Bellroy has always been my favourite brand for carry solutions.
I used to do a bit of writing for Rushfaster, which is the world’s biggest online retailer for quality carry solutions like bags, packing cubes and whatnot. Writing about a few Bellroy products was my first assignment, and since then, the Australian company has been my standard for bags, phone cases, slings and everything else in their increasingly wide range.
Last year, the brand started making luggage and now has three products in the category. The leap makes sense, but it was still surprising to see this brand, most readily associated with premium quality backpacks, put out two different carry-on standard suitcases. One was more traditional, clean and elegant (Transit Carry On) with a simple Bellroy branding. The other – Lite Carry On – is a bit more unique, with a hybrid approach between a piece of rolling luggage and a backpack.
Bellroy Lite Carry On
The Bellroy Lite Carry On is a 51 x 34.5 x 23cm piece of rolling luggage that looks and acts like a hybrid backpack. Only Samsonite has done something similar before, but the traditional luggage brand lacked the execution. This is the kind of product that Bellroy is born to make, and they’ve made an incredible go at it for their first edition.
I’ve been on three small business trips with this before and have slowly gotten used to the design, which at times feels a bit too rigid thanks to the plastic telescope handle that can zip away into the back and forms its spine, along with flexible TPU-coated wheels that are smooth to roll around.
It’s a fun, nimble product from Bellroy that comes in a number of colours. I’ve got the earthy Clay colour, but there are more neutral options like Black, Ash and River Rock. All use lightweight recycled materials that feel great and responsive. On the shell, designers have used Naida nylon and ripstop that feels premium and durable.
Inside, the bag moves nicely as you pack it out. All up, the product itself is 2.1kg and has a 38-litre capacity, which is fine for trips that’ll last up to a week. I can fit two large packing cubes and a jacket in the main compartment, which is deep and framed by smaller, zippered pockets, and a 16-inch laptop in the dedicated sleeve.
Cleverly, the laptop sleeve is located in the middle of the bag when it’s zipped up so you just need to slightly open it to slide it out; you don’t need to dig through the bag. Granted, most backpacks have a separate sleeve for the laptop altogether, which makes access much easier, but Bellroy has played it smart here, designing a sleeve for roller luggage without compromising on convenience.
The main compartment is lockable, and the bag can be grabbed from multiple sides. There’s a handle up the top for vertical carry, but you’ve also got one on each side if you want to move around in briefcase format. Surprisingly, there aren’t any shoulder straps, but those would have just gotten in the way.
Both the handle and the wheels are replaceable, which plays into Bellroy’s long-term commitment, and ups the value quite a lot. After all, if you’re investing in something this different, it’s not going to be a one-and-done piece. You’ll want to make sure this thing lasts. And compared with more conventional pieces of luggage with a polycarbonate shell, you can put this one through the wringer without worrying about paint peeling off.
Bellroy Transit Carry On
I’ve also been using the Bellroy Transit Carry On over the past few months, and it’s almost the complete opposite of the Lite. Instead of borrowing ideas from backpacks, this one leans into what people expect from premium rolling luggage. It’s a classic hard-shell carry-on, measuring 55 x 35 x 23cm with a generous 41-litre capacity, but Bellroy has quietly rethought a lot of the details. It feels familiar until you actually start packing it.
The matte polycarbonate shell has a reassuring solidity without feeling unnecessarily bulky. Mine has picked up the usual scuffs from airport baggage belts and overhead lockers, but that’s what luggage is supposed to do. The shell still feels sturdy, the aluminium telescopic handle has no wobble to it, and the oversized wheels glide smoothly across everything from polished airport floors to uneven footpaths.
It’s dependable enough that it just feels like an extension of the transit experience quite quickly. Whenever I break in a new carry-on suitcase, I tend to be conscious of it for at least three trips afterwards. This just feels natural.
Open it up, and that’s where Bellroy’s design philosophy becomes much more obvious. Instead of the usual split-case layout with a couple of zippered dividers, the Transit comes with two removable packing cells that slot neatly into the main compartment.
They work as dividers while you’re travelling, but you can also lift them straight out and pack them separately before dropping them back into the suitcase. It’s an incredibly clever system that gives you much more flexibility than traditional luggage, particularly if you’re organising different outfits or separating clean and worn clothing over the course of a trip.
The rest of the interior follows the same thinking. Smaller zip pockets line the inside for chargers, cables and travel documents without wasting valuable packing space, while the deep main cavity easily swallowed enough clothes for a week away on my recent trips. Bellroy has managed to make the inside feel more like one of its thoughtfully organised backpacks than a conventional suitcase.
Is Bellroy a good luggage brand?
What’s impressed me most about Bellroy’s first luggage collection isn’t that iat’s trying to compete directly with established names. It’s approaching luggage with the mindset of a company that’s spent years obsessing over backpacks, slings and everyday carry. That fresh perspective shows in both products, and it speaks well to Bellroy’s future in the category.
The Australian label has already developed its own language when it comes to premium carry solutions, and that reputation for refined ideas certainly shows here. The Lite experiments with what rolling luggage can be, while the Transit quietly improves the traditional formula through smarter organisation and genuinely useful design decisions.
That also makes Bellroy a serious alternative to brands like July and Samsonite. The quality feels premium, the materials inspire confidence, and the attention to long-term usability makes both suitcases feel like products you’ll still be using years from now.
To me, Bellroy has mastered the art of the quick-access pocket, and that reputation is worked into both of those bags quite well. The Lite has several smaller pockets, and the laptop sleeve is in the middle so you can quickly open the bag and slide your device out without having to disturb anything else. The Transit is more traditional, but because of the unique internal layout, you’re able to get into smaller packing cubes for anything you need immediately.
These bags are certainly not cheap, but they’re also sensibly priced for what you’re getting. If this is Bellroy’s first proper step into luggage, it’s a very convincing one.
Products sent by Bellroy for the purpose of this feature.
