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Our honest review of using the Chester Travels Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase.
Check out the Chester Travels Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase here.
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Sometimes you’ll even save money through our links. Like when you use the code 10AF to get 10% off any Chester Travels bag. We only partner with companies we have personally used and would recommend to our own friends and families.
Stevo and I have been traveling across Asia since 2011. We’ve been getting better and better at paring down to the essentials when we pack for trips. We still aren’t great at it, to be honest. We’ve always tried our best to stay true to our backpacker roots when we travel and only bring what we can strap to our backs.
In the past, we have always carried big backpacks. We used to think people pulling their wheelie bags behind them looked too much like tourists. Plus, we thought wheelie bags seemed impractical for our travel style. We were used to rocking up to destinations without a plan, getting to a new city and trekking around to find a place to stay.
We would shove our bags under buses, into overhead compartments, onto trains, and boats. All of this seemed easier with backpacks than suitcases.
But now as we’ve put more miles under our feet and are in our 30s, our travel style is changing. Our hostel days are (mostly) over, and we find ourselves choosing to take more comfortable modes of transportation and planning ahead a bit more (sometimes). We’ve found that our big backpacks feel cumbersome now.
After eight years abroad we’ve also learned that we don’t need as much stuff as we used to think we did.
In August 2018 we started our journey of working online and being fully location independent. This means we are traveling a lot more frequently now. In the past 15 months, we’ve lived and traveled in eight countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, India, and the USA.
We’ve slowly started getting rid of just about everything we own except for the essentials. We want to keep our nomadic lifestyle going for as long as we enjoy doing it, and we know that having less crap will make that a lot easier.
Our goal is to travel with carry-on bags only in 2020.
We realized that to do that we needed to downsize from our big backpacks to more practical carry-on size luggage.
In April 2019 I got an email from a company called Chester Travels that makes stylish, high quality, travel luggage. The timing couldn’t have been better, so we agreed to a partnership with them to try out one of their pieces of wheelie luggage in exchange for a review on our blog.
We hadn’t thought of getting a wheelie bag before, but we figured this was a great opportunity to try one out and see if it worked for us.
We looked at the Chester Travels website and chose the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase in ocean blue. It fit the two main criteria we were looking for in a carry-on bag: It’s lightweight, weighing just over 3 kilograms (only 7 lbs), and the size meets TSA and IATA cabin baggage guidelines for when we fly. It even has a TSA compliant lock built–in!
March 2020 update: We now travel with 4 carry-on bags, including our Chester Travels bag, and 1 big checked bag. Progress!
Get 10% off any Chester Travels bag with the code: 10AF
How do we like having a wheelie bag instead of a backpack?
To be honest, we like having a wheelie bag a lot more than we expected to! I think we are officially wheelie bag converts. And quite frankly we don’t care even if we do look like tourists! via GIPHY
For the past five months, we’ve been traveling with the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase. We didn’t want to review the bag on our site until we had traveled with it for a decent amount of time so we knew if we could truly recommend it. We wanted to continue living our lives the way we do, always on the go, and see if a wheelie bag could keep up. We’ve definitely put it to the test!
Where we’ve taken the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase
The bag was first sent to Stevo’s family in Nashville, Tenessee since Chester Travels doesn’t ship internationally right now. Stevo’s brother came to visit us in Bangkok in July and he brought the bag to us then. (Thanks Robby!)
So far we’ve taken it to Phuket, Bangkok, Thailand, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bali, Indonesia. We can safely say that this bag can handle all kinds of terrain from rocky dirt roads to bumpy city streets, and even sandy beaches. It’s been on buses and planes, shoved in the backs of taxis, dragged through subway stations and sky trains, and even on boats.
What we like about it
It’s easy to pull, push, carry, and store. The 360° spinner wheels roll as easily along airport concourses as they do along the sandy roads leading to your beachside accommodation. We’re actually amazed by how smoothly the wheels still roll after all of the uneven surfaces we’ve dragged it along. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Stevo spin the bag out in front of him at the airport and catch it just for his own amusement. It really is smooth!
The adjustable handle makes the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase easy to use for all manner of folks, no matter their size. We’re both pretty tall (Stevo is 6’3″ and I’m 5’8″), but the handle is long enough to be totally comfortable to wheel for both of us. Whether upright and pushed or pulled behind you, the bag will keep up. And the handles are made to last too. Whether it’s being yanked upstairs by the side handle, thrown into an overhead compartment, or dragged through sand or on dirt paths, it’s easy to maneuver.
Fitting the bag into the overhead bin on a plane is a breeze. The compact design is easy to lift and the outer shell protects your precious cargo and can take a beating. We’ve put a few beauty dents and scratches in ours already, and the polycarbonate shell means those dents pop right back out and it keeps right on rolling.
The shell flexes a bit so you can stuff as much as possible into the bag so you don’t have to pay for extra checked luggage. I’m not saying you should overpack your bag and take it on the plane, but you should overpack your bag and take it on the plane. Checked baggage is expensive!
How do we fit everything in just a carry-on bag?!
We’ll have to write another article just about what we pack at some point because it really had been life-changing to only travel with carry-on luggage.
All I’ll say for now is the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase can fit an impressive amount of clothing and other essentials. The two interior pockets make packing easy. Both compartments are surprisingly large. We are amazed by how much we can fit inside.
They also zip up to keep your possessions in one place while you wheel along. You can even fill in the space between the pockets if you need to pack more, which we do. There’s even a secret compartment with a laundry bag inside to put your dirty clothes in.
The zippers are heavy duty and will hold the overstuffed contents tight. The zippers lock together up top in TSA approved number combination lock to secure your valuables. And when you lock in the zippers together at the top in the lock, they make a “C” for Chester. Again, they’ve thought of everything!
The dual pockets also make it easy for us to pack up our clothes in one part and fit in our teaching gear in the other. Stevo and I both teach English online with the company VIPKID.
Being nomadic teachers on the go means keeping track of all the necessary accouterment to set up a suitable classroom wherever we are. We need headphones, lights, props, and backgrounds. The space in the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase makes packing all of our teaching essentials much easier. Now if it could help me remember the best way to teach reflexive pronouns, that would be even better.
So would we recommend the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase?
If you’re a frequent traveler who wants to only bring a carry-on bag then we’d definitely say give it a go! Chester Travels offers a 100-day trial and free returns in case you decide that the bag doesn’t work for you. That means that you can buy with no risk. Check out the different bags on the Chester Travels website. Get 10% off with the code: 10AF
Since the airlines we fly on in Asia allow two pieces of carry-on luggage we’ve decided we’ll also continue using our carry-on size backpacks to keep our laptops, DSLR camera, and other techie gear in. We prefer having those expensive items attached to us. But for our clothes, toiletries, and teaching gear, the Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase fits everything we need perfectly.
Having a wheelie bag has been surprisingly nice and convenient, and we love not having to lug everything on our backs!
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Sometimes you’ll even save money through our links. Like when you use the code 10AF to get 10% off any Chester Travels bag. We only partner with companies we have personally used and would recommend to our own friends and families.
Suruchi says
The minima carry on spinner suitcase looks really nice for travels. I know the wheelie bags gives a tourist impression but they are super comfortable too. Just 3 kg weight with hard casing is wow. I like its colour as well compact design. Thanks for sharing the complete review on it.
Francesca says
I tried the backpack thing once, but it was so hard on my back that I had to say forget it. Wheels for me all the way! The size and color of this one are pretty inconspicuous which is great. Polycarbonate shells are the best for frequent travelers!
Jennifer Joslin says
That’s how we are feeling too! Ready to be done with big heavy backpacks. We aren’t quite there yet, but working on downsizing our stuff! Agreed, the polycarbonate shell is awesome-it’s so lightweight and flexible!
Elaine Masters says
Nice to hear about all the features. I keep wearing out bags and need to invest in something more durable. Chester might be the answer.
Jennifer Joslin says
It’s definitely worth investing in a strong, well-made bag. Especially knowing how much you travel 🙂
Patricia says
ooh! This is timely. I’m on the hunt for a new carry-on size bag. I had given up on wheelie bags because during busy times of year, they often wouldn’t fit in the over-crammed compartments on US flights. But this one looks like it just might do it. I like the adjustable handle and the shell makes it look quite durable. And I quite appreciate the laundry bag inside!
Jennifer Joslin says
We love it for all of the reasons you mentioned! We’ll be taking the bag around the US this winter during the holiday season, and flying budget airlines, so the size should be perfect!
Adonis A Villanueva says
This looks like a solid hardside luggage. Wheelie is the way to go if you’re doing city hopping, I own a couple myself. I’m going to check the Chester Travels out once I’ve gone through my other ones!
Jennifer Joslin says
Once you go wheelie you don’t go back!
Nisha says
Chester Travels looks very stylish & comfy. Yes, the style of travel changes with time and it has happened with us also. We also prefer wheels to heavy backpacks. In fact, today only we were discussing what to carry for our impending trip. Probably we’ll go for Chester Travels. 🙂
And next time you are in India, do give me a shout out. 🙂
Jennifer Joslin says
It’s been a great bag for us. As fellow frequent travelers, I think the Chester bag would be perfect for you two. We definitely will! Hoping to make it to India again next year 😀
Rosemary says
Perfect timing. My suitcase, a soft-sided one is about to fall apart. I’ve often wondered about these hard cases I’ve seen at the airport. I’m quite intrigued by yours given that it is quite light. Appreciate the recommendations!
Jennifer Joslin says
We were amazed by how light it is! Definitely didn’t think we’d like having a wheelie bag as much as we do, but it’s been great 🙂
Danik says
I like the design of the case. Not a big fan of hard cases because of the weight but as this is only 3kg which is quite light compared to other cases, then I may consider buying this. Now I am getting older, I prefer wheelie bags to having big bags on my back.
Jennifer Joslin says
We thought the same thing and can’t believe how light yet strong this bag is. Wheelie bag for the win!
Danijela says
Unlike you, I’ve always been a wheelie bag girl. It’s easier to drag the bag behind you than to carry it on your sholders. And I don’t really mind if I look like a tourist or not. 😀
So, this bag looks like something I could use. Great to hear that it can cover all kinds of terrains and I love the secret compartment for the dirty laundry. Will have to check it out, thanks. 🙂
Jennifer Joslin says
You caught on earlier than we did 😉 Glad the review was helpful!