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Computer Times
Editors' Choice Luggage Briggs & Riley Transcend 21" Carry-On Reviewed by Terry Kibiloski
When we were contacted by Briggs & Riley to review their Transcend 21" Carry-On Expandable Upright (Retail $269), we searched for a seasoned traveler to test this luggage who had years of experience on the road. We found a government worker who virtually lives out of a suitcase, currently making frequent trips to New Orleans to continue to help in the relief effort. After using this luggage for several weeks, in and out of hotels and airports, she had nothing but praise for this piece of luggage, saying that it is excellent in every regard, can easily stand up to the beatings of the airlines, and is a pleasure to both roll and carry. She was especially impressed with the amount of packing room inside the luggage, especially the built-in garment section that can hold 3-4 hanging items. Of special note, she felt, was the very secure device that snap-locks over your packed clothes, to keep all of your packed items in the exact place you put them before zipping up the luggage. She was quite amazed at how nothing shifted at all even after being manhandled by the airlines.
To further test this luggage, I took it on a short trip where I had to carry a laptop computer, with all the associated accessories, as well as several changes of clothes. While I was also impressed with the quite amazing amount of packing room inside, aided by the Outsider® handle which lets you do wrinkle-free, flat packing, I was also impressed with features that were great for my road-warrior editorial needs. The elastic shoe pockets kept my footwear from my clothes and personal items. The front zipper pocket easily accommodated my oversized laptop. This deep front pocket also has a Secure Key Pocket™ to keep keys easily accessible, and a mesh zippered pocket perfect for smaller accessories like cables and pens. The hide-away cargo net conveniently held items I needed readily available, like a jacket and magazine, plus it rolled up and tucked away when not in use. In my opinion, the best feature was the Outsider pocket, located on the back of the luggage, between the handle supports, that was perfect for my laptop’s power supply and external mouse.
An article, with a few photos, cannot do this luggage justice. You have to actually use this luggage to truly appreciate it. The Outsider telescoping handle is extra long to give you incredible leverage when pulling this luggage through airports and hotel lobbies. Our government worker is quite short, whereas I am very tall, and we both found this long handle to be extremely well-suited for this sized luggage. Equipped with 100% aircraft-grade aluminum and super-strong, impact resistant shielding, the telescoping handle is designed to withstand severe abuse. All of the soft and contoured handles are extremely comfortable to the grip. In addition to the telescoping handle, there is a handle on the side for horizontal carry and even one on the bottom of the luggage to help you easily lift the luggage in and out of your car trunk or up to the overhead storage compartment on the plane. The bottom skid guard protects the luggage from curb scuffing, and the first class luggage tag is made of extremely durable material that should last as long as the luggage itself, which will be a lifetime. Briggs & Riley stands behind the durability of this luggage and will always fix any damage to your luggage free of charge, even if it was caused by the airlines. For a quick 2-5 day trip, this carry-on luggage is all you need for your clothes, laptop, and all of your personal items. If you buy too many souvenirs at your destination, there is even a 3-inch zip around expansion system to give you even more room. The full dimensions of this 21" carry-on expandable upright luggage are 14 x 21 x 8.5 inches. In its non-expanded profile, it easily fits most airline carry-on regulations. Available in four colors: Desert, Rainforest, Silver, and Sunset, it only weighs 10.2 pounds empty, is water repellant, and is highly resistant to abrasions, tears, and punctures. This is by far the best piece of luggage we have ever reviewed at Computer Times. Click on photo below for more information.
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