage. It comes with a pretty lethal looking TSA combination lock, so you don’t need to worry about buying a lock to fit it with.

One really cool feature is the Bon Air is expandable, even in the cabin-size bag! So if you go on holiday and realise you bought too much, you can undo the extra zip and fit more stuff in there. Kind of like when you eat too much at the buffet and undo the top button of your jeans (the best feeling ever!).

Another feature I really like is that both sides of the case are equally deep and both sides have packing straps to secure your stuff with. Most cases come with only one set of packing straps, usually on the left side only. The Bon Air also has, on the right side, a zippy-bit that you can zip to secure your gear and two additional small zippy-pockets on the front to tuck your undies, loose products or cords into.

I really like the amount of space the suitcase offers you and how functional it is. It makes it very useable and keeps all your gear safe and secure as you’re moving along. I would feel very comfortable checking this bag into the bottom of the plane with all my stuff in it.

So, would you recommend it or nah?

Yes, I definitely would. I’ve completely fallen in love with mine and it has taken its place as my number 1 go-to bag. My favourite things about the bag are how easily it moves and glides along when I’m walking with it and how easily the zips and handle slide. I also love the straps on both sides and how secure my luggage stays inside the bag, those are really important features to me and the Bon Air really nails them.

If a good friend of mine (you) or someone from my family asked me for a good luggage recommendation, I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the Bon Air to them. I found it really reliable and easy to use, which is exactly what you need your luggage to be.

Given the weight of the bag, 2.9kg, it may not be your first go-to option if you’re on a strict 7kg carry-on only limit. That said, with the expander zip you can fit more luggage in the bag than your average cabin-size case and could easily check it in under the plane instead. Find American Tourister here.


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