I was standing in a puddle at the top of the 1 station at 135th and Broadway in New York City. It had been raining all day, my umbrella was at home, and I had several blocks to walk. My wistful stares at the sky didn’t do any good. Oh well, I thought, at least my stuff will be dry since I was testing out my new, complimentary Antler Liquis suitcase.
Its hard shell meant pouring rain that soaked through my coat, wool sweater, and t-shirt just rolled off the case. Short of tossing it into the Hudson River, its contents would stay dry. Even then, it would take awhile since its zipper is water-resistant.
Undulating wave patterns of its shiny dark blue exterior (also available in silver) was inspired by the movement of a waterfall, and the suitcase can be easily recognized on the airport baggage carousel. The hard shell case is sturdy, tested oh so scientifically by jumping up and down on it, and it is waterproof with a water-resistant zipper.
The downside to its shiny exterior is the possibility of scratches. In an effort to protect against them, a soft cloth cover is included to use during storage. This seems a bit high-maintenance as far as suitcases go, but my mom used to tell me that if you want nice things, you have to treat them nicely.
Shiny strength isn’t the suitcase’s only charm. It’s also lightweight, weighing in at 6.6 pounds, less than half the weight of some similarly sized suitcases.
Handles on both the top and the side mean it was easy for me to get the suitcase in and out of the trunk of my car, and the standard telescoping handle was easy to use.
The Medium measures approximately 27 x 18. x 11.5 inches with a 3845 cubic inch capacity (for those more familiar with backpack sizes, that’s about 65L). Antler makes a Large (32.7 x 21.7 x 13.4, 8.4 lbs, 6347 cubic inch capacity) and a carry-on size. All the cases lock with TSA certified locks, and the interior has mesh dividers.
My favorite feature, and one I’d looked at with envy on other traveler’s bags whenever I went to the airport, is its four wheels.
Four wheels meant I could stroll around town with the suitcase next to me, like it was a dog out for a walk, instead of dragging it behind me, like the few very brief times I tried to walk my cat when I was little.
I could even triumphantly swirl it in a circle next to me as I strolled through Penn Station.
The one drawback with the four-wheeled suitcase design in general is public transportation. With my backpack or my two-wheeled suitcase, I can leave it at my feet and not have to hold onto it.
The smooth rolling wheels of this bad boy meant that as I had coffee in one hand and was checking messages on my phone with the other, my suitcase was able to roll its merry way down to the end of the subway car.
Then again, keeping a stricter watch on one’s bags isn’t necessarily a bad thing to get into a habit of doing.
With its 4-wheels, hard shell, and light weight, the case seems ideal for frequent travelers or someone who wants to invest in a quality piece of luggage.
Community Connection
Kristin previously reviewed Antler’s Duolite collection. You can read that review here.