If you’re looking for a new carry-on, you may be trying to decide between a traditional hard-shell suitcase and a rolling travel backpack. I recently tested both with the Bagsmart Blast Pro 43L Rolling Backpack and the Bagsmart Getaway 20-Inch Front Opening Carry-On.
Bagsmart sent me both bags, along with a set of their compression packing cubes, so I could test them and compare them side by side. As always, all opinions are my own.
And I didn’t just look at the features.
I packed the same travel items in both bags to see what would actually fit.
Both are carry-on size and have a similar amount of packing space, but they work very differently. One is a soft-sided rolling backpack that can be carried three ways, while the other is a hard-shell front-opening suitcase with four spinner wheels.
So, which one would I take?
It really depends on the trip.
Bagsmart Blast Pro vs. Getaway Carry-On at a Glance
Shop the post:
*Please be advised that some of the links provided are affiliate/referral links and I do receive a small commission if you make a purchase using those links. This does not cost you any extra when you make a purchase. I very much appreciate your support of my blog and/or YouTube channel in doing so!* Please read my disclaimer for more information.
The Bagsmart Blast Pro 43L Rolling Backpack is the more flexible of the two. It has two wheels, backpack straps and carrying handles. Because it’s soft-sided, it can also fold down surprisingly flat when you aren’t using it.
The Bagsmart Getaway 20-Inch Carry-On is a more traditional hard-shell suitcase, but instead of opening down the middle, it has a front-opening design. It has four 360-degree spinner wheels and expands from 40 liters to 48 liters.
QUICK COMPARISON
Bagsmart Blast Pro 43L Rolling Backpack
- 43L capacity
- Soft-sided
- Two roller-style wheels
- Backpack straps
- Top and side carrying handles
- Folds down for storage
- RFID pocket
- Fits up to a 15.6-inch laptop
- Waterproof pocket
- Water bottle pocket
Bagsmart Getaway 20″ Front Opening Carry-On
- 40L capacity
- Expands to 48L
- Hard shell
- Front-opening design
- Four 360-degree spinner wheels
- TSA lock
- Laptop and tablet storage
- AirTag pocket
- Waterproof storage
- About 20% expansion
Size and Weight Comparison
I always like to weigh luggage myself instead of relying only on the listed weight.
On my scale, the Getaway weighed 6.8 pounds empty, while the Blast Pro weighed 5 pounds empty.
That gives the Blast Pro an advantage if you’re trying to keep your carry-on as light as possible.
When I measured the bags, the Getaway was about 21 inches high, 14 inches wide and 9 inches deep.
The Blast Pro measured about 22 inches high, 13 inches wide and 9 inches deep, although the depth of a soft-sided bag can change depending on how much you pack inside.
Both also have telescoping handles with four height settings.
SIZE & WEIGHT
Getaway 20″ Carry-On
- Approx. 21″ H x 14″ W x 9″ D
- 6.8 lbs on my scale
- 40L–48L capacity
Blast Pro Rolling Backpack
- Approx. 22″ H x 13″ W x 9″ D
- 5 lbs on my scale
- 43L capacity
Always check your airline’s current carry-on size and weight rules before flying.
Bagsmart Blast Pro 43L Rolling Backpack
The biggest difference with the Blast Pro is right in the name: it’s both a rolling bag and a backpack.
You can roll it using the telescoping handle, carry it with the padded handles, or pull out the backpack straps and put it on your back.
That gives you three different ways to carry one bag.
I can think of so many travel situations where this could be useful.
If you have stairs, you can put it on your back. If you’re moving through an airport, you can roll it. And when you need to pick it up, you have padded carrying handles.
I especially thought about some of my trips where I’ve had to deal with boats, stairs and smaller planes. When we went to Belize, for example, we had to carry our things onto a boat and go up stairs to the upper deck.
This is exactly the type of situation where being able to quickly turn your rolling carry-on into a backpack could be a huge help.
Backpack Mode
The backpack straps store in the back of the bag when you aren’t using them.
There’s also a waist strap. Once I had the bag packed pretty heavily, I tried it on and tightened the waist and chest straps.
I could immediately feel how those straps helped spread out the weight.
There’s even a cover that goes over the wheels when you’re wearing it as a backpack. That way the wheels aren’t rubbing against your clothes.
BLAST PRO: CARRY IT 3 WAYS
- Roll it like traditional luggage
- Carry it using the padded handles
- Wear it as a backpack
The backpack straps tuck away when you don’t need them, and a wheel cover helps keep your clothes away from the wheels.
The Blast Pro Folds Flat
This may be one of my favorite features.
The Blast Pro has support rails inside that help give the bag structure. You can unsnap them when you don’t need that structure and compress the bag down surprisingly flat.
That makes it easier to store at home, but I immediately thought about sailing trips and cruises.
We have a sailing trip coming up, and on a boat you often need luggage that can fit under a bed, under a floorboard or inside a very small closet.
A large hard-shell suitcase can become a problem once you unpack it.
The Blast Pro can be pushed down much flatter, which could make it a great option for boats, cruises, small hotel rooms and anywhere storage space is tight.
GREAT FOR SMALL SPACES
The Blast Pro can fold down when empty, making it a good choice for:
- Sailing trips
- Cruises
- Small hotel rooms
- Apartments
- RV travel
- Trips where luggage storage is limited
Organization Inside the Blast Pro
There’s a lot more organization inside this bag than I expected.
The main compartment opens from the top and includes compression straps and several pockets.
There’s a waterproof pocket that I used for my liquids bag. I also found spots for my first-aid supplies, medicine, travel adapter and cords.
One of my favorite small details is the soft pocket designed for things like glasses, sunglasses or your phone.
The material inside feels very soft and plush.
I would still be careful if the bag is extremely full because the pocket itself isn’t a hard glasses case. But it gives you a nice scratch-resistant place for things you want to protect.
RFID Pocket
There’s also an RFID pocket on the side.
I used it for my ID, Visa card and passport. I like having those important items together in a secure zippered pocket, especially when I’m traveling internationally.
Laptop Storage
The Blast Pro also has a separate laptop area that fits up to a 15.6-inch laptop.
That’s a big plus if you’re using this as your main carry-on and want easy access to your computer without digging through your clothes.
BLAST PRO FEATURES
- 43L capacity
- Soft-sided design
- Rolling luggage + backpack
- Two roller-style wheels
- Hidden backpack straps
- Waist and chest straps
- Wheel cover for backpack mode
- YKK zippers
- Laptop compartment up to 15.6″
- RFID pocket
- Waterproof pocket
- Soft glasses/phone pocket
- Top organization pocket
- Water bottle pocket
- Interior compression straps
- Support rails for added structure
- Folds down for storage
Bagsmart Compression Packing Cubes
I used the Bagsmart compression packing cubes to test both bags.
The set I used has two small cubes, two medium cubes, one large cube and another bag that can be used for shoes or laundry.
I’m a big fan of packing cubes in general, but compression packing cubes are especially helpful when you’re trying to travel with a carry-on.
Once everything is packed, you can use the extra zipper to compress the clothing and make the cube smaller.
The handles also make the cubes easy to pull in and out of the luggage.
Packing the Blast Pro
For my test, I packed my clothes, shoes, toiletries, liquids, first-aid supplies, medicine, electronics, travel adapter, laptop, tablet, sunglasses, passport, cards, charger, earbuds and other travel essentials.
And I was able to get everything inside.
The interior compression straps helped press everything down, and even when I had the bag packed heavily, it still stood upright.
I also still had access to the outside pockets for the things I might want during my travel day.
That’s one of the things I really like about this design.
Bagsmart Getaway 20-Inch Front Opening Carry-On
Next, I packed the exact same things into the Bagsmart Getaway 20-Inch Front Opening Carry-On.
The biggest difference here is the hard-shell design and the way the suitcase opens.
Instead of splitting down the middle like many hard-shell suitcases, this one opens from the front.
I really like front-opening luggage, especially in smaller hotel rooms.
You don’t need as much floor space to open your suitcase, and this one fits nicely on a luggage rack.
GETAWAY 20″ FEATURES
- 40L capacity
- Expands to 48L
- About 20% expansion
- Hard-shell design
- Front opening
- Four 360-degree spinner wheels
- Built-in TSA lock
- Four-position telescoping handle
- Laptop compartment
- Tablet pocket
- AirTag pocket
- Waterproof storage
- Mesh organization
- Interior compression straps
The Getaway Front Compartment
The front section is one of the biggest advantages of the Getaway.
There’s padded storage for a laptop and tablet, plus an AirTag pocket and additional zippered storage.
This gives you a place for things you may want to reach at the airport without opening your entire suitcase.
I could keep my computer, tablet, passport, wallet and other travel items organized in that front area.
There’s also more packing space behind it than I first realized.
How Much Fits in the Getaway?
I packed the same items that I had packed in the Blast Pro because I wanted this to be a fair comparison.
My goal was to see whether I could close the Getaway without using the expansion zipper.
And I did!
I was honestly surprised by how much fit.
There were at least a couple of weeks of clothes and travel items packed inside. Once everything was packed, the suitcase weighed 24.2 pounds on my scale.
It did close without expansion, although it was pretty full.
When I opened the expansion zipper, everything fit much more comfortably.
I would probably travel with it unexpanded when possible and save that extra space for the trip home.
Because we all know what happens.
Souvenirs somehow find their way into the suitcase!
Spinner Wheels vs. Rolling Backpack Wheels
The wheel systems are very different.
The Getaway has four 360-degree spinner wheels, so you can roll it upright next to you.
The Blast Pro has two wheels that remind me of rollerblade wheels, so you pull the bag behind you.
The Blast Pro wheels felt smooth when I tested them, but the Getaway has the advantage if you prefer the easy movement of a traditional spinner suitcase.
The Blast Pro wins when the wheels stop being useful altogether.
That’s when you can put it on your back.
Which Bagsmart Carry-On Would I Choose?
I don’t think there’s one winner for every trip.
I can see myself using both.
I’d choose the Blast Pro Rolling Backpack for:
- Sailing trips
- Boat trips
- Cruises
- Trips with stairs
- Regional flights
- Places where I may need to carry my luggage
- Small hotel rooms
- Trips where luggage storage is limited
The fact that it folds down and can switch from a roller bag to a backpack gives it a lot of flexibility.
I’d choose the Getaway Carry-On for:
- Airport-heavy trips
- Trips where I want spinner wheels
- Business travel
- Trips where I’m bringing my laptop
- Hotels where I want easy front-open access
- Trips where I may shop and need extra space coming home
I especially like the organization in the front compartment and the option to expand the suitcase by about 20%.
Blast Pro vs. Getaway: My Final Thoughts
After packing both bags with the same items, I think both make excellent carry-ons—but for different types of travel.
The Bagsmart Blast Pro gives you more ways to carry your luggage and is much easier to store when it’s empty. That makes it especially interesting for sailing, cruises, boats, stairs and trips where a traditional rolling suitcase can become a pain.
The Bagsmart Getaway feels more like a traditional carry-on, but the front-opening design gives it some added benefits. I like the spinner wheels, TSA lock, laptop organization and expansion space.
For our upcoming sailing trip, I’m especially interested in the Blast Pro because I can unpack it and push it down into a much smaller space.
But for another trip where I’m moving mostly through airports and hotels? I could easily choose the Getaway.
The best choice really comes down to where you’re going and how you like to travel.
Shop the Bags
Bagsmart Blast Pro 43L Roller Backpack:
https://bagsmart.pxf.io/m41aJD
Bagsmart Getaway 20″ Front Opening Carry-On:
https://bagsmart.pxf.io/E0AxPn
Bagsmart Compression Packing Cubes:
https://bagsmart.pxf.io/yZoO6y
Sweet Life Discount Code (enjoy 10% off when purchasing from BAGSMART):
SWEET
Bagsmart sent me the luggage and packing cubes featured in this post. All opinions and experiences shared are my own.
Watch My Full Bagsmart Carry-On Comparison
Want to see exactly how much I fit in each bag?
Watch my full Bagsmart Blast Pro Rolling Backpack vs. Getaway Carry-On comparison on YouTube to see both bags packed side by side, how the backpack feature works and how each carry-on looks fully packed.
[EMBED YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bagsmart Blast Pro a backpack or rolling luggage?
It’s both. The Blast Pro has wheels and a telescoping handle, but it also has backpack straps that can be stored away when you aren’t using them. You can roll it, carry it by the handles or wear it as a backpack.
How much does the Bagsmart Blast Pro hold?
The Blast Pro has a 43-liter capacity.
How much does the Bagsmart Getaway Carry-On hold?
The 20-inch Getaway starts at 40 liters and expands by about 20% to 48 liters.
Does the Bagsmart Getaway have a laptop compartment?
Yes. The front section includes padded laptop storage along with space for a tablet and other travel items.
Does the Bagsmart Blast Pro have a laptop compartment?
Yes. The Blast Pro has a laptop compartment designed to fit laptops up to 15.6 inches.
Which is better for a cruise or sailing trip?
I would lean toward the Blast Pro for a sailing trip because the soft-sided bag can fold down much flatter when it’s empty. That makes it easier to store in a small cabin, closet or other tight space.
Which one holds more?
The Blast Pro has a 43L capacity. The Getaway starts at 40L but expands to 48L. In my packing test, I was able to fit the same travel items into both bags.
Which one is lighter?
On my home scale, the Blast Pro weighed 5 pounds empty and the Getaway weighed 6.8 pounds empty.
For more details on What’s in my backpack for international travel, click HERE.
Don’t forget to 📌 Pin it!
Leave a Reply