The following Thule Crossover Rolling Duffel review was submitted by Courtney Bogaard. Read more of our suitcase reviews.
Hi! I’m Courtney Bogaard. I currently live in Albany, NY and work in Human Resources. I’ve been to every continent but Antarctica and have visited 27 countries (so far!).
I’ll be reviewing the Thule Crossover Rolling Duffel 56L, which has accompanied me to 13 countries and countless locations in the USA.
Tell us about your suitcase brand, style and price.
The crossover duffel roller bag is made by Thule and is 56L. The top part is a structured duffel and the bottom is a traditional roller bottom. It’s priced at $289.95.
>> Check out the Thule Crossover Rolling Duffel on Amazon.
Is it too big, too small or just right?
It’s just about right. At times, it doesn’t fit in small airplanes so I’ll need to gate check. Any regular-sized plane, it’s perfect. I’ve used it for weekend trips and 2 week trips.
Is it fabric or hard shell?
It’s heavy duty fabric on top with a hard-sided bottom.
Spinner or roller?
Roller with two duffel type handles at the top.
>> Find the best 22 inch rolling suitcase.
What made you choose your brand and style of suitcase?
I’ve always been a fan of Thule as they have great, long lasting products. For the style, I liked that there was a traditional portion and a duffel portion so you can separate items, and if you wanted to put something bulky in the top duffel area, it worked well and wouldn’t have on a traditional roller.
What features of this luggage do you love? Are there any you would like to see changed or improved?
The top and bottom portions are separated by a mesh liner so it’s perfect for keeping clean and dirty clothes separate. It’s also nice that you can easily get into the top portion without unzipping the entire suitcase. This came in handy after I projectile vomited all over the Delhi airport (gotta love India travel!) – I could quickly grab clothes from the top of my duffel without any effort.
There is also a compartment for your ski goggles (I don’t ski) which fits my makeup/perfume or a pair of Tieks perfectly.
I have a love/dislike relationship with the duffel straps. I love the option of carrying my bag like that but I cannot count the number of times those straps (even when velcroed together) got stuck on an armrest.
Can you carry this suitcase onto airplanes?
Yes, unless it’s a small regional jet.
>> See why carry-on isn’t just about size.
What sort of traveler and trip is this suitcase perfect for?
This is the suitcase that helped me only do carry-on for trips. It’s big enough that you can fit a ton but also small enough to carry-on. It’s perfect for someone who is just beginning their exploration of carry-on packing.
It’s also perfect for doing longer international trips where you need a wide variety of clothes (safari to big city to wine tasting) but want to carry-on or a long weekend in a cold weather locale where you need bulky clothes.
Would you recommend this suitcase to other traveling females?
Yes! Even when full, I can easily carry this up the stairs in subway stations and put it in the overhead bin. The variety of ways to carry it also helps – I’m on the short side so it’s easy to carry with the duffel straps. Honestly, when in a dire situation, I even use the duffel straps like a purse. Love the options.
>> Check out the Thule Crossover Rolling Duffel on Amazon.
About Courtney Bogaard: I’m an HR professional by day, trip planner by night. I’m definitely not one of those people with unused vacation time at the end of the year. I live in Albany, NY (by way of Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver and Kansas City) with the best travel partner in the world, my husband.
I wonder if this bag could work for a permanent move to Chicago?