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Head-to-head · Best Carry-On Luggage

Away The Carry-On vs Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On Spinner

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On Spinner comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about frequent business traveler doing 30-plus trips a year who wants one carry-on for the next 15 years and values warranty coverage that survives airline damage without paperwork — read the strengths below before deciding.

Away The Carry-On
Ranked #2 in Best Carry-On Luggage
Away The Carry-On
$275

Outdoor Gear Lab scored the Away Carry-On 81/100 and called the polycarbonate shell 'one of the best we've seen,' while Pack Hacker rated it 7.7/10 with praise for the interior compression system and stylish exterior. At $275 it sits below premium hardsides like Rimowa or TUMI but above value brands like Samsonite, making it the default pick for travelers who want polycarbonate durability without aluminum-case prices.

Strengths
  • — 100% polycarbonate shell flexes under impact and rebounds without cracking
  • — Built-in compression system with double-buckle pads adds usable packing volume
  • — TSA-approved combination lock and 360-degree spinner wheels are standard equipment
Watch-outs
  • — Indented zipper track makes the shell feel flexier than premium hardsides like Monos or Rimowa
  • — Side grab handles are slim and difficult to grasp when the bag is full
  • — Built-in battery option was removed in the 2022 redesign and never returned
Full review →
Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On Spinner
Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Carry-On Luggage
Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On Spinner
$729

Outdoor Gear Lab scored the Baseline Essential 88/100 (third of seventeen) and the Baseline Domestic 82/100, with NYT Wirecutter naming Briggs & Riley its 2025 upgrade pick. The CX expansion compresses an entire extra outfit back to carry-on dimensions, and the no-questions lifetime guarantee covers airline damage with no proof of purchase. At $729 it's the bag for the traveler who'll keep one carry-on for the next 15 years.

Strengths
  • — Patented CX compression expands the bag 30% then ratchets back to carry-on dimensions
  • — Simple as that lifetime guarantee covers any damage including airline damage — no proof of purchase
  • — Premium ballistic nylon with YKK self-repairing zippers, aircraft-grade aluminum handle
Watch-outs
  • — $729 list is the highest price in this roundup outside of TUMI premium variants
  • — 10 lbs empty makes it the heaviest carry-on tested in Outdoor Gear Lab's roundup
  • — Exterior ballistic nylon absorbs water rather than repelling it in rain tests
$729 · Buy at briggs-riley.comFull review →

How they stack up

Away The Carry-On

Lighter than the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential (7.5 lbs vs. 10 lbs) and more impact-resistant than the Samsonite Freeform's polypropylene shell, but the indented zipper track makes it feel flexier than the Monos Carry-On Pro's aerospace-grade German polycarbonate. Compression system gives back roughly the same usable capacity as Briggs's CX system without the ratcheting mechanism.

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On Spinner

Heavier than every other bag in this roundup (10 lbs vs. Samsonite Freeform 6.6 lbs and Away 7.5 lbs), but the only one whose warranty literally says airline damage is covered with no proof of purchase. The CX compression delivers a real 30% expansion vs. the Travelpro Platinum Elite's 2-inch zipper expansion, which is closer to 15%.

Specs side-by-side

SpecAway The Carry-OnBriggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On Spinner
Material100% polycarbonatePremium ballistic nylon with YKK self-repairing zippers
External Dimensions21.7 x 14.4 x 9 in22 x 14 x 9 in (expands to 11.5 in deep)
Packing Capacity41 L37-48 L (CX expansion)
Weight7.5 lbs10 lbs
Wheel Type4 dual-spinner 360-degree wheels4 dual 360-degree spinner wheels
Compression SystemYes, double-buckle padsYes, patented CX ratcheting
TSA LockYes, combinationYes, combination cable
WarrantyLifetimeCare with 5-year complimentary repairsSimple as that lifetime — covers airline damage with no proof of purchase
Sub-Compartments—Built-in tri-fold garment folder, SpeedThru pocket, HideAway ID tag
← See the full ranking of best carry-on luggage