A photo of a black Calpak Hue Mini suitcase in front of a teal bench on a residential outdoor patio

Sometimes packing all your items into a travel backpack is sufficient for a quick weekend trip to see friends. But occasionally, traveling light with only a backpack could be too much for your back to handle.

If you’re looking for a travel bag that offers more room than a backpack but is smaller than a full-size carry-on, the Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On Luggage could be a good option.

The Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On is incredibly compact, allowing light packers to fit all their belongings without sacrificing space. Plus, its size ensures it won’t be gate-checked and can easily fit under most airline seats.

Read on to see why the Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On may be on your shortlist for your next carry-on bag.

This small suitcase is perfect for the light packer. It fits under the seat in front of you on an airplane, so you never have to worry about gate-checking a bag. It can also be a good pick for children’s luggage given its small size.

What we liked about it

A photo of the side of a black Calpak Hue Mini carry-on bag

The Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On Luggage is an excellent choice for travelers looking for a compact piece of luggage for an overnight or weekend getaway. Here are some of this carry-on bag’s redeeming features.

Compact and portable

The Mini Carry-On from Calpak’s Hue Collection is the most compact option, weighing just 6 pounds and measuring 16 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches. The carry-on luggage?is designed to fit underneath most airplane seats, making it convenient and hassle-free to travel without having to worry about finding space in the overhead bins.

The luggage is designed with a compact size, making it easy for travelers to carry around a crowded airport. The smooth wheels and top-mounted handle make it simple to drag or push while its lightweight build allows for effortless carrying by hand.

Surprisingly spacious

If your storage needs are small or you are just packing for an overnight trip, the Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On is a great option. For a bag of its size, it boasts an impressive amount of storage inside at 31.2 liters. Along with the compression strap, it includes a zippered interior divider with multiple pockets and compartments for smaller items.

A photo of the Calpak Hue Mini's interior storage compartments

While there are travel backpacks with greater storage capacity than the Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On Luggage (for example, the Cotopaxi Allpa 35-liter travel pack), this smaller bag is useful for short trips because it can fit a few outfits and a few necessities without putting too much strain on your back.

Durable exterior

The Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On showcases a sleek and sturdy hard-shell exterior, reminiscent of the popular Away bags.

The bag has a lightweight design, but its polycarbonate construction gives it a rugged and sturdy feel that ensures durability over time. Plus, the luggage has a built-in exterior TSA-compliant lock to keep items safe.

Reasonably priced

The Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On is also notable for its low price, which starts at $165. This miniature luggage has been priced as low as $132 for Cyber Monday, and at that price, it’s an excellent value.

This luggage is hard to beat for travelers on a budget who want a weekender carry-on bag. It’s hard to find mini luggage that costs as little as the Hue Mini Carry-On. It even costs less than many of the best travel backpacks on the market.

What we didn’t like about it

The Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On has some minor drawbacks, despite its appealing attributes of being compact, having adequate capacity and fitting under your airplane seat.

Restricted storage capacity for winter or business travel

The luggage’s capacity is remarkably ample considering its size; however, the Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On isn’t quite as useful if you’re planning a vacation to a cold destination where coats and jackets are required or if you’re going on a business trip where you’ll need to pack a suit.

One suitcase truly cannot accommodate everything. Therefore, if additional space is required, it is preferable to use a conventional carry-on bag to fit any additional clothes that are suited for the trip itself.

Another piece of luggage is still needed

The Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On is a great choice for most travelers as a complimentary bag. However, if you’re planning on taking long-haul flights and going away for more than a few days, you likely will need to invest in a larger piece of luggage to accommodate all your clothes and other travel gear.

Weight (empty)

6 pounds

7.1 pounds

6.4 pounds

6.6 pounds

Interior measurements

16 x 14 inches

20 x 13.5 inches

19.4 x 14.5 inches

20 x 14.5 inches

Exterior measurements

16 x 14 x 9 inches

21.7 x 13.7 x 9 inches

21.7 × 15 × 7 inches

21.5 x 15 x 8.5 inches

Warranty

Two-year limited warranty

Limited lifetime warranty

Limited lifetime warranty

Limited lifetime warranty

Color

Dragonfruit (limited), Poppy (limited), black, Linen, Emerald, Hazel, Mauve and Pink Sand

Black, Navy, Coast, Olive, Seafood, Navy (Gloss), Wave (Gloss) and Garnet (Gloss)

Navy, Rose, red and Forest

Moss, Navy, Charcoal, Forest, Sand, Clay and Shadow Lavender

Price $165 $275 $160 $275

Bottom line

The Calpak Hue Mini Carry-On is a compact and lightweight hard-shell carry-on bag that is both sturdy and practical. It’s designed to be used as a carry-on on most airlines and can easily be placed underneath your seat.?Plus, it has a TSA-compliant lock, zippered dividers and pockets, upright and compression straps and four spinner wheels.

Although it may not be the ideal choice for every type of trip, this luggage is perfect for those who prefer to travel light or need a compact bag for a short overnight trip. It can also be a great choice for children who are ready to upgrade from their “little kid” luggage.

Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored Money chose as the?best travel credit cards.