Eagle Creek Tarmac 22

Reviewers say the Eagle Creek Tarmac 22 rolls all of the best features into one reasonably priced wheeled carry-on. At just 8 pounds, this nylon bag weighs less than either the luxury Tumi Alpha Frequent Traveler 22-inch Framed Expandable Carry-on (*Est. $595) or the budget-priced Delsey Helium Fusion Carry-on Expandable Suiter Trolley (*Est. $75). Unlike those brands, Eagle Creek offers a lifetime warranty -- even airline damage is covered. All of the bags are expandable, but the Eagle Creek lacks a garment hanger. Instead, Eagle Creek builds in clever compartments, such as a zippered shoe holder. Owners say this bag is usually easy to fit into the overhead bin, but its 9.5-inch depth exceeds typical airline carry-on limits by half an inch. A smaller Eagle Creek Tarmac 20 (*Est. $200) wheeled carry-on is available, as well as three larger check-in sizes.

CNNMoney.com conducts the best comparison test of Eagle Creek Tarmac luggage, rating the 25-inch suitcase directly against competitors. Wired tests the Eagle Creek Tarmac 22 and a few other carry-ons, but the reviewer draws only brief comparisons among them. USA Today recommends the Eagle Creek Tarmac 22 as a good lightweight choice, but it doesn't test the luggage. We found user reviews for the Eagle Creek Tarmac 22 at eBags.com. LuggageOnline.com rates the entire Eagle Creek brand, based on user reviews.