Do you actually "need" an expensive carry-on bag?

I have been traveling for many years and I have never so much as had a recognizable brand name bag of any sort. My first travel backpack was some no-name knock off something or other that I borrowed from a friend and my second backpack was the same no-name brand as well. This backpack is still alive and kicking and wandering around with me to this day. These are not terribly complicated pieces of equipment and I don't think that it is necessary to get expensive gear unless you are doing some serious mountaineering or absolutely must have completely waterproof gear.

From all the backpackers I ever met, almost all of them were just budget-travelers that rarely went anywhere that even having a backpack was necessary. I'm not knocking them! At least they are getting out and seeing the world and you should do that by any means necessary.

These days however, I think that most "backpackers" would be doing a better service to themselves and their lower backs if they just admitted that they aren't actually going to do anything particularly hardcore and just get a rolling suitcase instead. I "downgraded" to rolling suitcases years ago because my days of traversing really tough terrain to get to a destination are behind me. I now travel almost exclusively with rolling carry on bags.

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Now if you look at any major news or travel website's opinion about these kinds of bags they are never going to focus on no name, almost-certainly-made-in-China bags. Instead they are going to focus on major brands that they are probably forbidden from ever saying anything negative about because they are a sponsor and perhaps even paid them to write the article in the first place. I, on the other hand, have been approached by a bag manufacturer, nor have I approached them, about sponsorship. What I do have is decades of nearly always being on the move and having a variety of bags at my disposal. I have NEVER owned an expensive bag.

This is my most recent purchase and the only reason why I bought it was because my old bag was released a long time ago before those roll in any direction wheels became the standard norm and I found myself being a bit jealous of how much more maneuverable all of my fellow traveler's bags were. I went out to look for a bag and already knew I could just keep walking when I approached the more famous brands that charge hundreds of even thousands of dollars for a bag.

I have no idea who manufactures this bag. I don't care. It was in a random suitcase shop that is popular with travelers and locals alike and I gave a number of bags the ol' "slap test" and messed around with the zippers and what not and this bag seemed just fine. I took it on a walk around the area in the shopping center to test out the wheels and they were fine. It moved in all the ways that the bags I was envious of did. The total cost of this bag was just over $20 and honestly, I have a hard time believing that the technology that Samsonite or whoever else exists out there could possibly be so much better than this to justify the added expense.

I went and looked for something exactly the same size as this one that is made by Samsonite and found that it was around $250. Now while I am sure it has a higher quality shell or perhaps better wheels you need to ask yourself, what exactly are you going to be doing with this thing? I am going to have it sitting in the corner of my room for weeks at a time, then load it up when it is time to travel then walk it through the airport and put it in the storage space above my seat. That's the end of it. I'm not going to be entering it into some hardcore gladiator luggage competition.

As a seasoned budget-traveler I honestly think that a lot of people are convinced that traveling is out of their price range simply because they are going about it in the wrong way. Travel, and the things you use to travel with such as bags, do not have to be expensive. In all my years of traveling I have never encountered anyone that was having an easier time of it because they spent 10x as much on a carry-on bag so honestly folks. Just give the bag a "slap test" and save yourself hundreds of dollars!