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The One Low-Tech Design Feature All Rolling Carry-On Suitcases Should Have

By Rain Noe - July 21, 2017

in Object Culture

With more and more of us traveling more frequently these days, luggage design has become a hot category for design entrepreneurs. As one example this Samsara design, billed as "The world's first aluminum smart suitcase," recently sought just $15,000 in pledges but pulled in a whopping $293,192.

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New luggage designs like the Samsara tout their "smart" functionality, with apps, onboard batteries, anti-theft alarms, onboard lighting and other hi-tech tricks bordering on gimmicks. Except for the battery, I don't care about any of the other stuff and don't want that in luggage. I'm still using luggage I purchased in the 1990s because they're tough and there's nothing in them to go obsolete.

In fact, beyond the ability to store its contents in an efficient manner, there's only one design feature—and a low-tech one at that—that I think all rolling carry-on suitcases should have:

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Yep, that's it. More of us traveling means more delays, which for me at least means more time parked at the gate performing my consuming late-departure pastime, which is fruitlessly trying to get to Inbox Zero. Having a simple, flat platform on which to rest my laptop and work at a somewhat ergonomic height would make the suitcase worth its weight in gold to me. So if you're thinking of jumping into the luggage redesign game, please dispense with swoopy or rounded tops and give us all a level worksurface.

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Frederick Fasola

7 years ago

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I'm with you on this, the flat top could be great, but the flat bottom and sharp edge on that beautiful aluminium case would be ruined at the first kerb !
People seem to only market suitcases for use in airport terminals (hense the tiny-weeny wheels on event the most expensive models, that suffer terribly on anything less than a perfectly laid marble floor!). I drag my suitcase everywhere.... literally... and have done since I bought it from a French sportshop in 2004 for 40€! In my opinion, if I can't run down the subway steps, take a shortcut through the gravel paths in the park or drag it along the cobbled streets of a small European city, its useless!
And if you are considering a luggage re-design, I would look for:
- sturdy zips (even the most expensive polycarbonate shell is useless when the zip breaks!)
-Standard wheels and bearings accessible with an allen key (mine has rollerblade wheels, so they are easy to change when they eventually wear out...
-As wide as possible for a carry on bag, so you can fit more in, and its less prone to toppling over when you make a dash for train! (The proportion of the samsara case looks ideal in that respect.

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