Lipault Plume Cabin Size Spinner Review

Many small logistical considerations go into holiday travel. Between packing for occasions, bringing home gifts, and more, having the right luggage can make or break your travel experience.

I have my travel routine down—I live far away from most of my family, so I'm used to hauling back and forth to see them. I usually travel with just a backpack, but when I travel home for holidays (or occasions like the wedding I recently attended), I like to bring a carry-on. I've spent the last few years with a rolling hard-top that I like, so I was prepared to be skeptical when asked to try out Lipault's carry-on luggage.

What is Lipault?

Lipault is a Parisian luggage brand that specializes in striking monochromatic luggage. The brand carries carry-on and checked luggage, as well as backpacks, and more.

I tried out Lipault's Plume Cabin Size Spinner, which is a soft-case, four-wheeled carry-on suitcase. The bag comes in six colors, and I tested out the Khaki model, which is a pleasant sage green color.

How did we test Lipault?

I traveled home to attend a wedding with Lipault luggage as my carry-on. I'm usually a hard-case luggage devotee, so I was pleasantly surprised by the bag's sturdiness as I packed it up to head home.

The bag rolled smoothly around the airport (in a delightful, "this-is-fun-to-spin-around" way) and was extremely lightweight. Having the handle on the side of the bag made it easy to lift onto the belt at security and into the overhead baggage trays on the plane.

Some carry-on bags are not compliant with certain airlines' carry-on size regulations, and I made sure to check that the Plume bag was within the limits of the airline I typically travel with before I brought it along with me.

What did we like about Lipault?

The clean, beautiful design

Lipault's cabin-size luggage is beautiful, and the color I went with received a few compliments at the airport (and envy from my parents when I was home). The thick, sturdy handle on the side of the bag lent it a bit of durability, and the actual bag itself didn't appear bulky when packed, which surprised me, given the thickness of the material and the number of items I had inside.

The bag was surprisingly roomy

I employ the "roll up your clothes into the smallest shape possible" method when I travel, and even then, I was pleasantly surprised by how much could fit in the Plume bag. I was traveling for a wedding and got all my outfits for the rehearsal dinner, extra shoes, and all my clothes in the bag without any issue. The pockets are also roomy, and the soft structure allows for some leeway when arranging your items.

What did we dislike about Lipault?

The zippers were a little stiff

I also worried at first that the fabric of the carry-on would get caught in the zippers, which nearly happened several times. The zippers were a little clunky and didn't move as smoothly as I would have liked.

Lipault's luggage is expensive

Luggage is one of those items that can creep up on you in terms of expense. Price-wise, at $245 for the Plume Cabin Size Spinner, Lipault luggage lines up more or less with some of the best brands we've tried, like Away and Tom Bihn.

I'm not one to purchase costly travel products if there isn't an element of longevity baked in, and without having had Lipault for several years to know how it would fare, I'm not sure I would purchase it for myself.

Would we recommend Lipault?

Yes, it's a beautiful and roomy case that's ideal for travel

I would recommend Lipault's luggage, especially if you're traveling and on the hunt for a cute bag to use as a carry-on or if someone you're shopping for wants a sleek, stylish bag to tote around with them. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed carrying it, especially given how accustomed I am to using the bags I usually travel with.

The only real downside, to my mind, is the price, which is a little steep (but then, so is most luggage).