Rolling luggage as a product category is both big and stagnant. But for travelers, its critical gear that millions rely on daily.

　　Peak Design, a brand renowned for thoughtfully introducing new designs to iconic products like tripods or camera straps, is doing it again with the Roller Pro. Launching on Kickstarter today, the Roller Pro reimagines what a roller-style carry-on bag can be.

　　And the results are a vastly better, more useful roller bag. I got my hands on a pre-production model to see if its worth the fuss. And in a very short testing window, Id say, Heck yeah.

　　(Photo/Peak Design) In short: The Peak Design Roller Pro is simply a better roller bag than any Ive used. Its a fresh take on a generally stagnant category from its solid, low-profile carbon fiber handle to its innovative Drawbridge opening system to interior organizational panels and retention systems. While costly, its high-quality build, compatibility with camera protection cubes, and fantastic organizational capabilities should make it a top choice for frequent flyers.

　　Peak Design Roller Pro Check it out on Kickstarter

　　Specifications Weight: 8.8 lbs. Dimensions: 21.8 x 14 x 9” Carry-on linear inches: 44.8 Materials: Polycarbonate shell covered with VersaShell fabric External pockets: One (laptop compatible) Volume: Expandable 34 to 39 L Pros Excellent accessibility Smooth rolling, nice handle Efficient use of space Camera cube adds utility as large camera bag Cons Very expensive Sean McCoy Peak Design Roller Pro Review Lets address the elephant in the room right away: The Roller Pro is expensive. It retails for $600, and the camera cube adds another $140, bringing the total to $740 if you want to use it as a large camera transporter.

　　It will sell for less on Kickstarter, and Im sure there will be discounts regularly, but thats a very high-end roller bag.

　　Why? Peak Design started from the ground up with entirely custom parts and assemblies. This enabled the brand to address shortcomings such as poorly built handles, wasted space, unwieldy clamshell access, and tired aesthetics.

　　The Peak Design Roller Pro has a solid carbon fiber handle; (photo/Sean McCoy) Starting with the handle, Peak Designs SlimDrive is a patented, low-profile carbon fiber handle engineered for strength in a minimal volume. Standard roller handles are made from off-the-shelf telescoping aluminum tubes, which create large ridges at the bottom of traditional roller bags and create wasted space around them.

　　Roller Pro’s handle is made from single-stage flat carbon fiber tubes, making it significantly stiffer while taking up just a third of the volume. Coupled with custom-engineered 60mm wheels — nestled within the bag’s corners to optimize interior storage — the Roller Pro glides smoothly.

　　Its so easy to move that I worry that it may roll away on non-flat surfaces. Sliding it around is a joy, though, as it moves seemingly without friction over concrete or tile —almost as good as this unique, frisky roller bag.

　　The Peak Design Roller Pro opens wide to allow access to items; (photo/Sean McCoy) The next thing that stands out is the innovative Drawbridge opening system. It allows travelers a unique solution for packing in confined spaces like airplane aisles, busy event spaces or cramped hotel rooms. It opens to allow easy access to items without dumping gear. The top clamshell hangs open without falling to the ground, giving good access to a three-pocketed organizational panel.

　　Additionally, the bag’s expandable capacity, from 34L to 39L, accommodates those returning home with more than they left.

　　Hybrid Construction The Peak Design Roller Pro has a unique hybrid construction. The core is a polycarbonate shell, which the brand then covers with fabric. That allows the bag to have hard-sided protection with soft-sided features like a front EDC pocket for passports, chargers, headphones, and a laptop/tablet.

　　(Photo/Sean McCoy) An interior organization panel holds small items or acts as dedicated dirty clothes storage. Unlike many rollers, it has no fabric separator on the inside. Instead, a proprietary Cord Hook Internal Retention System keeps contents secure. Its simple, light, and functional.

　　Camera Bag to Boot Peak Design also released an extra-large Camera Cube as part of the launch. The cube fits inside the roller, allowing it to be a very large camera carry system that holds up to a 400mm prime lens.

　　(Photo/Peak Design) With the cube, the brand claims the bag becomes a mobile creative workstation for photographers on location or in the studio. Camera Cubes also disappear as quickly as they are installed, eliminating the need for photographers to own a dedicated camera roller. It seems like a very functional system, although I havent seen it. Well update this story once we have a chance to check one out.

　　Launching Today on Kickstarter While I havent had the chance to travel with the bag, my first impressions are very good. It seems like a well-thought-out product made with premium, durable materials.

　　The Peak Design Roller Pro handles smoothly; (photo/Sean McCoy) Serious travelers and photographers may want to consider it, although it comes at a hefty price. But for those protecting tens of thousands of dollars of camera gear, the investment may make a lot of sense.

　　From March 4 to April 17, 2025, the Peak Design Roller Pro and XL Camera Cube will be available to preorder on Kickstarter (peakdesign.com/ks), offering customers an exclusive chance to purchase at a discounted price (MSRP $140-600, depending on the item) in three colors: Black, Eclipse, and Sage.

　　The brand expects products to ship to Kickstarter backers in June 2025, with a full release on peakdesign.com, Amazon, and global retailers by August 2025.