There’s something to be said about good carry-on luggage. You don’t want it to be overly bulky, however, you want to fit all of the essentials you possibly can and avoid paying to check a bag at every opportunity. EBags is one of the company’s that you can trust; they not only make carry-on luggage that meet airline requirements but are a great addition to your travel.
EBags sent me over their Fortis 22-inch Spinner Carry-on luggage to try out, and I have to be honest, this may be the best carry-on luggage I’ve used thus far. Prior to this carry-on, I actually used another brands carry-on, that while they claimed their bag met airline regulations, both Jess and I traveled with their bag, only to be told prior to boarding that it did not meet the carry-on standards and I would be charged $55 to check it. I put up a good fight, explaining that I had made it this far, why can’t they just simply allow it, however, the airline (United) decided that was not good enough, and we were charged a hefty fee for a bag to be checked. Here are some of the product Features and specs that eBags.com has listed:
Size: Domestic Carry-On
Exterior Dimensions: 22″ x 14″ x 9″
Interior Dimensions: 20.5″ x 13.75″ x 8.75″
Linear Inches: 45″
Weight: 6 lbs, 7 oz
Material: Bayer Makrolon 100% Polycarbonate
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty* against defects in materials and workmanship
Luckily as soon as I returned from my trip, there was eBag’s Fortis spinner sitting at my front door, ready for the next trip. The hard-shell spinner is available in four colors, black, red pink and blue… I opted for the Blue just to break the tradition of having all black luggage. The photos of the Fortis online do it no justice as even though it looks shiny in the press images, it’s not so shiny that it is prone to dents and scratches, especially if you get caught in a situation where it must be checked (if the overhead bins are full on your flight so to speak). Made up of 100% Bayer Makrolon Polycarbonate, the shell of the Fortis is durable enough to toss in the overhead, or in the back of a rental without being beaten up. I can’t say how well it would hold up against the folks who toss luggage around onto the conveyor belts, however, the Fortis is claimed to be made of the most durable material currently available which goes without saying.
A highlight of the Fortis is the fact that it does come with a Travel-Sentry approved 3-dial combination lock which keeps your bags secure, no matter what. I feel as though all luggage should have this feature. What’s interesting though and may be just an annoyance of mine is the way that the combination lock sits on the bag, facing the telescoping handle. For example, if you are sitting in the airport, with the handle still up, and have to dig into your bag, the numbers are facing the handle. I would’ve much rather have the numbers facing outside of the luggage.
Speaking of the handle, it adjusts to three different heights, giving you the ability to maneuver it no matter your height. This is also perfect for those of you who have backpacks with a sleeve that allow it to be attached to your luggage, which is really handy when rushing through the terminal.
The bag comes equipped with self-healing coil zippers that aren’t overly done, and will not break off if they caught onto something like a chair, and since the main compartment’s luggage zippers actually sit flush inside of combination lock, your luggage is just that more secure.
The inside of the Fortis is where things get interesting. There’s a lot of room to arrange all of your necessary items for a quick trip out-of-town. I most recently went on a three-day trip with a solid 4 to 5 days of clothing, including a suit and tie that I folded without wrinkling thanks to a nifty YouTube clip, and it fit perfectly.
On the right side of the bag is where you get the least amount of usable space thanks to the telescoping handle being recessed into the bag, although being visible from the outside.
I don’t think there’s been a technology invented that can really do away with the retail space handles take in luggage but luckily with the Fortis, it’s not overbearing at all.
EBags also included Tie Tapes which is great for strapping those loose items that may be in the base of your bag like the eBags Pack-It Flat that the company also sent me down without it moving all over the place. There’s also a neat little pocket on the top right for putting your keys or other small items in such as a phone cord so you never have to go searching for them when you land.
To the left of the bag is the zippered compartment which is great for separating your dirty clothes from the clean, or even items such as shoes can go on this side. Its breathable mesh allows your clothes to be ventilated, however still be separated from the rest of your luggage. Since this side is completely flat unlike the right side, I tend to put my heavy items such as shoes and gadgets here so the weight is evenly distributed. If you feel as though you’ve packed too much and don’t want to do that weird thing where you sit on your luggage in attempts to close it, eBags has made sure that they included a second zipper that allows the Fortis to be expanded just a bit, perfect for when you need the ability to bring all of those gifts you purchased on your vacation back home to your family and friends.
Overall I’ve gone on three back to back trips with the Fortis, and I absolutely love it. The best thing that wasn’t mentioned, but goes without saying is the wheels. All four of the rotating wheels work great on every type of surface, being grass, airport terminals, carpet, you name it. If your luggage is packed evenly, you will not have problems with your wheels staggering or feeling like you can’t coast around without them catching a snag. EBags opted for double-wheeled casters by Hinomoto that allow your luggage to be transported smoothly, but quiet as well. There are also two grab handles, one on the top, and one on the side so you can easily stow away without grabbing the telescoping handle. There’s truly nothing I would change about the Fortis, as so far it beats out all of the luggage that I’ve tried with the fancy bells and whistles. Sure, it doesn’t glow in the dark or charge my phone, BUT, it can get on my flight with me, and it’s durable enough to stand the test of time. And you should have one as well.
For more information about eBag’s Fortis 22-inch spinner, head over to their site today!
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: I absolutely love the wheels, smooth and quiet, but I love the combination lock so much as well.
What Needs Improvement: that being said, I wish the combination lock was facing the other direction.
