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As a travel writer with a soft spot for luggage, I have amassed quite the collection. At this point, I have a piece for nearly every type of trip. I reserve Steamline Luggage’s gorgeous, hard-shell leather suitcases for car travel. My durable, neoprene backpack from Dagne Dover has been my ever-present airplane personal item since purchasing it a few years ago. But, if I’m being honest, I’ve never been in love with any of my carry-on luggage options. While I certainly have some rugged duffel bags and stylish suitcases in my arsenal, neither of these styles has ever ticked all the boxes for me. Duffels are impossible to find anything in once you pack them. And while suitcases can help you do a better job of organizing, their boxy shape makes them less than ideal for shoving into tight spaces.
Enter: July’s Carry All Weekender Plus. While it looks like a typical duffel from the outside, a quick unzip reveals a lie-flat, clamshell opening with two deep, zippered compartments on either side, which allow for less digging around to find a raincoat or pajamas. It’s so ingenious, it’s hard to believe more major luggage brands aren't producing duffels like these.
That ethos forms the backbone of July, a luggage company out of Australia that was founded three years ago and began shipping to the U.S. this summer. “We knew we could create something quite beautiful, meet the needs of the market, and actually do some product innovation that wasn't being done by the likes of Samsonite, who is the global market leader,” says Athan Didaskalou, founder and chief strategy officer, of the company’s inception. To wit: Some of July’s earlier offerings include an ultra-lightweight carry-on (weighing in at just 3.9 pounds, among the lightest on the market), and a line of heavy-duty trunks that are ideal for multi-week trips.
Far from being gimmicky, July luggage is thoughtfully designed and well-constructed. The Weekender, for example, is incredibly roomy while still being small enough to fit in an overhead bin on planes. Its generous 50-liter capacity allowed me to pack everything I needed for a recent four-day trip to Asheville, North Carolina, including all the outfit changes I wanted for a weekend in the unpredictable weather of the mountains. There is an interior padded pocket that’s ideal for storing tech items like your laptop or iPad, a pass-through sleeve to hook the bag onto a suitcase handle, plus plenty of smaller pockets to keep you organized. I especially love the external hidden pocket which closes with a magnetic clasp; it’s perfect for stashing your phone, plane tickets, or passport while you’re navigating the airport.
And, unlike some of my other more delicate luggage pieces, July’s bag is made for rugged travel. The exterior uses a waterproof, weighted twill nylon fabric, and the inside features a water-resistant and stain-proof nylon lining. It even has small gunmetal feet on its base to keep it from getting too dirty when you set it down on train hall or airport floors. The final touches, like the top-grain leather handles and trim, add a bit of understated elegance.
As for where I’ll be hauling it next? Later this month, I’m finally leaving the country for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The duffel will be perfect for my quick trip to Rosewood Mayakoba in Mexico; I’ll be able to cram everything inside, from my hiking boots to my bathing suits, while still keeping it organized. And if I happen to overpack? I’ll certainly be grateful for that “squish” factor.
