Thule Crossover 38 Liter Rolling Carry-On Review

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(More customer reviews)Anytime a company makes something that does more than one thing, you're going to find a collection of compromises, and Thule's suitcase is a perfect example. Thule made their Crossover brand of suitcase a combination carry-on rolling suitcase and a backpack. In doing so, they made a very comfortable backpack, but they sacrificed some internal storage to do so.
Before discussing the compromises, let's dig into the overall build quality, which is great. The wheels are big and solid, with sturdy metal axels that should keep it rolling straight. The outside material looks thick and durable, and Thule states that it is water repellent. The zippers look strong and zip without snagging, although they are not water resistant. The backpack straps have metal hardware that should wear well. The suitcase is also properly weighted so that it doesn't easily fall over when you set it down or bump into it (this is a pet peeve of mine). Also, the overall suitcase looks professional, so it would be easy to take on a business trip as well as a vacation.
Okay, now for the compromises to make this thing into a backpack. First, the backpack straps are in a compartment with much more room than they seem to need, which means that there is less room for packing your belongings. This extra room has its advantages, though, because the backpack is VERY comfortable because this area naturally forms into my back (I'm 6'1" and about 165 lbs). The straps pull out easily, too, because of this extra room, and they quickly attach to the sides of the suitcase. The straps are also placed on the opposite side from the wheels, so you won't get your clothes dirty. My only reservation with the straps is that they attach BEFORE the zipper, which means that they will pull on the zipper over time. I'm not sure if this will turn out to be a design flaw, but it's worth stating.
So the primary disadvantage to the suitcase is the room necessary for the backpack and the extra-sturdy wheels. I was easily able to fit three pairs of jeans, three shirts, three t-shirts, four pairs of socks and four boxers into the main compartment. The side compartments could probably hold a couple more pairs of jeans plus toiletries and a book or so. It's not a lot compared to other carry-ons I've used, so if you're looking for a lot of room, this probably won't be your ideal suitcase.
In summary, this is an ideal suitcase for me. I like the sturdy hardware and the little touches that show that someone really thought about how to make a great combination suitcase/backpack. (There's a special inset designed just to hold large goggles for skiing, for example.) This backpack was made for the part-time adventure traveler who likes to pack light and move fast. If this doesn't describe you, then you may not like this suitcase as much as I do.

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