Away The Carry-On vs Samsonite Freeform Carry-On Spinner

The Away Carry-On is the better-built bag: a sturdier polycarbonate shell, a compression system that genuinely packs more, and a lifetime warranty that owners rate highly. The Samsonite Freeform is far lighter at 6.5 lb and adds an expansion zipper, which matters if you lift your bag into overhead bins often or tend to overpack. Owners of both praise the wheels; Away buyers report scuffs and scratches on the shell, and Samsonite's 10-year warranty is shorter but needs no registration.

• Choose the Away Carry-On if you want the tougher shell, the interior compression system and a lifetime warranty, and you don't mind a heavier bag.
• Choose the Samsonite Freeform if low weight, an expansion zipper and a built-in ID tag matter more to you than a premium shell.