» What it is: A soft-sided carry-on bag that collapses down to 4 inches deep from 8 inches for stowing in its own plastic bag to go in a closet or under a bed when you’re back from the road. The large zipped exterior pocket is handy for travel documents, and interior straps help secure clothing when you aren’t filling the bag to capacity. It also has a telescoping handle for use as a drag bag, plus two comfortably padded handles top and side. Weighing about 5 pounds, it measures 22 by 14 inches and comes in seven rich colors. The bag also has a three-year warranty.

» The good: The most striking thing about this French carry-on is its elegant-looking, soft nylon twill fabric, which stands up amazingly well to the bumps of travel. After a few trips it will still look new, so you don’t have to default to drab black like the rest of the world. Too, the soft sides make this slip easily into an overhead bin, even if you stuff it full. And you may be tempted to load up, because it holds a lot for a 22-incher, again because of the soft sides.

» The bad: When packing light, the bag can look a bit "winded" because it’s not stuffed to fill out the sides.

» Cost: $189

» Available from:lipault-us.com and amazon.com

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