'Good Housekeeping' Tests Luggage

The days of carrying a handbag, diaper bag, shopping bags and a carry-on onto your plane are over. Heightened airport security has changed how travelers pack and, as a result, how they choose their luggage.

The size, mobility and even the ease with which your bags can be checked at security have become increasingly important. Strict carry-on rules, implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration, allow travelers to carry-on only two pieces of luggage, so consumers must choose wisely.

With these new standards in mind, the folks at the Good Housekeeping Institute put a few top-selling roll luggage brands through its own rigorous testing program. The Institute shared its results with Good Morning America.

Products testers at the Good Housekeeping Institute put the most popular bags through some serious trials before choosing their four favorites.

Good Housekeeping magazine's editor in chief, Ellen Levine, said the bags were tested in a 3-foot drop test to insure durability.

The bags were also put though abrasion tests that reveal how the fabric holds up during constant rubbing.

Water resistance was tested as well. Good Housekeeping also tested the bags packing power and travel performance. After testers packed them to the rim, they pulled them onto the streets of New York City to test the wheels.

The bags were repeatedly closed and opened to test the reaction to constant use.

"Consumers should really look for luggage that packs well, has sturdy handles and that can endure the abuse that is bound to come its way," Levine said.

The Institute came up with its ratings by assigning a percentage to each segment of the overall test. Testers gave the street test and pack test 30 percent of the total score each. The remaining tests accounted for 10 percent of the total score each.

While all the tested carry-on bags met the size restrictions implemented, some fared better than others when it came to packing, durability and rolling.

Testers gave their highest rating to the Victorinox Swiss Army Weekend Mobilizer ($295). "It has a very good handle for smoother maneuvering," Levine said. "The material is very durable and it holds up well when wet and when dropped."

The High Sierra Active S.U.T. ($170) earned second place in the test. Testers gave it high ratings for packing and durability.

Briggs & Riley Upright Business Traveler ($349) got high ratings for business travel. A pullout computer case that slides onto the handle makes it a good choice for business travelers. It also got high ratings for durability and handling.

The Skyway Montlake Rolling Organizer ($59.99) got high marks for its price, space and waterproof pouches, but its handle isn't very sturdy, according to Good Housekeeping.