I’ve Made a Decision: I’ve Chosen My Carry-on Bag for Future Trips

Over the last few weeks, I’ve received several comments and emails asking if I had made a decision on a carry-on bag for future trips. You may remember I was looking a lot of different choices in this previous post: An Away Luggage Update & Help Me Choose a New Carry-on Bag.

I am happy to say, I have made a decision. I’ve decided to go with another Away bag since I loved so many features on the one I took to Egypt last October.

Away Aluminum Special Edition

 

It absolutely rolled like a dream, practically rolls itself, it’s so effortless! I especially loved the built-in charging feature and used it several times during the trip, as did others who were traveling with me. It also gave me such peace of mind knowing if I wanted to remove it to keep it in my handbag to use during the flight itself, I could easily pop it out at the press of a button.

The only issue with that bag was that since it was the aluminum version, it turned out be a bit too heavy for me to get into the overhead bin unassisted since I’m only 5’4″ tall. I think it would be fine for someone a few inches taller.

Ejectable Battery on Carry-on Away Bag

 

So, the Away bag I’ve decided to go with is their non-aluminum Bigger Carry-On with a nice big exterior pocket. I didn’t realize until recently that they made a carry-on bag with a large pocket on the front. Love that!Away Bigger Carry-on Bag with Large Exterior Pocket for Laptop, Magazines, Books, etc...

 

That’s one of the features I loved so much about the carry-on bag I used for so many trips when I first started traveling. I could easily unzip it and reach in to retrieve my laptop or any books/magazines I had brought along for the trip as I sat waiting to board. That bag is still a great bag and I’m sure I’ll still use it from time to time, but I do like the idea of a bigger carry-on for the longer international trips I take.

(This rolling carry-on below is available in different prints/scenes here: Rolling Carry-on Bag.)

 

So with this style Away bag, I’ll get the bigger carry-on bag I wanted, and I’ll still have easy access to the things I want to use while I’m sitting/waiting to board. Inside the exterior pocket, there’s a special pocket designed to hold a laptop to keep it safe and secure.

Away Bag with Exterior Pocket for Storing Laptop, Books, Files, Magazines, etc...

 

There’s also another pocket that’s handy for storing a book, cables, mouse, etc… This will be perfect for when I travel since I always take my laptop along to create blog posts while I’m away.

Away Carry-on with Easy Access Exterior Pocket

 

Of course, this carry-on bag has the same awesome charging feature. Again, the battery is easily removed at the press of a button if I wish to place the battery in my handbag to use for charging my phone during the flight.

Away Bigger Carry On Luggage with Ejectable Battery for Charging Phone

 

This version of the Away Carry-on bag with the exterior pocket comes in 5 colors. I’m torn between the black, navy and gray. All three are very practical colors since they won’t easily show marks or scuffs. I’m leaning toward the black because I like how the exterior pocket blends in so nicely, although it looks great on the gray suitcase, as well.

If you would like to see all the colors this bag comes in, you’ll find it available here: Carry-on Bag with Exterior Pocket.  That link will give you $20 off, I believe, as part of their “Refer a Friend” discount.

Away Bigger Carry-on Bag with Large Exterior Pocket for Laptop, Magazines, Books, etc...

 

If you don’t need or want the exterior pocket on your carry-on bag, you’ll have even more color choices.

Away Luggage Bags Come in Many Colors

 

So, I’ve decided to go practical, which in the long run should be a good choice. I love the idea of getting a pink bag, but I love the exterior pocket even more! 🙂

 

Away Bag with Exterior Pocket for Storing Laptop, Books, Files, Magazines, etc...

 

 

One More Alternative

There is one more alternative. I could get their Bigger Carry-on without the exterior pocket in pink or white, and buy their Everywhere Bag that fits down over the handle of the bag. Then I could store my laptop, books etc… in the Everywhere bag.

Away Luggage with Away Everywhere Bag

 

You gotta admit, this Everywhere bag in pink leather is pretty darn cute! It also comes in black leather and 3 non-leather versions/colors. It has a special pocket inside designed to hold a laptop and other items. If I went with it and a pink or white Away Bigger Carryon bag, it would be my “personal” item to take on the flight. I could just stick my actual travel handbag inside of it or pack it inside the carry-on. Arggg, so many choices!

You’ll find the Everywhere bag under their Shop category here: Everywhere Bag.

The Everywhere Bag

The way the Everywhere bag is designed to fit over a suitcase handle so you don’t have to carry it is a pretty genius idea! I like that a lot. That exterior pocket on the Everywhere bag is probably where I’d keep my boarding pass, passport, phone, etc… for easy access. They’ve really thought of everything with how they’ve designed their bags!

 

Now I’m a bit torn. Should I go with the Away Bigger Carryon with the exterior pocket or go with a white or pink Away Bigger Carry-on (minus the exterior pocket) and the Everywhere bag in pink to sit on top? (See both styles here: Away Carry-on Bag and Everywhere Bag.

I’ll probably stay with the bag with the exterior pocket since it’s the more affordable choice (again being practical) and I could always purchase the Everywhere bag later on if I really wanted to add it down the road.

Which do you like? Would you rather have an exterior pocket built into the bag for carrying a laptop, books etc… or a removable bag that fits over the handle for carrying those items?

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Comments

  1. Susan, this looks to be a great bag. Either way you go is a win/win. I think the pink bag is stylish, but if you go with it, that’s your second bag. I try to maximize my second bag to be as larage as possible. Not sure what all you like to carry on, but I try to just take a carry on packed with all my clothes, shoes, etc. and then the other bag filled with flight essentials. You are a savvy traveler. I suspect you have it all figured out.

    • Thanks, Sarah! The smaller Everywhere bag would be my “personal” item and I’d just stick my travel handbag inside the carryon or inside the Everywhere bag itself. From the looks of it, I think the Everywhere bag is pretty big. They show an interior view of it at the Away website, so it would hold more than the handbag I normally would carry as my personal item. I like that it looks small enough and shaped in such a way that it should fit up under the seat, too.

      • Hi Susan, I am one of those people who travels with a carryon, only, and a personal item. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t make the trip. So, my choice was the bigger carryon and the Everywhere bag in Navy. I often pack a Longchamp Le Pliage expandable duffle in case I need an additional bag. I chose the Everywhere Bag because I have taken overnight trips from my primary destination (London, for example) and it is so much easier to just pack a smaller bag for an overnight stay and leave the larger bag at the hotel. Also, I prefer to keep my tablet, phone, and other goodies nearby. I don’t want to have reach into the overhead bin during the trip. I have had all sorts of bags and I have found that those with the front pocket, usually, don’t have enough room for everything I want to put in them. Also, I worry that stuffing the front pocket may tip me over the size limit for a carryon. I have traveled within Europe on some regional planes that are very strict about carryon sizes. As you will be touring with a group you may not run into that. Sounds like a fun trip. Looking forward to reading about your decision.

        • I just purchased a Navy Longchamp a few weeks ago, thinking it would come in handy on trips. The only thing is since I’ll already have a personal item on the plane, I’m not sure I c0uld carry back another bag like that.
          I do like the idea of having everything nearby in the Everywhere Bag. Imbi, did you find it did fit under the seat in front of you? Yeah, I never get anything out of the overhead bin either, especially since I’m often sitting by a window and don’t like to bother the person beside me if I can avoid it. 🙂
          That’s a good point about tipping over the suitcase. I have that issue with the huge pocket on the front of my checked bag, but was thinking the Away bag might be sturdy enough to avoid that, but not sure. I def wouldn’t want that happening.
          Thanks!

          • I don’t check a bag, so I pack the Longchamp duffel in case I end up shopping up a storm. I then check the the duffel or the carry-on. The duffel is a great bag because it has two zippers that allow you control the extent of expansion. This is the bag I am talking about:
            https://www.sandspointshop.com/prod/1911089?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=1911089-300-Gunmetal&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI44af37bu4AIVE4nICh1w8ARhEAQYBiABEgJ7nfD_BwE
            It folds quite small.
            I just ordered these bags for an upcoming trip to Amsterdam next month. Should arrive in the next day or two. Based on the description the Everywhere Bag should fit under the seat, no problem. I don’t worry about the carry-on tipping over. I think the 4 wheel base will keep it upright. What concerned me about the front pocket was whether it would bulge and hold everything I want to take on board and still meet the airline’s limitations on carry-on size.
            The underseat space can vary depending on seat location. Oddly,I think the middle seat usually has a bit more space and the window seat has the least. You might want to check that info for your flight.
            One more thing I do when packing is to take all my shirts to the cleaners and have them cleaned and folded like men’s shirts (they call it boxed here). They pack nicely and arrive beautifully ready to wear.

  2. Biodynamic Barb says

    I just discovered your blog a few days ago, so I’m coming late to the party; but, I’ve traveled a LOT, and I’m short like you (5’3″). I’m going to throw my two cents in, even though you’ve already made your decision.

    For years, I traveled with a rolling bag, and a second bag that slid over the handle (Bagallini Avenue Tote, with a zillion pockets, or the Bagallini Carryall Tote), but found that no matter how well the bag rolled when empty, it was ‘work’ to roll it when it was full.

    So…for our last two trips I decided to use a backpack. The one I bought is made by Nomadic, the Travel Back Pack. I also carry a small crossbody bag with my wallet and travel documents and I LOVE having my hands free!

    When I travel with a checked bag (I try to avoid that) the Nomadic slips over the handle so that I only have to pull one thing to and from the airport.

    Regarding the integrated battery, wouldn’t it be cheaper to just buy a backup battery you can keep in your purse? You can always stash it in the carryon and you’ll have more options regarding features.

    Again, I haven’t read your previous posts, and someone may have mentioned these things already.

    • Thanks, Barb for these suggestions. I really don’t like backpacks so I wouldn’t be interested in carrying one of those. I don’t even own one since I don’t like them.
      I’m pretty sure the Away bag would roll easily with a bag on top because it practically glides all by itself. You can stand still and give it a shove and it will go for days! When they designed the wheels and rolling mechanism, they must have gone all out because the wheels are like the Rolls Royce of wheels. lol So I’m sure it will still push with little to no effort even with a bag on top.

      When I was returning from Egypt and had the heavier aluminum version of the Away carry-on bag, I had that bag loaded down with so much stuff that TSA asked me to remove something since it was overweight. I removed one of the beautiful carved Egyptian tablets I had bought as a souvenir. Even loaded down with my laptop, two heavy limestone Egyptian tablets, camera, lenses, and tons of other stuff, it still glided with almost no effort. Barb, if you don’t have an Away bag, you can order one and return it anytime in the first 90 days, even if you use it, so you may want to give it a whirl to see what I mean about how effortlessly it glides. It will ruin you quickly!

      I always take a checked bag because I take along a lot of clothes when I travel. I’m a bit of a clothes horse, plus several of the trips I’ve taken have been 16 days trips so you need a lot of clothes. I also don’t like washing clothes when I travel, the only time I’ve ever done that was when I went to Egypt, the hottest place I’ve ever been in my life! I’m not a fan of washing clothes, just rather pack a big bag. Fortunately, it’s free for me to check one with Delta.

      I guess I could take along one of the backup chargers I have here at home, but then I’d be lugging that heavy battery all over the place in my handbag. Plus, the battery that comes in the Away bag will charge a phone 5 times which is 2-3 times more than your typical portable battery.

      • Biodynamic Barb says

        For $60 you can buy a 26,800mAh charger that will charge 3 devices simultaneously, multiple times, and supports pass-through charging. Why would you be lugging it everywhere? You can put it in your carryon when you don’t want it in your purse, and you’ll have more room in the carryon if it’s built without the specialized compartment. And, if the charger is in your purse, you can charge your phone while you’re moving – you don’t have to wait until you’re at the gate.

        On our last trip, we often had three phones plugged into a charger while we were in transit from one site to the next – taking photos/videos will drain your phone fast! We could have charged the camera, too, if DH had remembered to bring the cord.

        That said, you should do what works for your style of travel. We usually rent a car so I bring car chargers that weigh nothing, keep our phones fully charged, and don’t need to be charged themselves.

        As I said, I’m new to this blog and don’t know how you travel. If I trusted the airlines not to lose my bags I wouldn’t carry any bag on the plane; but, since I’m surprised when they DON’T lose my bag, I carry as much with me as possible, which forces me to pare back. If I buy something large, heavy or breakable, I have it shipped home. Shipping is often the same price as the VAT and you don’t have to deal with those forms at the airport.

        Because I’m small, having a light-weight bag is important. I’d go for the bag with the outside pocket but don’t know if I’d put a laptop there. It’s too easily damaged. On our last flight, another passenger’s duty free alcohol broke and saturated everything in the overhead. A waterproof/hard side bag provides some protection.

        Regarding color, I would chose something that isn’t likely to be mistaken by another traveler, and just assume it’s going to be scuffed. If you travel often, scuffs are a badge of honor.

        Again…just MHO…you don’t have to justify your decisions.

        I may look into the Away bag because of its size so thanks for posting the link to that.

        • I have a voltage converter/charger that I use in my room that’s kind of like what you’re describing. It goes with me on every trip because it gives me peace of mind that nothing will get fried, plus I can charge a lot of things all at once. It’s really good when you have multiple folks in a room trying to charge iPads, phones, laptops etc… You can see it here: https://amzn.to/2NKTuM6 . I also use it for my hair tools/styler which take a lot of power.

          I often travel alone, but as part of a “small group tour.” So I don’t plan anything and don’t do any of the driving, transportation is always provided.

          Recently a friend and I went to Egypt, but again, the trip was planned with the help of a tour company there. They handled everything for us, including all the driving. When I travel to a foreign country I really want to do as little “thinking” as possible, just want someone else to handle all the logistics and work so I can just enjoy.

          The very first trip I ever took outside the US (in 2015) was for just 6 days, so I’m pretty new to traveling internationally. That trip was to Kenya for stays at Mahali Mzuri and Giraffe manor. I went totally alone, but again, the entire trip was planned for me by a company known for luxury travel. They arranged every thing, including having someone meet me at the airport. I think it’s still my favorite trip of all that I’ve taken…and since then I’ve been to Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Egypt, Morocco, Germany and Italy.

          Something I’m figuring out/discovering is my favorite trip or way to travel is to travel with a specific site or adventure in mind. In other words, I’d rather take short trips with the sole purpose in mind of seeing specific places or doing specific things/experiences, than a trip where you are there for 15 days and traveling all over a region and seeing whatever you see. I don’t know if that makes sense. I like shorter trips that are around 10 days, 12 max and where every moment is spectacular or mind blowing…with maybe a day or two of down time to relax. I think that’s why I loved the Kenya trip so much. Every day was mind-blowing…just beyond all expectations.

          • Biodynamic Barb says

            Wow! For someone who got bitten by the travel bug so recently, you’ve been to a lot of places! I’ve been traveling most of my life and don’t think I’ve ever been on an organized ‘tour’ so I have no idea what that’s like.

            I usually choose one thing that I must accomplish (seeing Harry Potter Studios outside London, Halley’s comet in Brazil, or Sam Ramey as Attila at La Scalla) and everything else is gravy. I don’t need or want every day to be planned to the last minute – sometimes I just want to sit and read, or hang out in a cafe. Sometimes a local invites me to something I’d never know about, like a birthday party for a local musician, or a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and I would miss it if everything was pre-planned. And, sometimes, I visit friends and pretend I’m a ‘native,’ totally winging every day.

            In any case, I’m the one doing the planning, booking, and hauling. I remember seeing Brunelleschi’s dome in Florence, after reading a book on how it was constructed, and it meant so much more with that knowledge under my cap than it would have if it had been chosen by someone else and handed to me on a platter. So, FOR ME, planning the trip is part of the excitement.

            I’m also REALLY into food – local food is the one thing you cannot take home – and I don’t trust tour operators to choose where I’d most like to eat. That little hole-in-the-wall restaurant I mentioned earlier had the best sole meuniere I’ve ever eaten and it wasn’t in any guide book.

            Getting back to carry-ons…when my husband is along and we rent a car, it’s usually a small one and holds very little luggage. When my husband isn’t along, I’m dragging those suitcases myself and traveling light is a load off my shoulders AND off my mind, knowing I won’t be struggling. How my carryon looks is much less important than how much it weighs, how much it holds, and whether it’s secure (waterproof and lockable).

            Many years ago, I watched a man board with a beat up carryon covered with stickers from all the places he’d been and I was so jealous!

            Regarding my phone, I never use it on the plane (WiFi is not secure); but, on the ground I use it to monitor email, to take photos and videos, and for texting to keep in contact with others in our party and with my friends back home so, yes, it does run out of juice.

            • Sounds like we travel very differently. I don’t want to do any of the research or planning. I just want to book the tour, then read up on all the places we’ll be seeing. I’ve never had a bad tour and have always felt that I’ve seen so much more than I ever would have seen on my own. I don’t want any of the headaches of planning or trying to get around a place I’ve never been before.

              That’s one of the great things about traveling with a small group tour, you don’t have to worry about your luggage. They take care of all of that and deposit it right outside your hotel room throughout the entire trip. The only thing you worry with is your carry-on. The upcoming trip I have to England is the first trip I’ve ever taken where we handle our own luggage. I doubt I’ll take too many trips like that since I prefer more a “full-service” tour.

              I really do love the small group tours, they are my fave. That’s pretty much all I take now, either that or private tours like our tour in Egypt. You really cover a lot of ground and see so much when you leave the driving/logistics up to someone who lives there. I like seeing a lot in short time, especially since I prefer shorter tours.
              I couldn’t survive the flight without WiFi! I get so much done on the flight home. On the flight over, that’s different, prefer to sleep then. Check out Overseas Adventure Travel, they only do small group tours and I’ve really enjoyed the two I’ve taken with them.

              Another reason I think you would enjoy Overseas Adventure Travel is they take you into the homes of locals who live there for dinner and a visit. When I was in Morocco, we visited two homes. In addition to the home visits, many times our guide stopped and we all got out to chat with a shepherd or a local we saw while traveling through the countryside. It’s wonderful having a guide who speaks the local language, in that case Berber. You can see some of that trip here: https://betweennapsontheporch.net/category/wanderlust/africa/morocco/ . This was the night we camped out in the Sahara desert, I’ll never forget the stars! https://betweennapsontheporch.net/camping-in-the-sahara-desert-a-moroccan-adventure/

              The other reason I think you would like OAT is you are eating all local foods the entire trip. In fact, sometimes it was a bit too off the beaten path for me. lol I could tell you some REALLY interesting stories about the food we ate! lol

              BTW, it’s really easy for a bad guy to get into a suitcase with a zipper. I’m pretty sure someone did this technique on one of my bags when I traveled to Italy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpIJVWXsBBI . I found the zipper not lined up properly when I came back to my room from a day of touring. I had a lock on the suitcase so they probably thought I had money or jewelry inside, but all I had inside was my laptop and it was still there.

              The aluminum suitcase by Away can’t be broken into since it doesn’t have a zipper at all. They would pretty much have to steal the whole suitcase. Their zippered suitcase looks pretty secure because of how the zippers lock down into the suitcase itself, so if someone does the technique in the video above, it would be really noticeable, so they are much less likely to do that since they could be easily caught.

              • Biodynamic Barb says

                Can we agree to disagree here?

                I never (if I can help it) travel during the high season because, when I visit a country, I want to see the locals, not other tourists. The idea of intentionally traveling with a group of tourists is anathema to me!

                If I was into that sort of thing, the links you posted look like good operations with interesting itineraries (the Dolomite trip, BTW, is not $1600, that’s the SAVINGS per couple). My in-laws love those guided tours so I will forward the links to them. The only use they are to me, are for ideas on where to go next.

                I’m lucky, I think, in that I have friends all over the world, so I don’t have to rely on guides. If I didn’t, and if I didn’t have a husband/sister/friend to travel with me, I might want the security of a tour. But, for now, I’d rather forge my own way. I’ve experienced things that could never have happened if I’d been in a group, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

                Perhaps you should try it once….

                • I do sometimes travel with just a friend, as you’re talking about like I did that when I went to Egypt in October and I’ll be doing that when I go to England in July. It’s just we (my friends and I) don’t want the hassle of planning the trip, setting up the hotels, the food, etc… Of course, there are always free days included in trips where you are on your own to eat as you wish, but it’s just so nice not having to worry about getting the tickets for the places you’re visiting, or worrying about getting there, etc… It sounds like you have friends who take care of all that for you. In the 3 years I’ve been traveling, I’ve done it all…traveled completely alone (but never felt alone as you can read here: https://betweennapsontheporch.net/answering-your-safari-travel-questions-what-i-brought-back-from-kenya/ ) and I’ve traveled with just a friend as I did to Egypt. I’ll be traveling with a friend this July to England, but again, we are doing it as part of an organized tour so leaving all the planning, hotels, driving etc… up to our guide. It sounds like that’s not the way you prefer to travel. Glad you’ve found a system that works for you.

                  • Biodynamic Barb says

                    I few random things I forgot to add:

                    1. I have the same converter/adapter you have! But I also carry at least one USB charger in addition to the car charger, AND I always bring extra charged batteries for the camera in case it dies mid-shoot. I recharge all the camera batteries overnight so I bring several converter plugs.

                    If your phone is through AT&T, make sure you sign up for an international plan BEFORE you go or the data charges will bankrupt you.

                    2. Feel free to convert any products I recommend into affiliate links.

                    3. If you post a link, please make it open a new tab (I hate losing my place in the blog!)

                    4. We do occasionally take organized day tours but we prefer if they’re private so we control where we go, when, and how long we stay. We took a group tour to the Harry Potter Studio and were frustrated by how little time they gave us there.

                    5. When we travel, I make notes of everything I would do differently next trip (like thorn-proof gloves for hiking in Ireland). When I get home, I buy those things right away! By the time you’re getting ready for your next trip, you’ve forgotten what you missed.

                    • That’s what I do, after so many trips, I have my faves for each trip. Of course, it can change depending on where you’re going, the time of year and the weather.
                      Your trip to Ireland sounds very different from the one Teresa and I took. We did some hiking but it wasn’t thorns we were dealing with…it was muddy river banks. lol Some waders would have come in handy, though! We were hiking on the ground of Ballynahinch. If you ever go back to Ireland, I very much recommend a stay there. I would love to go back and spend a week there instead of just a few days. You can see it this post:

                      https://betweennapsontheporch.net/hiking-the-grounds-of-beautiful-ballynahinch-castle-in-galway-ireland/

                      Yeah, I just put my phone on Airplane and never take it off. I do all my communication with family via email or connecting to WiFi when it’s available. No surprise bills that way when you return.

                    • Barb, in case you’re interested, here’s a link to a page at the blog showing some of the items I take/use when I travel. I need to update it, but I still use the majority of these when I travel, depending on where I’m going: https://betweennapsontheporch.net/favorites-for-travel/

                • Biodynamic Barb says

                  Interesting: I asked my husband if he’d ever consider taking a guided tour and he said yes, but only to those places that would otherwise be inaccessible, like Mongolia (yes, he wants to go there!), the Great Wall of China, or the Galapagos.

                  I looked at your favorites for travel and put a few in my cart.

                  We visit Ireland almost every year and often stay at a castle at the beginning or end of each trip. We like Ashford and Dromoland because they have a falconry program. I’ll look into Ballynahinch – it might an option for a future trip.

                  Where we stay, in a stone cottage overlooking the Atlantic, there’s lots of gorse/furze – thorn bushes with gorgeous yellow flowers. The first year I brought wellies and wished I’d had more support so the next year I brought hiking boots and my feet got wet. Now, I’m back to wellies.

              • Biodynamic Barb says

                Thanks for the advice on the zipper, BTW. But, you’re right, if someone really wants what’s in your bag, they can just take the whole bag. There is a suitcase available (can’t remember who makes it) with a GPS locator showing you where it is. That would be useful both in knowing how close it is to the baggage carousel (and, in fact, if it’s actually on the plane with you), and if someone stole it.

                There are two things I do to deter theft when traveling:

                (1) I only bring things that are easily replaced if they’re stolen, and only costume jewelry. When I buy something I love, I’ll buy two or three in case one gets damaged.

                (2) I don’t let them clean my room. Yes, this hurts the cleaning crew, so I leave them a big tip when we depart.

                If I bring my laptop, I lock it in the hotel safe.

                Sorry if I sound like a curmudgeon, but traveling is much easier if you aren’t worried.

                • I kinda do the same thing about cleaning the room. Since I never room with anyone when I travel, I don’t go through towels quickly, so I usually just let them clean it every 3rd day. I notice they always bug you when you do that, I think because they are worried about the tip in the end. Maybe I should just tip them up front when I first arrive and tell them this is for respecting my privacy and not coming into the room. Even with the little Do Not Disturb thingy hanging on the door, they still will ask you every day if they see you, hoping to get in to clean.

            • Barb, in case you’re interested, here are all the Last Minute Travel Deals Oat has going on right now: https://www.oattravel.com/ways-to-save/last-minute-travel-deals?icid=footer If you can travel with just a month or so notice, there are some great deals to be had!

              Morocco is usually on that list, but I don’t see it right now. You may want to check that list periodically if you have any interest in seeing Morocco. I think you would enjoy it. I want to take their Machu Picchu & Galapagos trip!

              • Biodynamic Barb says

                Our next trip will be to see the Aurora Borealis. We haven’t decided where yet (Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, Finland, and Norway are all options). If your other readers have any advice, we’d love to hear it!

            • Oh, Barb, I just realized that was the savings on those trips, not the actual price. Usually their Last Minute Travel Deals are super cheap, but those prices look about average on there right now. That’s still a great link to check periodically since I’ve gotten some awesome travel deal with OAT in the past.

  3. Saysee Rizental says

    Susan, I would buy it without the exterior bag. Since I have dropped my carryon face down many times and if my laptop were there it would have gotten damaged. I put my laptop in the inside of the carryon and the kindle in my purse or personal item. But, that is my opinion and you may not be as clumsy as I am. Whatever, you choose I think it will be a wise decision. 🙂

    • That’s a good point! No, trust me, I am very clumsy…mostly because I tend to always be rushing, even when I don’t need to rush. I wonder if that would happen. Hopefully, there’s enough padding to protect it. I guess I could order it and see how it looks/feels and do a test packing.

  4. I like the idea of the Everyday bag as you could keep it with you during the flight instead of rushing to remove items from the outer pocket before it goes in the overhead. Same goes for having a secure place for you to store items during long flights when you’re finished using them. The pink bag would look great with all of the suitcase colors you like, but the white suitcase and pink bag is lovely.

  5. We travel frequently and while I am not personally a fan of rollerboard bags for carryons they are extremely prevalent. My suggestion is the pink with the pink everywhere bag. It will be much easier to see your bag at one glance and not likely that anyone else will grab your carryon from the overhead bin, by mistake. I have watched a few people almost grab the wrong bag and have heard announcements at airports regarding someone who grabbed tearing one. I agree that your laptop will travel safer on an inside pocket or your personal item.

  6. Becky O'Brien says

    Susan, you should get the pink and stand out. The items you’d be carrying in the zipped part still have to be accessed from the above compartment, (when you decide last minute to get them out and can’t reach easily) so I’d stow them in the Everywhere bag (under the seat).

  7. My personal preference would be for the one with the bag, but ultimately, I’d go with whichever is the lightest weight, hands down. I still have memories of my very first trip to Europe, with a large suitcase going up and down the stairs of the Metro in Paris, on the trains etc. Never again! I am now a notoriously light packer, carry-on only, and am aiming for going down to a weekend bag for our next trip. Of course, I am most assuredly not a clothes hound, and I know you prefer to take the lovely tours, and don’t have to worry about carrying your bags. But I think the bag would be very handy for any items you’d like to have during your flights!

  8. Lynn Miller says

    Last summer we had seven flights originating in China and on every flight they went crazy looking for lithium batteries. They might want you to pop that one out at every security check point. If it’s easy to do it won’t be a problem. Also, if you choose the black bag I suggest putting a colorful ribbon on it as there are a zillion black bags flying around out there,

    • I won’t be checking it since it’s my carryon bag, so I should be able to keep up with it okay. I do put a ribbon on my checked bag even though it’s plaid. 🙂 To remove the battery, you press a button and it up pops right out. They didn’t blink an eye when I went through the airports in Atlanta, Paris, Egypt and Rome on my trip to Egypt. I think they are so used to seeing Away bags since they are so popular. No one even asked about the battery, but I could have popped it out in a second if they had wanted. I wonder what was going in China that they acted like that.

  9. I read a review that said the pink color got some scuffs and marks from use. The person was okay with it but I’m not sure you would be. Maybe with some elbow grease some of them might come off but why bother when you can have the black pocket bag with your monogram to set it apart from others? Maybe later you could add the pink Everywhere bag and add a black monogram to tie it in with the black one.

    I’ll admit the whole pink set is gorgeous, but maybe not as practical for someone who travels as much as you. Oh! You know, at some point you could add the regular sized bag in pink for domestic travel which you don’t seem to as often. That way it would not get as much wear and you could save your bigger black one for international travel. I love how they store inside each other!

    • I know, I love how the white and pink look together…and the all pink would be so pretty, too! I’ve read/heard that you can get the scuffs off with a Magic Eraser. Would be awesome if that really did work. I am flying a bit more domestically now that I’ve accumulated so many frequent flyer points. I’ve started using them to fly to see family instead of always driving. The good thing about this bag is it will be my carry-on so it will be under my control the majority of the time, not being thrown around my baggage handlers. So I’m hoping whatever color I choose won’t get too beat up. Black is the most practical. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have beautiful luggage and never worry about it getting banged up. I’ve watched a few videos on YouTube where they have purchased and flown with Louis Vuitton carryon bags. That would be very painful to see scratched up!

  10. Even though the pink bag is cute it would likely show dirt and scratches easily so I would stick with the black with the outside pocket which is a great feature. That way you don’t have to use that 2nd carry bag as your personal item unless you really wanted to!

  11. Sonja Enright says

    They are all winners. I must admit though, I really loved the navy with the front pocket. Classic. A bit different and had style. You have great taste and am sure you will choose the one right for you.

  12. Pamela J says

    I purchased the Brics in white for the exact same reason, the leather matched my saddle colored carry-on and was beautiful. Didn’t need two purses, problem solved. Until I got to the airport. Even though it is a carry-on, at some point it will have to be slid, pushed and man handled by everyone from the TSA to the car to the concierge desk. It was pitiful by the time we returned from Egypt. I also realized from a “safety “ standpoint the pretty bag attracted unwanted attention-which is the whole reason I did not bring my usual $ carry-on. You and I travel alike, and as much as it pains me to say it, the black is your best bet. Domestically I love my beautiful luggage, but for overseas the black makes sense. Safe travels!

    • Thanks, Pamela for that tip. BTW, you may want to try a Magic Eraser on the marks on your Brics, I’ve heard it helps get those off, though I’ve never tried it on luggage. I wish travel wasn’t so hard on luggage.

  13. I vote navy. As practical as black, but not as prevalent. Also looks good with pink. 😉

  14. Susan, really enjoyed the conversation between you and Barb. Lots of great information for the traveler. Love the pink Everywhere bag. Safe travels to you.

  15. Ok, Susan,
    first things first, until today I’ve never seen something you purchased that I didn’t like or love! Both alternatives have their good points, so I’m not really sure what to suggest to you but I trust your instincts and just know you’ll make a judicious choice. 🙂 BTW, I just fell in love with that rolling carry-on bag of yours and thought it’s amazingly beautiful and perfect for a trip to Amsterdam since (ironically) those Nicole Lee’s logo/initials could also stand for the Netherlands + that bike design in front is an absolute and funny non-plus-ultra! (Dutch people love cycling so, so much, and me, too!) 🙂 so I thought I could order two of them, one for me and one for my Dutch friend, but ~sigh~ unfortunately they don’t ship to Germany! 🙁

    • Aww, sorry they don’t ship there. I don’t the bike design is currently available for it, but sometimes they seem to bring that design back again. I hope you can find it elsewhere, Cecilia.
      Thanks! I’m stalling choosing between the options at Away, but I have to decide before too long since I’m traveling to see family in April and I’d like to get one by then.

  16. Safe travels & good luck with your decision. I think I might ‘have’ to have an Everywhere bag – love and it appears to be a great solution to a backpack, bag or anything else I try to set on my carry one. Great pockets inside too!
    Of course we will be waiting to hear how it all works out.

  17. Melissa Brechon says

    Susan,
    Thanks to all for these great suggestions, I will be traveling the entire month of May and will be handling luggage from mid-month on so must pack with great care. What do you recommend, the largest Away and Everywhere bag?
    any recommendations on makeup bag? I do not use alot of make up but with shampoo, etc. it tends to get bulky, need a new one! Thanks again, look forward to your blog!

    • Melissa, are you taking one long trip or several short trips…like for business or something like that?
      I’m not sure about all airlines but the largest suitcase Delta will let you check is 62 inches. The 62 inches comes from adding together the length + width + height. For Delta, it can’t weigh over 50lbs.
      That’s the size I always take on my trips, including trips that are 15-16 days long.
      Along with that I also take a rolling carry-on bag normally, however when I travel to England this July, I may only take my large bag and a small carry on bag (like the Everywhere Bag) since we will be handling our own luggage. The Everywhere Bag has a shoulder strap, I like that a lot.
      If you’re looking for a large bag like the one described above, the Away bag that’s named “The Large” would be the way to go. When I added up its dimensions, it’s exactly 62 inches. That must be the standard since that’s its size. That’s the size bag I take on all my trips, only I don’t have an Away bag in that size, just use one that’s I’ve had for several years.
      So, that’s the bag I would go with if you’re going on a trip that’s for 10+ days and wish to take plenty of clothes and have room for souvenirs and maybe some shopping.

      If you don’t need a bag that size, you could go with the next size down, The Medium. I personally like to take a large bag when I travel, I like the extra room.
      And you could add the Everywhere bag to that as your carryon bag if you only wanted to take the one Large bag.
      Let me know if that helps. I wasn’t sure exactly how long your trip was going to be, so not sure if that helps with your question.

  18. Hi Susan, I vote for your purchasing the larger more versatile suitcase. You will have coats, sweaters, shoes etc. at some point in your travels and you can always put a cover over it for a change if you ever want to. I always go for a larger suitcase, (mainly because of shoes and purses that must fit in) but also I take along two cheapo reinforced plastic bags-like those in the TJ Maxx checkout line, for shopping excursions, maps & travel literature, pool tote for towels lotion etc, extras or -just in case… I always just mail myself any travel literature, books, souvenirs (but not jewelry of value) and insure the parcel(s), so that I don’t have to worry about them breaking or getting lost in my carry on or suitcase. It’s so much easier to just mail parcels back home & it’s always such fun to open the mail packages with our travel souvenirs once we’ve returned home! We usually are so busy sightseeing during the vaca that I don’t have much time to spend shopping for clothes that I will wear on the trip, so I take everything I’m going to wear in my suitcase on the trip. I know some people that like to purchase clothes that they will wear the next day while on their trip and others that take clothes and wear them and leave them behind, just to have some extra room in their suitcase for souvenirs. Personally, I prefer to keep my clothes and would rather pay for mailing/shipping/insuring the new found treasures rather than sending them home in my suitcase/carry on. I really admire the adorable bag that you already own that you normally you take on-board. While the white and pink bags are very nice, I would think they will show early signs of travel wear & scuffs much sooner than others and I don’t use any outside bag or zipper section on the outside of suitcases. I believe in packing high and tight-no extra bulges or stuffings going on. I know y’all will have such a great time and you are getting so excited about the upcoming trip! I’m so happy for y’all. Looking forward to hearing all about it.
    Godspeed my friend! Bren

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