Why We’ve Recommended Briggs & Riley’s Baseline Luggage for Over 10 Years
Like a magician’s hat, a Baseline suitcase belies its capacity. This is thanks to a patented system called the CX Compression-Expansion system.
The CX Compression-Expansion system is made up of two plastic ratcheting units that sit inside the suitcase, allowing you to expand it up to 2.5 inches. Then you can pack the suitcase as you normally would, and zip it up and push down on the lid. The bag locks back into its normal, non-expanded position, with all of your stuff compressed tightly inside. It’s unlike any other compression system we’ve seen, meaningfully increasing the capacity of the bag without increasing the exterior dimensions.
The capacity is remarkable. For example, the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential bag has a 48-liter capacity, whereas luxury-brand Tumi’s four-wheeled carry-on—which is wider and much pricier—has only a 42-liter capacity. We also found that the Briggs & Riley Baseline Medium bag fits more clothing—a week’s worth—than the comparable checked Travelpro Platinum Elite.
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This intuitively designed checked bag fits a lot more clothing than our standard pick of the same size. It also has one of the strongest frames we’ve seen in a soft-sided suitcase.
Briggs & Riley suitcases are also a pleasure to pack. On most models, the trolley rails are inside the suitcase, and this creates an uneven packing surface. In a space-limited carry-on, this sometimes means gaming every bump and crevice as you pack between and among the rails. In a Briggs & Riley Baseline suitcase, the rails sit on the exterior of the suitcase, so the interior is flat—no gaming involved.
The suitcase also has a built-in garment folder (even in the carry-on spinner size, a rarity). It’s situated inside the zippered compartment in the lid and has removable components, so it doesn’t take up space if you aren’t packing your fancy clothes.
