The airlines have gotten worse & worse about the delay that it takes to receive a checked bag after you land. Numerous times: I've landed, then spent about 45 minutes at the baggage carousel awaiting my bag to be delivered. They've also lost my bag! From those experiences, whenever I can: I avoid checking a bag. Also, thanks to TSA precheck and online check-in... if I don't check a bag, and I'm stuck in traffic or something unforeseeable making me arrive later than I want for a flight: I can literally arrive at the airport 30 minutes before departure, even before an international plane departs, and usually make it on the plane, which wouldn't be possible with a checked bag. Days of my life have been saved by avoiding checking a bag, whenever possible.Combining those experiences, I was looking for the largest carryon possible which has the following features: rolling bag with handle, light weight, ability to be a backpack, and compression straps. Each feature is important:A simple bag is lighter weight and generally more expandable/ accommodates more stuff. Example: the Eagle Creek pack-it system is slightly too big for my prior maximum size carry on bag, but in this bag: it fits in with ~1/4" to spare all around in this bag.The integral compression straps combat overstuffing (which inevitably happens on trips) and helps the bag stay in an airline-approved size (so it fits in the overhead).I've had my carryon luggage weighed before by some airlines (usually Air Asia and other foreign discount carriers); a light weight bag means more luggage I can carry. Some "nicer" bags weigh 5lbs more than this one. Some airlines will make me take things out of my bag to meet weight. This bag really maximizes what I can carry. by the way, the name of this bag, "Cabin Max," is a perfect description of what it is.The ability to be a backpack: if you've ever been to Venice or somewhere where rolling bags are just a pain, being able to backpack it is huge! I need this feature only 1% of the time, but when I do need it: I really need it. The backpack design for this bag is really the best I've seen in terms of how the straps are available and where they sit when you're not in backpack mode. It has simple straps with padding which take up very little space and aren't in the way the 99% of the time when you're not using them.There is not a better bag on the market for these features at the moment. I've not traveled with it yet, but the simple design and light weight is an improvement over the prior bag I had with these qualities (Granite Gear Cross-Trek 22", which was a great bag in its own right; more durable than this bag, but heavier and more difficult to fit things in).For all of that, why only 4 stars? I can tell that this bag isn't going to last as long as an Osprey or something with a lifetime guarantee. The zippers aren't as strong, the fabric is thinner.... but it costs about 1/3 of what an Osprey costs (Osprey Sojourn 45L is the next best thing at ~3x the price and ~2.5x the weight) , and again: the lighter materials in this bag actually benefit me because less room inside the bag is taken up by bag materials, and it weighs less... both factors give me more room to put my stuff in the bag.I've spent hours and hours searching for something better. All things considered, this is the best bag that exists for my needs, at least at the time I'm writing this.