CHESTER Luggage: 11 Reasons I Love My Adorable Carry On

I was in search of a good-looking and durable carry-on suitcase within airline carry-on size limits for my long-haul flight from Boston to Los Angeles. That’s when the CHESTER Minima, a stylish, hard-shell suitcase, saved the day. Now, I can’t imagine traveling with it. Read my Chester luggage review, below.

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Chester Luggage Review

Here are 11 Reasons I love my adorable carry-on.

Reason #11: The Chester is Pretty

Southern California stops on my itinerary—Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Catalina Island—are more fashion-forward than the New England back roads I often travel.

Whether you want to color coordinate your luggage with your travel outfit (who does that?) or prefer your luggage in a versatile neutral shade, Chester has you covered.

I was delighted to find the Chester Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase is available in seven (7) fashionable colors:

• Black
• Charcoal Grey
• Aluminum Grey
• Pink
• Ocean Blue
• Sky Blue
• Sand

Its simple lines offer a tasteful, timeless appeal.

I went with the Sky Blue, which matches the beachy vibe of Enjoy Travel Life and the carefree California lifestyle. That made it easy to look picture-perfect, stepping off the plane with my Chester.

Reason #10: The Chester Minima Rolls Like a Dream

The Chester Minima is called a “spinner” suitcase rather than a traditional wheeled suitcase. That’s because of the four (4) double spinner wheels that rotate 360° in any direction.

Simply, they “spin.”

These wheels allow the Chester Minima to glide over just about any surface with quiet ease. No more dragging a reluctant suitcase. Instead, you can roll the Chester Minima along effortlessly beside you.

In addition, the ergonomic handle is 100% aluminum and extends easily, locking in place at two heights. The adjustable handle makes it comfortable to maneuver through the airport (or anywhere) even for me, at 5’3” tall.

With the handle extended, there’s plenty of space to rest a personal item before you board. That might be a laptop bag, big purse, briefcase, or beach bag.

Reason #9: The Chester Meets Airline Baggage Guidelines

Airline regulations for carry on sizes may vary within an inch or two. The standard domestic carry-on luggage size is 22” x 14” x 9”. This measurement must include the handle and the wheels.

Measuring 21.5” x 13.5” x 8.5″, the Chester Minima is a compact solution that meets TSA and IATA cabin baggage guidelines. You won’t have to worry about unexpected baggage charges on your bargain flight because your carry on isn’t the right size.

Reason #8: The Chester is Lightweight

How much does The Chester Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase weigh? It’s a mere 7 pounds (3.2 kg)! To put that in perspective, most 15-inch (38-cm) laptops weigh about 5 pounds (2.3 kg).

The Chester is one of the lightest hard-shell cases you can buy.

This light weight is key to launching your carry on into the airplane overhead compartment.

Of course, you’ll have to account for what you packed. Getting the Chester carry-on suitcase into the overhead is made all the easier by a side and top handles (especially for a weakling like me).

Should you check your Chester Minima, the handles also make it easy to grab at the baggage claim carousel. The unique color doesn’t hurt, either.

Reason #7: The Chester is Durable

I’m tough on my traveling companions—at least speaking of luggage. The itinerary for this 10-day California trip was ambitious, to say the last. I moved from place to place, literally living out of my suitcase.

The Chester needed to withstand rough transitions. It went from the airport terminals, to the airplane overhead compartment, to the shuttle bus. Then, my Chester went into a rental car and finally tossed into one hotel room after another.

Despite these transitions, the Chester Minima fared well!

The suitcase is made of polycarbonate hard shell, the most durable hard-side luggage plastic available. The outer shell has enough flexibility to pack it to the max. And the sleek shell is water-resistant.

Two heavy-duty zippers glide smoothly, secure closure at the top of the suitcase.

The four double spinner wheels are well-positioned to distribute the weight and made with thick, heavy plastic to withstand a lot of traffic.

In fact, when my return flight sought passengers to check carry on luggage, I gladly surrendered my Chester. It had already proven to me it was up to the task.

Reason #6: The Chester Carry-On is Secure

Not only is durability a key consideration when considering luggage, but so is security.

Each of my accommodations had excellent security, but I never worried because I knew my Chester Minima had my back. That’s because it has 3 security features:

• Personalized Combination Lock
• TSA Security Lock
• Luggage Tag

It’s equipped with a 3-digit Personalized Combination Lock that spins where the zippers meet. The first time you open the TSA lock, the combination is “0-0-0.” Follow the directions that come with the luggage to set the combination lock to your personal security code.

It also has a TSA Security Lock, eliminating the need to fumble with TSA padlocks and tiny keys at Customs.

Finally, a leather Luggage Tag conceals my personal contact information from sight. Yet, it’s easy to retrieve should I get inadvertently separated from my suitcase.

With these security features, I didn’t think twice about or leaving my locked Chester luggage behind. That included leaving it in my hotel room while I was off for the day and checking it altogether.

Reason #5. The Chester Minima Keeps Me Organized

The Chester Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase holds 38-liters. That’s a lot of space considering it’s so compact. It’s big enough for three- or four-days packing, more if you pack light.

Case in point: I spent 8-days in California with only my Chester and a beach bag. I also take it with me on weekend road trips.

Interior features of the Chester Minima suitcase include:

• Two (2) large, zippered sections
• Three (3) smaller zippered pouches
• One (1) zippered nylon laundry pouch

The suitcase opens like a clamshell to reveal two zippered sections. A tasteful gray striped fabric that zips encloses each side. This makes it easy to open the suitcase without everything falling out.

It also helps keeps everything organized.

I practically lived out of my Chester on my trip to the Los Angeles area. That made the smaller pouches very convenient.

On one side you’ll find the two semi-transparent zippered pouches. On the other side is a long zippered pouch.

These built-in sections and pouches really help keep me organized, not to mention quieting my inner critic who has OCD tendencies. I could separate shoes and outerwear from daywear.

I didn’t need to bring an extra pouch for toiletries or a drawstring bag for delicates. In effect, they were built-in to the suitcase.

In addition, you’ll find a matching nylon zippered laundry bag to keep laundry separate and contained.

Finally, Chester’s distinguished brand marks the fabric over the center spine. A nice touch.

Reason #4: The Chester Minima is Easy to Clean

The Chester spinner suitcase arrives in a branded box and with an apron over it to keep it dust and scratch-free. It makes such an amazing first impression. It almost looks too good to use!

But, it’s easy to keep this stylish suitcase looking its best. The hard exterior is easy to wipe clean and has a textured surface to keep from scuffing.

Plus, there’s no fabric for tiny critters to hide in. (Ew!) The outside finish hides scuff marks.

Reason #3: The Chester Minima has a Companion Piece

If you’re looking for the same great features but a little bigger, you can also get the medium checked luggage, It’s called the Chester Regula Checked Spinner Suitcase.

Sized at 11” x 18” x 26″, the Chester Regula would be perfect for checked luggage. It’s available in two colors:

• Charcoal Grey
• Sky Blue

Reason #2: The Chester Minima offers High Value

You can get definitely get a more economical, albeit cheesy, carry-on suitcase at a discount store that might only set you back under $100 USD. It will probably last a year or two and won’t take half the beating.

And, I’ve seen a popular comparable hard side carry on luggage listed as high as $400 USD. Honestly, that’s more than I’m willing to shell out for a piece of luggage this size.

That makes the Chester Minima the perfect compromise. It provides all the value and quality you’d expect to find in the popular competition at about half the price.***

You’re getting a lot of value for the investment.

***For a limited time, Enjoy Travel Life readers get 10% OFF THE CHESTER MINIMA!
Just use code 10AF at check-out.

Reason #1: The Chester Guarantees Satisfaction

You can buy The Chester Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase with a 100-day trial when you purchase through the website.

If you don’t love it, send it back. No questions asked.

Orders ship UPS Ground 1 business day after you place your order. It takes about 2 business days after that to arrive at your door.

But don’t worry. This is no “ring and run” affair.

Chester offers a 10-year warranty on handles, wheels, zippers, and any crack in the hard shell. They even cover the shipping costs.

Conclusion

The Chester Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase is a luggage piece that works hard, looks great, and based on my evaluation, is worth every penny.

But don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’re going to love it.

Related: How To Get Airline Compensation For Delayed Baggage, Lost Luggage

Additional Resources

Chester Travels
Find out more about this awesome suitcase.

(Don’t forget to use code 10AF for 10% OFF.)

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This article is part of a sponsored collaboration and has affiliate links.
Special thanks to Chester Travels Luggage for providing me with the Chester Minima Carry-On Spinner Suitcase for the purposes of this Chester Luggage Review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

For more information, please see the following Disclosure.