u/Monos

Behind every Monos suitcase is a battery of 40 tests – covering everything from colour fastness and UV fading to corrosion resistance, tensile strength, chemical resistance, and temperature stability. Here are a few of those tests.

Monos' quality testing

The tumble test

The case is loaded with 16 kg, placed inside a rotating chamber full of obstacles, and tumbled for 25 cycles. The chamber is designed to maximize hard drops and high impacts – the closest thing we could engineer to simulate what actually happens to your bag between check-in and baggage claim.

Luggage tumble test

The mileage test

Up to 25 kg inside the case. Another 7 kg of weight applied to the telescopic handle. The suitcase is angled at 45° and rolled at 4 km/h on a specialized treadmill with built-in bumps to simulate uneven terrain. The test runs for the equivalent of 32 km. Additional stairs and road conditioning are tested with up to 25 kg inside, 7 kg on the telescopic handle, angled at 45°, and rolled across a cylinder with steps built in to simulate the hard impact of dragging a suitcase down stairs. Repeated for 750 cycles. If the wheels and handle survive that, they'll survive your trip.

Luggage mileage test

The telescopic handle test

The suitcase is loaded with up to 25 kg and suspended in the air by its telescopic handle. It's lifted, dropped, and then suddenly stopped mid-freefall by the handle. That cycle is repeated 300 times. The handle either holds or it doesn't – there's no partial credit.

Telescopic handle test

The wheel abrasion test

Up to 25 kg inside, all four wheels in contact with two spinning rollers that simulate uneven terrain at 4 km/h. Run for the equivalent of 32 km. This one is specifically about the wheels holding their shape and grip over time, not just surviving a single impact.

Wheel abrasion test

The drop test

The suitcase is stored at -12°C for four hours first – because cold makes materials more brittle and more likely to crack. Then it's loaded with up to 25 kg and dropped on every surface, edge, and corner from 90 cm. Cold, full, and dropped from height. If it passes that, it passes.

Luggage drop test

When we say our luggage is built to last, we mean it. If you have any questions about how our luggage is made and tested, ask us below.

– Shop Monos Carry-Ons

– Shop Monos Check-Ins

Four collections, four carry-on sizes, four check-in sizes – it's a lot to sort through. The short version: every collection shares the same understated aesthetic and is built to stand the test of time. Every case comes with:

• Whisper-quiet 360° spinner wheels
• Adjustable telescopic handle with four height settings
• A luxuriously soft, anti-microbial lining
• Vegan leather details
• Thoughtfully designed interior organization

What changes is the material, the frame, the colour options, and the features. The long version is below – we've laid it all out so you can find the right suitcase for how you actually travel.

Firstly, the size.

Before you even think about collections, know which size you need.

• Carry-On and Carry-On Pro – fits in the overhead bins of every airline worldwide. Best for 2–5 day trips. Packs 5–8 outfits.
• Carry-On Plus and Carry-On Pro Plus – slightly larger, fits in US airline bins and most international ones. Also 2–5 days, but with more breathing room for over-packers.
• Check-In Medium and Trunk Medium – for 7–18 day trips. 10–15 outfits. The sweet spot for most international travel.
• Check-In Large and Trunk Large – for 7–21 days, 15–20 outfits. For when you're gone a while, or you just like to have options.

All Monos luggage sizes

Classic Collection – The original.

Our first collection of hard-shell travel suitcases – and still our most versatile. Made from aerospace-grade polycarbonate with a TSA-approved lock and YKK reverse coil zippers, it's the right choice for anyone who wants a reliable, lightweight suitcase with maximum style and colour options.

Monos Classic Collection

Expandable Collection – Classic, with room to grow.

Same foundation as the Classic, but with a wraparound expandable zipper that adds 1.6" of depth – handy for last-minute items, souvenirs, and spontaneous finds along the way. Available in three sizes and four best-selling colours: Olive Green, Ocean Blue, Storm Grey, and Midnight Black.

Monos Expandable Carry-On

Hybrid Collection – Polycarbonate shell. Aluminum bones.

Hybrid cases have a polycarbonate shell with an aluminum zipperless frame, reinforced corner guards, and two TSA-approved latch locks. Available in five core colours with a rotation of limited-edition shades, the Hybrid is the perfect in-between if you can't choose between Classic and Aluminum.

Monos Hybrid Carry-On

 Aluminum Collection – The pinnacle.

Launched in 2025, the Aluminum Collection is our most elevated offering yet – and the only one in our lineup with a full aluminum shell. Anodized, electroplated, and finished with a refined brushed texture, it's designed to withstand the demands of travel and evolve with every journey. Inherent to the material, it develops a patina over time, making each suitcase entirely unique to its owner. Inside and out, every detail has been considered: a black quilted taffeta lining, soft-release side handle, and integrated luggage tag attachment set it apart from anything else we make.

Monos Aluminum Carry-On Plus

Travelling soon and not sure which suitcase is right for you? Drop your trip details in the comments and we'll help you figure it out.

Aluminum luggage isn't new. But we weren't interested in making another aluminum suitcase – we wanted to make one we could actually stand behind. So before we got into colours and linings and all the things you'll see in the photos, we spent a long time on something most brands don't talk about: the aluminum itself. Here's what we learned, and why it mattered.

Monos Aluminum Collection

Not all aluminum is the same

Aluminum alloys are categorized in series – 1000 through 10,000 – and each represents a different balance of composition, heat treatment, strength, and flexibility. It's not a quality ladder so much as a spectrum of trade-offs.

• 1000 series is pure aluminum. Flexible and lightweight, but better suited for wiring and panels than a suitcase shell.
• 5052 is the most common choice in luggage. Reliable, widely used, gets the job done.
• 6000 series is what Rimowa uses. Stronger, but less flexible – it holds its shape more rigidly.
• 8000 series is what you'll find in an iPhone chassis. Impressively strong, but more brittle. Bend it hard enough and it snaps.

None of these felt quite right to us.

Aluminum series 1000 to 10,000

What we use instead

We worked with our factory to develop a custom alloy: 5ZCT3 – a blend of aluminum and magnesium, processed under precise pressure and heat to produce consistent strength and flexibility in every sheet.

The key word there is flexibility. When a rigid shell takes impact, it cracks. When a flexible one does, it dents – and keeps going. That's exactly what we wanted. A suitcase that takes the hit and moves on, just like you do. Our aluminum is supplied by Alcoa, the largest aluminum supplier in the world. Oh, and the shell thickness? 0.9 mm. Not centimeters – millimeters. It's remarkably thin – and remarkably light – for how much it holds up.

Monos' custom aluminum alloy

Then we made it beautiful

The shell is anodized and electroplated with a refined brushed finish in three shades: Aspen Silver, Caviar Black, and Champagne Gold.

One thing worth knowing about aluminum: it develops a patina over time. Scuffs and micro-marks accumulate. On most materials, that reads as damage. On aluminum, it reads as yours. Every trip adds something. Your suitcase becomes entirely unique to you – which felt very much in line with what we think luggage should be.

Aspen Silver, Caviar Black, and Champagne Gold

Aluminum develops a patina over time

The details inside and out

We didn't want the hardware to undercut the shell, so everything was thought through:

• Zipperless frame with TSA-accepted latch locks – no zipper to snag or fail
• Telescopic handle, soft-release side handle, and an ergonomic grab handle for maneuvering in tight spaces
• Black quilted taffeta lining embossed with our signature dot pattern – elevated, but functional
• Compression system to keep everything in place
• Integrated luggage tag attachment on the side – a small thing, but you'll use it every trip

Shop our Aluminum Collection at monos.com

This collection took longer than expected, and cost more to develop than we anticipated. That's usually how it goes when you're not willing to shortcut the material. We think it was worth it. The Aluminum Collection is available now at monos.com. Questions welcome – we'll be here.

— Monos