Co-founded by Victor Tam in 2018, Canadian luggage Monos is a brand to be watched and respected. Not only is it the first luggage brand to be climate-neutral certified, it treads lightly by producing vegan leather products, and packaging that is recyclable and reusable.
When faced with the conundrum of what luggage to choose, it’s never an easy task. With so many options out there, as Upscale Living magazine’s Travel Editor, I need to find something that suits my style and price point. Quite often, there are luggage size and weight restrictions when traveling on small aircraft, and who better to get me out of my predicament than the incredibly helpful team at Monos!
The ideal suitcase for a short vacation or weekend away trip is the Monos Expandable Carry-On, which comes in three stylish colors – Ocean Blue, Storm Grey, and Midnight Black. A creature of habit, I select the Midnight Black, because black is super stylish, and it goes with everything! Dent-resistant thanks to its high-quality polycarbonate shell, the exterior is impact-friendly and will last through many a journey. I love the ultra-sturdy telescopic handle with four-height settings, but the whisper-quiet wheels must be the best part. Gliding across the airport floor almost soundlessly takes traveling to a whole new level.
The Expandable Carry-On has a luxuriously soft, anti-microbial lining and comes with a built-in, removable compression pad that is perfect for flat items. The adjustable straps will ensure that your clothing stays in place and I was delighted to find the inclusion of an ion-coated laundry bag, two shoe bags, and a vegan leather tag. If like me, you enjoy bringing gifts back, the clever wraparound zipper expands the depth to an extra 1.6”. And let’s be honest – the volume of one’s suitcase is never quite the same when you have laundry as opposed to those beautifully ironed flat items.
The ultimate accompaniment to the Monos Expandable Carry-On is the Metro Carry-All Duffel, with ample space for that well-deserved weekend breakaway. Manufactured from ultra-microfiber vegan leather, the Metro Carry-All Duffel is soft to the touch and will definitely make a statement of elegance. A generous main compartment has tech sleeve pockets for a laptop, a secure zippered pocket for important documents, as well as interior water bottle pockets.
You will not want to let this stunning Duffel out of your sight, and the fact that it fits into an aircraft’s overhead bin as a carry-on means you don’t have to! The exterior has two pockets for additional storage space and its trolley sleeve slides over the handle of your Monos suitcase. My Carbon Black Duffel strikingly complements my Midnight Black Expandable. Or is it the other way around?
The Metro Backpack is the go-to item for the urban dweller and will act as the most proficient multi-purpose companion for everyday travel. Available in nylon or vegan leather, the color choices are plentiful – there is carbon black, oxford blue, juniper green, dove grey, ivory, saddle tan, mahogany, purple icing, and banana pudding. Yes, you guessed it – carbon black it is!
Featuring the unique QuickSnap™ Modular Kit System from Monos, it allows the interchangeable Metro Kit to be easily detached or swapped to suit your specific needs. The built-in trolley sleeve fits snugly around the handle of any Monos suitcase for flawless pairing.
