IN-DEPTH WANDRD Transit Carry On Roller Review (2024)

In a few words, The WANDRD Transit Carry-on is a 40L carry-on rolling luggage with some backpack qualities, designed by one of the best technical travel gear makers in the world today.

It’s carry-on approved for most airlines, has plenty of storage options, and uses high-quality materials. While it is designed for travellers who bring a bit of electronic gear with them, it is suitable for everybody.

Specs

• Volume: 40L
• Weight: 6.8 lbs (3.1 kg)
• Dimensions: 21.5″H X 13″W X 9″D (54.6 X 33 X 22.9 CM)
• Price: $420
• Roller Handle Additional Height: Stage 1: 9.5″ (24.1 CM) / Stage 2: 18.5″ (47 CM)

Highlights

• Built-to-Last
• Crush-Proof Wheels
• Internal Organization Marie Kondo would approve of.
• Hidden Airtag Pocket
• Built-In Compression Straps
• Oversized Laptop Pocket
• Quick-Access Organisation Pockets
• Weather-Resistant Material
• 2-Stage Retractable Handle

Size, Weight and Capacity

OK, so this piece is only available in a 40L version. In case you don’t know, 40L is generally the maximum amount you can take into the cabin if you’re travelling carry-on only.

Usually, 40L is enough to last for the ‘average traveller’ for about a week. Light packers, skilled packers or those used to long-term travel may be able to stretch that to 10-14 days. By way of comparison, I take a 60-65L backpack when I go for multi-month backpacking trips.

The storage and arrangement options on the WANDRD Transit Carry-on-roller mean that you can optimise every last litre but I must make it clear that if you travel with heavy gear like a DSLR camera you will start to eat through that storage capacity allowance pretty fast.

The dimensions are exactly what you would expect – it’s purposely designed to fit into a cabin and is consistent with other rollers in its class. The notable difference I guess is that the tarpaulin front ‘squeezes down’ a bit in a way that pure hard shell luggage pieces cannot.

Now, let’s talk about weight. At just over 3 kg, this is not a particularly lightweight pack. The Transit carry-on was designed for durability and so uses stronger, sturdier, heavier materials. It’s fine for rolling and carrying short distances but I would not want to have to carry this when fully packed for a prolonged period.

All in all, the Transit Carry excels in offering a balance between spaciousness and portability, the backpack is designed to comply with carry-on standards. Its weight is noticeable yet manageable, designed to maximise what you can bring without feeling overburdened.

Storage, Packing and Access

Efficient storage and easy access are paramount and the WANDRD Carry-on roller delivers. The bag’s layout and compartments encourage organised packing and foster the ability to reach your items pretty effortlessly.

Like most luggage pieces, the WANDRD transit fully zips down to open up ‘like a book’ and this is where the main storage compartment is. There are some mesh pockets and compression straps to secure your stuff. There are then 2 inside zip pocket sections on the inside lid.

On the outside, we have quite a few extra, novel storage sections. The tarpaulin front coach has 2 zip accessible pockets as well as a fully oversized, padded laptop compartment. The images below will showcase this better than a written description.

Materials, Durability and Aesthetics

Crafted from high-quality materials, the WANDRD transit carry-on roller delivers durability and a stylish appearance. Its construction, using high-quality, strong materials is aimed at withstanding the rigours of travel without compromising on looks.

The WANDRD design aesthetic across their product range is always top notch tapping into realms of hip-minimalism and modernist style. The Transit Carry-on fits perfectly into the WANDRD family and looks cool as fuck – it’s honestly the most stylish piece of luggage I have ever tried.

As soon as you touch this pack you can feel the quality of the materials used. The weather-proof, stain-resistant tarpaulin feels smooth and sleek, the inner padding and mesh is clearly the best on the market and the skeleton feels solid.

With any piece of rolling luggage, the weak spots are usually the zips, the handle, and the wheels. Well, I can confirm that all WANDRD products use high-quality zips.

As for the wheels and handle on this, I have not tried it for long enough to give you a full and honest insight into their resilience but WANDRD points out that the ‘crush-proof’ wheels are built to last and I am minded to give them the benefit of any doubt.

Finally, WANDRD also offers a Lifetime Guarantee on all of their products.

Carrying Comfort

As you know, there are 2 basic ways to carry a luggage roller like the WANDRD Transit – either you pull the handle and roll it on its wheels, or you pick it up and carry it. As such, there isn’t really all that much to say when it comes to carrying comfort.

But, when in wheel mode, the handle feels fine to the hand and the wheels spin very smoothly even when on semi-challenging floors. When carrying, the ergonomic handles are softly padded and sweat-resistant.

As we said earlier, the Transit roller is not an ultra-light pack and when fully packed, you will start to feel it if you are carrying it by hand over prolonged periods. Thus, to maintain a manageable load, prioritizing essential items becomes imperative to keep your pack light. 

Best Uses (and Worst Uses)

You know the drill here. The WANDRD Transit Roller was custom-built for carry-on and therefore its optimal use is for carry-on!

This makes it ideal for flying away for long weekend trips, city breaks (although I would NOT want to try to wheel this over the ragged cobbles of several Italian cities) and overseas business trips.

Of course, you don’t have to use it for carry-on and you could just easily chuck the pack into the back of your car for your brother’s wedding or you can take it on a grand rail expedition.

The point is that at 40L, the Transit is made for short-to-mid duration trips where you don’t need a fully-fledged ‘check-in’ style or a 65-litre backpack.

As a rolling luggage-style piece, the WANDRD Transit Carry-On is absolutely NOT optimal for outdoor uses, multi-destination backpacking, or extended trips.

Finally, WANDRD generally aim their product offerings as travelling-tech heads. For example, their flag-ship PRVKE product was specifically designed for photographers on the road.

While WANDRD suggests that this piece is ideal for photographers, I am not sure it is really that much more or less suitable than many other luggage rollers.

Price

The WANDRD Transit roller will set you back some $420. That is expensive. The question therefore arises as to whether it’s worth the bucks and to be blunt, there is no clear answer.

It’s like this – if you buy cheap, you buy twice. While you can find a piece of luggage on Amazon for $100, it WILL break sooner than you want it to and may well lose a wheel the first time you take it out or may even completely fall to pieces.

On the other hand, this one is built to last and should give you a lifetime of use. The hefty price reflects the high quality of the design, materials and the lifetime guarantee that WANDRD offers.

Personally, I don’t use carry-on rollers all that much and do question whether I would ever really get enough use to justify the spend but that’s because I prefer travel backpacks.

In order to really and truly assess a piece of gear, you also need to compare it to its peers. In this section, we will look at a few other carry-on travel packs that you may like.

Nomatic Carry on Pro

The Nomatic Carry-On Pro boasts an innovative design crafted for the modern traveller, it seamlessly combines versatility and durability, featuring a sleek exterior shell built from polycarbonate materials to withstand the rigours of travel.

With its expandable capacity, it adapts effortlessly to varying packing needs while remaining compliant with airline carry-on restrictions.

With a capacity of 29L, the Nomatic Carry on is notably smaller than the WANDRD carry on. This makes it a bit lighter to carry but then it holds far less stuff making its use limited to weekend trips for most. It also costs $520 which makes the WANDRD look like a steal!

Osprey Farpoint 36 Wheeled Backpack

The Osprey Farpoint is a wheeled backpack. This means you can strap it on and wear it on your back when the ground is uncertain and not ideal for wheeling.

Of course, it’s heavier than a standard backpack, but this approach will still feel more comfortable than carrying the WANDRD transit luggage over a long distance.

While it may not match the weatherproofing and protective shell of the Transit, this option shines as a great carry-on backpack. With a capacity of 36 liters, it offers slightly less space, and its aesthetics might not be as appealing. However, priced at $300, it remains a decent choice.

And that’s a wrap. By now you should have a pretty fair idea of whether this pack is for you. As we said, it’s a high-quality, stylish piece of travel kit that is perfect for fly-away long weekends and international city breaks.

The only real drawback is the price which may detour some of you. Still, if you can afford the bucks then it will represent a good investment and will deliver you years of travel use.

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