On October 30, 2018, a press release went out from Vancouver announcing the pre-launch of a Kickstarter campaign for an independent Canadian studio called Monos. The pitch was premium, minimalist luggage without superfluous gimmicks. I like that someone said out loud what a lot of us were thinking at the baggage carousel.

The people behind it are Hubert Chan, Victor Tam and Daniel Shin, and the point of view is stubbornly plain. Shin put it as "we didn't see the need for our luggage to have GPS tracking or transform into a moped." The name comes from the Japanese idea of mono no aware, the appreciation of beauty in fleeting moments. That is a lot of philosophy for a suitcase, but the case itself is simple: a German Makrolon polycarbonate shell in a powder-coated matte finish, rolling on Hinomoto Lisof Silent Run 360 degree wheels. That combination is why Monos luggage reads as calm rather than loud.

Start the carry-on shelf with the Carry-On Hardside Spinner, which comes in Ocean Blue, Midnight Black, Olive Green and the pale Blue Haze. It measures 22 x 14 x 9 inches and weighs 7.01 pounds, so it is the one I would pick for a long weekend in October when you are layering knits and a coat. The Carry-On Plus in Terracotta Red is the slightly bigger cousin, 23 inches with a ribbed shell, for anyone who always overpacks by one sweater.

If you work on the road, look at the Carry-On Pro Plus with the front pocket in Ocean Blue or Olive Green, and the Carry-On Pro in Midnight Black. The padded front compartment fits a laptop up to 16 inches. Practical tip: pick the color you would still like in five years, then check that the front pocket fits your actual laptop sleeve.

Every Monos piece starts from the same idea: fewer, better parts. The brand says that if it could not find a component that met its standards, it worked with industry experts to make it. Keep that in mind when you look at the checked sizes, because the shell and wheels are the same family as the carry-ons, just bigger.

The Check-In Medium in Olive Green is 26.5 x 18.5 x 10.5 inches and about 70.8 liters, which is where I would land for a week away. The Check-In Large in Midnight Black, Ocean Blue and Olive Green runs 30 x 21 x 11 inches and is sized for 7 to 21 day trips. That is the holiday trip, the family visit, the move across an ocean. If you want something lighter on the eye, the 29 inch Large Checked in Desert Taupe or Rose Quartz Pink has a softer, almost sandy look, with YKK zippers and compression straps inside.

The Expandable Medium in Ocean Blue or Midnight Black is the smart one for the trip home, since the wraparound gusset takes it from about 70.8 to 86.1 liters. Buying test: stand it up, extend the handle, and push it with one finger. A good spinner should track straight and stay quiet, and with the Hinomoto wheels that is the whole promise.

What I would skip: the Large in a color you only like in the photos. A big suitcase is a lot of surface area, so go for the shade you would not mind seeing on a belt for ten years.

The Metro line is where the brand's minimalism turns soft. Nylon, faux leather and a short list of colors, all in the same calm palette as the suitcases. It is the part of the shelf I would use to finish a travel set rather than start one.

The Metro Weekend Bag in Juniper Green is water-resistant, with a 16 inch laptop compartment, a bottom shoe compartment and a water bottle pocket. The Metro Duffel in Carbon Black is 22 liters, with a trolley sleeve, a 15 inch laptop sleeve and a shoe compartment, so it slides over a suitcase handle for the airport. For hands-free days, the Metro Crossbody in Ivory and the Metro Sling in Juniper Green carry the phone, passport and not much else. The Metro Zip Folio in Carbon Black holds passports and cards in a smooth faux-leather shell.

For the bathroom bag, the Large Metro Toiletry Case in Dover gray and the Small in Carbon Black both have a cotton lining and a nylon exterior. The Compressible Packing Cubes in gray come as a set of four and fit all Monos Carry-On sizes. Test: pack your cubes before you pack the case, and zip the compression closed. If it takes two hands and a knee, you are packing too much.

What I would skip: a sling and a crossbody on the same trip. Pick one and let the weekender do the carrying.

The Monos shell is polycarbonate, which flexes and bounces back, so aluminum is the other side of the argument: stiff, fluted, a little dramatic. Tumi's 19 Degree Aluminum has a diagonal-fluted shell, in a black large carry-on and a silver large checked. Away's Carry-On: Aluminum Edition in Rose Gold is the softer take, and the Aluminum Edge Bigger Carry-On in the No. 20 Legacy green is a limited edition made with Sabrina Ionescu.

Polycarbonate gets more interesting in the middle of the page. Carl Friedrik's Hybrid Large Check In pairs a German-engineered Makrolon shell with cognac leather trim and an aluminum frame, in gray, 105 liters. Roam's Check-In Expandable in Brooklyn Matte Steel is made to order and built from 50 percent recycled polycarbonate, with a lifetime warranty. Briggs & Riley's ZDX Trunk Spinner in Canyon is a rust-orange 32 inch statement. Delsey Paris's Cruise 3.0 24 inch in Platinum has ribbed shell, rose gold accents and expandable depth.

Test: look at the corners and the seam where the two halves meet. On aluminum, check the fluting for dents in the store or the photos. On polycarbonate, press the shell with your palm and see how it gives.

What I would skip: a shiny silver case if you hate fingerprints. Matte finishes, like the Monos one, hide scuffs better.

Because I am writing about a brand with strong opinions, it only seems fair to look at the other carry-ons people compare it to. Away's Carry-On Flex in Olive Green has a wraparound expandable zipper and is built for trips of 3 to 5 days. Calpak's Hue Carry-On in Juniper is a green hardside with expandable capacity, spinner wheels and a lock.

Béis keeps it simple with the Carry-On Roller in Black, a hardshell with a practical interior. Bellroy's Transit Hard Shell Spinner in Fig is the one with personality, a compact purple with an abrasion-resistant YKK zipper. Samsonite's Freeform in Ocean Blue is a 21 inch textured, scratch-resistant carry-on, and Travelpro's Platinum Elite in vintage gray is the expandable one for people who always buy a souvenir. Tumi's Ventra Expandable in Castle Rock texture is the most grown-up of the bunch, and Roam's Monza Red Gloss carry-on is made to order from 50 percent recycled polycarbonate, with a lifetime warranty.

The test: lift each one empty. The Monos Carry-On is 7.01 pounds, so use that as your yardstick, because every pound off the case is a pound for shoes.

What I would skip: the expandable zipper if you never use it. It is one more seam to keep clean, and a plain shell does the job.

I would start with the Midnight Black Carry-On Hardside Spinner, then add the Metro Weekend Bag in Juniper Green so the whole set looks calm together. Add the packing cubes and keep the toiletry case small.

If I were planning a longer trip, I would move up to the Check-In Large in Olive Green. Whichever you pick, give it the one-finger test on the wheels and the palm test on the shell.

I keep thinking about that Vancouver press release from October 2018: a small studio promising a suitcase that excels at being a suitcase. Years later, that is still the best reason to buy one.