A Rimowa suitcase has grooves because the brand's aluminum cases took their design from an airplane. I go through 20 cases, from the original aluminum shells and Trunk sizes to the Essential cabins.
Rimowa Luggage: Why the Grooves Started with an Airplane
Rimowa made its first suitcases with the grooves in 1950, and the house says they were inspired by the golden age of aviation and the first all-metal aircraft, the Junkers F13. So the ribbing on Rimowa luggage is not decoration. It is a nod to an airplane's skin, which is a very good reason to love a suitcase.
The company is older than the grooves by a lot. Paul Morszeck opened his first workshop in 1898 at Bechergasse 16, near Cologne Cathedral, and it began as a saddlery before it moved on to custom suitcases for traveling professionals. The name is short for RIchard MOrszeck WArenzeichen, which is a trademark, not a person. Dieter Morszeck later developed polycarbonate cases in 2000, which is where the lighter range below comes from.
A quick test before you choose: lift an aluminum cabin case and a polycarbonate one, one after the other. You will feel the difference in your wrist before you ever look at the numbers.
The Original Aluminum Cases
This is the shape that started the story. Rimowa's Original Classic Cabin is titanium with an aluminum ribbed shell, 35 L and 4.3 kg, which is about as small as a proper carry-on gets. The Original Check-In L Suitcase in silver holds 86 L and weighs 6.2 kg. Then come two Trunks: the black Original Trunk at 90 L, and the Original Trunk XL in silver at 130 L, a case you pack for a month away. All four have TSA-approved locks, a multiwheel system and a flex divider. Buying tip: pick the size by how you move. If you lift it into overhead bins, the cabin is your friend.
Trunk Plus, Two Ways
Rimowa's Original Trunk Plus comes in silver and in black with the ribbed shell, 105 L and 6.4 kg. The Essential Trunk Plus is a little lighter at 5.4 kg and 101 L, in green and in matte black. So the choice here is about finish, since the capacity is nearly the same. The green is the one I would notice on a baggage carousel, and the matte black is the one I would trust to look good after a few trips. Each has a flex divider that lets you split the interior as you like. What I would skip: matching the color to your outfit. Pick it for how you travel.
Essential Check-In and Cabin
This is the everyday part of the range. The Essential Check-In L Suitcase comes in matte black and matte blue, 85 L at 4.8 kg. The Essential Check-In M is matte black at 60 L and 4.1 kg, the one I would suggest for a week away. The Essential Cabin in matte black is 36 L and 3.2 kg. All polycarbonate, all with the ribbed shell, TSA-approved locks and a multiwheel system. Styling tip: matte finishes hide scuffs better than glossy ones, so if you want the case to look the same in a year, choose the matte black.
The Essential Sleeve Cabins
Rimowa's Essential Sleeve Cabin Plus is 46 L and 4.2 kg, and it comes in matte black and a green called Vert Eucalyptus Brillant. The regular Essential Sleeve Cabin is 37 L and 3.6 kg, in slate and in matte black. All four are polycarbonate with the ribbed shell and TSA-approved locks. The extra liters of the Plus are real if you carry shoes or a laptop and a jacket. A small tip: choose the Plus if you like to pack the night before, and the regular if you tend to pack the same morning and keep things simple.
Essential Lite, the Lightest
If weight is what bothers you, start here. Rimowa's Essential Lite Check-In L Luggage in graphite is 81 L and only 3.7 kg. The Essential Lite Cabin comes in graphite and in jade at 37 L and 2.2 kg, so the cabin is lighter than many tote bags once they are loaded. The Essential Lite Cabin U in graphite is the smallest of the group at 28 L and 2 kg, sized for the space under a seat. Tip: weigh your own bag empty before you pick, because an airline limit is a total, and the lighter shell leaves you more room for what you pack.
Choose by How You Carry It
Pick Rimowa luggage by weight and size first, and the finish second. The aluminum Originals are the story, and the grooves are the proof of where Rimowa came from. The polycarbonate range, from Essential to Essential Lite, is the one I would hand to anyone who lifts their own bag. Decide how many days you pack for, check the weight in the description, and then enjoy choosing the color. A case you can lift easily gets used more. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Bags And Luggage. For a lighter, more colorful alternative, I wrote about Béis luggage and the carry-on roller that started with Shay Mitchell.
Edits worth packing
Everything that made it through security.
