Rollink — Flex Aura 22″ Carry-On Collapsible Luggage

Tested by Mary Charlebois and Kevin Scanlon. We were not paid for this review but were given a test bag.

By Mary Charlebois
GoNOMAD Senior Writer

Package Arrives

The Dive Blue bag arrived in good condition. Great care had been taken to package the bag for shipping. First, it was labeled, then wrapped in clear plastic, then wrapped in tissue. The shipping box was lightweight, and a bit crushed, but the luggage was undamaged.

Some Assembly Required

The Flex Aura Cabin Bag is touted as the world’s most durable collapsible luggage. However, it’s the first bag I’ve used that needed instructions.

The bag is collapsible (more on that later), but getting it to a non-collapsed state required manipulating three flaps and sticking them to hook and loop strips. First me, then Kevin followed the directions card that came with the bag.

The bag’s walls just didn’t stand up on their own very well until the bag had a little something to hold them in place.

Bag Interior

There is plenty of room in the bag. Kevin packed it for a five-day trip in a moderate climate with plenty of room to spare.

In addition, the flexible material makes it easy to stuff to the max. The inside walls are lined with a waterproof fabric-looking synthetic material. A vented, zipped pocket covers most of the inside bag top.

A wide elastic magnetic buckled strap on the inside of the bag is used when you compress the bag for storage. The magnet wasn’t strong, so it didn’t stay closed. When the bag is in use, the strap is at on end instead of in the middle.

 Rollink’s Bag Exterior

It should fit easily in most overhead compartments. The Flex Aura is beautiful. The flexible material is smooth. Our tester was Dive Blue. The bright color makes your bag easily recognizable.

However, Kevin and I both have our doubts about longevity. This bag could never be checked. We think it could be easily punctured. We also had concerns about how long the attached grip would stay attached. It showed strain the first time it was used with a packed bag. Zippers also were suspected of potential detachment with a big load.

Then we figured it out — the bag is only rated for 5.3 lbs. (per the website). More than that, the material might not be strong enough to hold on to its attachments under the weight. There is certainly room for much more than 5.3 lbs.

So let’s talk about the 2-inch compression. I’m afraid it’s been exaggerated a bit. It does not fold down to 2-inches. It’s more like 3.5-inches at one end, but it’s over 5-inches at the wheel end. Sorry, Rollink, we tried folding and compressing it in several ways, but 2-inches never happened.

Handles

The telescoping handle is exceptionally high quality. It’s also a bit longer than most. Kevin and I are both extra tall. We could stand up a bit straighter using the longer handle. We named the telescoping handle our favorite feature.

The top attached grip is wide, padded, and comfortable for lifting the bag. However, there is no attached grip on the long side of the bag. This made it clumsy when placing in and out of an overhead bin. Therefore, we named this as ‘the feature most needed.’

Zippers

The zippers are high quality and strong.

Wheels

The two ball-bearing wheels are quiet and roll with ease.

Summary

While we used this bag, it got us from point A to B, looking good and without incident. However, we would not purchase the Flex Aura 22# Cabin Bag or recommend it to travelers for the following reasons:

• The price point is too high — Over $200.
• It is a carry-on-only bag — not versatile enough — What do you do if your suitcase must be checked?
• The 5.3 lbs capacity is far too low. Typical bags of this size can hold 20-4o lbs.
• The bag’s material, although beautiful, may not be practical for frequent travelers and/or rough and tumble conditions.

Read a more positive review on CNN about the Rollink Carry-on.