The Once-Hyped Shark Tank Luggage Brand Many Millennials Remember For A Frustrating Reason

Appearing on a reality television show can drastically change one's life. However, small-screen visibility does not guarantee continued popularity after the cameras stop rolling, including for contestants who appear on "Shark Tank," a show in which entrepreneurs attempt to convince investors to support their products. A prime example is Trunkster, a mid-2010s luggage company that had plenty of hype during a time when even the youngest millennials were reaching adulthood and beginning to make up a larger share of the travel industry. However, this generation of travelers might remember Trunkster most for ghosting many of its supporters.

When Trunkster's founders, Jesse Potash and Gaston Blanchet, appeared on "Shark Tank" in 2015, their techy and innovative suitcases intrigued investors Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner. Trunkster appeared to be going strong in these early days, after Potash and Blanchet struck a deal with the aforementioned financiers and received over $1 million from Kickstarter supporters. However, the initial hype didn't last. According to posts on the Kickstarter page, multiple supporters never received their Trunkster suitcases, nor did they receive a refund. The Shark Tank Recap blog also suggests that the televised deal was never finalized and that, as of 2026, the company has ceased to exist. Surprisingly, Trunkster's product website is still active, allowing shoppers to "preorder" its carry-on luggage.

Trunkster's suitcases gained attention because they opened like a roll-top desk instead of with zippers. Aside from eliminating the issue of stuck or broken zippers, each Trunkster suitcase came equipped with USB charging ports and a scale to help you avoid exceeding carry-on weight limits. Among those who received their Trunkster suitcase was frequent traveler Hao Tran, one of the brand's earliest supporters. In 2018, Tran wrote on Travel Codex that "the zipperless sliding rolltop door is game changing." He also found the USB chargers and accompanying battery to be incredibly useful.

When Tran first got to test out his own Trunkster suitcase, however, the signs of struggle were already there. For one, it took nearly two years for Tran's suitcase to be delivered. Despite enjoying some of the bells and whistles, he didn't declare it to be the perfect bag for traveling, either. Drawbacks included no luggage lock (though Dollar Tree zip-ties work instead), a steep $325 price tag, and potentially cumbersome rubber siding. These factors, combined with some shaky business plans, all likely contributed to the company's demise. While Trunkster left some of its customers hanging, perhaps its product wasn't worth the hype in the first place.