Is A Drawbridge Opening the Future of Suitcases?
The Roller Pro Carry-On pairs a polycarbonate core with heavy-duty fabric. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
I was quickly won over by the Roller Pro's unique, soft-yet-structured look: This hybrid suitcase pairs a polycarbonate core with a weatherproof, heavy-duty 550-denier fabric exterior that feels almost like rubbery canvas.
A drawbridge-like opening, gear loops, and other unique details make this durable, weatherproof bag stand out. But it's very pricey, and when it's packed to capacity, it can be frustrating to use.
The details look automobile-inspired — with handles, zipper pulls, and gear loops made of sturdy, sheeny material reminiscent of a seat belt — and an interior made with compression-molded felt that's akin to the lining of a car's trunk. The light gray interior and wrinkle-less felt bottom also make it easy to see and find smaller items that can get lost against a dark lining. The suitcase has a slew of features, including four pull handles, an expansion, an adjustable bungee system, and thin carbon-fiber trolley rails. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
It's impressive that a suitcase with this many loops, cords, zippers, compartments, and materials manages to look this streamlined. But it does, in part because of the plethora of color-matched details inside and out.
While I haven't long-term tested the suitcase, I suspect it will also remain good-looking (though I'm curious about how the light color will wear over time). The soft exterior is unlikely to scuff the way the exteriors of hard-sided suitcases do. And the unobtrusive bumper rails on the back have so far done a good job of protecting the suitcase's underside from getting scratched after banging up and down stairs.
The carry-on feels good rolling by your side — it's well balanced, and the 360-degree spinner wheels roll smoothly. And at the bag's most vulnerable points, weatherproof zips offer protection against rain (these zips are not commonly found on standard suitcases). The bag also has four handles (instead of the usual two to three), so you can pull it from any side or even carry it like a tray.
The Roller Pro's extremely thin, carbon-fiber trolley rails replace the thicker telescoping rails found in most bags, and they're among the Roller Pro's big selling points. They're also shorter than most trolley rails I've encountered, but they still worked for our 6-foot-2 luggage expert, writer Kit Dillon.
While the trolley rails do look sleek, I felt a lot of resistance when pushing and pulling them from the higher of the two stop heights. (Peak Design told me this was a known error in some pre-production units and that it would be fixed.) Flatter rails make for a somewhat more pleasant interior packing experience, but ultimately I'm not sure how much space they actually freed up in the bag.
Details include a hidden passport pocket, a key tether, and bungees that can attach to the bag's many gear loops. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
Peak Design has billed the Roller Pro as a total redesign of the suitcase. And while, yes, it's still a zippered box on four wheels, I see what the brand is getting at. Suitcase details that I had considered axioms have been completely rethought.
The drawbridge-like opening is among the biggest changes, and it's one of my favorites. Though we've seen suitcases that open lengthwise, the two adjustable stabilizer cords on each side of the Roller Pro were a revelation. They keep the lid suspended in the air while you're packing and unpacking, so the suitcase has a small footprint, even when it's open. This is especially true in comparison with hard-sided suitcases, which have a clamshell design and must be splayed flat to use. Plus, with the Roller Pro, you can easily see and access items in the interior lid. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
I was also delighted by Peak Design's revamp of the luggage tag. It's only a little bigger than my pointer finger, and it hangs satisfyingly flush from a loop on the side of the bag. The only downside is that the name and address lines are embedded in the tag itself, and that means you have to write directly on the tag with a pen. That is, there is no pull-out card, so you can't change the information once you write it in — a bummer if you move, get a new number, or lend out the luggage. (However, you can purchase a pack of two replacement tags for $20.)
The bag has other thoughtful little extras, including a key tether in the front pocket and a handy little slip pocket (so you don't lose your Bluetooth tracker). There's also a hidden pocket (and message) behind the interior zippered lid that's sized perfectly for a passport — a great feature for the paranoid among us.
I was also impressed with the unobtrusive, color-matched gear loops all over the exterior of the bag. While you could use them for whatever (like hanging a travel pillow, for example), the bag has two detachable bungees that allow you to hitch larger items (like, say, a tripod) on the top or the sides of the bag.
I also enjoyed using the unobtrusive, customizable perimeter cord (a bungee cord inside the bag that criss-crosses on top of the main compartment in adjustable configurations). But it really only keeps items in place instead of compressing them.
The cleverly designed front pocket has a narrow space for a laptop and a wide mouth with flexible, spandex-like slip pockets. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
The front pocket is cleverly designed. It has a narrow space for a laptop and a magnetic valve to keep it from falling out. It also has a wider mouth with flexible, spandex-like slip pockets, perfect for accommodating whatever weird-shaped stuff you want to stash. And it made me wonder: Is there a reason more pockets aren't made of this joyously flexible material?
While the wide-mouth space is great for small essentials (for me: hand sanitizer, a pill case, a portable charger, and occasionally my phone), I ultimately prefer putting these things in my personal item, so they aren't stuck in the overhead bin during my flight.
In general, I'm not a fan of narrow front pockets, either. They're mostly designed for holding a thin, sleeveless laptop. I'm personally never going to store mine in there, not least because a carry-on always has the chance of being gate-checked.
For me, the front pocket took up too much extra space to justify its inclusion. However, this sleek storage spot could be worth it for travelers who plan to use it as intended. The flap of the interior lid, which can be rolled and stowed, has three zippered pockets that are ideal for organizing small essentials. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
The three zippered pockets on the flap of the interior lid are an incredibly satisfying feature of the Roller Pro. They're made with clear, puncture-proof ripstop mesh, and they're perfect for holding tiny things you might otherwise corral in separate pouches (or just resign yourself to losing), including hair ties, cords, and pens.
But the zippered panel covers interior lid space that I found too narrow to use effectively for more than a few thin items, like a pair of flip-flops and a book. You have the option to roll down the panel, but that means you give up the pockets, and the space isn't that intuitive to use.
I compared the capacity of the Roller Pro (middle) with the Away Hardside (left) and the Briggs & Riley Baseline (right). Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
I compared the capacity of Peak Design's Roller Pro to two Wirecutter picks by packing them each one with the same stuff: two large and two small Cotopaxi packing cubes, a small rectangular toiletry bag, and two sweaters. For me, an admittedly notorious overpacker, this is the equivalent of a five-day trip. The hybrid suitcase's drawbridge opening (middle) is a change from classic hard-sided bags (left) and soft-sided ones (right). Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
Both the Away Bigger Carry-On (our pick for the best hard-sided suitcase) and the Briggs & Riley Baseline Carry-On (our upgrade pick for best soft-sided suitcase) more seamlessly fit my things.
With the expansion in play, the Roller Pro's listed capacity increases from a fairly small 34 L to a relatively normal 39 L (the difference between bringing one or two more sweatshirts). That being said, I wouldn't personally travel with the expansion open because the thin fabric strip becomes the most vulnerable part of the suitcase, though you can use the zipper as an ad-hoc compression system.
But I found it frustrating to live out of the Roller Pro when I'd filled it to capacity. Part of the issue is that the main compartment has a relatively shallow depth (due to the larger lid), and items kept toppling out of the suitcase when it was open. Due to the relatively shallow depth of the Peak Design suitcase, things kept falling out when it was packed to capacity, an issue I didn't have with the Away or the Briggs & Riley suitcases. Maria Adelmann/NYT Wirecutter
I didn't have this issue with the Away Bigger Carry-On (an admittedly larger suitcase), in which I had room left over, and each side of the clamshell adequately cupped my stuff. Nor did I have the issue with the Briggs & Riley Baseline. The latter case has a deeper main compartment and a truly unique supported expansion system, which essentially allows you to make the bag wider when you're living out of it and then compress it down when you're on the road. Indeed, thanks to the expansion system the Briggs & Riley Baseline has a whopping 48 L capacity, 9 more liters than the Roller Pro offers.
In grade school, I hated that when I broke the mold on the three-paragraph essay, I was almost always docked points. So maybe I hadn't quite succeeded, but where was the reward for creativity? How do you innovate without sometimes missing the mark?
So here I want to give Peak Design the recognition it deserves. The Roller Pro is a sturdy and likely very durable suitcase, and I also loved the fresh look and unique design details, especially the drawbridge-like opening, which allows the lid to suspend in the air. The secret stash pocket for your passport, the tiny, unobtrusive luggage tag, and the color-matched gear loops (for attaching items to the outside of the bag) were also standout features.
However, the $600 suitcase was not without flaws, and I found it particularly frustrating to use when it was packed to capacity. For $100 more, the Briggs & Riley Baseline — our upgrade pick for best soft-sided luggage — has a unique compression system that provides an additional 9 liters of packing space, and it's more seamless to use when it's packed full.
That said, consistently light packers who don't mind spending a lot on a suitcase might prefer the Roller Pro alternatives. It's much more pleasant to live out of when it's minimally packed, and it would be especially alluring to someone who plans to use the front pocket as intended.
I can also see the Roller Pro's real appeal for photographers, especially in combination with Peak Design's XL Camera Cube (though that adds another $140 to an already very pricey suitcase). The hybrid construction and weatherproof design make this suitcase an extremely durable choice for protecting delicate items. The light-gray felt interior makes it easy to see and find dark camera equipment. And the gear loops allow you to travel with a tripod. Plus, the very cool drawbridge opening lets you use the whole suitcase a bit like a deep tray while you're working.
In a category full of sameness, this suitcase stands out. Whether it's worth $600, that's up to you.
This article was edited by Hannah Rimm and Maxine Builder.
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