I’ve been through a lot of luggage in my years as a travel blogger but there is one suitcase that has stood the test of time and it’s by iconic British brand Antler. So, when Antler asked if I’d like to road-test their new Clifton hard-sided cases on my next family holiday my answer was yes, absolutely.
Disclosure: These items were gifted for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
Is Antler luggage good?
Antler are known for creating luggage that is strong, stylish, long-lasting and lightweight, so I was keen to see what was so special about Clifton, their bestselling suitcase.
Designed and engineered in London, The Clifton case by Antler has been made to last longer and function better than ever before.
After travelling with the Clifton in medium to Morocco and taking the full stylish set of a large, medium and cabin bag to Greece, here are my thoughts on it.
Review of the Clifton suitcases by Antler
The first thing I noticed when I travelled with the Clifton suitcases were how easily they wheel. It feels like it floats alongside you with barely any effort, which is the dream really isn’t it – who doesn’t want to look and feel effortless at the airport?
The Clifton is, in fact, so easy to manoeuvrer that I could push 2 at the same time around the airport, or wheel the large along with one hand while holding onto my 3-year-old with the other.
I also really liked the innovative, twist grip-handle that was comfortable to hold onto. The handle extends and retracts at the touch of either of the 2 buttons on top of it. So, we could smoothly grab the cases and go while other people around us were still jabbing at theirs.
The polycarbonate shell is strong but super light. Even though I packed the large case to the brim (it has a capacity of 121L) it was still way under the 23kg luggage limit set by the airline. It’s deceptively light for such a huge suitcase.
I went for the Clifton set in Taupe because I’m such a fan of neutrals (you’ve seen our house right?!) but with hindsight something that shows the dirt less might have been more practical for someone who travels as much as me. (The classic Navy or standout Mineral maybe.)
Suitcase Cleaning Hack
Our cases picked up a number of scuffs and marks after travelling to Greece but after reading Antler’s blog post on how to keep your suitcases spotlessly clean I gave them a scrub with The Pink Stuff and they look as good as new again! (Check out this reel for a before and after.) You can also use a Magic Eraser on hard-sided luggage if you go for a light colour like I did.
The taupe colour is definitely a little more high maintenance than a classic black but I do love how easy it is to spot my suitcase on the luggage carousel and (yes, ok, I admit it!) I also love that I can match my travel outfits and hand luggage to it.
The Clifton is also very clever because it’s colour-fast, which means any inevitable scratches will stay true to the colour of the shell.
It also comes with a dust bag so I can make sure my suitcases are protected when in storage in the loft or garage. The Clifton cases neatly fit inside each other like Russian dolls, which means they take up much less space than my old suitcases from various different brands that had to be stored on top of each other.
The interiors of the Clifton are everything this organised packer loves in a suitcase. With a waterproof compartment that’s great for risky toiletries (or a wet cozzie at the end of the holiday) and a mesh part I like to use for things I’ll want to see as soon as I open the suitcase. (Like face wipes to freshen up after the journey).
There are expander zips on the medium and large case in case of emergencies but I found the capacities so generous and well-thought out, I think you’d be hard pressed to use them. Unless you went way overboard on the souvenir shopping, that is!
In a nutshell, the big selling points of Antler’s Clifton suitcases are:
- Wheels like a dream (double spinner wheels for the win!)
- Super light with generous packing capacity*
- Colour-fast hard shell
- Innovative, twist-grip handle (all sizes)
- Easy to store – cases of the same range are designed to nest inside each other for space-saving storage
- Expander zips on the medium and large
- TSA combination lock – a Travel Sentry Approved lock means that aviation security authorities across the world can open your case, and close it again if they need to, without causing any damage
- 10-year warranty
*Weight 2.8kg (cabin), 3.9kg (medium), 5.0kg (large)
Packing capacity 37L (cabin), 75L (medium), 121L (large)
While I’m not new to Antler luggage this was my first time travelling with matching luggage for the whole family and I can’t tell you how much more put together it makes you feel. Travelling (especially with a 3-year-old) is never completely stress-free, but it definitely feels more effortless with luggage that glides alongside you, ticking all the functionality boxes while also looking super chic. The Clifton is everything I want from a suitcase really.
Shop the full range of Antler luggage here
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