This story is part of our end-of-year series This Year in Gear rounding up the most notable releases of 2022. For more stories like this, click here.
Nowadays, our bags and suitcases are more than a means of getting gear from point A to point B. They're statement makers unto themselves. If you have a shiny silver aluminum suitcase covered in stickers, you're a creative traveler; if you're towing a torn-up backpack, you likely barely fly. That being said, the inverse could be true. Everyone is allowed to gravitate toward what suits their trips best, especially since there are so many options.
Below, find a number of this year's most notable bag and luggage releases.
Monos Metro Duffel
If you have a Monos suitcase, you should get a bag from Monos to go with it. And now you can. Monos's revamped Metro Collection features a backpack and a duffel specifically designed go with the brand's Carry-On and Check-In suitcases.
Price: $230
Rimowa Aurora Borealis Cabin Carry-On
Now, no matter where you are, you can see the Northern Lights, albeit on your luggage as you wheel through the Austin airport, not in the clear Texas sky overhead. But for space fans, even those nutty for nature, this is by far the best Aurora Borealis merch money can buy.
Price: $1,950
Globe-Trotter x Casablanca Carry-On Suitcase
Fancy luggage? Yes, this is fancy luggage. It's a limited-edition Globe-Trotter carry-on from the luggage company's collaboration with fashion brand Casablanca. It's made entirely from ribbed aluminum but finished with black metal accents, gold hardware and bamboo handles.
Price: $5,345
Lo & Sons Upcycled Tote Bag
Upcycling is all the rage right now — and for good reason. The practice is incredibly sustainable. This bag by Lo & Sons, for example, is made from returned products. This manufacturing method keeps perfectly fine products from the landfill, and creates unique products out of them.
Price: $165
Saturdays NYC x Porter Yoshida Tote Bag
New York surf brand Saturdays collaborated with Tokyo-based brand Porter Yoshida on a tote bag that actually protects what's in it. The top has a drawstring closure to keep your laptop out of the public eye and protected from the rain. Plus, with it closed, nothing will far out if the bag topples over. It's plenty tall, too, which means you can fit a lot in here — and in its exterior pockets.
Price: $250
Flint and Tinder Waxed Canvas Tote
Flint and Tinder makes everything from T-shirts to tough work pants. Now, the in-house Huckberry label is selling waxed canvas totes. They come in three colors, Tan, Olive and Duck Camo, each with leather straps and four exterior pockets.
Price: $168
Balenciaga x Bang & Olufsen Speaker Bag
For Balenciaga's latest runway show, the haute couture label worked with Bang & Olufsen on a portable speaker... bag. It opens like the hood of an electric vehicle, revealing space for a phone, wallet and, of course, keys — even if your EV is push-to-start. There are only 20, and they are only available in-person at Balenciaga's Paris Couture store.
Price: TBD
Away F.A.R. Tote (45L)
I use a simple Yeti tote for carrying beers and a towel to the pool, ingredients to the grill or a wet bathing suit back from the lake. I like it, but it's almost too simple. Away's new F.A.R. Tote is an easy upgrade: It's water- and abrasion-resistant, plus it has a snap to keep the top closed, helpful pockets and comfortable handles.
Read more about the new collection here.
Price: $140
Rimowa Pilot Case
Rimowa's cult-favorite Pilot Case is back. Its decade-long hiatus has ended at last. It's small, for sure — 6.6 gallons vs 9.8 for the Cabin — but that's the point. It's a Pilot's Case, after all.
Price: $1,485
WP Standard PanAm Leather Duffle Travel Bag
The PanAM is WP Standard's latest bag launch. It's a pleasantly simple full-grain leather duffle, with short handles at the top and a strap you can wear across your body. It's big and spacious but not too bulky. And it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Price: $445
Puebco Vintage Drawstring Bags
Puebco fashioned these drawstring bags out of vintage materials. They're sturdy, pretty damn spacious and stylish as hell. They'll look like a sick vintage score, but they're built to actually tow stuff.
Price: $68
Affxwrks Onsite Bag
This tote bag by Affxwrks doubles as a picnic blanket. To carry it, you simply scoop it by its handle and the contents on top come with it. It's clever, and pretty practical.
Price: $250
