Airline travel is rough on luggage, and when some carry-on baggage bashing is inevitable these days, there seem to be two practical approaches: Frequent fliers may elect for the crème de la crème of bags — sturdy, long-lasting, and, often, pricey. Others, however, just need the dang bag to get there in one piece — without forking over half your travel funds to do so.
The Rockland Melbourne 20 is certainly in the second camp. With its 360-degree spinner wheels, hardshell design, and bonus expansion zipper, this simple bag doesn’t have any illusions over what it’s meant to do. It doesn’t have much in the way of organizational features or the most sturdy components, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be great for a short trip here and there.
The bag is plainly (and refreshingly?) simple: Two compartments, one with a zippered closure and the other with straps to hold items in place, break up the interior. There are no smaller pockets, no pass-through charging ports, and no secret trap doors. While this suitcase wouldn’t be our first choice to take on a long trip around the world, it will more than suffice for the occasional traveler.
In short: If you’re a casual traveler looking for a suitcase that will do the job and won’t break the bank, the Rockland Melbourne is a good budget choice. With fewer add-ons, there’s less to break and less to cry over when it does.
While the Melbourne represents the budget end of the luggage equation, there’s certainly more out there. Check out GearJunkie’s Best Carry-On Luggage Buyer’s Guide to see the entire spectrum.
Rockland Melbourne 20
Specs
- Weight 7 lbs., 8 oz.
- Dimensions 22” x 13.5” x 9”
- Carry-on linear inches 44.5"
- Materials Durable ABS material
- External pockets N/A
- Volume 43 L
Pros
- Affordable
- Comes in many different colors
- 360-degree spinner wheels and expansion zipper
Cons
- Durability is questionable
- Not many organizational features
Rockland Melbourne 20 Carry On: Review
First Impressions
Compared to the high-quality feel of Away’s The Carry-On, the Rockland Melbourne feels of noticeably lower caliber. Its hardshell is thinner, the fabric around the zipper is a definite weak spot, and the interior details aren’t anything to write home about.
However, for its price range, it still provides a good bang for the buck. The spinner wheels work just fine moving through the airport concourses I piloted it through, and the handle pulls open easily. While not the most robust suitcase, it isn’t supposed to be — and will do just fine for the occasional traveler.
A Week’s Worth of Capacity
The Rockland Melbourne has dimensions that comply with almost all standard airline regulations. Its hardshell construction ensures that it will slip easily into overhead compartments, and it has an ample 38.3L capacity, which is enough space to pack for a 3-to-5-day trip.
While testing, I was impressed by how spacious this bag felt. It could easily nestle in a pair of shoes, a couple of sweaters, and a jacket, plus two packing cubes with shirts and pants and a small toiletries bag.
This suitcase also has an expansion zipper that allows an extra 2 inches of space while packing, making it a great value for the buck. However, for extra-strict airlines, this might exceed size regulations.
But as a quick tip I learned while traveling with this bag: expand the suitcase while packing, and then zip that extra space back up, making a tight and compliant package. If you are traveling by car or train, you’ll welcome the extra space without worrying about regulations.
Packability
Packing the Rockland Melbourne is a pretty simple affair. As with all clamshell suitcase designs, you must zip open the whole bag to access and pack the interior. One side of this suitcase sports a large, zippered compartment, while the other side is open yet has a crisscrossing strap that is secured with a plastic clip to keep your items in place.
This elasticized strap doesn’t offer any compression as is found in higher-end suitcases, nor is it particularly taut. But it is enough to keep our packing cubes and sweaters from falling out when opening the suitcase all the way.
There is a small zippered pouch in the middle of the two compartments that is good for stowing away small items like phone chargers or other accessories.
Extra Functionality
You don’t get a lot of extras in the Rockland Melbourne, but that is to be expected with the low price tag. The most notable extra features are the expansion zipper, two sets of 360-degree rolling wheels, the elasticized interior strap, top and side grab handles, and the small interior zippered pouch.
While the double set of spinner wheels is a great feature, we question their durability in the long run. With more moving parts and made of cheaper materials, we wouldn’t want to drag them over a variety of terrain many times throughout the year for fear of breaking them. But they’ll do just fine on flat surfaces.
Tough Enough Design
This suitcase is made with ABS material, which is a stronger form of plastic than just polycarbonate. The hardshell will thus stand up to some abuse, though it still flexes substantially when pressed on, which is something worth noting.
Scuffs and scratches are always going to show up more on hardshell suitcases, and the Rockland Melbourne is no exception. It’s available in a variety of colors and patterns, allowing you to choose whether you want to buy one in a darker color to better hide the inevitable scuff, or opt for a fun and bright version to stand out on a baggage carousel.
Room for Improvement
While there is technically a lot of room for improvement, it’s hard to say how much could really be altered in this suitcase without increasing the price substantially. If we were to choose one thing, we’d opt for no fabric near the zipper (meaning no expandability) so that there was less of a chance of snags and tears, meaning you could end up using this carry-on occasionally for a longer time.
Additionally, having the compression straps be able to be adjustable would also be a great improvement that hopefully wouldn’t cost too much more, and would help the interior feel much more functional than it is.
Rockland Melbourne 20 Carry-On: Conclusion
While there is nothing exceptional about the Rockland Melbourne suitcase, it nevertheless remains a good choice for the occasional traveler who is looking for something functional and easy to travel with. Sometimes luggage just needs to be luggage, and the Melbourne has this dialed.
Now, if you are one of those types who tallies time in airport lounges and stacks air miles to the ceiling, a bit more bag might be indicated. One of the best I’ve used so far is the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag Roller — a pack with far more bells and whistles than the Melbourne, but also demanding a staggering $219 currently.
With enough room for a 3-5-day trip, plus the option of expanding the bag 2 inches more to really capitalize on that space, you won’t have to check a bag when you fly home for the holidays. The tough ABS shell on the Melbourne takes bumps and bruises with no problem, the wheels roll smoothly, and there’s little to get busted as the bag makes its way through the airport — what more can you ask for?
