I bought this bag in blue-lovely, and easy to spot on carousel- and am so happy with it. took it to Spain  for 9 day trip and it handled cobblestones with ease. On a smooth surface, you can just roll it along beside you without tilting it, using the shorter handle option; what a breeze. My husband liked it so well, he got a duplicate.  His had a tendency to tip over, while mine did not, and I'm sure that's because I intentionally packed heavier items closer to the wheels. When he repacked, problem solved!  I'm a reasonably light packer and I had plenty of room, even packed my soft airplane carryon inside it  (and my husband packed his briefcase in his) when we took trains. I didn't need the expansion zipper.  Zippers work well and handle worked well and comfortable. Side handles for lifting also nice.