Best Lightweight Luggage & Carry-Ons Under 8lb, 2023

best lightweight carry on luggage

If you like to travel light, then you don't want your luggage weighing you down.

But what's the best lightweight luggage?

In this post, we'll give your our top picks for stylish yet lightweight carry-on bags and luggage, as well as how best to choose.

Best Lightweight Luggage for 2023

Here are our top picks for lightweight luggage by style and type:

Best Lightweight Carry-On with Wheels 2023

Winner: Voyager Leather Carry-on with Wheels

We love the Voyager because it feels very lightweight for a leather rolling bag at only 3.5kg, without sacrificing the space you need, as it's internal space is 50cmx40cmx18cm. The full grain leather looks and feels very smart, and the zippers run smoothly and feel high quality (they're Japanese YKK).

Pros:

Weight: 7.72 lbs (3.5kg).
Full grain leather
Hand luggage compliant.
16 inch laptop sleeve.
Luggage tag included.
Two exterior pockets for easy-to-reach items.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Handmade in Italy
Designer travel bag.
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Best Lightweight Travel Backpack 2023

Winner: 10X Leather Laptop Backpack

The 10X is ideal for those who prefer to travel with a backpack instead of a traditional carry-on. It has separated internal compartments to help you keep certain items isolated inside the bag, which can be useful to keep things organised. It also has a dedicated laptop compartment for a 15.6 inch laptop. It has a side strap, top strap, detachable shoulder strap, and added backpack straps, making it a great convertible bag.

Pros:

Full grain leather
Can convert from backpack to shoulder bag
Top and side handles.
Backpack straps hide in zip compartments.
Fits up to 15.6 inch laptop or tablet.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized
Available in brown, tan, black, or red leather.
Unisex.

Click here to check the price

Best Lightweight Underseat Laptop Bag 2023

city leather laptop bag with shoulder strap

Winner: CITY Leather Laptop Bag

If you prefer a laptop or briefcase style of carry-on bag, then the CITY is perfect. It has two sizes depending on the laptop you own, with both a 15.6 inch and 17inch bag available. The full grain leather has a luxurious feel, and adds to the designer appeal, without being bulky or heavy. The exterior zipped pocket is convenient to store boarding passes and your passport while moving through an airport.

Pros:

Full grain leather
Detachable shoulder strap
Fits up to a 15.6 inch laptop (also a 17 inch version here)
Handmade in Italy
Dedicated laptop compartment
Additional zipper pockets

Click here to check the price

Best Lightweight Weekender Bag 2023

Winner: Weekender Leather Travel Bag

The Weekender is a traditional leather duffel bag, perfect for those who need to carry a lot of things while traveling. The detachable shoulder strap has a padded section to spread the direct pressure on your shoulder, ensuring this doesn't feel like a heavy bag. The internal laptop compartment helps you take your tech with you. We love the black leather version, with the full grain leather gleaming as you remove it from the dust bag.

Pros:

Full grain leather
16 inch internal padded laptop sleeve.
Internal zipped pocket for travel essentials like your passport.
Plenty of space for all your gear.
Adjustable shoulder strap.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Perfect overnight bag.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Best Budget Lightweight Travel Bag 2023

Winner: Liberty Leather Backpack

Pros:

Full grain leather
14 inch laptop sleeve.
Multiple front zipped compartments.
Adjustable shoulder straps
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Best Budget Lightweight Garment Bag 2023

Winner: Grand Leather Garment Bag

Pros:

Full grain leather
Dedicated garment carrier.
Carry a suit and shirt without creasing.
Large main compartment for other items.
16 inch laptop compartment.
Adjustable shoulder strap.
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Best Lightweight Laptop Backpack 2023

Winner: Prime Leather Backpack

Pros:

Full grain leather
14 inch laptop sleeve.
Multiple front zipped compartments.
Adjustable shoulder straps
Durable cotton lining and YKK zippers.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized

Click here to check the price

Softshell vs Hardshell

To protect your device, you should use either a hard or a softshell case. If you're unsure which one is right for you, let me help you sort it out.

Softshell bags are ideal for individuals who wish to maintain their travel arrangements in order in terms of weight and convenience. Hardshells just can't compete with the number of compartments found inside and out of softshell cases. Unfortunately they're not as powerful or durable. Another downside is if you're obliged to check a softshell bag, it may look like a pancake on the luggage carousel.

Compare this with a hardshell bag. In the case of an emergency, your carry-on bag can be checked. Each case will be made of high-grade materials and is quite durable. Designed to withstand airport baggage handlers, these bags are perfect for flying travel.

For choosing between the two, first identify the most important features to you, such as spinning wheels, an expandable capacity, dividers, and pockets. Choose the luggage that fulfills all of your requirements, then.

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Consider Size Limits for Travel Bags

Carry-on baggage comes in a variety of sizes and designs. Make sure your bag is carry-on size approved before you purchase.

Several sizes are available for each of the luggage I've detailed here. So far, I've concentrated on carry-ons because they're the lightest. Because of this, I only provided information about their weights and heights.

Choose Quality for a Travel Bag That Will Last

The material of the casing tells you a lot about its build quality and long-term usefulness.

In most cases you will get what you pay for, particularly with softshell bags.

With hardshell bags, you will likely end up with broken handles if you choose a lower quality bags, whereas softshell bags tend to wear down and can rip.

The best material for a softshell bag is leather, as it combines both durability and style.

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Alternatives to Lightweight Luggage

The most obvious alternative to a lightweight piece of luggage is something more heavy duty.

This could be a hardshell suitcase, or simply a bulkier backpack.

What is considered lightweight to you may be heavy to someone else, so try to weigh a bag that you're comfortable carrying at the moment, to give yourself a baseline of what you will be able to handle.

Conclusion

We hope you found our lightweight luggage article useful.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email info@vonbaer.com.

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