Away Suitcase: Upgrade to Smart Luggage

When you travel as much as I do, you’re almost living out of your suitcase. Sometimes I don’t even bother to put away the suitcase because I know the next day I have to repack it. Suffice it to say, my choice of carry-on is pretty important as my number one travel companion, especially for weekend trips.

You know what’s the worst? When you’re at the airport and there’s only one charge station at the gate. And of course every plug is already taken. Frankly, having to stand around one of those things while the sound of Angry Birds screeches from a nearby kid’s iPad is almost as bad as being stuck in the middle seat on a cross country flight.

So anything that can make travel a little easier and more pleasant is worth investigating in my book. I was recently introduced to Away, a new suitcase company started by former Warby Parker execs that offers a first class product at a coach price.

The Away carry-on goes a long way in bringing the utilitarian carry-on into the digital revolution. With a removable interior 10,000 mAh battery and two USB ports you can charge your iPad and iPhone at once, away from the Angry Birds cacophony.

This powerhouse has a strong, stylish shell – made of German polycarbonate (side note: I didn’t know that my homeland was especially renowned for polycarbonate, but hey, we’ll take it), it’s designed to take whatever beating the airline can throw at it. It’s also got custom inset double wheel spinners, which allow for 10% more packing room than your standard suitcase. Did I already mention it’s great looking?

Inside the Away is just as smart – it’s got a patent-pending compression system and a removable, washable laundry bag so you can keep the clean and dirty socks apart without having to do a sniff-test.

The suitcase is also covered by a lifetime warranty so even if you’re up against a particularly surly ground crewman, you know Away has got your back (and your bag).

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