I had heard about Away Luggage some time ago, but I didn’t really buy into the hype. It seems just like every other luggage brand–same hard shell style (which makes it heavy), four wheels, an extendable hand. In many ways, it looks exactly like any Samsonite, TravelPro, Tumi, and any other regular brand that you’d find in your local Marshalls, where you can get luggage for a discount. Furthermore, I couldn’t really justify the purchase of a $240 bag for a trip, when there’s countless others out there that serve the same purpose, and function, but are way cheaper.
But the time had come that I had to let go of my old luggage because either the wheels were broken, or the bag was cracked from all of the years of handling. These bags had served me for a good ten years, and honestly, if it wasn’t for the crack and my fear of having to haul a bag while running between gates at an airport, I would probably keep them around for longer.
So I started to take a look at luggages, and researching different brands, one of which was Away, which consistently appears to have high ratings and opinions. But I couldn’t justify the price again, and besides, how many batteries do you really need in life–between my significant other and myself, we’ve got about 2 already. I also wasn’t convinced that this luggage was what I was looking for because I hadn’t seen and touched in in person.
But because we are in need of a carry-on luggage for our upcoming three-month long trip to Europe, we decided to check out the Away luggage store in Soho, NYC to take a look in order to help with our decision-making process. After feeling the bag, checking the inside of it out, seeing how it would fit into the lifestyle of our travels, and the way that it works, we decided to go for it and get the Bigger Carry-On in sand with the battery, despite the hefty price.
We unpackaged it out of the Away bag that it came in, and it is absolutely gorgeous in its Sandy color and absolutely classy. I enjoy the simple look of it, with one sign on the front that says Away. Inside, you have a netting on one side, presumably for the heavier items, such as shoes and toiletries. on the right side, you have another netting, that also happens to be a compression net that helps squeeze your clothes. Also inside, we found a tag, and a toiletry bag containing the instruction manual, a sponge to clean scuffs, the battery charger, and international converters for the charger. So far the only thing that I do not like about the bag is how tight the handles are, against the body of the bag.
I’m still not quite convinced that this bag will work wonders for us, in ways that other brands could not, but I’m willing to give it a try. Besides, the company has a 100 day return policy, in any condition, no questions asked for a full refund. After those 100 days are over, you have a lifetime warranty, so if something from the bag breaks, they will replace it or fix it. So check back in September for an update on how this bag does after a three month tour in Europe!
Have you had an experience with Away luggage? How’d it go? Let me know in comments below.
The Girl with The Red Backpack 