Background:

Who can resist luggage called Kevlar? First things first, it’s not bullet proof, although to be fair I’ve not tested this. I can imagine having bullet proof luggage, particularly backpacks, might one day become a real thing. In fact, I remember reading about bullet proof backpacks for children. The world is a weird place.

So what is Kevlar? It’s a heat-resistant and strong synthetic aramid fibre used to make clothing, accessories and equipment. It was invented over 50 years ago, and, to give it the proprietorial name, DuPont Kevlar is now also available in this luggage range.  Like several other top ranges of luggage, there is a lifetime guarantee on the bags for the first year of ownership, and for five years afterwards for manufacturing defects, although I doubt this would cover the zips breaking, for instance.

The bag

The Modulus range has a dozen different pieces in it, from backpacks to large check-in bags. I chose to test a spinner (four wheels) cabin bag. I first took it through the streets of London for a 40-minute walk loaded full with extremely heavy books.

It withstood the test well, though I felt the handle flexed quite a bit and was (as with many bags) possibly the weak point. Kevlar says that this handle is “lightweight aircraft grade aluminium trolley tubes [which are] incredibly strong and tested in conjunction with our trolley handle to extremes”. So perhaps I am wrong.

It also has a three stage locking system, so you can wheel it comfortably whatever your height without it banging against your heels when pulling it on two wheels, or when having it with four wheels through the airport.

The inside of the bag is one large compartment, though Kevlar provides a couple of interior bags that can be used to store things. I didn’t really see the point of those and left them at home. The bag has a side pocket, and the inside of the lid has a couple more fairly sizeable pockets as well. There are also packing straps secured part way down the inside to ensure that your things stay in place, particularly if you don’t pack the bag full to stop things rolling around.

In all honesty, I thought the lining on the inside of the bag felt a little cheap – I’m sure it’s tough and wipes clear and so on, but it didn’t feel very nice which was a shame, because this is not a cheap bag and the inside of, say, a Briggs & Riley bag, is more impressive.

The front of the bag unzips separately and I stored my laptop here along with some papers and a paperback book I was reading during a journey and wanted to access frequently and then be able to store.

There is a magnetised side pocket which the information said was enough for an umbrella, but even my smallest one didn’t fit. It also suggested storing a boarding pass in there, but I wouldn’t have tried that.

I later loaded the case much more lightly for a five-day winter trip to Moscow, which involved rolling through snow, along streets covered in grit, salt and sand, in and out of overhead lockers, onto racks on commuter trains, under a much larger and heavier bag on a train, and also stored in hotel rooms. It withstood all of this well, and the superficial scuff marks easily wiped off to leave it looking as good as new.

Verdict

This is a really good bag. It’s towards the top end of expensive, and perhaps isn’t super stylish, inside or out, but the one-year guarantee and then the five year guarantee for manufacturing defects are impressive.

Fact box

Material : Kevlar®, Nylon, Polyester Blend

Weight : 2.90kg

Capacity : 32L

Size : 55(h) x 38(w) x 24.5(d) cm

Cost: £299,  Case Luggage)