I ditched my Away Carry-On for a bright red suitcase made by a phone case brand, and I was shocked by how much I liked it

Features
By published

My luggage loyalties may have shifted

Casetify Bounce Suitcase
(Image credit: Future)

For over five years, my Away Bigger Carry-On has been my ride-or-die travel companion. I've traveled over 100,000 miles with it and as someone who's basically on a plane every other week, I can never afford for my suitcase to let me down.

Even with my overpacking tendencies, the zipper feels like it could survive a natural disaster, while the wheels still roll like new all these adventures later.

Casetify Bounce Suitcase
Casetify Bounce Suitcase: $399 at CASETiFY - Inactive

The 27L Casetify Bounce Suitcase comes in Cherry Red, Cobalt Blue and Matte Black, all of which can be personalized with monograms, phrases, patterns, and more.

View Deal

After all, how can I know that Away is still the best if I don't try out newcomers to the carry-on scene?

Opting for a cherry red exterior (Cobalt Blue and Matte Black are other color options), I felt like a kid in a candy store designing my very own suitcase. You can choose from different fonts, colors, and even add a monogram.

For someone like me who loves a little personal touch (or should I say, something that screams 'get your paws off my property!' at baggage claim) the customization feature is a major selling point.

The Away, in contrast, is sleek but fairly standard in terms of design. And while I've added my own transfer decals to my Away, there's allure in something that feels uniquely one-of-a-kind.

Casetify Bounce Suitcase and Away Carry-On stowed in overhead luggage compartment on an airplane

My cherry red Casetify Bounce Suitcase fits comfortably in a standard aircraft's overhead compartment, and looks quite a bit more compelling than the Away Carry-On situated behind it. (Image credit: Future)

But the Casetify Bounce Suitcase isn't all about looks. The protruding curved edges give it this element of resilience that matters to anyone who has seen their luggage suffer at the hands of airline baggage handlers.

No hate to them of course, but I've been personally victimized by my suitcase basically disintegrating somewhere between baggage drop and claim.

Casetify's bag, however, gave me a sense of confidence that it could handle whatever was thrown its way, even if it itself got thrown. Once an overpacker always an overpacker, and sure enough, the Bounce suitcase's zipper could handle my overflowing weekend trip wardrobe comfortably.

At $399, the Casetify Bounce Suitcase is definitely pricier than my trusty Away, which costs $295. But now having trips under my belt with it since I started testing it out, I'm impressed. It’s got all the features I love: 360-degree spinning wheels, a telescoping handle, a handy compression zipper pocket, and even a hidden spot for an AirTag.

It's as if it borrows my favorite things about my Away, but with that extra flair that comes from being fully customizable.

That said, my Away Carry-On isn’t going anywhere. But I can confidently say that the Casetify Bounce Suitcase has earned a spot in my rotation. It's the first suitcase in a long time to rival my Away, and the fact that I can make it my own with a monogram or cool design? Well, that’s just the cherry (red) on top.

More from Tom's Guide

Kate Kozuch
Kate Kozuch

Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She writes about smartwatches, TVs, audio devices, and some cooking appliances, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following if you don't already. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.