July Baggage Evaluate: Hype or Price It in 2023?

There’s a number of baggage on the market that’s, to be sincere, fairly subpar. I’ve seen a number of low-cost manufacturing, poor supplies, and outright unhealthy design within the journey trade.

For those who’re on a quest to discover a suitcase that doesn’t suck, you might have come throughout July, an Aussie journey model who asserts that they’re right here to repair the damaged baggage trade. That’s a daring declare, so the query is that this: how do their merchandise measure up in real-world use?

I’ve traveled extensively internationally: from little cities in Europe to mountainside villages within the Himalayas to manufacturing hubs in Malaysia. Alongside the best way, I’ve discovered a factor or two about what separates good suitcases from the remainder of the mediocre pack. I’ve pitted July’s fashions towards among the finest suitcases within the enterprise to see how they examine.

I’ll share with you what I discovered, how July suitcases carry out in real-world use, and break down the completely different fashions they provide. I’ll additionally provide you with a number of different manufacturers to take a look at.

July Baggage First Impressions

The very first thing that stands out to me with these suitcases is the clear minimalist aesthetic. I’m not a fan of ornate, frilly designs, and I really like the streamlined look of those circumstances.

The match and end can also be spot-on at first inspection. The German polycarbonate shell feels easy and hard, the deal with is sturdy, and the aluminum nook bumpers add an additional sense of high quality and sturdiness.

The most important standout function after I began taking a look at these circumstances—particularly the July Carry-On—was the wheels. Just a few years again, I destroyed the wheels on two suitcases by dragging them throughout European cobblestone streets. Ever since then, I’ve been very cautious of suitcase wheel sturdiness. I are usually fairly skeptical of spinner wheels basically as a result of I’ve seen so many which might be cheaply made.

July’s wheels really feel very completely different from the everyday low-cost plastic ones that you simply discover on price range suitcases. They’re greater than customary suitcase wheels and so they really feel manner stronger. July claims that their silent wheels can deal with the cobblestones of Europe, and primarily based on my first impression, I are likely to agree.

Who’s July?

July is an up-and-coming Australia-based journey model that was based in 2018 with the mission “democratise unbreakable and lifelong design.”

For a journey startup, 2018 was a reasonably horrible time to begin, for the reason that pandemic hit simply as they had been starting to realize momentum. The truth that July survived the lockdown interval and remains to be going sturdy is fairly spectacular.

To provide you a little bit of an perception into who July is as a model, right here’s a fast snippet from their about web page:

As a class, the journey equipment trade is damaged; it’s usually make it as low-cost as potential, utilizing a plethora of shops and distributors to promote, and ignore all reference to the client. This ends in over-priced items bought with a brief product lifespan.

We’re right here to repair this.

That each one sounds fantastic, however many manufacturers use high-falutin language of their advertising and marketing data. These days, I discover myself fairly skeptical of claims that corporations make. There’s simply manner an excessive amount of bullshit on the market.

Once I began to dig into the main points on July, I used to be shocked to seek out that their self-proclaimed mission to repair the bags trade goes greater than surface-deep. They appear to be taking that dedication critically.

The primary place I see proof for that is of their design course of. July began the design of their merchandise by studying 1000’s of suitcase evaluations to seek out the commonest complaints. Then they got down to design a suitcase and enterprise mannequin to repair essentially the most issues they discovered.

That will sound like a reasonably good (and possibly even apparent) method, however I’ve labored as a product design engineer, and also you’d be shocked by what number of corporations construct merchandise with out precise perception into what folks really want and need.

July has additionally chosen to do a number of issues the more durable manner as a result of they needed to construct the very best product they might. For instance, moderately than utilizing customary wheels out there for baggage, they designed their very own wheels from the bottom up as a result of they couldn’t discover something that met their high quality expectations.

To sweeten the deal, July gives free delivery, a 100-day free returns coverage (with paid return delivery), and a formidable lifetime guarantee.

July Baggage Evaluate

Most of July’s suitcase fashions, from the compact July Carry-On to the huge Checked Plus, have the identical supplies, building, and total design. The principle distinction is within the dimension.

For the primary a part of this overview, I’ll deal with the frequent components and options throughout all the vary. If you need data on a particular suitcase, scroll right down to the “July Baggage Evaluate by Mannequin” part.

Supplies

Each July bag begins with a modern polycarbonate shell. Polycarbonate has develop into the gold customary materials for practical, high-end suitcases as a result of it’s light-weight and hard.

In July’s survey of suitcase evaluations and customary complaints, they discovered that the largest drawback areas for hardside suitcases had been the bends and corners. These areas are sometimes weakened in the course of the thermoforming manufacturing course of, and so they take extra stress and impacts throughout use. Because of this, cracked corners and edges are pretty frequent with hardside baggage, even when it’s made with polycarbonate.

To unravel this, July improved the curved design on their suitcase edges and added anodized aluminum bumpers to the corners. The nook bumpers are a giant improve over customary suitcases, and never one thing you sometimes see on this value vary.

Past the onerous shell, July circumstances are made with water- and stain-resistant lining cloth, robust YKK zippers (the very best within the enterprise), and even leather-based trim detailing.

The fabric decisions are very properly thought-out and provides July baggage a premium really feel in addition to good sturdiness.

Aesthetic

The styling of July baggage is decidedly minimalist. Their signature suitcases are easy polycarbonate rectangles. The blocky rectangular profile is smoothed out with curved edges and damaged up by a single molded-in line across the middle.

I personally love the general look of those suitcases. It’s clear, streamlined, and understated. With a impartial shade, a July suitcase undoubtedly doesn’t stand out within the airport, however it seems skilled and refined.

For those who do desire a bit extra aptitude, they arrive in an superior array of colours, so you may get one thing that fits your character.

Group

One factor I’ve cherished concerning the July suitcases is the considerate group options on the within. I naturally wish to maintain issues organized and tidy, however that may be onerous after I’m dwelling out of a suitcase for weeks on finish. The whole lot appears to show right into a jumbled mess in some unspecified time in the future.

July suitcases have a zippered mesh divider on one aspect to maintain all the things separated and in place. On the opposite aspect, you’ve July’s Y-strap compression system, which works a lot better than the strap compression you discover in most suitcases. You additionally get a hidden laundry bag product of the identical materials because the stain-resistant lining to maintain soiled garments separate.

General, the inside design may be very easy, however I’ve discovered that it really works fairly properly. There aren’t any pointless frills to complicate issues and quantity of separation.

I do personally want there have been one or two extra pockets for holding small issues like electronics, books, and toiletries. It could be straightforward for July so as to add only a bit extra group to make these suitcases much more practical.

Sturdiness

Given the truth that July explicitly states their objective is to construct “unbreakable” suitcases, my expectations had been fairly excessive for the sturdiness of their suitcases.

Airline baggage handlers don’t have a status for being mild with baggage, and I’ve seen many suitcases come out of luggage declare with cracks or tears. The aluminum-reinforced nook bumpers give me a number of confidence that the July Checked suitcases will survive the tough abuse.

Carry-on baggage can also take a beating throughout journey. The July Carry-On bag has confirmed impressively sturdy. It holds up properly to being dragged throughout cities and stuffed into packed overhead bins (and possibly by chance dropped out of them).

One factor to concentrate on is that the nook bumpers are prone to present scuffing and put on over time. July makes use of a primary anodize coating for the aluminum. Whereas that’s pretty sturdy, with sufficient use you’ll in all probability see scratches that undergo the anodized shade to indicate the naked aluminum beneath. It isn’t practical, however remember that these circumstances could begin to look beat up after a number of journeys.

Worth

Let’s face it: if you’re purchasing for a brand new suitcase, value goes to be one of many prime issues (if it isn’t, do you need to commerce funds?). I at all times suggest investing a bit additional cash on gear that may final, however I additionally need to get the very best bang for my buck. If one thing prices extra, I need to know why, and I would like it to be price the price.

July gives suitcases with a number of premium options like polycarbonate shells, aluminum nook bumpers, and ball-bearing wheels. They do all this whereas holding their costs a lot decrease than luxurious manufacturers like RIMOWA, Briggs & Riley, and Tumi.

For those who’re on a decent price range, you’ll be able to undoubtedly discover succesful and sturdy suitcases for considerably much less money, however if you need that luxury-level building, aesthetic, and high quality, July suitcases have improbable worth for the cash.

July Baggage Options

Now that we’ve lined the fundamentals, let’s dive into the particular options provided in July suitcases. From ejectable battery banks to a wise compression system, the designers paid a number of consideration to the main points of every suitcase.

360-Diploma Spinner Wheels

When July couldn’t discover spinner wheels available on the market that match their top quality requirements, they determined to design their very own easy wheels from the bottom up. Their closing design options double wheels which might be greater than customary suitcase wheels and use stainless-steel ball bearings for straightforward rolling and sturdiness.

These silent wheels are tremendous quiet and straightforward to maneuver, and they’re much stronger. I sometimes am a much bigger fan of two-wheeled suitcases, however these are among the solely spinner wheels I’d belief for frequent journey.

Y-Strap Compression System

July’s Y-strap compression system features a compression pad that you simply place over your packed belongings and two Y-shaped compression straps that cinch down excessive to provide you extra space. 

The compression straps in July circumstances are manner higher than the everyday flimsy straps you discover on most suitcases. I don’t discover these to be very useful, however July’s straps are thick, sturdy, and well-placed to actually tighten down your load.

Bonus? The compression pad has a mesh pocket built-in that’s good for smaller objects.

Hidden Laundry Bag

All July suitcases include a hidden laundry bag that’s odor-resistant and compresses right down to maintain your soiled clothes separate from the remainder of your stuff.

I actually hate having all my stuff begin to scent like soiled garments a number of days into a visit, so I respect the built-in laundry bag.

Built-in TSA Lock

July suitcases additionally include an built-in TSA lock to provide you some further safety and peace of thoughts when you journey. It’s constructed into the aspect of the suitcase and locks the primary zipper so thieves can’t get in.

Touring is tense sufficient. I really like being able to guard my stuff with slightly bit of additional safety. It undoubtedly isn’t foolproof—decided thieves might nonetheless rip by way of the zipper—however it undoubtedly provides some deterrence.

July Baggage Evaluate by Mannequin

	July Carry-On	Carry-On Important	Carry-On Professional	Carry-On Mild	Checked	Checked Plus	Carry-On Trunk	Checked Trunk
Exterior Dimensions	21.5″ x 15″ x 8.5″	21.5″ x 15″ x 8.5″	21.5″ x 15″ x 8.5″	21.25″ x 14.25″ × 7.5″	26″ x 18.75″ x 11″	30.25″ x 19.75″ x 12.5″	21.5” H x 14.75” W x 8.75” D	28.25” H x 16.5” W x 14.5” D
Weight	7.4 lbs	6.6 lbs	7.9 lbs	3.9 lbs	8.3 lbs	10.5 lbs	8.4 lbs	13.2 lbs
Capability	42 L	42 L	42 L	32 L	80 L	110 L	42 L	95 L

Carry-On

The July Carry-On is the model’s flagship product. It’s a easy carry-on bag that options their upgraded building and minimalist design. 

This can be a fairly simple hardside carry-on suitcase, however with July’s upgraded building. It has exterior aluminum nook bumpers that enhance the sturdiness and add some visible curiosity to the design.

You additionally get an ejectable battery financial institution beneath the deal with. That is an superior function for holding your telephone totally charged when you journey.

All of July’s carry-ons are the proper dimension for worldwide journey, which means you’ll be able to take them on nearly any flight, wherever on this planet. They match worldwide dimension restrictions whereas nonetheless offering ample packing room.

My greatest criticism is that it doesn’t have an exterior pocket. Although it’s a more moderen development, I personally put exterior pockets proper subsequent to the must-have class for a carry-on, as a result of I would like to have the ability to simply entry issues like electronics, passports, and books with out having to hold a separate bag. Monos does an amazing job with their Carry-On Pro line.

It’s fairly customary for hardside suitcases to forgo outdoors pockets (it’s simply extra sophisticated to construct), however I want the July Carry-On included one since their objective is to “carry higher design to how we journey.” You possibly can improve to the Carry-On Professional and get an exterior zippered sleeve, however I actually assume exterior pockets must be a typical function for higher-end suitcases.

Carry-On Essential

The July Carry-On Essential is the dialed-back model of the July Carry-On suitcase. It cuts out the ejectable battery financial institution and doesn’t have exterior aluminum bumpers (although the corners are nonetheless strengthened with aluminum on the within).

I actually want the Carry-On Important over the July Carry-On. It’s considerably cheaper and nearly a full pound lighter. Whereas the built-in battery financial institution is a helpful function, I’d personally moderately purchase a separate one (for much less cash). Plus, I’ve seen points the aluminum nook bumpers exhibiting scratches and scuffs greater than polycarbonate, so I’d moderately not have these.

I feel this carry-on suitcase gives the very best of July’s upgraded design with out pointless options that simply value extra.

Carry-On Pro

The July Carry-On Pro is unquestionably essentially the most practical carry-on in July’s lineup. It blends the design of the usual July Carry-On and the Important, with an ejectable battery financial institution however no exterior metallic bumpers.

The large distinction is the addition of a removable laptop computer sleeve on the entrance of the case. This padded sleeve makes use of Fidlock magnetic clasps to simply snap on and off the entrance of the suitcase in seconds. It’s tremendous straightforward to make use of, and is ideal for detaching your laptop computer sleeve to hold with you whereas placing your suitcase within the overhead bin.

That is the very best resolution for carrying a laptop computer in a suitcase that I’ve ever seen, fingers down. For those who journey loads for work and consistently must carry a laptop computer on aircraft flights, I feel the July Carry-On Professional is an superior selection.

That mentioned, it isn’t fairly as versatile as different hardside carry-on baggage which have a hinged pocket as an alternative of a removable sleeve. It really works rather well for a laptop computer, however isn’t fairly ultimate for different objects.

Carry-On Light

The July Carry-On Light is essentially the most compact and minimalist July bag. Their objective was to construct the lightest carry-on suitcase on this planet. They managed to make this little hardside suitcase that weighs solely 3.9 lbs—the lightest carry-on suitcase I’ve come throughout.

There have been some sacrifices made to get that weight. The outer shell, supplies, deal with, and wheels are all a bit lighter and fewer sturdy. The most important draw back is that the general capability is just 32 L (in comparison with 42 L in the usual carry-on.

Whereas the July Carry-On Mild is fairly cool for its sheer minimalism, I personally assume it feels only a bit too flimsy, and the decreased dimension is a giant downer. It’s superior if you need absolutely the lightest bag, however I don’t assume there’s a lot good about it aside from that.

The July Carry-On Important is rather more sturdy and spacious, and it’s solely a tad costlier.

Checked

The July Checked suitcase has all the identical options and building because the July Carry-On, however in a bigger dimension for checked baggage. You get the identical polycarbonate shell, hidden laundry bag, built-in TSA lock, inner group, and minimalist design.

You don’t get the ejectable battery financial institution, however that’s probably not one thing you want in a checked bag anyway.

With 80L of storage, this huge suitcase has loads of room for longer journeys.

One good function is that any July carry-on suitcase will nest completely inside this huge bag (which in flip suits inside the huge Checked Plus).

Checked Plus

The July Checked Plus is… you guessed it: a much bigger model of the Checked. For those who’re packing for a household or touring for an prolonged time period, this huge 110 L case has room for all the things you want.

Carry-On Trunk

July’s line of trunk baggage is designed to supply the superior sturdiness and basic model of trunk-style circumstances with all the fashionable supplies and upgrades of July’s customary baggage.

The July Carry-On Trunk is similar dimension because the basic Carry-On, and it has the identical deal with, wheels, hidden laundry bag, ejectable battery, and group. The principle distinction is that as an alternative of the conventional zipper opening, it has hinges and durable locking clasps. This makes this suitcase sturdier and safer than a typical suitcase.

You additionally get a distinct aesthetic with a glazed polycarbonate end that provides a shocking shiny look. The issue is that over time scuffs and scratches begin to spoil the enchantment.

To be sincere, I don’t assume there’s a lot motive to purchase the Carry-On Trunk. It’s far more costly than the conventional Carry-On, it’s a full pound heavier, and the shiny end is much less resilient.

Except you actually simply need one thing completely different, I’d stick to the Carry-On or Carry-On Essential.

Checked Trunk

Whereas the Carry-On Trunk appears completely pointless, the July Checked Trunk has loads going for it, and for particular use circumstances it could be the very best factor on the market.

This can be a huge, heavy, bomb-proof polycarbonate field on wheels. It is extremely safe with the locking clasps, and it has tons of house.

The Checked Trunk is narrower and deeper than July’s checked suitcases, so I see it being a good selection if you must carry cumbersome odd-shaped objects (anybody taking a tuba on their subsequent journey?). It additionally gives tons of safety for carrying extra fragile stuff.

July Baggage Equipment

Getting outfitted for journey requires greater than only a suitcase. Fortuitously, July additionally gives a variety of superior equipment to get you totally equipped to your journey. Listed here are a number of of my favorites:

Tech Kit

Protecting observe of small digital objects like cables, headphones, and chargers generally is a problem. When touring I’m at all times pressured that I’ll lose my telephone charger or headphones on the aircraft or within the airport.

This little zippered case provides you a devoted place for these small, easy-to-lose objects. With room for earbuds, chargers, cables, a USB battery financial institution, and a pen/stylus, you received’t have to fret about shedding something.

Packing Cells

I hate packing a suitcase. It doesn’t matter what I do, it at all times looks as if it simply turns into a jumbled mess in the primary compartment. I’ve discovered that packing cubes can work wonders for organizing a chaotic mess in a suitcase.

These zippered packing cubes are available in an array of sizes to suit completely different objects. Additionally they have a clear mesh entrance panel so it’s straightforward to see what’s inside. Plus, they’re 100% washable and stain-resistant, so it’s straightforward to maintain them clear.

Luggage Covers

If you wish to maintain your suitcase wanting nearly as good because the day you got it, set of bags covers can go a great distance towards defending it from scratches and scuffs in your travels.

These on-brand luggage covers are designed particularly to suit each dimension of July suitcase and shield it on all sides. Additionally they are available in an enormous vary of enjoyable colours and patterns so you may get one thing that may stand out at baggage declare.

July Baggage Options

July vs Monos

Monos is a Canada-based journey model that has loads in frequent with July. Each goal to supply luxury-level suitcases at extra approachable costs. Each construct minimal (however practical) polycarbonate suitcases. Each hit nearly an identical value factors.

For those who’re in search of a hardside carry-on with an exterior pocket, I feel the Monos Carry-On Pro is a more sensible choice than the July Carry-On Pro for most individuals. It has an actual zippered pocket moderately than the removable sleeve of the July Carry-On Professional. It’s simply extra versatile all-around (although not fairly as handy if you need the very best laptop computer carry system).

Apart from that, I feel it principally comes down to non-public choice and magnificence. The options, performance, and value of those two manufacturers may be very related, however there are some aesthetic variations. Be taught extra by studying our full July vs. Monos luggage comparability.

July vs Away

Away is among the most recognizable and disruptive startup baggage manufacturers, largely due to their superior social media advertising and marketing. Additionally they construct modern polycarbonate suitcases.

In my expertise, July gives higher efficiency and extra worth to your cash than Away. I’ve seen Away suitcase onerous shells crack, whereas July’s are a lot stronger with the strengthened corners. July suitcases are additionally cheaper and sometimes lighter weight.

For extra info, learn our July vs Away comparability or our full Away Luggage review.

July vs Béis

Béis is one other small-ish model that’s in style amongst vacationers in search of fashionable hardside baggage. The most important benefit is that Béis suitcases are considerably cheaper than July. For those who’re in search of a stable high-quality polycarbonate suitcase that provides you the very best bang to your buck, Béis is a superb model to take a look at.

That mentioned, July suitcases nonetheless have the sting in total high quality and sturdiness. For those who journey ceaselessly and desire a suitcase that may final for years to come back, July stands out as the higher guess.

July Baggage FAQs