THE CURE FOR LUGGAGE ENVY – MY RICARDO ELITE ROXBURY 2.0

My husband and I recently took two weekend trips away and managed to travel only with carry-ons, even though one trip was to Ironman 70.3 Oceanside. Okay, hey, he shipped the bike and one huge duffel bag with his gear, so it wasn’t quite the feat I may have made it sound like! As we were pulling our bags through the airports, I kept noticing a lot of people with these 4-wheel carry-ons and they seemed to be traveling with more ease than either me or my husband. They weren’t pulling the bag behind them, but rather, it was just kind of gliding off to the side. I was quickly developing luggage envy…

Little did I know that within a short time, my envy would be satisfied by a package that would arrive at my front door. In it was Ricardo Beverly Hills’ Elite Roxbury 2.0 4-wheel suitcase. Sporting a rich, black cherry finish made it quite the attractive carry-on. The bag is made of Makrolon Polycarbonate (okay, haven’t a clue). I only know it makes it hard-shelled, but also pliable. I particularly liked seeing the Airline Carry-On Friendly sticker on the top on this 21″ case. But, I couldn’t wait to see how my lovely new bag actually performed on my next trip, which just happened to be to Orlando the following weekend. It was about to get a workout…

WHAT I LIKED…

Packing

I really appreciated the fact that there were separate top and bottom sections with several zippered pockets. When I first looked inside, I have to say I was concerned about how much it would hold. But, found when I started packing, there was more than enough room. I chose to put all of my clothing on one side, which I always roll, and all of my shoes, hair curler, umbrella, rain coat, etc. in the other side.

I then put all of my cosmetic type items in the large zippered bag. Going, I didn’t use the small zippered bag, but coming home, I used it for small item dirty clothes. The large zippered bag would work very well for this, too. Adjustable tie-down straps kept everything in place. There is also an internal loop for 2 – 3 hangers if you are bringing items like a suit.

I then decided to pack all the items my triathlete would need for a weekend race, including a wet suit and bike helmet and lo and behold, I had room to spare. I also could have fit the running shoes in, but he has to wear something on the plane. What I love is that the zippered compartment will be great for bringing those sweaty, stinky race clothes home!

Wheels

The bag comes equipped with 360 degree spinning wheels. They move easily and when you raise the handle, glides along side of you; no pulling behind you on a tilt like my current bag. It would seem very easy for even a child to maneuver. I actually thought perhaps the wheels retracted as I was concerned about how they would fit in the overhead compartment. While they don’t retract, there was no problem storing on the plane, although they may take up a bit more space when put in horizontally.

Weight

While the bag looks heavy, it is deceptively lightweight at just 8.6 lbs. The hard shell cover is actually more of a pliable plastic than what you think of hard shell. Even packed full, the bag was easy for me to lift onto the TSA security belt and in the overhead bin on the plane.

Other nice features

• Expandability – There is a zipper in the middle that will give you an extra 1-2″ depth to squeeze in more items; always nice for the trip home and your purchases.
• TSA compliant lock – This allows TSA to access your bag with a master key, so you can lock it if you are checking the bag and not carrying on.
• Retractable add-a-bag strap – On the outside of the bag is a retractable strap that allows you to attach another bag. It seemed very easy to use, but I have a tote that unzips and fits over the handle of wheeled carry-ons and that’s what I did this time, too. It worked quite well with the Ricardo bag.

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE

While I love the concept of the 4 wheels and MOST of the time it worked well, it does take some getting used to and a bit of finesse. I had difficulty getting it on and off the plane, as there is an uneven surface and I had to lift it up and over the hump. Also, it dragged at times on carpeting or would “get stuck”.

It did come back from its trip to Disney World with a few scratches, most wiped off, but a few seem permanent. So, while I’m not concerned, I will keep an eye on it after each use. But, it does come with a 10 year warranty, so the company must be pretty confident.

Overall Evaluation

I can confidently state that overall, it is a really efficient bag that packs well and holds a lot. My clothing all stayed put and wrinkle free. It is lightweight enough for me to lift over my head and seems to be quite durable. The ease of use with the 4 wheels certainly outweighed the several times I had to pick it up. While I love the Black Cherry color, it does come in 3 others and 3 other sizes, if you so choose. I think my luggage envy days are over…

TO OUR READERS: Ricardo Beverly Hills is graciously giving our readers 65 percent off ANY purchase and is offering free shipping on orders over $99. Please use this exclusive coupon code: TMOM65Off at check out. The offer ends May 31.

Disclosure: I was provided with the Ricardo Elite Roxbury 2.0 by Ricardo Beverly Hills for my review. I was not paid for this article. All opinions are my own.

– THE TRIWIVESCLUB