I’ve been a carryon only traveler for over a decade and in that time I’ve tested my fair share of luggage. When I’m coaching others on packing light, making recommendations for the perfect carry-on wheelie suitcase is often where we start, so it’s important for me to keep up on the latest models. I often do research on what’s new, especially in the direct-to-consumer space, which is how I stumbled upon the Chester Travels Minima Carryon.
A few things that appealed to me about Chester Travels Minima Carryon:
- The dimensions of the bag (including wheels and handles) are just under 22 x 14 x 9 – the maximum allowable amount for most larger domestic and international carriers. All too often, companies are very shady and some bags marketed as carry-ons are clearly too big to pass the muster. This is frustrating and misleading. It makes me angry.
- The weight of the bag is just under 7 pounds, which makes it a really lightweight option.
- The lack of a power charger/battery pack. I prefer a simple, minimalist suitcase and these accessories add unnecessary weight to a bag.
- Four 360º spinner wheels.
- Outstanding customer reviews.
- A built in TSA approved combination lock (in case you do need to check the bag)
Excited about my findings, I reached out to Chester Travels to see if they would allow me to test drive the bag on my upcoming trip to Lyon and Paris. They offered to send me a Minima Carryon in ocean blue to test and you can read my review below. Don’t forget to read through to the end, I’ve got a special discount to share with you.
CHESTER TRAVELS MINIMA CARRYON REVIEW
As a packing expert, I’ve come to know what works well and what doesn’t. I am opinionated and a tough critic. My list of criteria is pretty strict and it takes a lot to impress me and actually decide to recommend a bag.
Other than the above mentioned items, which I liked – the proof for me is always in the pudding – as they say. Or for me, in the traveling. Just because it looks good on paper, doesn’t mean it’s going to perform well.
I was initially concerned about a hard-sided case. I’ve always been a fan of soft-sided luggage; that type of fabric always seemed a bit more forgiving, in case you had to overstuff the bag, there would be a bit more give.
Pockets on the outside of a bag to stash my liquids, passport, a water bottle or umbrella always seemed essential to me. Since the Minima has no pockets, I was worried I would miss having them.
But, I didn’t. All of those things fit easily in my tote bag, which served as my personal item. And the hard-sided shell does have a bit of give, so I was able to fit more than I expected.
The polycarbonate material also kept my belongings dry. It was pouring rain (and it even snowed) on one of my travel days and a small travel umbrella can only do so much. My luggage got very wet, but inside everything remained dry.
I really had it stuffed to the brim. I was packing for almost every weather condition and it weighed nearly 20 pounds when I was finished. Truth be told, the inside zippers separating the compartments were stretched to the max, and I was concerned about tearing or the fabric pulling away from the bag itself. I’m happy to report that everything stayed intact.
Each side has its own zippered compartment separating one from the other. This means when opening your bag from either side – top or bottom – the contents won’t spill out onto the surface like some other bags that only have basic elastic which does nothing to keep your belongings secured.
I didn’t think I’d care about this feature – but honestly, it was a relief not to worry about which way I opened the bag. No matter the direction or side, everything stayed neatly in place.
And speaking of zippered compartments, the interior has three large pockets which helped organize and corral small, similar sized items. A thin oblong pouch, attached to the side of the bag, was great for small oddly shaped items.
The Chester Travels minima also comes with a separate laundry bag to separate dirty from clean clothes, but I found it doubled nicely as a shoe bag.
The bag felt sturdy to me, fit perfectly in the overhead bins of both planes I took on my trip, and garnered no dirty looks or side-eyes from flight attendants or airline staff. The spinner wheels rolled along seamlessly. I tested it in airports, up and down both escalators and steps, in train stations, on rough pavement, uneven cobblestones, through dirt, mud and even through a few construction sites on my way to the train station in Lyon. It held up really well.
Another concern was the telescoping handle. It felt a bit wobbly on my initial tests, but even yanking it over gaps in the metro platforms or up and down stairs quickly, it did its job and felt sturdy. My hand got a bit cramped from holding the plastic handle for long periods of time. It would benefit from a bit of cushioning underneath the handle – but that’s just me being a tad picky.
SUMMING UP MY REVEIW
To sum up my thoughts – here are the reasons I loved the bag and would recommend it:
- totally transparent carry-on dimensions (no arguing with airline employees at the gate or paying extra to check it)
- lightweight
- four spinner wheels; rolls like a dream with very little effort
- simple, minimal bag; no frills
- seven color options – one to fit every personality
- excellent customer reviews
- fits quite a bit – I packed for 10 days
- well constructed, strong zippers
- two comfortable grab handles – one on top, one on the side
- a 10 year limited warranty
- comes with a dust cover to protect it. The box it ships in can also be used to store it
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Chester Travels Minima Carryon is a solid wheelie. I am confident enough to recommend it to travelers I work with who desire a sturdy, yet minimalist carry-on bag. This is a good quality bag and I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase one, especially with the 10 year limited warranty, free returns and their 100 day trial; You really can’t go wrong – there is no risk.
If you’re someone who always checks a bag or needs additional space for souvenirs, the Minima may not be big enough for you. Though the bag does fit an impressive amount, it doesn’t have the capability to expand with an extra zipper. But, Chester Travels also offers two larger spinner bags that may be a better fit for you.
I’ve partnered with Chester Travels to offer you a 10% discount if you purchase a bag through this link and use my special code MelangeTravel10 at checkout. You’ll also get free 2 day shipping and free returns!
If you have questions about the Chester Travels minima – feel free to leave me a comment and I’ll try my best to answer it.
Disclosure: Chester Travels provided the bag for the purpose of this review. All opinions and photos are my own. I am also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. If you make a purchase though an Amazon link on my site, I may make a small commission, but it costs you nothing extra.
