ATTN: The New Away Soft-Side Luggage Is Everything I Need in a Carry-On

• Aesthetics: 20/20
• Functionality: 18/20
• Ease of Use: 17/20
• Accessories: 20/20
• Value: 20/20
  TOTAL: 95/100

As a travel editor, I’ve visited six continents and slept everywhere from a ten-thousand dollar bed in Manhattan’s The Wall Street Hotel to an unfinished basement in suburban Illinois (thanks, family Thanksgiving hosts). So my carry-on luggage has to be as poised to take on anything that happenstance might throw my way—durable, presentable and hopefully easy to lug around, because I’m always running to a gate at the far end of some concourse. (Those times when I don’t just give in, pack less and resort to an underseat backpack).

So, when a fan-favorite luggage company known for its polycarbonate designs came out with a new softside case, The Away Softside Carry-On ($225), I wanted to test it. I was skeptical that such an inexpensive suitcase could go the distance, much less look and feel like quality. My Away suitcase review includes taking the case on a quick weekend getaway to visit family, and a cross-country flight for a week-long trip. Here’s how the luggage performed.

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One design innovation I really appreciated: Unlike with every other soft-sided suitcase I’ve ever used, this bag has its zip-out expansion panel sewn into the middle of the case, not near the opening side. This positioning helps your belongings feel less crammed into the top expansion area when you’re trying to close the case and forces you to be more mindful of packing as a whole. The net effect of the middle expansion is that the case is better balanced, so that you won’t have the problem of it tipping forward when it’s expanded (a common hassle with expandable cases). This is especially welcome since, oftentimes when you put a laptop into the front pocket of a carry-on, it can throw the balance off, sending your suitcase toppling forward—right onto your tucked-in laptop. That’s not going to happen with this baby, which also has a well-padded integrated large front pocket.