In-Depth Lab & Journey Assessments

Why It Received This Rating

We take a look at each suitcase throughout 5 core classes: Construct High quality, Performance, Ease of Use, Climate Resistance, and Worth-to-Efficiency. For the Monos Carry-On Professional, the aerospace-grade polycarbonate shell helped it rating a powerful 9.1 in Construct High quality—it’s sturdy, versatile, and made to final.

Its entrance tech compartment and well-organized inside earned it a powerful 9.5 in Performance, whereas easy wheels and a sturdy deal with introduced in a 9.4 for Ease of Use.

Climate Resistance got here in a bit decrease at 7.2, because of the unsealed zippers and lack of full waterproofing. Nonetheless, for the value, it’s a standout suitcase—scoring an general 9.3 in our assessments.

Given its distinctive efficiency in our assessments, it’s simple to see why we named Monos our best choice in our information to the greatest baggage manufacturers of 2025.

Who It’s For

• Enterprise vacationers who want fast entry to laptops, paperwork, and journey necessities by way of the padded entrance compartment with a number of pockets and zippered pouches
• Frequent flyers: Sturdy supplies, easy wheels, and arranged compartments make this a dependable choose for normal journey, dealing with the damage and tear of fixed use
• Worldwide Vacationers: You hop between nations, and overhead bin guidelines fluctuate. This carry-on is sized to slot in most international airways
• Tech-Savvy Vacationers: The entrance pocket is a game-changer—a number of small compartments for chargers and cables, plus bigger sleeves that match as much as a 16-inch laptop computer, excellent for organizing gadgets and lightening your load on the go.

Who It’s Not For

• Price range Vacationers: Whereas it’s extra inexpensive than some luxurious baggage, it’s nonetheless an funding—not excellent when you’re searching for the bottom value level (even with occasional gross sales)
• Overpackers: It’s a real carry-on dimension that focuses on airline compliance, so when you are likely to convey your whole closet, you may really feel restricted
• Tough-and-Tumble Adventurers: When you’re headed off-road or incessantly journey to rugged locations, a soft-shell duffle or outside gear may serve you higher
• These Who Choose Mushy-Shell Options: When you choose the flexibleness, expandability, or look of material suitcases, the Monos Carry-On Professional’s inflexible polycarbonate shell is probably not your model.

Design & Aesthetics

The Monos Carry-On Professional leans into clear, minimalist design — and pulls it off fairly effortlessly. At first look, it has a basic hard-shell look with easy, rounded corners. You’d see on one thing just like the Away Carry-On.

Monos and Away are two competing manufacturers, each identified for his or her minimalist aesthetics and sensible options. Away leans into daring branding and tech integrations like built-in chargers, whereas Monos focuses extra on refined craftsmanship and sustainable supplies. This refined distinction makes the Carry-On Professional really feel a bit extra understated and complicated. 

The figuring out characteristic on the again aspect is a collection of horizontal indented traces towards the center of the suitcase. 

When wanting on the baggage straight, the standout characteristic is undoubtedly the zippered entrance pocket that “pops” out barely from the remainder of the bag, additionally accented by the identical horizontal traces that proceed across the circumference of the suitcase. The Monos brand (an M with three dots) is imprinted in a circle on the entrance aspect and on the vegan leather-based seize handles. 

Across the again, you’ll spot a horizontal line sample indented into the shell — it’s understated however offers the suitcase a little bit of character. These horizontal traces reappear on the front-facing zippered tech compartment, which barely protrudes from the primary physique. It’s all coming collectively fairly properly, design-wise.

I attempted out the olive inexperienced possibility, however there are 9 different colours – from daring Ocean Blue and Rose Quartz to extra muted tones like Desert Taupe, Gray, and Black. There are even 4 restricted version shades when you’re into one thing a bit extra distinctive.

Materials & Construct High quality

The Professional’s laborious exterior shell is constructed from water resistant polycarbonate, which is constructed from partially recycled supplies. The seize handles on the highest and aspect use vegan leather-based, and have sufficient “give” that they don’t really feel stiff once I slide my hand in or out. 

The built-in TSA-approved lock snapped open and shut with ease and felt tightly secured throughout the shell of the bags. The outside compartment, which, in all probability, is the place most individuals would hold helpful electronics for straightforward entry, didn’t have a built-in lock. The zippers do have two small holes so a lock could possibly be added, however none was offered. Though it’s not a deal breaker, it’s one more factor to “keep in mind to purchase” throughout journey planning. 

The zippers on the primary compartment even have holes for snapping into the locking mechanism, so if the built-in, TSA-approved locking system breaks someday down the street (and hopefully this received’t occur), it might nonetheless be locked with a conventional lock— a small element that provides a bit of additional longevity to the lifetime of the suitcase.

One good contact is the usage of reverse coil YKK zippers, which seal on the within somewhat than the skin, giving the bag a clear, easy look and a good seal. The sliding zippers have been made with thick steel that gave me the impression they wouldn’t break simply. 

One challenge I had when testing the Carl Friedrik was that its new, handy zipperless design allowed fairly a little bit of water in throughout an sudden rainshower. So, I made a decision to check the Monos the identical method by pouring water over the zipper. I used to be joyful to see that my garments stayed fully dry inside. 

To be clear, I’m not saying the Monos Carry-On is waterproof, but when, for some motive, it will get moist (for a brief time period), the gadgets inside have a very good probability of staying dry. 

I introduced the bag close to a seashore space within the Florida Keys, and once I set the bag down indoors, there was nonetheless some sand on it that left scratch marks, regardless of the minimal contact with it. For me, this appeared a bit too fast for the shell to scratch, though sand is a dangerous materials for absolutely anything.

Whereas the Monos Carry-On Professional excels in sturdiness, see how its options examine on to its high competitor in our Monos vs. Away evaluation.

Weight & Portability

The Monos Carry-On Professional weighs 7.8 kilos, which is correct round common for its dimension—corresponding to the Away Carry-On at  7.5 kilos and the Tumi Worldwide Carry-On at 7.9) It additionally meets the normal carry-on dimension necessities for many airways, so I had no hassle lifting, maneuvering, or passing it by way of safety checks with ease.

I appreciated that the perimeters have been properly rounded, so it might slide out and in of tight areas in my automotive with out corners getting caught on something. 

The big, 360-degree spinner wheels have been specifically designed by Monos and felt sturdy however easy because the suitcase rolled throughout the ground. It rolled over sandy, textured pavement within the Florida Keys with out getting caught or dragged down.

The telescoping deal with has 4 adjustment top choices, however I’m pretty tall, so I solely used the final one and it labored properly for me. I did discover that when the bag was fully full, there was a slight quantity of resistance and strain when shutting or releasing the telescoping deal with, nevertheless it was minimal and didn’t stick. 

When “flipping” the bag round in several instructions, it could often snag for a second, so it wasn’t fairly as fluid as different baggage I’ve used, however I’m splitting hairs. General, it moved effortlessly, and the bag’s grip deal with felt comfy in my hand.

Group & Accessibility

The Carry-On Professional’s design is geared towards group, however that comes at the price of house — it provides simply 20L capability, which is on the smaller aspect in comparison with related fashions just like the Away Carry-On, which holds 39.8L.

The outside pocket additionally comes with three small pockets (I used them for my laptop computer charger, telephone charger cable, and cost brick), in addition to two bigger sleeves that may match a 16-inch laptop computer. I often journey with two laptops (one for work and one for private use), so the outside compartment was excellent for stashing the one I didn’t want quick entry to and I’d hold the opposite one in my journey backpack for my street journey for straightforward entry. This lightened the load so I didn’t need to tote each laptops into Starbucks each time I wanted a espresso break. When you have a number of journey devices (like iPads, reMarkable writing notebooks, Kindles, and many others), then this additional pocket could possibly be actually helpful for you. 

Nevertheless, when you’re touring with only one machine, the entrance pocket received’t be simply accessible in the course of the flight because the carry-on often goes within the overhead bin. I examined utilizing the entrance pocket for garments as a substitute and managed to suit a couple of pairs of gymnasium shorts and socks, making it a helpful spot for additional storage when wanted.

The inside zipped mesh pocket is ideal for socks, swimsuits, and undergarments, or, there’s one other mesh compartment behind it. Nevertheless, once I put my sneakers into the pocket behind the mesh, it pressed into the outside pocket, making it bow out in order that it was troublesome for the laptop computer to easily slide out and in. I nonetheless closed it, nevertheless it did have me anxious in regards to the laptop computer, so I put the sneakers into the primary compartment as a substitute. I did discover the pocket behind the mesh the right place to stash my soiled garments (compressed in plastic baggage) because the journey progressed.

There’s additionally a compression pouch that may be strapped down with adjustable straps or eliminated fully. I discovered it helpful for a few sundresses, so I didn’t need to roll or crinkle them with the remainder of my shorts and T-shirts. Plus, the bag comes with three shoe or garment baggage to maintain issues tidy.

Distinctive Options

The principle draw that units this carry-on suitcase aside is the outside pocket that opens when the suitcase is standing vertically, as a substitute of needing to relaxation it flat. That is an improve from the basic Monos Carry-On and is particularly designed for gadgets, chargers, and different must-have gadgets in lieu of a briefcase or backpack. 

As talked about, I additionally discovered this characteristic to be useful when touring with a private merchandise and a number of sorts of giant digital gadgets, so I might stow the one I wasn’t incessantly utilizing. Once more, when you’re on the airplane, this handy-quick entry isn’t as helpful, though it nonetheless beats having to butterfly the suitcase open to get one thing mid-flight.

Model Impression & Sustainability

It’s important to me that firms look past aesthetics and performance to think about the broader environmental footprint of their product manufacturing. 

Monos has taken a couple of steps in the correct route, together with using vegan leather-based as a substitute of animal-based merchandise. 

One other large win is that they use 100% recycled bottles to create the internal lining of the suitcase, and the handles and wheels comprise a mixture of 30 to 50 % recycled and uncooked supplies. The web site additionally states that each one of their merchandise are freed from PFAs, also referred to as “without end chemical compounds” which have been linked to dangerous well being points in people and animals. 

Monos can also be an authorized B Corp, a company that charges companies primarily based on their governance, therapy of staff, neighborhood efforts, environmental practices, and buyer stewardship. 

B Corp certification has lengthy been thought of a reputable marker of companies that go above and past to prioritize each individuals and the planet, and Monos scored a powerful 84.5 (properly above the common of fifty.9). Nevertheless, extra lately, critics have accused B Corp of greenwashing, prompting the corporate to overhaul its certification program.  

Monos additionally companions with Veritree, a company that vegetation bushes to reforest threatened areas, together with the Outdated Bonjoge Forest in Kenya. 

As a client, it may be troublesome to seek out correct disposal and recycling strategies for distinctive gadgets, so that is undoubtedly an space they will enhance on.

Guarantee & Returns

Each Monos suitcase features a restricted lifetime guarantee that covers wheel, deal with, or lock replacements in the event that they fail to work resulting from common use. This doesn’t cowl airline harm or zipper harm from journey, nor does it embrace misplaced baggage credit. 

Nevertheless, Monos provides two prolonged warranties for buy: the “Important Plus” ($35) or the “Professional Plus” ($65). 

The “Important Plus” consists of: 

• As much as one declare for airline harm and zipper harm
• $50 baggage credit score for misplaced baggage
• 15% off purchases

The “Professional Plus” guarantee consists of: 

• Two claims for airline harm and zipper harm
• $100 baggage credit score for misplaced baggage 
• 30% % off purchases 

The warranties should be added inside two weeks of buy to be able to be legitimate. 

Whenever you first get the bags, you’ll enter a 100-day trial interval, throughout which period you’ll be able to return the bags for a full refund, minus $25 for the return delivery price.

Monos Carry-On Professional Options

When you’re searching for sturdy, hard-shell carry-on baggage, there are a number of choices obtainable that mix model and performance. Listed here are a couple of choices in several value ranges: