Monos Hybrid Trunk Large Review

Whether it's rolling to your gate, being stowed on a train or cruise ship, or simply rotating on the baggage-claim carousel — the Monos Hybrid Trunk Large is going to be noticed.

Likes

First things first: our fellow testers, friends, family, and even random strangers in the airport had the same reaction when they saw our Monos Hybrid Trunk Large for the first time. Single-syllable words like “wow”, "cool", “dang”, and “whoa” were not uncommon.

It goes without saying that we loved this bag's look, particularly its distinctive rectangular form. It's simply eye-catching, fresh, and attractive.

Extras like a sleek exterior shell, exposed hinges, and metal rivets allow this bag to effortlessly stand out in a crowd.

We'd like to make special mention of our fave feature of this trunk: its two can't-miss metal latches. We loved its zipper-less design, and we feel this bag's buckled closure gives it an X factor. Not only are they fun to lock and unlock, we also feel they can be a more protective feature, guarding against split zippers or unwanted hands making their way into your luggage.

We also liked its wide-open interior. The main compartment is deep and roomy, which allows packers to store items in a variety of configurations, or fit bulkier items like snow boots. The compression panel has multiple pockets to organize small items.

The Monos interior has an enclosed zippered top compartment. The main compartment offers a full-sized flap that buckles into place and helps hold your cargo tight.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

The zippered closure also has a deep mesh pocket for storing odds and ends.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

A glimpse inside the top lid compartment.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Two additional mesh pockets on the top flap of the main compartment makes storing meds, toiletries, belts, etc. a breeze.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Unbuckling the top flap.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

The interior of the main compartment with the cargo straps.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

The main compartment is deeper than many other bags, which makes it easier to store bulkier items.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Measuring the opening of the main compartment. Not including the wheels, the case measures just over 27 inches.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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We really liked how the Monos Hybrid Trunk Large was built. It has a thick polycarbonate shell that protects well, but it also offers a lot of other quality construction features.

The entire opening of the Monos is reinforced with a metal frame that is riveted into place. This gives the bag tons of support and reinforcement if it's accidentally dropped or bumped.

A solid piece of rubber weather stripping is embedded into this framing, giving the Monos greater resistance against rain or accidental coffee spills.

A close up shot of the rubber weatherstripping that seals this bag tight.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Lining our Monos with paper towels in order to detect water.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Spraying down the Monos side by side with some of its peers.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

The main compartment remained dry.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

The secondary compartment also remained dry. One of the best performances we've seen for this test.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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We weren't sure about the ability of the Hybrid Trunk Large to maintain a straight course. For some reason, we thought its tall slender body would translate into a tendency to stray from our hip. However, after a lot of field use and some simple at-home tests, we were quickly impressed with this trunk's ability to fly straight as an arrow.

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Dislikes

The Monos is unbalanced when open. If the lid is packed before the base, the weight of the top lid pulls against the other half of the bag, causing it to lift off the ground. We were often annoyed with this glitch because the main compartment doesn't sit flat until it is fully packed. And even when the base was fully packed, we had to be careful not to distribute heavier items into the lid. If we did, the same imbalance would occur. The Monos also doesn't expand. This wasn't a huge negative for us, because zipper-less models like this aren't designed to offer this feature; however, it is one of its limitations.

The metal end caps are a stylish addition. They look great, and they also provide extra protection. However, during our tumble tests, the metal caps bowed or dented during violent contact with hard surfaces. These tests are more extreme than most luggage will ever encounter, but we do feel it is worth mentioning.

Lastly, we didn't like the placement of the compression panel and straps. They sit high in the main compartment. This requires the bag to be packed full in order for the compression system to properly hold everything in place. Any other packing options resulted in our payloads tumbling loosely about like they were in a dryer. This isn't a good thing when you consider the rough and tumble nature of baggage claims.

Three days' worth of clothes and a pair of shoes isn't nearly enough to allow the straps to do their job because they sit too high on the case.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Showing the gap between the securing straps and our clothing.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

When under packed, the case cannot hold everything in place. This was a disappointment. We feel it needs a compression system that will cinch down onto the payload regardless of its size.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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What Other Luggage Should You Consider?

If the Monos Trunk doesn't feel like a good fit, or is too pricey, a few basic hardshell options that you may want to consider are the Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Expandable 28" or the Samsonite Freeform Large Spinner. One of our favorite overall hardshells is the Away The Large which is a great value case that has held up to years of frequent travel. If budget is not an issue, and you simply want the high-end look, we think the Rimowa Essential Check-In L is about as classy as you can get.