I bought an Away Bigger Carry-On exactly four years ago, after sifting through more than one Away luggage review (approx count 30,000) and a ton of internal back and forth: Luggage is expensive!! At $295 plus tax, this is one of my biggest travel-related purchases.. After over 150,000 miles in the sky, the time had come to take a close look at how well it’s held up.
Away luggage review: What I Bought
I bought the “Bigger Carry-On” with 49 liters of interior space in a limited-edition color combo (lah-di-dah) of bright orange and pink on March 21, 2022. (Well, they call it pink, but as you can see from the photos, it’s more of a magenta.)
Where It’s Been
This bag has been on a minimum of two round-trip flights to Europe since I purchased it, mostly between Newark and Charles de Gaulle. (A few domestic trips as well.) I routinely walk instead of taking a taxi to my final destination, so it’s been on several mile-long rolls, on cobblestone and asphalt, as well. It’s split about 50/50 between checking and carry-on. I usually pack until it’s full but not overstuffed, about 20-25 pounds.
Receipts (Literally)
I paid $362.70: $295 for the bag, $17.70 in taxes, and a fairly extortionate $50 in shipping, which I have just observed was for overnight delivery, because I, apparently, was even worse at planning ahead in 2022 than I am currently.
How I Chose The Bigger Carry-On
If I had my druthers, I would carry all my things in a little sack, or an IKEA bag. I originally decided to buy something higher quality because — well, obvious reasons. We can’t spend our lifetimes traveling around the world with an IKEA bag.
I strongly believe that the easiest way to have a miserable trip is to overpack, so I’m naturally inclined to buy a smaller piece of luggage — I was more worried about investing in a too-small bag than a too-large one. For me, the choice was between The Carry On ($275 for most models) and The Bigger Carry On ($295). The Carry On is 41 liters and recommended for trips of 3-5 days, while The Bigger Carry On has a 49-liter capacity and a suggestion of 4-7 days. They also offer Flex models of both that will bump you out of the overhead compartment (and necessitate checking) but provide more space. I knew I didn’t want a bag like The Medium or The Large that could only be checked. I didn’t like how the zippered compartment looked, and I doubted I would often need the extra space, so the Flexes were out, too.
I generally think if you’re packing for more than seven days, you’re ideally packing for somewhere with a washing machine, so you don’t actually need to bring that much more stuff. Given that both The Carry On and The Bigger Carry On fit overhead, it seemed like the extra 6 liters were an obvious yes for the $20 difference.
Why I Chose Away Versus a Cheaper (Or More Expensive) brand
A Goldilocks situation. I’ve had cheaper bags before (better than the IKEA bag, a step down from Away), which showed structural damage after a few flights. That I wanted to avoid. But I also didn’t need a Tumi or Rimowa; I’d rather spend my money elsewhere. I wanted something nice but not too nice — I don’t need to impress people with my luggage.
Pros After Four Years
- Has held up well! No cracks or serious structural damage
- Interior and zippers in perfect condition
- Wheels still operate well and it’s pleasingly lightweight
Specific to my purchase: I really agonized over whether or not to get such a bright, weird color combo, but four years later, I like it very much, and I’m happy to not have another black bag at the luggage carousel (when I do check it).
Cons After Four Years
- There is plenty of scuffing, especially visible on the lighter color (orange) — see all pictures
- That’s really it! (Only one con lol)
Some notes on my away luggage review:
1. Scuffs
Given that I’m often rolling it on uneven European cobblestones, I’m more impressed that the wheels are still in decent shape than I an annoyed about the scuffing. The bag ships with a magic eraser for buffing out flaws, but I don’t care enough about the scuffs to spend the time
2. Wheels
They’re showing a level of scuff I don’t love, but they roll fine. SO FAR.
3. Zippers and compartments
These are also great.
I’m actually surprised by how little I have to complain about. I’m glad I didn’t spend more on a larger bag (or fancier brand), and while there certainly is scuffing, I think it’s a reasonable amount for four years.
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