When I was 18 and about to graduate high school, I had big dreams. I was going to move out of my small town and go to the big city and be cool and urban and hip (I feel like that is probably pretty cliche though right?). One of the things I asked my family for as a high school graduation present was a luggage set. My mother gave me a red luggage set by Ricardo that she bought at Macy’s. It was a bulky, heavy soft case set that did the job, heck I mean it lasted 17 years! Although one of the zippers broke off about year 5, that set of luggage saw me through college, moves to Colorado and North Carolina, and trips across the country and Europe.
This past summer I realized it was time for an upgrade. A lighter, sleeker, more durable upgrade that is. If you are on social media you may have seen this new company called, Away, being promoted a lot. Started by 2 former Warby Parker execs, Away is a luggage company that has seen first year sales at around $10 million dollars. That’s pretty good for a start up, right?!?
I received my new Away Carry on for Christmas and…you guys…I get it now. It is worth the hype. Now don’t get me wrong, there are a couple things that I’m still not sure I love about the suitcase. But when you are in the Denver airport on a layover from Los Angeles and you just want to get home, but your cell phone is dying, you don’t want to sit on the floor and try and find an outlet to re-charge your phone do you?
With the Away carry on you can plug your phone into the suitcase to charge, and that for me is a huge bonus to purchasing one of these pieces. I was even asked by an older gentleman who kept eyeing me suspiciously, “Are you charging your phone with your suitcase?” When I told him about the bag, he looked it up on his phone, turned to his wife and said, “we are getting one of these when we get home.”
The suitcase is super light weight (about 7 lbs), has a built in laundry bag and compression system, 4 wheels that rotate 360 degrees, a built in TSA approved lock, and a scratch resistant shell that comes in a variety of cool colors (you can even get the bag monogrammed if you like).
My only complaint so far about this suitcase is the handle. Honestly, I have felt a couple times like the handle might snap. It feels a little flimsy to me, especially if you are on un-even terrain or have to move from a smooth surface to go over a bump (like an escalator or a moveable walkway). So we will see over time if the handle will hold up like the rest of the bag. The up-side, Away gives you a lifetime limited warranty in case something on the bag breaks.
Have you tried out one of Away‘s bags yet? Do you have a luggage brand you are obsessed with? Let me know how your favorite luggage pieces have held up!
*this is not a sponsored post, I just really love this bag!
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