July Luggage Review

This July Luggage Review details the features and highlights of the July Carry On suitcase and Carry All Tote bag.

Here I review the signature suitcase from new and funky suitcase brand July, the Carry On.

July have been making waves in the travel industry with their chic and sophisticated suitcase designs that are also durable, functional, innovative and, well, just all around pretty cool.

The Carry On is designed to provide maximum capacity while being allowed as cabin baggage on all major airlines. It has an unbreakable shell, smooth, easy-to-manouver wheels, comes in a choice of funky colours and, perhaps most excitingly, comes with a removable battery pack for charging your devices on-the-go.

Unfortunately I have been in lockdown since I received my July luggage and so I haven’t had the opportunity to try it out while travelling yet. But I have had plenty of time to play around with it at home.

Read on to see what I think of my July Carry On and Carry All Tote.

Disclaimer: Mum on the Move received the Carry On Suitcase and Carry All Tote for the purposes of writing this review. All opinions, as always are honest and my own.

Features Overview

There’s no mistaking that the July Carry On is a nice looking piece of luggage. But what does it offer in terms of practical features?

To me, it looks like the folk over at July have thought of pretty much everything when it comes to what features you would want on your carry on luggage. Here’s a quick overview:

• Approved as carry on luggage for all major airlines
• 46 liters capacity
• 3.4kg in weight
• Available in a choice of 12 colours
• Crush-proof polycarbonate shell
• Aluminium bumpers for extra sturdiness
• Ejectable battery with USB, USB-C and micro USB docks
• Integrated TSA lock
• 360-degree spinner wheels
• Multi-stop telescopic handle
• Compression system to create more internal space
• Hidden odour-proof laundry bag
• Strong, stain-resistant lining
• Personalisation option

Add to all this, July luggage comes with a limited lifetime warranty that covers any defect on wheels, zips, handles, nylon compression strap breakages and specific cracks or breaks in the polycarbonate shell or aluminium bumpers. 

The ejectable Power Bank is also covered by a two-year warranty. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of these features:

Ejectable Battery

I’m going to start with the ejectable battery because to be honest this was the most exciting feature to me.

As a writing mum who travels with two kids and a husband who is always working on the road, this usually means we have at least one laptop, two phones and two iPads with us when we travel as a family.

And having the ability to charge those devices from your suitcase? Well, that is pretty cool.

• The powerbank that comes with the Carry On is approved to be taken on board by every major airline in the world.
• It is easy to pop in and out of the suitcase (useful for charging the powerbank, or if you decide to check your luggage and need to remove the battery).
• Comes with 2 x USB, a USB-C and a micro-USB dock (so you can charge your laptop and phone simultaneously).
• Comes with a Quick Charge charging cable that will plug into any USB wall plug.
• Is fully charged in three hours using the Quick Charge cable.
• Comes with a 2-year warranty.

Polycarbonate Shell

One of the main features we look for in a suitcase is durability. If you are going to invest in new luggage, you want it to last.

I have always opted for soft luggage in the past – I am one of those people who cannot pack light no matter what and so I want to save all the extra weight for my belongings! This is particularly true for carry on luggage, when you want to easily lift it into the overhead locker.

However July have managed to get the right balance between durable and lightweight. Although light, this suitcase is designed to be unbreakable.

• Made from aerospace-grade German polycarbonate.
• Only 3.4kg in weight.
• Curved eggshell design to minimise damage.
• Further reinforced by anodised aluminium bumpers to help protect against knocks and drops.

Note that although the shell is tough, the aluminium bumpers are prone to scratching. They are there to protect the polycarbonate corners, and are therefore designed to take the brunt of knocks. The bumpers themselves will bear scratches over time.

Note also that due to the hardshell, in order to access the interior of the case, you need to fully open the case. So it’s not easy to slip something into your case through a gap when you are on the plane or at check-in.

Spinner Wheels

Another feature we obviously look for in a suitcase is manoeuvrability. And the spinner wheels on the July Carry on are really smooth and quiet.

I may not have travelled through an airport with my suitcase yet, but I have tried it out on various surfaces – including the patio tiles, the outside pavement, gravel and even grass.

And the wheels handled all surfaces admirably. According to July, they can also handle the cobblestones of Europe. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to put that to the test yet. But I look forward to the day I can!

• SilentMove 360-degree spinner wheels.
• Easy and smooth handling, and easy to change directions.
• Lifetime guarantee.

Multi-stop telescopic handle

Getting your suitcase handle to the right height is an important part of how comfortable it is to move around.

• 20 height-stops allow you to get it exactly how high you want it. Perfect for families with people of different heights.
• Rubber handle is comfortable to hold.
• Glides up and down easily.

Y-Strap compression system

If you are an over-packer like me you will love this feature that helps you get even more belongings into your case.

• Designed to compress belongings and create more space.
• Removable compression pad.

Hidden Laundry Bag

I don’t know about you, but I always forget to pack a laundry bag and then end up stealing the laundry bag out of the hotel wardrobe, or asking housekeeping for a plastic bag!

With the odour-proof laundry bag in the July Carry On, I no longer need to worry.

Stain-resistant lining and strong zippers

The stain resistant lining means that any spills can easily be taken care of, while the strong zippers can withhold packing your case to full capacity.

TSA Lock

No need to worry about losing your padlock or key. The inbuilt TSA lock makes it easy to secure your luggage and travel with peace of mind.

Choice of Colours

July suitcases are definitely among the most stylish suitcases on the market, and one of the reasons is their cool range of colours.

There are 12 colours to choose from, including Sky Blue, Moss Green and Rose Quartz if you are looking for something a bit different, or opt for more conventional choices such as Navy or Charcoal.

I was very tempted for the Sky Blue suitcase as a fun option but ended up settling for the Charcoal – I chose this partly because I know that my husband will want to use my suitcase for work trips and he would definitely be more comfortable travelling with a Charcoal case than a Sky Blue one.

Also I decided that the Charcoal would probably wear any marks or scratches better. But mostly I chose the charcoal because I thought it would match my Chalk-coloured Carry All Tote better, and we all know how important that is!

Personalisation

Another feature that adds to the cool-factor of the July brand suitcases is the ability to personalise them.

No need to attach a red ribbon or a “hands off my bag” luggage tag – your luggage can now feature your name in a stylish and funky way.

Personalisation adds an additional $65 to the price of your suitcase and is available in a range of languages, fonts and colours. You can even add emojis.

Carry All Tote Bag

I couldn’t resist getting a matching Carry All Tote Bag to go with my Carry On suitcase.

I always struggle with finding a nice carry on handbag for the plane. Anything practical doesn’t seem stylish enough, while nice-looking tote bags don’t have enough capacity or pockets to be functional for travel.

So I was delighted to get my hands on this Carry On Tote. It looks great, has loads of room and pockets. And essentially, it fits easily onto the Carry On suitcase with its pass-through band.

I love this feature as I often travel with my laptop, DSLR camera, phone, kindle etc and my bag can get pretty heavy. Being able to pull it along easily on top of the suitcase is a lifesaver.

Here are some further features of the Carry All Tote:

• 18 litre capacity
• 15″ laptop padded sleeve compartment
• pass-through band allows you to easily attach it to the carry on case for easy transportation
• durable nylon water resistant shell
• stylish soft leather handle and trim
• comfy on shoulder or in your hand
• detachable adjustable shoulder strap
• internal dividers and zip pockets for organising items
• internal water bottle holder
• internal key hook
• 5-year guarantee

Conclusion

So far I completely love my July luggage – both the Carry On suitcase and the Carry All Tote.

I love that they are stylish yet practical and all the different features show that the team at July have really tried to think of everything you need – even things you maybe didn’t even know you needed!

Now all I need is lockdown to end and borders to open so that I can proudly brandish my new luggage in airports and planes around the world. Bring it on.

You can read more about July luggage on their website here.

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