At an impressive 120 liters and only 8.8 pounds in weight, the Cargo Hauler XT is a behemoth of a bag ready for whatever piles of clothing, equipment, or active gear your adventures may call for. With several handy storage features to keep your packables organized and three distinct options for hauling them, this casual suitcase has the versatility, durability, and simple, sporty good looks to play sidekick wherever the road may take you.
If big and flexible are what you are looking for, the Cargo Hauler XT will not disappoint. In classic roller duffel fashion, a large U-shaped zip opening panel reveals a similarly large capacity main compartment with a simple open layout inside. For anyone who prefers “toss-and-go” packing strategies or utilizes organizational packing cubes to maximize space, the cavernous center of this lightweight case will get you excited. And if you like the style but don't necessarily need something this dramatically large, the Cargo Hauler is also available in a smaller 90-liter version or even an international carry on size.
A few extra features are also built into the case to assist in packing. This includes a mesh zip pocket along the inside of the opening panel plus a simple yet effective interior compression strap system to restrain and organize your gear inside, twelve daisy-chain lash straps running around the exterior, and a smaller secondary compartment at the head of the bag big enough to accommodate a pair of boots, your winter layers, or a week's worth of dirty laundry. So even without any extra travel accessories, you should find plenty of tools to work with to help streamline your travel prep.
On the outside, twelve lash loops run along the length of the duffel, offering options to strap gear as needed when out on the road. A set of heavy-duty exterior compression straps are also available to cinch down your load, compacting the bag's contents to ensure a more stable ride. And large reflective zipper pull loops help facilitate access to your bag even on days when light runs low, or you're wearing gloves. This combination of smart interior and exterior storage features allows one to pack away and access a mountain of gear, all without compromising the bag's functionality in transit.
Based on appearances alone, the Cargo Hauler XT is easily lumped into the subcategory of roller duffels. The set of two rugged inline wheels embedded in sturdy housings along the base assures it of this status. Yet we found this unique adventure-ready case to be so much more. It is the only piece of luggage in our test group that accounts for three very different methods of transport in its design, ensuring flexibility to adjust in real time to whatever road conditions may present themselves.
First, a sturdy telescoping handle with three height settings and a pair of large off-road wheels set you up to roll the suitcase across cities, airports, and hotels. Next, several rugged grab handles sit conveniently around the exterior length, making it easy to pick up and load the duffel from nearly all angles (although, admittedly, we are disappointed there is no grip built into the top of the case). And finally, a clever set of tuck-away backpack straps can be found nested into the top boot pocket. Just latch up the hooks to the O-rings below and easily carry the bag up and down stairs or through subways on your back.
Although we love the creative intentionality behind the design of the Cargo Hauler XT, we found two issues that kept us from naming this suitcase a top performer for this metric. To start, the two large treaded wheels are only given half an inch of clearance to roll. This proves unsatisfactory wherever rocky, pot-holed, or deep, sandy desert pathways (or even stairs or curbs) enter the picture. Secured deep inside heavy plastic wheel housings, there is little room to work when navigating mixed surfaces, leaving the bottom of the bag vulnerable to obstacles and sharp edges in transit. Smooth, clear sidewalks and hotel lobbies are no problem, but this is not the bag you'd want on rugged backcountry roads or rough trails.
Second, while we were impressed by the inclusion and straightforward functionality of the hidden backpacking straps, their lightweight construction does not generate the confidence we'd need to put them to regular use. The Cargo Hauler XT provides space to hold a mountain of gear, pretty much guaranteeing a heavy load in the final package. But flimsy straps and thin, unreinforced connection points left us wondering how long they could support substantial weight before snapping under the pressure. Plus, there's little padding or structure to ease the strain of all that weight on one's back and shoulders when carrying. If your only goal is to have the option of a backpack for the occasional emergency haul up a narrow, awkward stairwell, we suspect this case would do fine. But if you need the option to strap your belongings to your back on a regular basis, we think you'd be better off selecting a pack designed for just that purpose.
We were impressed to find the Cargo Hauler XT balances a remarkably large capacity with a lightweight, notably durable design. Its mix of large, rugged wheels with a hefty wheel housing, a sturdy telescoping handle, and a super-strong 1000D Helix Poly / 600D Poly TPU exterior constriction left our testers feeling confident the gear inside would enjoy maximum protection whenever we hit the road. And in testing, we saw no reason to question that assessment. Even after extensive abuse – whether we were tossing, dragging, or hauling the case across stairs, granite, or concrete – we saw no signs of damage, heavy wear, or even mild abrasion or scratch marks. Other than some minor scuffing and a bit of stickiness in the telescoping handle release (which existed even before testing began), the Cargo Hauler XT continued to look and function just as good as new with each pass — exactly what you want to see when assessing suitcase options for longer trips away from home.
Advertised as “water repellent” with a 600D Poly TPU coating, we found this description accurate during testing. Water beads quickly on the outside of the case under rain shower conditions, with little evidence of moisture entering through the exterior material itself. However, the Cargo Hauler XT did not prove to be fully waterproof (as was typical across all bags we tested), but it is less vulnerable than others in our review. The most common point of entry for moisture to sneak in will always be along the zipper closure lines, and it was no different with the Cargo Hauler. However, we noted Eagle Creek tried to address this problem by incorporating a storm flap shield over the zipper to provide added protection and water resistance. Based on what we saw, it seems to serve.
We noted some online complaints call attention to issues of bleeding in the bag, situations in which travelers discover the bright colors of the exterior material seeping into items inside. We did not experience these results in our testing. So the best we can do is point out the possibility of such mishaps and advise caution in your packing. But it is worth noting. Similarly, we question how long it might be before the bottom of the bag begins to wear due to its low clearance, as it seems impossible one would not constantly be banging the base against obstacles in transit with such little clearance. By the same token, we wonder if the straps will continue to function over time. But since the bag is covered under Eagle Creek's celebrated No Matter What Warranty coverage, we will have to trust any issues one may encounter will be quickly remedied by the manufacturer.
At 8.8 pounds, the Cargo Hauler XT is by no means the lightest bag in the bunch, but it's not far off. And when you also account for its size and overall capacity, it quickly becomes one of the most impressive packing options in the bunch. This suitcase can carry a pile of gear without requiring you to carry along a pile of extra pounds from just the case alone. But if you don't exercise some restraint, it would also be very easy to overpack the Cargo Hauler and quickly exceed the 50-pound maximum for checked luggage on most airlines. We would advise careful packing whenever fights are involved to avoid headaches at the airport.
This shiny, eye-catching roller duffel will never be mistaken as a chic, business-meeting-ready travel accessory. The Cargo Hauler XT channels all the sporty yet modern good looks one might expect to see in a photo spread for adventures in the Himalayas or gear-heavy diving trips in Southeast Asia. Offered in several bold colors from classic black to bright red, this is a bag you should have no problem spotting across the airport. Particularly given its large size, it would be hard to miss. And while not every traveler is going to love the signature glossy sheen (a result of the TPU-treated exterior), none of our testers had negative feelings about this design choice. If anything, the shine is a visual nod toward the protective qualities incorporated into the bag, and a feature that allows the case to stand out in a crowd.
Lightweight and versatile, this is a bag to grab when heading out on epic, unpredictable adventures. The Cargo Hauler XT offers a wealth of space to accommodate all the varied clothing, gear, and equipment one might need in a durable, organizationally functional, and high-performing case meant for easy hauling under nearly all imaginable conditions. It also comes in at a solid mid-range price with an excellent lifetime manufacturer's warranty. So while it's not likely to be anyone's top choice for a professional meeting in the heart of New York City, if your next stop is a hiking trip through the Alps or a multi-week road trip through the Southwest, the Cargo Hauler XT could be exactly what you'll want to reach for.
