I’ve got to tell you that I’ve saved this until now because it is so cool. Kelty has completely changed the game on travel luggage. Billed as “the bag that carries you” the new Ascender System isn’t their first trip to the rodeo as Kelty once partnered with Eagle Industries to provide the aluminum frame for the EI Rolling Duffel (Kelty has their own version now as well called appropriately enough, the Zeppelin).
What Kelty has done is created a Modular Travel System that is built around a telescoping, rolling aluminum frame system that is paired with a family of bags that fit to it. Because the bags are detachable from the frame, they can be used alone as daypacks or duffles. Conversely, I can see the telescoping frame being adapted to tote quite a few odd sized loads around.
The telescoping frame and expandable bags mean you can adapt the Ascender to your load. For us this is great news. We can use it in its carry-on size configuration when heading to a tradeshow and on the way home expand the frame and bag combo to checked luggage size to accommodate the literature and swag we invariable pick up.
Additionally, like all great travel luggage, the bags are internally configurable. One model is also water resistant.
That’s really clever!