Dakine Carry On Roller 36L
Features
- Exterior organizer pockets
- Retractable handle
- 600D polyester construction
- Replaceable urethane wheels
Volume: 2200 cu. in. [ 36L ]
Size: 21 x 13 x 10 inches [ 54 x 33 x 26cm ]
Weight : 5 lbs [ 2.2kg ]
MSRP: $125
Flights tested: 8-10
I fly and travel a lot, so luggage is an important investment for me. With that in mind, I decided to try out Dakine’s Carry On Roller—a bag designed for frequent flyers who want to avoid checked bag fees.
I’ve used many different packs and luggage over the years, but I always come back to Dakine. I use the Pro II pack for backcountry day trips, the Poacher 45L for longer excursions and brief summer overnighters, and I lived out of the Split Roller 100L for four months in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
The company offers a limited lifetime warranty on their bags, which makes it all the more likely that I’ll keep buying their products. I had high expectations for the Carry On Roller, and so far, it’s lived up to them.
Features
The Carry On Roller has simple, functional features. There are two outer organizer pockets, a telescoping handle, and wheels.
These features are designed with Dakine’s typical attention to detail. The wheels are made of a soft urethane and use skate bearings. They’re easy to use in terminals and on pavement or other smooth surfaces. The Carry On Roller struggles on dirt, but that’s to be expected given its intended purpose, I think.
The handle is ergonomically curved, which is actually more comfortable on my palms than the completely flat handles I’ve used in the past.
The two outer organizer pockets aren’t roomy, but that’s likely because the bag needs to comply with airline regulations (more on this below). I usually stow compressible, small clothes like socks and underwear in these outer pockets.
The 600D polyester might not look like the burliest fabric at first glance, but it has held up well in the time that I’ve used it.
Size
I’ve taken this roller on about 10 trips, the longest of which was a 10-day visit to the East Coast.
I was initially skeptical that I’d fit enough clothes and shoes for the 10-day trip into a carry-on. But I found that I could pack two pairs of shoes, flip-flops, and 10 days worth of clothing into the Carry On Roller. I could easily fit my bulky Salomon Quest hiking boots in the bag, as well as enough gear for day hikes and other short excursions.
Fitting into the Overhead
Once a gate employee stopped me on my way into the jetway, challenging the size of my bulging luggage. But I easily slid my bag into the luggage guide and was on my way into the plane. Knowing I can completely stuff the Carry On Roller and still comply with airline size requirements is a major plus.
When actually boarding the plane, I’ve had no issues sliding the bag into the overhead bin of any of the planes I traveled on (according to Dakine, the bag is a legal carry on size for most airlines).
Bottom Line
The Dakine Carry On Roller 36L is about as good as it gets when it comes to carry on luggage designed specifically for air travel. So far, I’ve found it to be simple and durable, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to travelers looking for a wheeled carry on.