A2B Sojourn Suitcase Review
DISCLOSURE -THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Kelvin Tebbs
Whether you’re going away on an overnight work trip, jetting off for a long weekend on a city break to visit some sights, or travelling to the other side of the world for a couple of weeks of quality family time on vacation, do not fear, A2B has all your luggage requirements covered! Whether it’s Winter or Summer, come rain or shine, the one travel necessity we all need, is a decent suitcase.
For those of us who aren’t familiar with the brand, A2B is a UK-based travel/luggage brand (created by Modrec International) who, not only supply their well-designed luggage to frequent travellers like myself, but have decades of experience with some rather large clients. Some of these even specialise in the travel industry including the likes of British-Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as well as luxury car manufacturers; Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lotus.
If you’re anything like me, I will always try to buy from trusted UK brands where possible. With UK brand A2B fulfilling their mission of offering affordable but well-designed luggage, what better way to transport your bikinis, shorts, ski pants and worldly goods, than by using a stylish and durable suitcase!
Since 2014, when the brand A2B was founded, they appear to target the modern traveller, from weekenders to families, all demanding quality at a sensible price tag. A2B offer a wide range of different types and sized suitcases for all of your travelling needs, there is such an array to choose from! Whether it be an extra small cabin case to keep those few chosen essentials items in for a one night trip, or to the extra large suitcases that can contain everything you require for a long haul trip abroad (including the kitchen sink!), there are just so very many options to choose from. You can check the full range out at
www.a2bluggage.com
I was incredibly excited when I got the chance to review their small and extra small Sojourn suitcases.
The small ‘cabin friendly’ (for most major airlines) Sojourn suitcase measures in at 55cm (H) x 36cm (W) x 23cm (D), with an internal volume capacity of 38.9 litres and a starting weight of just 2.7kg.
The extra small ‘under seat compatible’ Sojourn case measures in at 45cm (H) x 36cm (W) x D 20cm, with a 32L capacity and a starting weight of only 2.1kg.
Individually, they are ideally sized for a one night or long weekend trip away, but combined together, they act as a perfect cabin pairing to take together on a long haul flight to a far away destination.
Both options come with 4 x smooth glide 360 degree wheels. Handling these suitcases are effortless, they are the smoothest wheels I have ever encountered on suitcases (and I’ve had a few in my time!).
The Sojourn 55cm small suitcase comes in a multitude of unique colour options including the following: Fondant Pink, Apricot Crush, Grey, Black, Lilac, Champagne, Dark Rose, Plum and Sage. Whereas the Sojourn 45cm extra small suitcase only comes in Champagne, Plum or Grey. Therefore, if you are looking to have the matching set (I personally like having a colour co-ordinated set), there is a slightly reduced colour choice range to select from.
Whilst the option I chose to have was grey, purely because yes, I am that person that likes to struggle to find my case on the conveyor belt, if selecting one of the brighter and more vibrant colours, it should make locating your case that much easier. My wife really likes the aesthetics of Fondant Pink.
I love the fact that the case includes two handles; one is a retractable handle that seamlessly tucks into the case body it’s self, useful for when needing to wheel the case around. It has 3 specific height settings so you can adjust it to your preference (my 5 year old will enjoy being able to wheel them around in the airport with ease). The other, is a static soft-grip handle which is useful when needing to lift the case from the car, bus and plane, without the need to keep pulling out and pushing in the retractable handle, saving so much time and hassle.
All of their hard cases appear to be built to withstand impacts. They are drop tested, so there is no need to worry about the baggage handlers having an ‘off’ day. I have even witnessed, whilst watching from the aeroplane window, my bag falling off of the trolley whilst the suitcases are loaded underneath the plane. Even though this set of A2B cases are deemed ‘cabin friendly,’ we all know that an overcrowded plane can result in us parting ways with our smaller bags whilst some are checked in and sent to the hold. Knowing how sturdy and durable these A2B Sojourn cases are, it provides me with added reassurance and peace of mind that they will withstand any knocks or drops and shouldn’t get damaged themselves, and my items housed within should stay protected too.
With the ever-changing measurements for cabin approved hand luggage, especially on some of the cheaper / budget airlines, please ensure that any suitcase (not just limited to the A2B Sojourn cases) meets and adheres to the airlines baggage parameters set, in order to avoid receiving any unwanted extra charges. None of us need the hassle, or additional costs that could ensue from the wrong sizing.
For example, at the time of writing this review, neither of the Sojourn cases meet the Ryanair ‘under-seat criteria’ despite the extra small A2B case saying ‘under seat compatible’ on the tag.
Unfortunately, even the Sojourn 55cm small suitcase (version AB002) does not appear to adhere to the ‘paid’ cabin bag sizing restrictions. The case is 3cm too deep.
However, in relation to EasyJet, their small (‘free’) cabin bag allowance would work for the A2B extra small case, and their ‘large cabin bag’ option (paid for or included with certain fares) would 100% work for both of the A2B Sojourn cases at present, with the maximum size for that case allowance measuring in at 56cm x 45cm x 25cm.
For the majority of the larger airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, I’m delighted to say that both of the A2B Sojourn cases are perfect to use for the cabin bag allowances provided.
Whilst I am incredibly impressed with the suitcases and am looking forward to taking them on an adventure in the not too distant future, one notable omission from the cases is a ‘built-in’ locking system. Whilst this won’t bother some people, it is something I have come to expect these days. Nevertheless, it is an easy fix, since the zippers come with two ample metal loops which I can easily attach a padlock to. The issue is easily and quickly remedied with something that can be purchased from most stores. I must note, I do feel that this appears to be a strategic choice from A2B, since at a glance, the majority of their cases do not appear to have this ‘built- in’ option available.
Whilst on the topic of zips, the one thing I did like, especially having had this issue whilst on a previous holiday, the zip is self-repairing. Most brands do not highlight this as a feature within their cases but I was impressed to read it on the label.
The inner workings of the case, are exactly as you would expect in my humble opinion, one side of the case has a closing zip compartment, which I tend to store my smaller items in or items that I don’t want creased, notably any t-shirts, tops, shirts etc. The other side of the case has an elastic strap to keep any other items securely in place.
The extra small 45cm case, does also have an additional zip pouch to store things. Something I would tend to keep my toiletries in or perhaps some dirty washing.
Finally, I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged that the case itself comes with a two-year manufacturers guarantee as standard, something that I tend to look at when purchasing an item such as this, since I believe it shows that the manufacturer trusts their products enough to give it’s consumers a warranty beyond 12-months . Again, giving me confidence that the suitcase should last and be durable enough to be taken on many trips.
For me, the positives certainly outweigh the small negatives. I love the way the set of cases look and feel. The styling makes them look sleek, expensive and like a quality piece of baggage. They are very practical, strong, sturdy and easy to use/ manoeuvre.
I can overcome the lack of a ‘built-in’ locking system, simply by re-using a padlock that I already own. Having both a retractable and fixed handle, made the cases so easy to lift and shift. They are both perfectly sized to pack all of my essentials for work trips and a great addition for accompanying me on longer vacations too. I would have no hesitation (and I could well end up) buying one for my wife and other family members.
As we approach Christmas, many people will be travelling to visit family or friends, whether that be nationally in the car/train/bus or maybe even internationally via an aeroplane, what better than a practical and useful gift. I think these make the perfect practical Christmas gift and at the end of the day…it certainly achieved its goal and lived up to its aptly given brand name, doing exactly ‘what it says on the tin,’ enabling it’s users to travel from A-2-B.
I would rate these suitcases: 4.5 /5
The RRP for the A2B Sojourn Extra Small 45cm Suitcase is £59 (currently on sale for £35)
The RRP for the A2B Sojourn Small 55cm Suitcase is £79 (currently on sale for £47)
You can buy the A2B Extra Small 45cm Suitcase from the A2B website here;https://www.a2bluggage.com/products/sojourn-45cm-extra-small-suitcase?variant=50132452704602
Rating: 4.5 /5
You can buy the A2B Small 55cm Suitcase from the A2B website here;
https://www.a2bluggage.com/products/sojourn-55cm-small-suitcase?variant=50054516834650