This cult luggage brand known for its monogrammable luggage has done it again with their updated Carry On Pro, a further refined version of their beloved cabin option. The game changer is its external, zippable laptop pocket – now in hardshell for added device protection – that saves rummaging for your devices at security. There’s also a clever, ejectable battery for on-the-go charging, blissfully smooth wheels and that signature selection of very cool colours, from the muted green Moss to the terracotta-esque Clay.

Fight the fumble with Bellroy’s Tokyo Totepack, which has internal and external pockets galore. Along with a stack of internal compartments, there are vertical exterior pockets perfect for stashing your passport and headphones as well as pop-up bottle slots, reducing the possibility of a lost water bottle on domestic flights. Carryable as both a backpack and tote bag, you’ve got double grab capacity and the tough, nylon webbing is repellent of both water- and liquid-based stains.

A crucial vessel for transporting clothing, garment bags are a key piece of luggage that don’t get a whole lot of airtime. Stackers Weekend Garment Bag is a helpful hybrid of weekender-meets-garment-bag, ensuring you’ll use it more than a few times a year. When zipped, it’s a duffel; when unzipped, it’s a full garment bag that you can hang in a hotel closet upon arrival.

Everlane’s trendy handbag-like weekender doesn’t follow the rules of luggage – at least not when it comes to aesthetics. Although it has plenty of space for a weekend’s worth of luggage – from shoes to laptops and everything in between – it’s also chic and sustainable, with its shell and zips crafted from recycled plastic. 

Barcelona-based brand Ölend has done away with sober practicality and created the Ona Soft Bag, a functional everyday carrier that’s also guaranteed to please the fashion set. Padded for comfort (and protection of valuables, including 16-inch laptops, which fit easily inside), the soft, nylon fabric is both water-resistant and spot-cleaning friendly and the adjustable straps can suit a tote and backpack carrying style. The product is limited to pre-order only, reducing waste and overproduction to ensure a sustainable supply chain.

If clothing is a crucial part of your travel, Tumi’s tri-fold garment bag will keep your best dresses and business suits protected. Made from Tumi’s anti-abrasion FXT Ballistic Nylon®, nothing will get in the way of your suits and gowns – and monogramming comes standard with each suitcase, too.

When is a Weekender not a Weekender? When it’s a July Carry All Weekender Plus. This unique offering is somewhere between a duffel and a suitcase, with a unique “clamshell” ability to open flat, solving the soft bag conundrum of crushed clothes and in-transit shifting of stuff. With a 50-litre capacity, this Mary Poppins-style bag can fit a lot more than you think, but with a helpful strap that fits over the handle of a suitcase, you won’t have to worry about how much you’ve packed.

Soft shell suitcases are featherlight and Antler’s classic black Prestwick is no exception, weighing in at easy 2.23 kilograms. It’s also equipped with a tough, water-resistant fabric, four 360-degree spinnable wheels and interior zip pockets and straps for keeping your belongings organised. 

Gadget-lovers assemble: the Peak Everyday Design Backpack is perfect for travellers with top-quality gear who need a backpack that’s both protective and practical. Built for photographers but usable by all, the Peak Design Everyday Backpack features three internal reconfigurable dividers: your lenses, batteries and additional accessories will be safe and sound within the 100 per cent recycled, weatherproof shell. There’s even capacity for tripods and larger bits and pieces if you’re planning to work while on the road.

Few suitcases can solve the problem of being, well, suitcase-like. The Solgaard Carry-on Closet is more like a wardrobe than a suitcase, folding up into a smart, compact shelving system that makes unpacking or finding certain pieces infinitely easier. The polycarbonate shell sheaths it all in an indestructible exterior and there’s also a USB charging port for on-the-go power.

The benefit of a soft duffel is its versatility. You don’t have to delegate Bellroy’s Classic Weekender to the back of a wardrobe for plane journeys: this water-resistant, polyester number (made from 100 per cent recycled PET plastic bottles) is as much a gym or work bag as it is a cabin bag. (The zippable interior pockets are phone- and valuables-friendly, too.) Don’t be surprised if you put this one on regular rotation for office days.

Sleek, slight and Rimowa’s Essential Lite Cabin U is a classic choice for frequent travellers. Weighing in at just two kilos, it’s a nifty number with glossy polycarbonate body, ball-bearing mounted wheels that spin smoothly and an impressive lifetime guarantee, you’ll be pulling this out again and again, no matter where you’re headed.

5 Epic Day Trips to Take From Brisbane