MAREN guide

Weekender luggage set: packing a weekend in a carry-on

A weekend away should not need a checked bag. With a carry-on and a small case you can walk straight off the plane or out of the car and into the hotel. Here is how to choose the luggage and what to put in it.

Duffel bag or rolling set?

A weekender duffel is soft and light to throw in a car, but all its weight hangs off your shoulder. A rolling carry-on spreads that weight onto wheels, holds its shape so clothes arrive less crushed, and keeps working when a trip includes long walks through airports or stations. If a weekend often means a flight, a rolling set is easier on you.

A simple weekend packing list

• Two daytime outfits, plus one you could wear out in the evening
• One pair of shoes on your feet, one in the case
• Sleepwear and underwear for each night, plus one spare
• A layer for cold planes and evenings
• Toiletries, makeup, chargers and medication in the small case

Roll soft items, fold structured ones, and put shoes against the wheels end so the weight sits low.

Split it between two pieces

Clothes go in the carry-on; everything you use during the trip goes in the small case. That way the suitcase stays closed until you reach the hotel. The Weekender carry-on opens into two halves, one with a zip divider panel and one with buckled cross straps.

The Weekender Set

It is named for exactly this kind of trip:

• A hard-shell carry-on, 55 × 34 × 22 cm (21.6 × 13.4 × 8.66 in) including its four spinner wheels
• A matching vanity case, 30 × 30 × 16 cm (11.8 × 11.8 × 6.3 in), that rides on the carry-on's handle
• Telescoping handle with three heights and a side combination lock

Obsidian or Lilac, $149 for both pieces, free US shipping, 30-day returns.