Carl Friedrik’s luggage is relatively new in the travel gear world, but that hasn’t stopped it from making a big splash. The brand has made appearances in a slew of popular TV shows, including “Succession,” “The White Lotus” and “The Gentlemen.”
And it’s easy to see why. Its luggage, backpacks and other travel accessories take classic travel designs and give them a modern touch, incorporating premium materials like aluminum and vachetta leather.
The London-based company’s products don’t come cheap, but they’re well crafted to last for years to come. Plus, they’re backed by a lifetime warranty that offers a repair or replacement if your product is functionally damaged. It’s a buy once, use forever purchase that the company stands behind.
I’ve tested a handful of Carl Friedrik products, including travel backpacks, carry-on bags and checked luggage. Here’s what I thought, and why Carl Friedrik is one of my new favorite travel brands.
The perfect weekender: Carl Friedrik 72-Hour Backpack
$545 at Carl Friedrik
The 72-Hour Backpack is Carl Friedrik’s take on the carry-on-replacing travel backpack. It’s branded as “50% backpack, 50% suitcase,” and that’s an accurate representation of how the bag works. It’s a travel backpack that’s perfect for short trips where you might not want to lug a suitcase with you.
The bag’s main compartment has plenty of packing space and can comfortably hold three days’ worth of clothing, depending on how heavy you pack. There are internal organization pockets for a tablet, toiletries and other travel accessories. The main compartment fully unzips for easy access to clothes.
You’ll find a dedicated laptop compartment on the back of the bag. This can fit up to a 16-inch laptop, so you won’t have trouble lugging around any of the latest MacBooks. I like how this pocket is separate from the internal compartment for quick laptop access.
The bag has a premium recycled nylon exterior, which feels durable and is easy to spot-clean. Plus, the vachetta leather details and nickel-finished hardware give the bag a truly premium feel, though I would’ve liked to see more leather accents for the price.
This premium travel backpack is a great fit for short trips. It can comfortably store three days of clothing and has room for a laptop, tablet and other travel essentials. Plus, it's crafted from a high-quality recycled nylon material and has leather accents for a truly luxurious look.
Carl Friedrik’s 72-Hour Backpack is a great bag for its intended use, but it’s hard to ignore the hefty price tag. So if you like it, compare it to our other picks for the best travel backpack before spending the money.
Great for travel and commuting: Carl Friedrik City-Hopper Backpack
$475 at Carl Friedrik
The City-Hopper Backpack is a great commuter backpack that can double as a travel companion. It’s a relatively small backpack — it’ll hold your 16-inch laptop, some books and other daily necessities — so don’t expect it to replace your luggage. That said, it has some great travel additions.
For example, the backpack has an integrated luggage holder, so you can attach it to your carry-on bag and wheel it around an airport. There’s also a water bottle holder on the side of the backpack.
The bag has a main compartment that can hold books, documents and other slim items. And thanks to its fold-top design, you can expand the bag when you need to hold larger items. There’s also a padded laptop sleeve that can accommodate most modern laptops.
Like the 72-Hour Backpack, the City-Hopper Backpack is made from a high-quality nylon material and has leather accents. The nylon material can withstand brief exposure to rain too, protecting your laptop and other essentials from the elements.
This premium backpack is a great commuter and travel companion. It'll fit your laptop and other daily essentials and can attach to your luggage for easy movement at airports. We also love its fold-top design and leather accents that give it a stylish look.
I love the City-Hopper Backpack’s design, and I think it can be an excellent bag for both your travels and your daily commute. But like the 72-Hour Backpack, consider lower-cost alternatives before spending $475 to buy one.
A functional carry-on: Carl Friedrik The Carry-On X
$595 at Carl Friedrik
Carl Friedrik’s The Carry-On X has quickly become one of my favorite pieces of carry-on luggage. It’s expensive at $595, but I think the price is well worth it for the quality and functionality it provides. In fact, it recently earned a place on our list of the best luxury carry-on bags.
The interior has two separate compartments, and both have compression straps to maximize your packable space. This is notable since most hard-shell carry-on bags only have compression straps on one side of the bag. The bag has 43 liters of space and is compliant with most European and US cabin bag size restrictions.
But one of the most interesting parts of The Carry-On X is the laptop and document sleeve on the front of the bag. I often travel with two laptops, so I put my personal laptop here. This reduces the weight of my backpack and still gives me easy access to my laptop in the airport lounge and throughout my travel journey. Note that Carl Friedrik also makes The Carry-On, which doesn’t have a document folder.
The bag is tough too. It has an aluminum frame and a tough Makrolon polycarbonate shell. This means the bag should hold up to all the usual mishaps of travel without getting dented or cracking, even if you have to check your bag.
Like other Carl Friedrik bags, The Carry-On X also has vachetta leather details on its handles and around the front of the bag. This, mixed with the exposed aluminum locks and frame, gives the bag an ultra-premium look without the added weight of a fully aluminum suitcase.
This luxurious hard-sided carry-on luggage is jam-packed with features for the modern traveler. It has a spacious and roomy interior, with compression straps that make it easy to maximize your packable space. Plus, it has a front pocket that gives you quick access to your laptop and important documents at the airport.
Like other Carl Friedrik products mentioned here, The Carry-On X isn’t cheap with its $595 price tag. But for frequent travelers, the quality and functionality make it worth the price for a premium product that will withstand the test of time.
Modern take on a classic design: Carl Friedrik Trunk
$745 at Carl Friedrik
Trunk-style checked luggage is all the rage these days. It’s a throwback to old-school travel when this type of luggage was the norm. But it’s not just for style — the trunk design makes it easy to pack irregularly sized items or pack for multiple weeklong trips.
Carl Friedrik’s Trunk luggage is a premium take on the trunk. Like The Carry-On X, it has an aluminum frame, durable polycarbonate shell and leather accents. But the real magic happens inside the bag.
It has an 80/20 design, meaning that the bottom portion of the bag has 80% of its massive 90-liter capacity and the top half has the remaining 20%. The bottom of the bag has a compression strap and removable dividers, and includes three packing cubes so you can maximize your storage and organize your belongings.
The top half of the bag zips shut, so I usually use this for pants, shirts and other things I can roll up or fold flat. It’s also a great way to separate dirty and clean clothes.
The trolley handle and wheels both feel sturdy even when the bag is fully packed, so you shouldn’t have any issue rolling it through an airport. And if you’re carrying something important, rest assured that it’s safe with the bag’s integrated TSA-complaint locks.
This checked luggage has a classic trunk-style design, which is great for long trips and transporting irregularly sized items. Plus, it has removable dividers and includes three packing cubes so you can maximize all of its 90-liter capacity on your next trip.
Again, Carl Friedrik’s Trunk luggage comes with a hefty price tag, but you get what you pay for. The bag looks great and has more than enough capacity for long trips. And with its robust aluminum frame, you can be sure your valuables are protected when making their way through the airport.
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