The Briggs & Riley Business Traveler ($369 list) is a deluxe bag for the weekend or brief-excursion traveler. Wonderfully crafted in a rounded, uncomplicated shape, this piece of luggage is both attractive and extremely practical.

The Business Traveler is two versatile cases in one—a well-padded laptop bag with a detachable strap, and a rolling suitcase with many compartments. The laptop bag (which can hold up to a 15-inch notebook) fits perfectly into the large front compartment of the suitcase. If you need the extra packing room, the laptop bag also has a zippered back that opens up to slip snugly over the handle of the suitcase, all without causing the suitcase to tip over. This is my absolute favorite feature. I can't count how many times my suitcase has fallen over when my laptop bag or backpack was cumbersomely attached to its handle.

Not only is this bag practical, it is crafted with an eye toward quality. Its Outsider handle extends and locks to 43 inches, and Briggs and Riley claims that the handle will hold up to 200 pounds without snapping off (so feel free to pack as much you'd like). The handle extends and retracts effortlessly, which is a delightful change from the erratic handles of typical rolling luggage pieces.

When carting the Business Traveler suitcase around on the pothole-ridden sidewalks and streets of Manhattan, and bouncing the wheels up subway stairs and escalators at the bus station, I was ecstatic to find that the wheels rotated very slickly and twisted and turned easily with my movements. All of the zippers opened and closed smoothly, and they felt so strong that I felt confident overstuffing the bag with little concern that it might rupture (a pack rat's number-one fear).

The interior of the bag contains mesh pockets and garment panels, with a flat back so that clothes do not get wrinkled from pressure against the handlebar. The sturdy exterior of the bag is made from water-resistant 2520 ballistic nylon. Compared with the Targus Travel Overnighter, the Business Traveler is a better choice for quality, but at over three times the price, it may not be the most economical one. I do wish the bag was a bit larger and could hold larger laptop, but as it's meant to be a carry-on piece, it's understandably compact. I recommend the Briggs & Riley Business Traveler for anyone going on a one-to-two-day trip, but for an excursion any longer than that, you will likely need a larger piece of luggage.

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