Anyone that lives an active or semi-active, on-the-go lifestyle needs quality luggage. When traveling, a big part of the planning and preparation includes properly packing for any given trip. If you’re hopping on a plane to head to one of Florida’s theme parks, or simply doing an overnight/weekend trip to hit up a zoo or one of the many top notch water park resorts, we’ve got a piece of luggage worth talking about. The ARMOR 21” by Highland Tactical will suit the needs of most carry-on scenarios. It’ll also deliver for those impromptu weekend getaways.
We’ve previously reviewed the Highland Tactical Foxtrot backpack, and we were impressed with it. Getting to dive into this line was equally exciting.
ARMOR and TITAN luggage lines
Earlier this year Highland Tactical rolled out these two lines of handsome hard shell luggage. The lines have cases available in both carry-on (21”) and full sized (29”) configurations. The ARMOR takes on the look and feel of being plated with ballistic plates. The TITAN line is more sleek, with vertical lines dog-legging on either end giving a modern take on a retro vibe.
All four of the current suitcase models feature “a hard shell made from rugged durable super ABS technology, as well as an inner lining for additional protection.”
ARMOR 21” carry-on dimensions
The carry-on size for luggage these days is nearly standard. According to the product page for the ARMOR 21” carry-on, the suitcase is: 21″ (H) x 14″ (W) x 9.5″ (D) and weighs 7.5 lbs.
If you look up the TSA rules concerning carry-on luggage, you’ll find they state that, “Size dimensions of carry-on baggage allowed in the cabin of the aircraft vary by airline.” While that’s not helpful, the uniformly accepted dimensions for carry-on luggage for domestic flights are: 22” (H) x 14” x 9” (D).
Is that extra half inch going to make a difference on the depth? I’m going to say, “No.” But proceed with that caveat and recognize that travel by air these days is a rodeo unto itself.
As far as internal dimensions, the ARMOR 21” is big enough for a weekend get-away, with special pockets for shoes, and a zippered compartment for smaller items. The two halves of the suitcase are segregated by a zippered barrier and allow for easy organization of items.
The ARMOR 21” is also expandable. The external zippered accordion style feature will add an advertised 25% more space within.
Durability
The ARMOR 21” is advertised as a carry-on bag, but I’ve actually never carried it on a flight. I have, however, checked this bag on nine flights since getting it in December of 2023. Checking in luggage with the airlines is like sending baby Moses down the river in a basket. It’s a miracle when it survives.
When using the ARMOR 21” I have not had any issues with durability to date. To be perfectly honest, after checking it in the first time, I expected to get the luggage back cracked and destroyed. Perhaps that feeling was based on my thoughts of how gentle the airlines and baggage handlers are. In spite of any possible blunders, the ARMOR 21” has survived every flight without serious ding. A scratch here or there? Maybe. But nothing that jumps out.
In the age of hard-sided spinner bags dominating the luggage market, we have to look at how these bags are constructed. The ARMOR 21” is fastened closed securely with a robust zipper that has yet to skip on me. Granted, I’ve not tried to over stuff the suitcase so that it’s sitting there like an armed biscuit tin ready to explode, but I have had zero zipper issues. Zippers are a big vulnerability when it comes to any kind of luggage and if they become compromised and begin skipping, forget about it.
Spinner design
The ARMOR 21” was actually the first “spinner” designed bag I’ve had. In the past, I’ve had a few traditional roller bags, with two wheels on static axles. The spinner design does require a different technique when navigating through wherever you’re headed. You can’t just drag it behind you like the clunky bags of yesterday. Spinners are sophisticated suitcases that get walked around like a prized poodle on a leash.
As a spinner, the bag is advertised to have eight wheels. This is true in a sense, as each wheel is affixed with one opposite the other on the wheel hardware for each corner of the case. The wheels seem pretty sturdy too and there have been no issues with the material or ability to spin.
The only complaints about the wheels that I have are one realized, and one speculative.
When rolling the ARMOR 21” on a carpet that has a more dense pile or one that’s a bit high, it does bog down a little. The unit rolls like a racecar on hard surfaces though, and really, this has not been an issue during the dozen or so times I’ve taken the bag on a trip.
A complaint that’s not really a complaint is that the wheels are exposed. In the older, less civilized designs of bags, the wheels were usually shrouded in part by the body of the suitcase. While I’ve had no problem, what-so-ever, with the ARMOR 21” carry-on’s wheels, I could see this as being a general vulnerability for spinner luggage at large.
Telescoping handle
For modern day luggage to not have some sort of set of wheels and telescoping handle would cause me to want to find the nearest newspaper to check the date. Naturally, the ARMOR 21” has a telescoping handle to facilitate the maneuvering of the unit via the wheels.
Disengaging the telescoping handle from the stowed position is facilitated by pushing the release button and pulling up on the handle. The action is fairly smooth and I’ve had no functionality issues with this.
My former carry-on bag that went on about 100 flights with me in 15 years, almost all of them with the bag checked in, the failure point ended up being the locking mechanism of the handle. It quit on me and I wrangled with it about a year before finally giving it the ole heave-ho.
So far, no issues on the handle of the ARMOR 21”, but we can check back in on this topic in the middle/end of the 2030’s to see how the unit survived.
Overall experience
This bag has been a good companion for the last nine or so months. After nine flights and other travels, I’ve got no real complaints with the ARMOR 21”. The suitcase is durable and sturdy. Spacious enough for an extended weekend getaway, the ARMOR 21” has fit my needs in recent times. As noted earlier, the only real downside I’ve experienced with the suitcase is that when rolling on certain carpet. Carpeting that’s got a high or dense pile slows the roll down a little.
The quick and dirty
Pluses: Durable and well-made, heavy duty ABS plastic shell. Spacious for a carry-on. High quality zipper. Smooth eight-wheeled spinner design. Functioning telescoping, glitch-free handle. Affordable.
Minuses: The wheels don’t love thick carpets.
I really liked using the ARMOR 21” carry-on suitcase. This bag came to me at a time when I was ready to retire my former suitcase. I haven’t looked back since. Will the ARMOR 21” last as long as my last bag, over 15 years and over 100 flights? I don’t know. But I’d certainly recommend this bag to someone who’s in the market for new luggage.
Spoiler alert, we’re also excited to tease that we’ll be doing some testing and evaluation on the big cousin to the ARMOR 21”, the TITAN 29”.
