Quince Carry-On Suitcase (21 in) Review

The Quince Carry-On Suitcase (21 in) is a compelling purchase for many reasons. At 48 liters, it has decent capacity quoted to fit 6-9 outfits. It has Hinomoto wheels and YKK zippers, both brand names that are basically bywords for reliability and quality. To top it all off, it rolls smoothly and quietly, and the handle is simple yet comfortable.

Yes, the exterior shell does feel a tad more plasticky than other carry on luggage made with polycarbonate. But at the suitcase’s competitive price, it might just be worth the trade-off. However, we’ll have to dive more deeply into the details to answer that more definitively, so let’s get to it.

External Components

Polycarbonate. Yes, we know you’re probably tired of brands using this type of plastic for their hard-sided luggage. But hey, it’s a tried and tested material, and for good reasons. It’s lightweight, flexible, and relatively cost-effective (well, more so than aluminum, we’d imagine). This makes it the ideal choice for luggage that regularly sees abuse from very eager baggage handlers and tired travelers, who are both likely to handle with minimal care, if we’re being honest.

Polycarbonate shells aren’t all made equally, and, admittedly, the Quince Carry-On Suitcase’s feels particularly plasticky compared to others we’ve tested. It doesn’t have that thick, thunk-y feel when you knock around its shell. To be fair, at its relatively modest price, middling quality like this is almost expected. Better still, the Carry-On Suitcase’s shell is holding up surprisingly well, remaining scratch-free and pristine throughout our testing and usage, which isn’t something we can say about some more premium luggage we’ve tried.

At the top and on the side are grab handles. Like premium luggage, Quince opted for handles that remain flush against the shell when they’re not being used. Pull on them, though, and there are nifty and subtle sliding mechanisms that allow these handles to expand and bow out. Mind you, these handles are just as plasticky as the shell, and there’s no padding to make carrying comfy. But if we’re strictly talking about using these for grabbing the bag out of trunks, overhead bins, and from underneath seats, then these are perfectly serviceable.

There’s also a TSA-approved lock at the top. It’s a three-digit number combination that holds both zippers captive—again, pretty standard stuff among luggage. What makes it TSA-approved, you may ask? Well, see that small keyhole? TSA agents have a special key that goes into that if they need to inspect your luggage even when you’re not around (that’s just part of their job, and it’s at their discretion to do so).

Surprisingly, the four sets of wheels are from Hinomoto, which is pretty much the top name brands go to when they want quality luggage wheels. These wheels are beefy, rotate freely, and roll very smoothly, as you can imagine. Additionally, the zippers are from YKK, another name synonymous with quality, though this time for zippers. Honestly, this is where we expect brands to skimp out whenever they set a fairly low budget price, so kudos to Quince for splurging on fairly impactful aspects.

The telescoping handle is aluminum, as with most luggage’s telescoping handles. Any cost-cutting measures are well hidden, too, as the handle feels pretty solid. There’s some wiggle between the individual parts, but nothing out of the ordinary. The handle itself is rubberized and curved, so it’s easy to hold, even in those times when you’re blindly grabbing it in a hurry.

Fit Notes

The telescoping handle has two height adjustments: full height and half height. We find full height too tall, whether we’re rolling the bag on four or two wheels. It might be better suited for taller individuals, though. On the other hand, half height is much more well-rounded, so we use it most of the time. All of that said, having only two levels to choose from is a bit limiting, and it may be symptomatic of the bag’s budget price point.

Otherwise, the Quince Carry-On Suitcase handles just fine. The wheels are quiet, whether rolling on carpeted floors or rough pavement. Meanwhile, the handle’s rubberized finish is comfortable enough to hold, so we don’t feel a need for padding.

Inside The Carry On Luggage

Spoiler alert: the Quince Carry-On Suitcase’s interior is—like its exterior—quite similar to that of other luggage. The main compartment opens clamshell-style, with a mesh-covered compartment on one side, and a more general bucket space on the other for most of your clothing. The volume is split roughly 50-50, but the left side’s mesh cover is recessed by quite a bit, conceding much of that side’s volume to the other side as overhead space. Again, nothing too out of the ordinary, though the black liner fabric is somewhat notable, if only because we’re used to gray or lighter shades of liner on other luggage we’ve tested.

Zip the mesh cover open, and you’ll find a somewhat shallow compartment for all your gear that isn’t clothing. In our case, those would be a packable jacket, a tech kit, a rain jacket, and two pouches packed with accessories and toiletries. There are also loops around the sides for attaching additional accessories, such as keys, carabiners, and souvenir keychains. You can also unzip the liner in case you want to hide some documents between the fabric and the shell, or if a spill seeps through and you have to clean it out.

The right side gets the bulk of the bag’s volume, with some of that space coming courtesy of the recessed other side, as we mentioned. With that in mind, there is an included compression panel to help you make the most of the available volume. We’ve been quite picky about many compression panels since we’ve tested so many luggage that have them, with one of our frequent criticisms being the way they’re designed to flip over. We’re not fans of compression panels that flip up and out of the bag (towards the opposite side relative to you) because we feel that they take up too much space. However, the good news is that this bag’s compression panel flips to the left, where it’s still easy to reach once you’ve packed all the clothing you need.

The compression panel is held by two straps attached to the spine of the bag, with two corresponding clips on the other side to secure and cinch it down. Of course, this also means you can remove the compression panel altogether if you don’t want to use it by unthreading the straps from the panel’s loops. That said, we suggest leaving it in place since it’s a solid place to keep dress shirts to prevent them from getting creased, and you don’t save that much space by getting rid of it.

Underneath the compression panel, we’re able to fit a pair of shoes, a pullover, three pairs of pants, and six shirts. All in all, Quince’s claim that you can fit 6-9 outfits holds up, though you’re mostly looking at simpler styles if you’re pushing towards the upper estimate. Of course, we can always make a few adjustments, such as swapping the shoes for more tops, to accommodate more outfits. That said, capacity is overall decent for a 48-liter piece of luggage.