Today’s travelers need maximum flexibility, and that’s the promise of the Balanzza Truco, a 3-piece modular carry-on bag that stacks together into a size that’s made to fit into most overhead bins.
This is one solidly-built set of luggage, with quality hardware and ballistic nylon that feels like it’s built for the wear and tear of an extreme road warrior. It’s a unique idea, and Balanzza has even created an acronym for it: TRUCO, or TRavel Utility Carry On.
It looks rather large for a carry-on, and its 20″ x 13.5″ x 10″ dimensions are within the limits of some air carriers such as American Airlines, AirTran and Southwest, all of which allow 10 inches of depth (22″ x 14″ x 10″). But here’s the bad news: You could get into trouble with airlines such as US Airways, United, Delta and Virgin Atlantic, which only allow a 9-inch depth for carry-ons (22″ x 14″ x 9″). Take a look at the baggage dimension details here — maybe this bag will fit on all the airlines you normally fly.
That oversized depth is disappointing, because you’d like to have the ability to take it onto any airline. Sure, you might not get many quibbles from most airline employees at the gate, but that small size transgression might weigh heavily when you’re in a hurry and you run into a harried employee whose sticking to the letter of the law.
Despite being too thick, the bag itself is remarkable. As you can see in the video, it’s easy to detach each of the pieces, and if there’s not enough room in the overhead bin for the entire bag, you can take parts off and put one or both under your seat. The top section amounts to a hardshell case, where you can place delicate items that might not withstand an accidental kicking as they ride under that seat in front of you.
The zippers are of the high est quality, too, as are...
