If you're familiar with travel expert Rick Steves, you probably know that he believes checking a bag is a crucial mistake on a trip to Europe. Extra baggage can weigh you down as you travel from city to city and country to country. However, not all carry-on suitcases are designed to hold enough items and keep them organized. To address that, and to align with his packing mindset about keeping things light on your vacation, Steves and his travel experts created the Riga Rolling Case. The bag features
multiple pockets and pouches, is lightweight, and combines the best elements of both hard- and soft-sided carry-ons into a two-wheeled design.
@ricksteveseurope Introducing our new Riga Rolling Case! Designed by Rick and the travel experts here at Rick Steves' Europe, this hybrid-shell suitcase is an ideal carry-on companion. At 21x14x9 inches, it fits precisely into most overhead bins, allowing you to skip the risky and time-consuming need to check a bag. The easy-gliding dual wheels, front stopper to prevent tipping, and telescopic luggage handle makes the Riga easy to maneuver, even on pesky cobblestone streets. And with plenty of organization and storage in a lightweight design (only 7 pounds), it's easier than ever to pack light and right. Like all Rick Steves' Europe travel products, the Riga has been thoroughly tested for quality and comes with our guarantee that it will be free from material and manufacturing defects for the life of the product. If you're travelin' with Rick Steves' Europe luggage, tag us at @ricksteveseurope and #KeepOnTravelin so we can follow along and for a chance to be featured. #RickSteves #luggagepacking #RickStevesEurope #TravelTips #TravelLuggage
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The Riga Rolling Case comes in two colors: Heather navy and heather gray, making it easy to tell which bag is yours. It has a built-in ID pouch on the back, flush with the case, so you don't have to worry about a hanging ID tag being torn off during transit. The bag's hard shell is made from polycarbonate panels to protect your belongings, but, unlike many hard-sided cases, it includes soft pouches on the front made from recycled water bottles.
The case has three zippered pouches: One is 6 inches deep, another is 8.5 inches, and the third is 18 inches. You can store your documents in them for easy access, and the front pouch fully opens so you can see what's inside.
Read more: Rick Steves Says To Always Do These Things Before Traveling
The Riga Rolling Case Designed By Rick Steves
Inside the Riga Rolling Case's lid, you'll find three zippered pouches as well. Two are mesh, ideal for holding things like your sleep kit or guidebooks. The third is made of waterproof nylon, so you can store wet bathing suits or other damp items. The case also includes a clip-in document pouch and two mesh drawstring bags to help keep smaller items, such as adapters, converters, or toiletries organized. In addition, you'll find a zippered front compartment for your smaller items and compression straps to keep things from shifting during travel.
Steves often emphasizes the importance of using a lightweight bag, which is particularly important when flying on European airlines that frequently impose carry-on weight restrictions. The Riga Rolling Case weighs 7.2 pounds, allowing you to pack slightly more than you might with other carry-ons. The dimensions are 20 by 14 by 9 inches without wheels; with wheels, the length increases by one inch. There's also a telescopic handle and a carrying handle for easy transport. It's expandable, too, with a zipper that adds an extra inch of space, though that means you may not be able to use it as a carry-on.
The Riga Rolling Case retails for $229.99 on Steves' website. While the price is relatively steep, it's guaranteed to be free of defects for the life of the product, excluding damage caused by normal wear and tear or airline handling. Finally, if packing light is a challenge for you (and you're not alone), Steves offers training exercises to help you approach packing as a competitive sport.
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