Customer reviews from High Sierra
High Sierra - Fairlead 22" Drop Bottom Wheeled Duffel - Mercury/Black
Average customer rating
4.1
(41 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 41 reviews
5 Stars
26
4 Stars
3
3 Stars
7
2 Stars
2
1 Star
3
75%of customers recommend this product.
(
27 out of
36)
Customer Reviews for High Sierra - Fairlead 22" Drop Bottom Wheeled Duffel - Mercury/Black
Posted by: Richard
from Eden Prairie, MN
Verified Purchase:Yes
Love the design of this. I have an older version of it so bought this new one. Very disappointed that the bag won't stand up straight on its own. And because of that it tips over when resting a backpack on top against the extended handle. The bottom of the bag with the footing on it will not square out and stay rigid despite all my efforts. Different than the early model. See pic. Fatal flaw - I hope High Sierra will replace this for me with a similar model that stands up as it should.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra
Customer Rating
5
Is good.. but I miss few things
on August 24, 2023
Posted by: WorldTraveler
from Virginia US
I bought it few months ago and this 22” bag has travel thousands of miles. I have check the bag and I also carry-on into the plane. One airline complain that it was a little too thick, but it may requirement as carry-on. I miss the old straps to become a backpack in case of non paved roads or streets. I also miss the 26” bag… perfect size in my opinion for a longer trip. The 28” is too big in my opinion
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra
Posted by: Anonymous
from DC Metropolitan Region
Verified Purchase:Yes
Great product but with a design flaw - This is to replace a similar High Sierra bag that has been all over the world. The new design is great except for the stands used To help support them when vertical. They are too short and the bag does not stand on its own. It must be leaned against something.
I will continue to use for now
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra
Posted by: JillC
from Chicago IL
Verified Purchase:Yes
Nice design and looks sturdy, however it is slightly small as far as the width. It would be better if it were an 2-3” wider.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra
Posted by: Way away in Texas
from Newark, TX
Verified Purchase:Yes
Purchased in error thinking that this was also a backpack. That would have made it perfect for our travel style. Unfortunately have to return for another item.
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra
Customer Rating
1
Super skinny duffel. Terrible website for returns.
on September 7, 2023
Posted by: S King
from Miami, FL
Verified Purchase:Yes
I had hoped this would be like the High Sierra 22" Drop Bottom Duffel that I purchased years ago and literally travelled around with world. I LOVE my old duffel. I wanted to purchase a second for my daughter, but the new model is extremely narrow--only 12", which is a loss of square footage. I am attempting to return this item, but the website will not allow me to do so. I am EXTREMELY unhappy.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from High SierraBy High Sierra, High Sierra Care Team, September 8, 2023
Hello, thank you for taking the time to provide this feedback. Making sure our customers are supported and satisfied with their purchases is extremely important to us, so we're sorry to hear that didn't come through in your experience. If you need any further assistance, please connect with our team directly at warranty@highsierra.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra
Customer Rating
4
Decent carry-on rolling duffel
on October 21, 2025
Posted by: yytcv3
from USA
I used this bag from 2023-2025 on multiple domestic and international trips, and it held up relatively well. It gets 4 stars because it's a good bag, but it still has some things that aren't perfect.
Pros:
Approximately carry-on sized; I never had an issue in airplane overhead bins or getting asked to take it as a checked bag instead of a carry-on.
Clamshell/drop-bottom construction allows easy organization into left and right sides.
Duffel bag style with a shallow bottom panel, which allows the soft sides to bulge out to fit more if you need to cram stuff in.
No problems with durability.
Compression straps are large with strong compression force
Approximately carry-on sized; I never had an issue in airplane overhead bins or getting asked to take it as a checked bag instead of a carry-on.
Clamshell/drop-bottom construction allows easy organization into left and right sides.
Duffel bag style with a shallow bottom panel, which allows the soft sides to bulge out to fit more if you need to cram stuff in.
No problems with durability.
Compression straps are large with strong compression force
Cons:
It's narrow (12.5"). Airlines typically allow up to 14" in carry-on width, and this bag is missing that extra 1.5" of space that would really make this a fantastic choice. Because of this, when the bag is fully packed, it's almost rectangular in shape (~12-13" tall). The wheels also aren't positioned at the edge of the bag, and as a result, when walking fast and turning, the bag can lean and tip over to the left/right. It would benefit a lot from a wider wheelbase.
It's also somewhat heavy, at around 7.5 lbs. The construction is good and durable, but that comes with a weight trade-off. With lighter materials, this bag could be 1-1.5 lbs lighter. This is mostly personal preference.
It's narrow (12.5"). Airlines typically allow up to 14" in carry-on width, and this bag is missing that extra 1.5" of space that would really make this a fantastic choice. Because of this, when the bag is fully packed, it's almost rectangular in shape (~12-13" tall). The wheels also aren't positioned at the edge of the bag, and as a result, when walking fast and turning, the bag can lean and tip over to the left/right. It would benefit a lot from a wider wheelbase.
It's also somewhat heavy, at around 7.5 lbs. The construction is good and durable, but that comes with a weight trade-off. With lighter materials, this bag could be 1-1.5 lbs lighter. This is mostly personal preference.
Overall not a bad choice for a carry-on, because it's good at cramming things and bulging without seeming oversized. When I optimize my packing, I can travel for >1 week on just this carry on.
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra
Posted by: MikeD
from Fort Wayne, Indiana
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
Solid construction, carry-on and attractive made it a good investment
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting High Sierra