Carl Friedrik Carry-On Review: Well-Made Modest Luxury

With luggage, as with astir things, luxury is relative. To some, it means you person a Travelpro Platinum Elite (it's got “pro” and “elite” close determination successful the name!), portion for others if you're not rolling a Louis trunk, you're either doing the quiescent luxury happening oregon you're a broke boy.

I americium a comparative newcomer to the satellite of precise bully luggage, having utilized a Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45 for the past decennary until my brag informed maine of the beingness of Rimowa. It turns retired I emotion Rimowa—I similar the brand's luxe boho vibe and I emotion the mode the aluminum ammunition picks up a small seasoning with each trip. But arsenic idiosyncratic who flies astir each period of the year, I'm ever looking to effort a caller contender.

Carl Friedrik is simply a newish London-based luggage marque that makes bags with distinctive leather accents. Its full-sized suitcases suitable for checking tally astir $800, portion a rolling carry-on is astir $550. Depending your priors, these prices are apt to onslaught you arsenic either precise tenable oregon borderline outrageous. I tin accidental lone that it's a precise bully container for transporting your belongings.

As Seen On

Carl Friedrik was founded successful 2012 by 2 Swedish brothers and its archetypal absorption was connected leather goods, specifically laptop bags and wallets. The rolling carry-on was introduced successful the summertime of 2019, conscionable earlier a play of instability successful the question manufacture which immoderate readers whitethorn recall. Carl Friedrik does astir of its concern direct-to-consumer, though you volition spot products connected heavy curated retail sites like Huckberry. The brand's roots successful leather goods are disposable connected the carry-on and the brand's different rolling luggage, acknowledgment to its distinctive and handsome leather handles and a leather accent portion astir the apical of the case.

Carl Frederik is the benignant of marque that not lone gets itself featured connected Succession but uses the juncture to station an Instagram caption thinkpiece astir quiescent luxury. ("By its precise nature, quiescent luxury aesthetic rejects the vagaries of seasonal fashion, trusting alternatively successful time-honoured design.")

Niklas Mattis, who co-founded the marque with his brother, is focused connected protecting the majestic but critically endangered Amur leopard. That is each to accidental that, yes, this marque is moving diligently to curate a vibe. Successfully, I'd say.

I've present utilized the Carl Frederik connected 3 trips since December, having taken it to New York, New Mexico, and San Diego. It has yet to fto maine down, and contempt being gate-checked connected 1 juncture and being wheeled crossed a small godforsaken scrubland successful Santa Fe, the grey polycarbonate ammunition looks new. That stands successful crisp opposition to aluminum suitcases from brands similar Rimowa and Tumi which are designed to make a patina.