Thinking it is time to get our college students a nice carry on suitcase and would be ideal timing when they come home for the holidays. Thoughts on brands, features? I am already aware about sizing and will make sure it conforms to both US and International carry on sizes.
Looking at Monos - but really know nothing.
My W, the ultimate business traveler, has us all in on Briggs and Riley. We have carryons, and larger ones for extended travel. We had a problem with one of the spinner wheels on a larger suitcase after 5 years and it was repaired for free with their great warranty.
The carryons are light and strong and fit well in overheads. My wife has actually flown on a 5 day business trip to China with only her carryon. Hotel dry cleaning helps.
We absolutely love our Tumi bags. I would never get a “spinner”: having two more wheels increases the chances of trouble down the road, leaves less space, and is a pita to drag on uneven surfaces (think international travel with cobblestones etc.).
For years, my philosophy was disposable luggage. Get it from Target or whoever, and when it falls apart, get another one. I now have a TUMI which I really like. It’s probably the last carry-on I will ever buy.
We did 2 weeks in China and 4 weeks in Europe with just a carryon. 
Having only used a carryon for over 20 years, I have a strong preference for soft sides. They can be squished into more spaces.
Wheels can indeed be a pain. My wife prefers wheels. I prefer a backpack. We ended up with the Eagle Creek Lync, but they don’t make it anymore. The wheels can be removed and backpack straps added.
We had Osprey bags prior to that. They make very high quality bags. Briggs and Riley do too. Tom Bihn are among my faves, but they are spendy.
First and foremost you need to decide yes or no on wheels. If the answer is no, then backpack straps, shoulder strap, or both.
Nice present! We gave our son an Osprey Porter and a Patagonia laptop bag for just that reason.
We are also a carry on only family for all travel - so our kids know how to pack well (and fans of packing cubes too) - they like having wheels and I don’t think of this as a life time suitcase - but one that allows us to get ours back that they currently have at college 
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I bought this bag from LL Bean and have been quite happy with it.
I was also looking for something that met airline size requirements.
And whether you want a hip strap if backpack (you probably do if you put significant weight in it).
The only reason we got rid of our Ospreys was the change in size requirements. They were great bags. I can say though that manufacturers are getting better at lightening the wheel infrastructure and materials in general. Our Eagle Creeks are half the weight. I’m sure newer stuff is even lighter.
Love our Tortuga Outbreaker carryons with packing cubes.
Holds a ton, lots of areas for electronics/misc stuff, well designed and thought out.
We have had Ospreys and Tumis (also great) but Tortuga is right for us now.
No wheels on any of our carryons. We have 3 larger check-on suitcases: two with Standard wheels and one with spinners. Depending on the airport and the location, my wife will use one over the other. Her last trip was for 75 days, she used a carryon and a checkon spinner. Interestingly that trip was cut short in Paris by Covid.
We are also a carry on only family and I tend to also buy “disposable” bags. I bought my current carry on 5 years on sale at Kohl’s. It’s an ultra light weight, 2 wheeler, and is still going strong. It’s a Travel Pro and I think I paid $49 for it. My D has a Lucas spinner that she loves too.
My mom bought my S one of these for a graduation gift. I thought she was insane. It is the best bag I have ever seen and now I am debating getting them for the rest of the family. I cannot believe how much they can fit and how easy they are to travel with.
We bought Briggs & Riley bags when Costco somehow had them briefly. We love them and they’re easy to organize and pack. They’re also very sturdy. I’m glad we got them at sale price ($139+tax). We’ve had them for many years and no sign of wear. We even check them as luggage, as needed but so far they’re holding up great.
I was going to say wrap an “IOU” and do some fun shopping together when the kids are home. But perhaps better would be to make your best guess and purchase somewhere locally, easy to do returns.
I also prefer a backpack. I like to have my hands free.
I used to always try to travel with only carryons. Somewhere a while back I took to taking one large suitcase that I check, plus a carryon backpack. The backpack always contains everything essential for one full day (lost luggage in my 2,000,000 miles has always showed up within about 28 hours – this might be luck). My laptop goes in the backpack. That way once I have checked in my hands are free, for example to carry a boarding pass and passport, to leave in my pocket if I am worried about pick pockets, or to carry a small bottle of water.
Prior to Covid I traveled extensively for work. After a couple of cheap suitcases, I invested in an Away suitcase, which I love. Mine is the checked variety (I need to carry a lot of stuff for work) but I have gifted both my daughter and daughter-in-law with Away carry-on bags, their preferred size for traveling.
There are size options: the larger carry-on size is 22.7" x 14.7" x 9.6", and the smaller one is 21.7" x 13.7" x 9". Especially with international carriers, the carry-on size restrictions can vary. Some are available with an optional removable USB charger.
There’s also an expandable carry-on; dimensions are 21.7" x 13.7" x 9.2" and the depth is expandable to 10.9", but they warn that may make it too big for some carriers to allow as a carry-on.
They have a 100-day trial period. They also have a lifetime warranty on the luggage, which covers any functional damage to the shell, wheels, handles, zippers, or anything else that impairs use of the luggage.
They also have backpacks and duffels.
My two favorites are a TravelPro, and my Swiss Gear Carry On bags. Both light weight and easy to deal with.
International carriers often have weight restrictions as well, even if you fly in the front premium cabins. In those cases, you may have to check in the bag. No bag can survive airport handlings forever, even a Rimowa.
My pro tip is… an Ebags bag. I have one of the earlier models of these and it’s amazing. I love that i can just carry it on my back, and it also shrinks down so on longer trips I can pack it inside my suitcase and poof it back up to use as a carry on bag on my way home, when I’m bringing more things back with me. You can also stuff the straps in the bag and carry it normally.