This Quince Carry-On Tote Holds Everything My Suitcase Can’t — and It’s Expandable

Between the travel I do for work and the trips I take to visit family back in South Florida, I’ve become something of a frequent flyer — so I’m pretty picky about my travel gear. I’m also exclusively a carry-on traveler, which means my personal item isn’t just for my in-flight entertainment — it’s for allllll the things that couldn’t fit in my luggage. I’ve tried several bags over the years, but Quince’s Water Repellent Puff Expandable Tote is the one I’ve been reaching for again and again. 

The affordable luxury brand makes some of AT editors’ favorite home goods, from cozy comforters to small-space sofas, and now I can happily add this travel-friendly tote to the list. Here’s why. 

It’s basically the perfect personal item. Made of water-repellent polyester derived from 14 recycled water bottles, the puffy, over-the-shoulder tote has a huge zippered compartment designed to keep all your packables dry and protected. At 13 inches high, 20.5 inches wide, and 6.75 inches deep, it’s sized just right to slip underneath a plane seat. And it’s packed with pockets: four exterior ones for all your quick-grab items — including a sneaky hidden pocket that’s perfect for stashing your keys — plus three interior pockets and a padded laptop sleeve. It also comes with a crossbody strap and a trolley sleeve for on-the-go ease. The star attraction, though, is the flat, zippered bottom which expands to give you four extra inches of packing space. 

The Puff Expandable Tote is super lightweight, which makes it easy to carry over my shoulder when it’s packed full — and boy, did I pack it full. On a recent flight home to see family, I was able to fit both my makeup and toiletry bags, my laptop and charger, planner, headphones, two books, wallet, phone, and keys without any issues. And it wouldn’t be a trip home if my family didn’t send me back to New York with a bunch of extra stuff. That’s where the Puff tote really came in handy: I expanded it to fit a shoebox full of precious porcelain figurines my grandma had been saving for me. Even when expanded, the bag still fit under the plane seat.

One thing to note about the Puff tote is that the puffer material is quite pliable, so it doesn’t have the most structured shape. But that’s actually a bonus in disguise: It’s soft enough to pack inside your luggage if you need to. It also feels incredibly durable. The matte, water-repellent exterior looked practically untouched after its first trip, and the minor scuffs it has picked up since then have been easy to spot-clean. Plus, its $80 price tag is way less expensive than similar high-end travel bags — without sacrificing quality! 

Buy: Water Repellent Puff Expandable Tote Bag, $80