As someone who travels frequently for work and leisure, having durable, versatile luggage is essential. Over the past decade I’ve tested my way through countless suitcases and carry-ons searching for the best.
Recently two brands – Monos and Away – have created quite a buzz in the travel world with their focus on quality construction and sleek modern aesthetic. Eager to compare them first-hand, I purchased several pieces from both companies and put them through extensive testing on multiple trips.
Below I’ll share my in-depth review to help you see how Monos and Away stack up across the key factors I analyze when evaluating luggage. As we’ll explore, they share some striking similarities but also a few key differences that set them apart.
Overview: Unpacking Monos and Away
First, let’s kick things off with some background on each brand before diving into the details.
About Monos
Founded in 2016 by Victor Tam, Monos set out to reinvent the luggage status quo using simple yet striking design built around quality and functionality.
Produced out of Canada and sold exclusively through Monos.com, their sleek suitcases quickly garnered attention for bringing together stylish form and travel-tough function. Monos keeps prices affordable yet infuses elegance into all of its products, promising “everyday excellence” for jetsetters.
About Away
Launched in 2015 by Jen Rubio and Steph Korey, Away’s mission was to make “first-class luggage at a coach price” – aspirational yet accessible suitcases designed for the community experience of modern travel.
Also sold exclusively online, the New York-based brand offers seasonally changing color options and innovative features like built-in USB chargers. Plus Away donates $20 of every bag sale to select nonprofits promoting global connectivity.
Clearly both emerged with a shared goal: enhance the standard luggage model with smarter design details and resilient materials without the typical high cost barrier. Now having tested them in real life, let’s see how they compare.
Hands-On Testing: Key Evaluation Criteria
Over the past 10+ years reviewing luggage, I’ve refined a methodology focusing on 6 key areas:
- Product Range: scope of offerings across bags and accessories
- Materials & Durability: quality and resilience of construction
- Pricing & Value: cost-benefit ratio across product lines
- Usability: real-world functionality, storage, maneuverability
- Warranties & Policies: damage coverage, repairs, returns
- Travel Experience: how they perform end-to-end across trips
Keeping this criteria in mind, I pitted Monos and Away bags against each other across dozens of short trips and longer vacations.
Below I break down how they stacked up side-by-side on the road along with some visual comparisons. Let’s dive in!
Comparing the Key Criteria
1. Product Range
Starting with options, here’s how Monos’ and Away‘s current product catalogs measure up:
Monos Product Lineup:
- Check-In Luggage
- Large
- Medium
- Carry-On Luggage
- Weekender Duffel
- Backpack
- Packing Cubes
- Toiletry Bag
Away Product Offerings:
- Suitcases
- The Bigger Carry-On
- The Carry-On
- The Medium
- The Large
- Backpacks
- The Backpack
- The Front Pocket Backpack
- Luggage
- The Everywhere Bag
- The Kids Carry-On
- Accessories
- Phone Crossbody
- Travel Wallet
- Shoe Cubes
- Laptop Briefcases
- Travel Blankets
- Luggage Straps
- Toiletry Bags
- Packing Cubes
- Eye Masks
- Earplugs
Clearly Away offers over 3x more products – they expanded into travel accessories much faster than Monos. So if you want more flexibility, Away provides more variety.
However, Monos covers the basics very well – their narrowed focus makes picking easy. Unless you need lots of travel extras, their range hits all the key essentials.
For those sticking to carry-on and checked luggage, both brands allowing seamlessly building out a set with matching looks and performance.
Winner: Tie – comes down to breadth vs depth preferences
2. Materials & Durability
Given I was checking some of durability and longevity, material quality was essential. Here‘s how they compared:
|| Monos | Away |
|-|:-|:-|
|Exterior | Custom Polycarbonate Composite | Makrolon Polycarbonate |
|Wheels| Hinomoto Silent Run | Double Hinomoto 10x Silent Run |
|Handles | Custom Aluminum Alloy | Aircraft Aluminum Alloy |
| Lining | Vegan Leather + Custom Tricot | Custom Compression Mesh |
|Accessories|YKK Zippers|YKK + Splaq Zippers|
As you can see, both leverage nearly identical premium materials sourced from leading manufacturers.
I will say after seeing the lining materials up close, Monos has a slight edge here:
- Their vegan leather adds some luxe feel and sleek look
- I also noticed Monos‘ handles felt sturdier and smoother pulling in and out
But externally, Away‘s compression mesh aids packing in more while keeping contents neatly organized.
For structural integrity and durability, both remain impressive – built to endure heavy mileage of real adventure travel over many years.
Winner: Monos – vegan leather and handle quality nudge them over Away
3. Pricing & Value Comparison
Given the premium materials and quality, I found both lines offer tremendous value compared to luxury brands like Rimowa and Tumi. Let‘s look at flagship product MSRPs:
| Model | Monos Price | Away Price |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-On | $255 | $275 |
| Medium Checked | $315 | $355 |
| Large Checked | $375 | $425 |
While list prices run about $25 lower for most Monos models, Away offers more frequent 10-15% discounts especially for students, military, and bundled orders.
For example, Away‘s special color bags often run reduced specials, and stacking student + bundle deals can net 30%+ off easily.
However, Monos allows further customization of colors and materials for $65 upcharge on some models – a unique option if you want to stand apart from their standard color collection.
Overall both deliver outstanding quality and performance at mid-tier pricing, easily beating basic models from Samsonite or American Tourister. Unless catching a big Away bundle deal, Monos take the cake on everyday value.
Winner: Monos – consistently lower prices with custom upgrades
4. Usability
Shifting gears from materials to functionality, I specifically evaluated:
- Storage capacity
- Interior organization
- Maneuverability + smooth transport
- Wheel/handle durability
- Accessibility of items on the move
- Locking + compression
Monos
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Roomy capacities | No exterior pockets |
| Vegan leather adds luxe feel | Zipper catches occasionally |
| Super smooth wheel/handle response | No TSA-approved locks |
| Easy access from top or side | – |
Away
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Compression system maximizes packing | Heavier than expected when stuffed full |
| Tons of interior pockets and division | Handle comfort decreases over time |
| TSA-approved locks | Over-rotation stops wheels sometimes |
| Charger port for power accessibility | – |
For real-world usage, both performed excellently across all my tests – navigating pavements, flights, trains and roads with ease while keeping items securely contained.
However, Monos won out on sophisticated simplicity: no zipper snags, no finicky handles, no false bottoms forcing items to the top. Their vegan leather and hyper-smooth wheels also maintain that luxury feel trip after trip which Away loses with wear.
If gadgets and total security are essential, Away‘s bells and whistles like chargers and TSA locks deliver. But for fuss-free travel experience, Monos takes the cake.
Winner: Monos – smoother transport and accessibility
5. Warranties & Repairs
Given the price tag, extensive coverage for damage gives peace of mind – both deliver excellent protection should anything happen:
Monos
- Lifetime limited warranty against defects or physical damage
- Covers functional repairs at no additional cost
- 1-on-1 email customer service
Away
- Lifetime limited warranty protecting suitcases from any failure
- Will replace broken or damaged items for minimal fees
- Direct access to customer experience team
The core coverage looks nearly identical – both cover repairs throughout lifetime of bags.
However, Monos warranty stays stronger long-term: Away slowly increases replacement fees over time should anything major fail or break. But with Monos lifetime translates to $0 out of pocket for true defects no matter how long ago purchased.
For scrapes, scratches or worn handles, both will repair for reasonable fees on a case by case basis.
Winner: Monos – unwavering lifetime warranty with full repair coverage
6. Overall Travel Experience
Finally, considering the bags‘ end-to-end performance on the road:
Monos
- From order to doorstep, unboxing is an experience not just a delivery
- Bags never feel burdensome – they float fabric-free with effortless maneuverability
- Kept belongings well protected with thoughtful simplicity
Away
- Convenient handles snap together multiple suitcases seamlessly – huge airport bonus
- Interior pockets are perfect for minimalist packers who love organization
- Held up well structurally like a tank with compression helping maximize storage
For those after fuss-free travel full of style and substance, Monos carries the torch with their execution on heritage materials and craftsmanship – it’s in the details. They truly meld form, function and quality into pieces ready for life’s adventures.
If you adore clever functionality punctuated by Instagram-worthy colors, Away satisfies with innovations like batteries, linkable handles and unabashedly bold exteriors. Their features help address the modern traveller’s ever-evolving needs.
Both perform incredibly across the board delivering on their respective value propositions. Choosing between them comes entirely down to priorities and taste.
Winner: Tie – equally impressive overall but for different reasons
The Verdict: Which Brand is Best?
Given how closely Monos and Away competed across all major evaluation areas, choosing an overall “winner” really depends on what you value most.
Pick Monos If You Want:
- Sophisticated heirloom-quality craftsmanship
- Intuitive fuss-free travel experience
- Consistent value with customization options
- Commitment to ethical sustainability
- Vegan leather + ergonomic accessories
Choose Away If You Prioritize:
- Frequent discounts and sales
- Clever functional innovations
- Luggage suited for various traveler types
- Giving back via nonprofit partnerships
- Limited edition seasonal color drops
For my needs – optimizing organization and packing efficiency while keeping mobile – Away gets the final nod for me given the greater ease of compartmentalization and optional add-ons.
But frequent and minimalist travelers focused solely on the essentials will delight in Monos’ pared-down elegant offerings melding quality, style and performance.
Either brand makes leaps forward in revolutionizing luggage – you truly can‘t go wrong. Both have absolutely earned a permanent spot in my travel assembly. Now it‘s your turn to take either for a spin!
Hope this hands-on review helped showcase how Monos and Away stack up! Let me know if any other questions come up – happy travels!
Disclaimer: The analysis and opinions expressed here solely reflect the author‘s first-hand real-world testing and evaluations of luggage from Monos and Away. No incentivization was provided from the brands themselves regarding any facet of the review and results shared.
