Your wish—sturdy backpack, civilized wheelie, suitcase-style interior—is this bag’s command. The versatility of this carry-on-compliant hybrid was welcome during a couple of weeks of Greek-island hopping. Pack the 3,060-cubic-inch Cross Roads in your sleep; its undivided main compartment and front-panel pockets make the procedure blessedly simple. When cobblestone gave way to concrete, the Cross Roads ran buttery smooth, thanks to silky wheels and stainless-steel bearings. A quick zip converts it to backpack mode, and another zipper trick expands the main compartment 21.5 percent. www.eaglecreek.com
Bonus: The compact bag includes twin water-bottle holders and protective kick plates.
Bummer: Interior hold-down straps could be upgraded for better compression.