I’m not sweeping under the rug the fact that I’m an over packer. Being on the road as much as we are, as long as there’s room in the trunk, there’s room for more luggage- and that includes shoes. So, just how many pairs of shoes did I fit into my Ricardo Beverly Hills Roxbury 2.0? As many as I wore on my latest trip.

Typical packing conversation for an upcoming, week-long vacation at my house:

“Honey! I’ve narrowed down the shoes I’m going to pack to 10 pairs! Are you proud of me?”

My husband’s response? An eye roll.

End of conversation.

I’m an over-packer. I own it, wholeheartedly. And an eye roll or snarky comment won’t get me to change my habit. I love packing more than what I need. Since I mostly travel by car, I really don’t have to worry about weight limits or fees for extra suitcases. As long as there’s trunk space in my vehicle, I’m filling it.

I’m a clothes horse as well, and those of you that know me know that there’s those one pair of my shoes that go perfectly with each outfit and having to settle for an alternate pair just for the sake of saving space is just wrong in my book.

Am I right, fellow over-packers?

Luggage Packing Challenges

Packing for an extended vacation, or even a small trip, requires mental effort on my part. I have to take into consideration weather predictions, humidity, activities, restaurants, and the like. And I really dislike doing laundry while I travel, so packing two outfits a day (plus the shoes to match!) is a necessity.

So, you can imagine my curiosity when Ricardo Beverly Hills sent me a Roxbury 2.0 suitcase to try. My first test? Finding out how  many pairs of shoes will it hold!

The Ricardo Beverly Hills Roxbury 2.0 comes in four colors (mulberry, black cherry, onyx, and brushed silver) and four sizes (19″, 21″, 25″, and 29″) and I received the second-largest size- the 21-inch case in black cherry. The zippers looked secure and well-made and the handle sturdy. The four casters on the bottom make for easy 360-degree maneuverability–a huge upgrade from my two-wheeled giant that I’m used to lugging around.

So, I spun the piece around the floor. Then I spun it again. Smooth and easy, the 21-inch Roxbury 2.0 never faltered.

As my eyes scanned over the case one more time, I saw a word on a zipper pull that almost brought a tear to my eye: Xpander! Added room for shoes, clothes, make-up, souvenirs and, yes, MORE SHOES!

The suitcase is extremely light. I can pick it up by the handle with my pinky finger. That might not seem as significant as you would expect, but when you’re dragging suitcases in and out of a trunk each night on a road trip, less weight counts. Technically, the case comes in at 8.6 pounds but it certainly feels lighter than that.

Passing the Shoe Packing Test

How many pairs of shoes will a 21-inch Ricardo Beverly Hills Roxbury 2.0 Hold?

Full disclosure: I have teeny feet. I wear a size 4 in children’s shoes and sometimes companies have smaller adult sizes so I can pull off a size 5 or 6.

I packed one side of the case with shoes I normally use on a heavy-walking vacation. The other side? My “cute” shoes, i.e., dressy heels, shoes that are comfortable but have a higher heel, and my chucks that have no support for tired feet but are super cute so I wear them anyway.

Everyday shoes? Score at eight pairs on the right side. Cute shoes? Six pairs on the left. That’s a total of 14 pairs of shoes in one carry-on suitcase!

Can you picture my squeal of delight? I’m still smiling from the accomplishment.

On a side note, I did not need to open the expander, but if I did, I could seriously add a few outfits to the case.

All in all, I’m really digging this piece of luggage. I couldn’t believe my eyes and had to recount the pairs of shoes inside just to be certain they weren’t deceiving me. Now I have to wonder about the larger sizes and the pairs of shoes they’ll hold…

When I showed my 13 year-old daughter the accomplishment you know what I got? I got the eye roll.

There’s still time for her to catch on.