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Reviewing Sterling Pacific’s Gorgeous 40L Carry-On Luggage

Aluminum 40L Sterling Pacific carry-on bag sitting next to a sheepskin covered pouf and in front of a fireplace
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As a travel blogger who spends anywhere from 150-200 days on the road per year, having luggage that’s going to make my life easier is a must, which is why I’m excited to share my honest Sterling Pacific luggage review with you after my recent experiences using their 40L carry-on travel case.

Having been in the travel blogging space for 8+ years now, I’ve been through allll the trendy affordable luggage brands, but I’m not someone who has ever invested large amounts on luggage. This bag currently costs a little over $2,000, so it’s definitely an investment and one I’ve been weary of making.

My theory was: If it’s just going to get banged up anyway, why bother spending the money? So I was mostly curious to see if the cost of this luggage line would be worth the improvement in quality. Well, here’s a little spoiler…it is worth it.

I’m going to get into all the nitty gritty details below, don’t you worry. Keep reading for my full Sterling Pacific luggage review where I’ll be breaking down all the key features and my personal thoughts on the bag so you can decide if it’s worth your own investment.

Image of the Sterling Pacific 40L carry on out at the airport lounge
But First, Who is Sterling Pacific?

I hadn’t heard of Sterling Pacific until recently, but it turns out they have a long history that dates back to the early 1900s. At the time the company (under a different name) were leaders in high quality jewelry and watch making.

In 2018, the company was acquired and parlayed their affinity to luxury into designing a new product: high-end luggage.

Though newer on the scene, Sterling Pacific is quickly becoming one of the leaders in the luxury luggage space and they’ve even been coined as the “Rolls Royce of travel cases.”

They also have a history of listening to customer feedback and have made some very key improvements to their bags since the first iteration came out. I love a company that actually listens to customer feedback, so that already made me feel inclined to like this brand.

Detailed shot of the Sterling Pacific 40L carry on where you can see the locking mechanism and handle.

First Impressions of Sterling Pacific Luggage

With comparable prices and appearance to Rimowa, many have compared the two brands. My husband just so happens to be a die-hard Rimowa fan and is always talking up his bag, so I was excited to try out Sterling Pacific’s comparable aluminum suitcase to see how the two would stack up.

When I first received Sterling Pacific’s 40L Luggage in the mail, I actually had my husband open it first to get his reaction. He’s a luxury snob so I wanted to get his unfiltered thoughts.

To say he was impressed would be an understatement. Watching him ooh and ah at every little detail was like watching a kid on Christmas morning, and at the very end of his unboxing he finished it off with “so are you sure you don’t want to swap?” I swiftly declined.

My initial reaction to the bag was similar. It’s impossible to deny the beauty and quality of this bag on a first look. The materials, the weight, the attention to detail—all of it feels super luxurious.

My only hesitation with the bag was feeling like it was a bit more masculine looking than other travel luggage I’ve owned in the past. Mostly this applies to the interior pockets and amenity kit that comes with the bag. The interior pockets are a dark brown hue and the toiletry bag feels designed more for men in mind.

However, the outside aluminum of the suitcase is stunning and my fears were quickly pushed aside after our first trip out with the bag where I got complimented by multiple female flight attendants.

The quality at first glance though is truly impressive. In all my years of travel blogging, I’ve never seen a suitcase with higher quality materials down to the the smallest details like the super soft suede-like material on the interior pockets and deliciously luxurious leather handle.

Everything about this bag when you first open it up screams luxury—I really don’t think the photos do it justice!

Features of the Sterling Pacific 40L Cabin Bag

Sterling Pacific manufactures fully aluminum travel cases. Whereas some other aluminum luggage manufacturers will use aluminum for the body of their suitcases and then utilize plastic for smaller details of the bag, Sterling Pacific doesn’t cut corners here.

One of my favorite features of the bag are the beautiful Italian full grain leather handles. They’re super soft which makes the bag easy to grab comfortably. The retractable handle which is ergonomically comfortable is also so key when wheeling around the airport.

I also love that this bag comes with a substantial protective cover (I’ve had ones from other brands rip to shreds on first use!) and a care kit so you can keep your bag in top shape.

Here are the key features you can expect with the 40L Cabin Travel Case:

  • 5000 Series Aluminum Body with Impact Bearing Ridges
  • 1.5mm 5052 Aluminum Corners
  • A380 Aluminum Wheel Housings
  • A380 Aluminum Trolley Housing
  • Retractable Aluminum Trolley
  • SAE 304 Steel Rivets
  • Italian Full-Grain Leather Handles
  • Extruded 6063 Aluminum Frame
  • 360° Wheels with Metal Caps
  • TSA Double Combination Latch Locks
  • Lifetime Warranty & Repair Service
  • Sterling Pacific Amenity & Care Kit
  • Protective Woven Dust Cover
Interior view of the Sterling Pacific 40L carry-on bag

Sizes of Sterling Pacific Luggage

As of the time of writing this Sterling Pacific luggage review, the brand has four different case sizes ranging from their smallest 35L carry-on to a 90L check-in sized bag. They also have a slightly smaller 80L check-in travel case and then the 40L carry-on which is the bag I’m reviewing.

It’s important to note that only the 40L and 90L feature four spinner wheels, so if rolling on all four wheels is important for you, you’ll want to go with one of these two sizes.

Chart of sizes of Sterling Pacific's luggage options

So let’s talk details of Sterling Pacific’s 40L cabin size. The truth is, I’m a chronic over-packer, so I was very curious how I would fare with this small carry-on size.

With dimensions at 22.5″ x 14″ x 9″, the Sterling Pacific 40L carry-on won’t exceed major US airline’s carryon limits while giving you as much packing space as possible.

On a recent trip to Michigan this winter I was surprised to find that I could fit two pairs of shoes, hair tools, a makeup case and about five days of clothes into the 40L cabin travel case. Being the over-packer that I am, I did have to stuff a couple bulky sweaters in my backpack though and carried my massive winter coat on board with me.

I’ve successfully packed carry-on only in winter quite a few times throughout my travels, but in the future, the size for me is probably more practical for warmer temp trips where I have fewer bulky items. If you’re a pro at carry-on only packing though, you shouldn’t have any issues.

Sterling Pacific Bag Quality

There is no questioning the quality of these bags. I’ve owned many suitcases over the years from the big trendy brands and many of them have cracked on me or gotten dents that impacted the use the of the bag entirely. At the very least I would come home from every trip with huge black scuff marks and scratches down the entire bag.

After several trips with my Sterling Pacific and a couple scenarios where I had to gate check (sans protective cover), the outside shell did get a few dings, but the appearance and functionality is not nearly as impacted as with other bags I’ve owned.

To be completely honest, on the Sterling Pacific travel cases it looks like a badge of honor whereas on my old cheap plastic hard-shell cases it looked like I’d been through battle…and lost.

Here’s a look at what my Sterling Pacific bag looks like now after I’ve gate checked it a few times. You can see there are a couple dents and markings, but nothing about the bag’s functionality has been sacrificed.

Probably the most noticeable improvement in quality for me switching from the mid-range travel suitcases to Sterling Pacific’s bags is the roller wheel quality.

Rolling suitcases on hotel carpet and on uphill walkways in airports used to be the bane of my existence. Now with the Sterling Pacific 40L spinner wheels my bag glides like I’m on ice—even on carpet! It’s shockingly smooth and my arms are thanking me for making the upgrade.

Every other aspect of the bag has been made with love and with the highest quality in mind:

  • Their 5000 series aluminum alloys are the same used in aviation due to its corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight-ratio.
  • Sterling Pacific uses additional reinforcements on each case’s corners with thicker material and stainless steel rivets.
  • All the handles are made from Italian full-grain leather and feel delicious to the touch.
  • The 360 degree wheels have passed rigorous endurance testing on rolling roads and it shows.

And finally, all this is backed by a lifetime warranty and repair service should anything hinder the main functionality of the case.

Up close look at the Sterling Pacific 40L carry-on's leather handle

Appearance

In just a few short weeks within using this bag, I already had more compliments on it than I’ve ever received from any other suitcase I’ve owned—and I’ve owned many. A lot of the compliments also came from airline industry professionals who took note that this bag stands apart from the rest.

While I do feel like Sterling Pacific’s aluminum case errs on the more masculine side, it’s still absolutely beautiful with its aluminum body and finishes of full-grain Italian leather. It’s honestly just the interior brown pockets that were the most masculine aspect of the bag for me, but no one is really seeing that anyway!

Weight of the Sterling Pacific 40L Carry-On

For me one of the only real downsides of the bag is the weight. Sterling Pacific’s 40L cabin suitcase clocks in at 12 pounds. Especially as someone who packs in as much as humanly possible into my suitcases, my 40L did get quite heavy trying to lift it into the overhead compartment.

But of course with better quality and durable materials comes more weight, so I’m not sure there’s any way around this one. The other bags I’ve owned have been made from a cheaper plastic, so while lighter you definitely sacrifice durability.

This isn’t really a huge issue for a carry-on bag as your luggage won’t get weighed, however I am curious about the weight of the checked luggage and how it would fare on the luggage scale once I’ve stuffed it to the brim.

Sterling Pacific Luggage vs Rimowa?

While I haven’t personally used a Rimowa long-term, I have taken a good look at my husband’s bag every time we travel together which is at least two weeks out of the month, so I’m very familiar with the bag.

Based on my husband’s overall reviews and my observations of his bag, Rimowa is still a stellar brand and has held up great over the years. However there’s a few things I don’t like personally.

The first is the handle. I refuse to roll my husband’s Rimowa because I hate the ergonomics of their telescopic handle. I find it to be at a weird slant that’s not comfortable for my hand at all. The soft and smooth leather handle of the Sterling Pacific 40L case is noticeably better quality and is personally more comfortable for me.

When it comes to ease of rolling, the two bags are on par. However, Rimowa uses a lot of plastic materials in the areas where Sterling Pacific fully uses aluminum so the chances of things breaking on the Rimowa are higher in the long run.

Another key difference is the inside compression systems. Rimowa uses flexible dividers which I don’t love because I feel like you often lose key packing space on the outer edges. I was very happy to see that Sterling Pacific luggage utilizes a zippered closure pocket on one side that acts as a compression cube and then an open size with compression straps that buckle closed. I personally feel that I’m able to be more efficient with my packing this way.

All in all, while these bags are comparable in their general look and feel, the Sterling Pacific bag clearly outshines the Rimowa with higher quality materials.

Final Thoughts From My Sterling Pacific Luggage Review

My final thoughts are this: If you’re sick of cheap luggage and in the market to upgrade your current luggage to something that will truly last for decades (if not a lifetime), then you should absolutely consider Sterling Pacific.

The price tag can definitely feel intimidating, but for frequent flyers, airline employees and any other jetsetters who are constantly on the go, you can’t really risk having suitcase that’s going to break on you or work improperly. Not to mention, having a bag that can stand the test of time will save you money in the long run.

I would love to see the company come out with more color ways or interior styling that feels catered to a feminine aesthetic, but overall I’m super happy with the look and feel of the bag and I’m excited to see how it fares over the years ahead.

It truly is the highest quality bag out there I’ve found.

If you have any questions that I didn’t cover in this Sterling Pacific luggage review, leave a comment below and I’ll make sure to get back to you!
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