Travel can be rough on luggage. We’ve all watched helplessly from the plane window as baggage handlers shot-put suitcases and duffels onto the conveyor belt—and I’ve personally witnessed the cobbled streets of Rome chew up and spit out the wheels of rolling suitcases, forcing tourists to haul the heavy things by hand. But once I started bringing the Thule Crossover 2 Wheeled Duffel Bag and the Thule Crossover 2 Laptop Backpack on trips, I stopped worrying about damaged luggage. Not even the most aggressive road or airport employee has been able to put a dent in them.
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I’ve been traveling with this dynamic duo since 2019, and both bags have proven their grit in a variety of settings. They’re durable, spacious, and show no signs of wearing out beyond the inevitable scuff here and there. The wheeled duffel is still rolling along like new, and the backpack hasn’t needed a single zipper repaired. These bags might actually outlast me.
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This tough-as-nails rolling duffel has a ton going for it. It’s equipped with oversized wheels that have never jammed or encountered an obstacle they couldn’t roll over, reinforced corners, and a hard molded base that protects fragile belongings. The top soft part of the duffel zips open via a large clamshell lid, and even when I think I’ve packed it to the limit, I can always squeeze another shirt or pair of shoes inside. Items that I want fast access to, like a book or a jacket, are easily stowed in the top exterior pocket that is, no exaggeration, roomy enough to fit a bowling ball.
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When you’re not rolling it, you can lift the bag by its top and side handles that are tightly sewn into the fabric, or by the straps that Velcro together over the main compartment. All of these handles have been put to the test when the bag is packed to the max, and their seams haven’t budged.
The telescoping handle is still in excellent shape as well, gliding up and down with the push of a button and locking securely into place when necessary. It’s almost miraculous that this hasn’t broken, as I often lift the heavy, fully packed duffel by its retractable handle (don’t do this) when I’m in a hurry.
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I bring this trusty 30-liter backpack to coffee shops nearly every workday, and it accompanies me on all of my travels. The padded sleeve in the rear compartment fits laptops up to 15.2 by 10.4 inches in size, while the larger front compartment holds my chargers, snacks, noise-canceling headphones, and usually a folded jacket or sweater. Whether I’m bringing it to a cafe or carrying it onto my flight, I trust it to hold all the essentials plus some. It’s also the perfect size for sliding smoothly beneath an airplane seat, so there’s no need to put it in the overhead bin.
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It’s got a pretty minimal design, which gives it a sleek look, but the thin cushioning in the straps means it’s not something you’ll want to wear on long walks through the airport (or long waits at your gate). That’s where the stretchy pass-through strap on the back panel comes in handy. When I need to give my shoulders a break, I slide the pack onto my rolling duffel’s telescoping handle and let it hitch a ride. Five years and zero issues later, this pack has shown that it’s coming with me on every ride in the foreseeable future.
