Upgrading My Road Warrior Status, With AWAY Luggage
Those of you who follow me to any degree know that I do a tremendous amount of travel. Last year, I logged 110K+ miles, taking 56 planes, 14 trains, and 100+ taxis, passing through 26 airports and spending the night in 38 different hotels in 7 countries (See it all in one infographic here). All that travel has taught me a lot, but it took me WAY too long to learn that quality luggage is key.
A few weeks ago, I hopped off the train in Philadelphia for a weekend of speaker training. My hotel was less than half a mile from the train station; being a New Yorker, (and a FitBit wearer), that distance didn't intimidate me in the slightest. Time to get some steps.
But three blocks from my hotel, one of the wheels on my random off brand suitcase completely gave out. It was bent at a 90-degree angle, and no amount of pulling or pushing (or—let's be honest—aggressive kicking) was fixing it.
I carried my (non-)rolling suitcase the rest of the way.
I was beyond frustrated, and when I mentioned my traveler's strife to a fellow road warrior and speaker between conference sessions, he gave the most glowing recommendation of Away Luggage. Being a marketer, like myself, he listened to my grievances and led with the guarantee and customer service. He'd had an issue with his once, he said, and they'd sent him a replacement in no time. Plus, it's rugged, stylish and comes with a built-in battery for device charging. Yes, please. SOLD. I ordered it from my phone right then and there, in hopes it'd be delivered back home before I returned and set off for Charlotte three days later.
I'd first heard of Away through some well-targeted ads online, but had also seen one of the founders speak at an event and was really impressed with their philosophy on marketing. It's not just about a well-crafted suitcase, they said, but about enabling travelers to have the best possible travel experience.
When I received my suitcase in the mail in a fabulous interior-printed box, complete with a branded dust-bag to protect the exterior, and a full-scale travel magazine, Here, I saw that philosophy at work. (I did a fun unboxing on Instagram Stories to share my excitement).
I went with The Bigger Carry-On, since most of my trips are only 2-4 days, and I rarely need to check luggage. (I try to pack minimally, and keep most of my must-have's already packed and ready to go). And I ordered it in black because, you know, that's my brand.
Now that I've got a great bag, I finally feel like I'm stepping into the elite traveler status I've spent the last few years earning, and I'm excited for all the adventures this bag will be accompanying me on! A few major trips coming in the next year: Buenos Aires, Berlin, and Madrid! Bring it on.
If you want to give Away a try, use this link to save $20 on your first bag! A friend passed the savings along to me, so I'm passing it along to you!
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