Hey, it’s Cho, and after posting 3 separate videos about my Away luggage over on Instagram, I’m finally making a FIRST IMPRESSIONS REVIEW! Just a few weeks ago, I made the last minute decision to travel to Hilton Head, South Carolina where I would finally get a chance to use my new shiny luggage. It was a great choice as I left my vacation feeling at peace, recharged and motivated to continue down my path of success. I understand that 2020 has been a very weird year for virtually everyone. Before the pandemic hit in January, I made it a point to manifest abundance in my life. Because of my resilience, commitment to goal-setting and the ability to indulge in self-care when necessary, I’ve done exactly that. I hope you reading this will inspire you to also go out and manifest the life that you deserve. And maybe it all begins with treating yourself to the best luggage for your money!
If you aren’t following my Instagram page, then you’re missing out on unboxings and first impressions of products that I buy. I want to offer my audience value in the form of my honest opinions and reviews on products so that you can make more confident purchases for you and your family. I already did a 2-part series on unpacking the Away Luggage. Check out part 1 where I show the outside and part 2 where I detail the interior. I also recorded myself packing for vacation. Does anyone else over-pack like me?? I have to be ready to attend weddings, eat fancy dinners, relax on the beach, mountain-climb, workout at the gym and snowboard. Do I even snowboard?! I was just visiting Florida for 3 days. But still. Better prepared than not, right?! Right?! Just watch the video.
The Bigger Carry-On Aluminum Specs:
- Durable aluminum hard shell with leather details & tag
- TSA-Approved removable battery
- TSA-Approved combination lock
- 360 degree spinner wheels
- Exterior Measurements 22.7″x 14.5″ x 9.6″
- Interior Measurements 20″ x 13″
- Weight 11.2 lbs & Capacity 40.9L
- 100 Day Return Policy & Limited Lifetime Warranty
The Highlights
There’s many highlights to talk about in this post, but probably the biggest for me is the TSA-approved removable battery. Traveling is stressful as is. The last thing you should be worrying about is having your phone fully charged. Imagine wading through a crowded charging station at the airport in the middle of a global pandemic. Absolutely not me. Not I! The battery can fully charge your phone up to 4x! It also has two ports, a normal charging port as well as a fast charging port. This means that you can share the charger with a travel companion. As a baby micro-influencer on the internet, it’s important for me to stay connected to my audience while I have down time. Hence, a fully charged phone for posting nonsense on Twitter. Do note, you must remove your battery before checking in your luggage or stowing it away for safety reasons.
This may sound very weird to highlight this, but the 360 degree wheels is actually a major benefit for me. It required less weight to pull/push my luggage while also giving you flexibility in how you maneuvered through the airport. This is my first time having these types of wheels, and without a doubt, any future piece of luggage must have this. Non-negotiable!
Another game changer is the secret laundry bag that is also removable. I cant tell you how many times I’ve packed garbage bags or “Kroger” bags in my luggage to contain my dirty clothes. Not only is it kind of ratchet, but it’s just unsanitary, especially if they get mixed in with your clean clothes! This is important for everyone, but especially those who don’t want beach sand all over!
Massive Flex Value
Last but not least, the A E S T H E T I C! You all know how important a cool aesthetic is for me. I really felt like I was an old massive bag of new money walking through the John Glenn Columbus International Airport Airport! Away has become very popular since its inception in 2015. I saw a lot of their flagship bags which made me feel relieved that they were a trusted brand. That being said, I didn’t find one person who had a carry on luggage like mine. I really looked fashionable rolling around my aluminum suitcase, and I that is worth something.
My Concerns with the Aluminum Line of Away
My online audience is dedicated to me because I am genuine and honest. Despite my love for the brand, I will not hold back my constructive criticism. My biggest complaint is how EASILY BRUISED the suitcase is. Now don’t get me wrong here, the bag is indestructible. You don’t have to worry about it breaking unnecessarily. And if you do, I’ve seen cases where they literally ship you a replacement within 2 days. I hear their customer service is top notch! However, it seemed as though whenever the wind blew too hard, my bag would get smudged or slightly scratched.
While I don’t think many people would notice, once I did discover the marks, it was hard to un-see them. Cleaning was never my strong suit. Hence, I still haven’t done any research into how to clean it. I did try to use a magic eraser but to no avail. I’m pretty sure I was using it the wrong way. Somebody please help me. LOL In all seriousness, you do need to be very careful when handling your bag. My partner really banged his up on our first trip. Luckily, he doesn’t care about the aesthetics of his bag. I was being extra careful and still managed to scratch mine up a bit.
It’s also worth noting that because of how easily scratched the bag is, you would NEVER want to check it into an airport. It’s almost a 100% chance of your bag getting heavily dented. This in turn takes away some of the value you get from having the TSA-approved lock. While it’s an amazing feature to have, it doesn’t really matter too much if your suitcase is always in your immediate possession. All things being said, the luggage is still drop dead gorgeous, scratches and all!
Best Luggage At Any Budget
Buy. This. Bag! It has everything you could ever want in a piece of luggage. It’s convenient, innovative, luxurious and affordable for those able to splurge a little. Retailing for just under $500, you too can have your own piece of luxury luggage on a budget. And yes, I’ve shopped for more expensive bags that went for well over $1000. In the luxury price tier this price is actually VERY affordable. However, for those who require a tighter budget, they have the Bigger Carry-On Away luggage for only $245 that has nearly all of the same features of the bag that I purchased. Even better is that it doesn’t show as many scratch marks or smudges as the aluminum, thus enabling you to more comfortably check it in when necessary. I’m actually considering purchasing THIS bag for my upcoming trip to Fort Laude. Interested in buying your own luggage from Away? CLICK HERE!
Do you already own a suitcase by Away? If so, I would love to hear about your experience over on my unboxing video! What did you like or dislike? Tell me about the customer service. See y’all in the next post!
