Non-Rolling Carry-On Bags

Non-wheeled soft carry-on bags are lightweight

If you like to travel light, experts say you're better off with a non-wheeled carry-on. Those wheels and handles eat up valuable packing space, and they're frustrating and awkward to haul over stairs or cobblestones. Ditching the wheels can shave more than 8 pounds from your load.

The Red Oxx Air Boss (*Est. $225) is the ultimate one-bag carry-on, according to reviews. Red Oxx consulted with Doug Dyment, the travel-light guru at OneBag.com, and reviewers say the result is a soft, tailored bag that does it all. It's incredibly lightweight, incredibly rugged and fits effortlessly into the overhead bin. Its lifetime warranty covers any kind of damage.

"I can easily pack enough clothing for three- to six-day business trips and the bag remains relatively light," reports a reviewer at PracticalHacks.com. You can slip a full-size laptop into one of its well-designed compartments, too, but reviewers say that may make the load too heavy for some people. Testers say the Air Boss's shoulder strap makes it comfortable to carry, but some prefer backpack-style carry-ons.

The best backpack carry-on is the inexpensive Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on (*Est. $85) from the PBS travel host's own line of luggage, reviewers say. Unlike an ordinary backpack, the Rick Steves has hideaway straps and a side handle (so you can carry it like a suitcase) and compression straps inside to keep your stuff from shifting around. Weighing just 3 pounds, it's even lighter than the Red Oxx Air Boss, although reviewers say the Rick Steves' polyester fabric may not prove as sturdy as the Air Boss' Cordura nylon. Rick Steves' lifetime warranty covers materials and workmanship only, not damage.

The Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on gets some of the highest user ratings we've seen. Doug Dyment at OneBag.com says it needs a better suspension, but users say the padded shoulder and waist straps make it very comfortable, even for weeks-long trips. John Flinn, executive editor of Travel magazine, recommends it in the San Francisco Chronicle as the easiest bag to pack. He likes that it can expand to swallow bulky souvenirs, although it's too big to carry on when expanded.

A runner-up brand, Tom Bihn, is a favorite among the exacting critics at OneBag.com and PracticalHacks.com. Tom Bihn bags are constructed of ballistic nylon with splash-proof YKK zippers (the gold standard), but their lifetime guarantee doesn't cover wear or damage. The Tom Bihn Aeronaut (*Est. $200) is maximum carry-on size and can be carried as a suitcase, duffel bag or backpack. The Tom Bihn Western Flyer (*Est. $180) is similar but smaller, designed to fit in the overhead bins of regional commuter jets.

Reviews recommend upgrading carry-on luggage with the Tom Bihn Absolute shoulder strap (*Est. $30). It has a nonslip neoprene pad with controlled stretch, adjusts from 20 to 52 inches in length, weighs only 7.5 ounces and is made in the United States.

You can also use a lightweight folding cart with non-rolling luggage. These fold up small enough to tuck into your carry-on and weigh just a few pounds; your bag plus the cart will still weigh less than a wheeled carry-on. This can be an inexpensive solution if you have a carry-on bag you love, but can no longer handle its weight -- or if you sometimes have to carry heavy things in it. The Samsonite Micro Mover Fold Away Luggage Cart (*Est. $25) holds up to 50 pounds and gets good ratings from owners reviewing it at Amazon.com, who say it folds small enough to fit into a carry-on bag. Doug Dyment at OneBag.com recommends the Travelite luggage cart (*Est. $50), which can hold 80 pounds.