Peak Design makes some of the best backpacks out there, including some aimed squarely at airline travel. This time around, they’re adding proper travel luggage to their lineup in the form of the Peak Design Roller Pro.
The outfit’s first ever rolling luggage, it takes your standard towable suitcase and updates it with features that modern travelers are likely to appreciate. Like many of their products, it’s a veritable showcase of creative design, as the outfit puts their own spin on the erstwhile familiar elements found in typical rolling luggage.
The Peak Design Roller Pro has an expandable design that allows it to go from 34L to 39L in a pinch, allowing you to go for a smaller, more streamlined size if that’s all you need, while letting you easily make room when you have extra stuff to pack. One thing you’ll notice is that the bag looks slimmer than similarly-sized suitcases, which it achieves by using an entirely original handle they’re calling SlimDrive, which is much slimmer (just 7mm thick) than the telescoping aluminum tubes found in other luggage, allowing it to take up just a third of the space other handles do. Made from carbon fiber tubes, the trolley handle is incredibly strong (you can strap a backpack onto it like thicker tubes), while the slim size means it’s able to slip in and out much faster. It can be extended to either 35 inches or 39 inches, whichever one you find more comfortable.
Instead of being towed behind you like most rolling luggage, it’s actually designed to be rolled by your side. As such, they outfitted it with four casters, all of which measures a large 60mm to ensure a smoother glide than your typical small casters. Even better, all four wheels can spin 360 degrees, making it easy to maneuver around tight crowds, while also making it towable behind you when needed. The casters are custom-made, by the way, with the outfit selling replacements, in case you need them down the line.
The Peak Design Roller Pro has a multi-layer body that combines a 550D waterproof fabric as the shell, a protective EVA foam under it, a rigid polycarbonate shell behind that, and a felt liner inside. Combined with rugged zipper hardware and PFAS-free coating, the whole thing should be adequately weatherproof, ensuring all your clothes and gear will stay dry inside even if you run into less-than-pleasant weather.
Inside, the suitcase doesn’t open like a traditional clamshell with two equal compartments on each side. Instead, it has just one primary compartment, with the other side being, essentially, a cover. We’re guessing this allows them to maximize the main compartment for accommodating the outfit’s lineup of camera bag dividers. It comes with adjustable drawbridge cords for securing gear, multiple zippered pocket behind the front panel, and glass-reinforced nylon hinges. Other features include lockable zippers, an EDC compartment up top, an exterior laptop compartment (up to 16 inches), protective rear bumpers, an AirTag pocket, a passport pocket, 360-degree grab handles, and multiple mounting loops for carrying other gear outside the suitcase.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Peak Design Roller Pro. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $425.
