The Best Arlo Skye Luggage of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Best Lightweight

Arlo Skye The Zipper Carry-on Max

View on Arloskye.com

The brand claims the Zipper Carry-on Max is seven pounds, and while it weighed closer to eight pounds when we weighed it in our lab, it's still among the lightest hardside suitcases we’ve tried. Despite its compact design, the interior was spacious enough to fit all items on our four-day packing list (which included six shirts, three pairs of pants, two jackets, two pairs of shoes, two toiletry bags, five pairs of socks, and five pairs of underwear) and then some.

We appreciated the organizational features, which include two main sections — one with a zippered mesh closure and the other with compression straps — plus, two zippered pockets and a laundry bag for separating dirty clothes. All of the zippers closed smoothly, even when packed full. It also comes with a removable powerbank with USB-A and USB-C charging ports. Many luggage brands will include the charging capabilities but not the powerbank itself so that’s always a nice touch.

We brought this carry-on onto our airplane set during lab testing, and it was so easy to lift into real overhead bins while fully packed. It maneuvers pretty well, but the wheels don't roll quite as smoothly as some other brands we’ve tested. And although the handle has several height options, it sometimes sticks briefly when adjusting it. The Zipper Carry-on Max proved very durable in our tests, showing only minor superficial scuffs and no dents at all after whacking it with a metal baseball bat and shoving it multiple times off a table while fully packed. After three months of use and several trips, it remained dent-free and we found ourselves reaching for it more often than other carry-on bags. If you strive to pack light, we think it's a worthwhile purchase.

The Details: 23 x 15 x 9.6 inches | 7 pounds | 45-liter capacity | Polycarbonate

Best Aluminum

Arlo Skye The Frame Carry-on Max: Aluminum Edition

View on Arloskye.com

Aluminum luggage is generally more durable than softside and polycarbonate hardside options — but it's also slightly heavier and often comes at a premium price. If you're open to investing in a heavy-duty suitcase with a sleek appearance, Arlo Skye's Frame Carry-on Max is an excellent choice. This trunk-style carrier has a decently sized interior that fit all items on our packing list. However, with the handle taking up notable space in the main compartment and latches instead of zippered closure, it can be harder to close when stuffed full and impossible to overpack because the aluminum shell does not have any flexibility. After several trips in the real world, we found that this could be a pro or a con — we found ourselves needing to be much more careful about how we packed if we wanted to be able to take home souvenirs.

Underneath the adjustable handle is a dual USB charging port with a removable powerbank battery, which we noticed during three months of testing could be bumped open pretty easily. This suitcase didn't roll as well as some other aluminum models we tried — though it might be smoother if it's not packed to the brim — but it does a good job turning and navigating obstacles. As is expected with aluminum, the exterior may get dinged up with use, but you can rest assured the Frame Carry-on Max will protect your belongings from damage.

The Details: 23 x 15 x 9.6 inches | 10.5 pounds | 45-liter capacity | Aluminum

Best Checked

Arlo Skye The Zipper Check-in Medium

View on Arloskye.com $425 at Urban Outfitters

If you're interested in slightly larger checked luggage, the Zipper Check-in Medium might be your best bet. Weighing in at nine pounds, this suitcase is pretty lightweight for its size. Though it doesn't have an expander, we had no problem fitting everything on our list and even had room to spare. We loved all the organizational features, too, which include two large compartments, a divider with two pockets, compression straps, and a zippered pocket. Unfortunately, the zippers sometimes stuck slightly, even when the suitcase was empty, but we were still able to open and close them. This problem continued during three months of real-world testing.

The telescoping handle adjusted without a fuss. It was easy to push the suitcase on carpet, flooring, and concrete on its four spinner wheels, although it didn’t roll as smoothly on two wheels or when we needed to push it from side to side. You can trust that this is one durable suitcase; when we threw the fully packed suitcase off a table, it landed upright on its wheels with all that weight on it, and nothing broke. The shell didn’t dent even when we hit it with a metal baseball bat, resulting in just a few scuff marks. We were a little disappointed in the scuffing, which continued to happen during our travels, but felt that the bag held up well otherwise.

The Details: 27 x 18 x 11 inches | 9 pounds | 71-liter capacity | Polycarbonate

Best Weekender

Arlo Skye The Weekender

View on Arloskye.com

Arlo Skye's Weekender is nearly as big as a carry-on suitcase but much lighter and perhaps more versatile. This bag has a minimalist aesthetic and a practical, travel-friendly appeal. We effortlessly fit everything on our packing list and had room to spare. We were even able to slide this bag underneath the seats on our airplane set, meaning you’d be able to use it as a personal item while flying. Besides the enormous main compartment, it also has a separate shoe section and a large side pocket with additional pockets within for electronics and other small items.

T+L testing editor Jackie Cucco brought this bag on several trips and felt that it was a huge upgrade from the old, shapeless duffel bag that she used to travel with. "I'm a big fan of pockets and this bag excels in the pocket department, giving every little item a home so it's not just floating around," she said.

The interior also has an antimicrobial lining to keep odors at bay. On the outside, the bag has a removable shoulder strap with a padded section. While you can adjust the strap, the padding doesn't slide, which we consider a design flaw because you can only use the padding when you have the strap extended to a specific length, which may not work for all heights. Still, after three months of testing, we found it comfortable to carry with both the duffel-style strap and grab handles. The water-resistant material seems lightweight yet unlikely to tear, the seams appear reinforced, and the zippers work well. In the end, we definitely think it's worth buying if you're in the market for a carry-on, duffel bag, or personal item for short trips.

The Details: 20.5 x 11.4 x 9.1 inches | 2.4 pounds | 31-liter capacity | Polyester/nylon

Best Backpack

Arlo Skye The Backpack

View on Arloskye.com

We were also impressed with the Arlo Skye Backpack, which has an extra-deep main compartment and a surprisingly high capacity for a slim bag. We fit our entire weekend packing list with ease and were even able to cram in a thick, puffy jacket. There are also lots of organizational features (like water bottle pouches, small pockets, and an electronics section with a designated laptop sleeve) for easy access to your belongings while on the go.

This backpack is lightweight yet durable and water-resistant with seam-sealed zippers. Just a heads up: some pockets are difficult to open when the bag is stuffed full. But the sturdy zippers open and close smoothly, even when the main compartment is packed to capacity. We found the backpack comfortable to wear, though it's hard to adjust the shoulder straps when it's on, and after several months of testing we found that the straps had a tendency to slip after being worn for long periods. It's also easy to lift into an overhead bin and can fit underneath a plane seat.

The Details: 18 x 12 x 7.5 inches | 2.1 pounds | 25-liter capacity | Nylon/polyester