Quince Carry-On Suitcase Review: My #1 Luggage

I wound up with both the Quince 21” Carry-On Suitcase and the Quince 24” Check-In Suitcase for my upcoming travels.

Find out everything you’ll need to know about the Quince luggage in my review below. See if it’s the right luggage for you (and scroll down to see my photos of both sizes, and see my advice for getting one before they sell out again). I’ll let you know if it’s really the Away dupe that’s affordable and worth every penny.

Key Takeaways

• The Quince hard shell luggage is priced much lower than Away and Monos, and in my experience with both brands, it performs the same.
• The Quince suitcases come in four sizes (20”, 21”, 24” and 27”), and there are constantly new colors to check back for. (I tried three colors in both carry-on and “checked” sizes.)
• I haven’t had any issues in using my 21” and 24” Quince luggage for international travel, on 4 trips now, and both have held up great. I’ve even been able to wipe off scratches with the buffing cube included with the suitcases.
• You can scroll down to see photos of my Quince carry-on and check-in luggage, and comparisons to my Away carry-on of the same size.

Summary of the Quince Hard Shell Suitcase (21” Carry-On)

At first glance, the Quince carry-on luggage looks just like the one from Away, but with a slightly different design in its horizontal striping. I’ve basically summarized it to friends as, “It’s the Away suitcase, but at about half the price.” It’s the best dupe I’ve come across.

It’s lightweight, has a handle that retracts, lightweight materials and mesh inside, and rolly wheels. It comes in a dust bag for storage, and it arrived in the mail with no dents or mess-ups to note of (I mention this because I once received a dented suitcase from another brand).

The Quince suitcase looks good. I think the main “feeling” I get from it is that it really is ultra-lightweight. Sure, I filled it up with clothes very quickly the first time I packed it to go away to the Livingston Manor in the Catskills, but before that, i probably could’ve lifted it easily with only one hand.

Let’s get right into talking about the features.

Features of Quince’s Carry-On Hard Shell Suitcase

The Quince luggage has some cool features that pleasantly surprised me, like the additional interior pocket, and even a little brush to scrub away nicks and scuffs that may come up on the exterior. This is useful for me because I have the Check-In luggage in a light color (blue). It got scuffed coming back from Mexico, and I was able to take a hack at cleaning it.

Here’s a run-down of the Quince luggage features, in order of how they stand out to me.

The price

At $129.90, investing in a suitcase at this price is less intense as the $295.00 price tag on the Away suitcase of a similar size.

The fact that Quince can make “basically” the same suitcase at less than half the cost of the “original” shows how much it’s marked up elsewhere. To me, it feels like the same thing. (The photo below is of my bright yellow Away carry-on during a trip to the Hudson Valley, New York.)

How does Quince do it? They mark up less. The website shows you how they do this. They’re a low-margin brand and they only sell Quince products through the Quince website. So, that’s the crux of the simplicity of the model.

The materials

The suitcase exterior is made of a durable polycarbonate hard shell, which feels virtually the same as the exterior of the Away suitcase. Maybe it’s a dab thinner or lighter, but it seems like it works just the same.

The interior is water-resistant polyester, which seems virtually the same to me when I compare it to my Away carry-on.

360-degree wheels

The Quince suitcase rolly wheels have worked perfectly for me in airports in three different countries now (Canada, Mexico and Colombia!), and also in the parking garages at Newark International Airport. I’m typically really careful and gentle with suitcase wheels, as I’m scared of busting them up, but the Quince ones have held up with multiple trips now.

Compression panels on the inside

Compression panels help me compress my packing cubes, my jean jacket, my shoes and my toiletries bag, and get the whole suitcase closed before leaving. The last time we used our 24,” we were sure it was going to burst at the zippers, but it didn’t!

What I like about the compression panel specifically is that it has a mesh pocket on it. This is a bonus feature, and it means an extra place to put small or flat items so that they don’t float around. There’s also a zip-around mesh pocket on the alternate side of the suitcase interior and this is where I put packing cubes as well.

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TSA combination locks

I haven’t locked my luggage in ages, but I do appreciate the option to do so. Quince’s luggage features a TSA combo lock right on top, just like the Away, Monos and many other suitcases do. And by the way, you can get standalone TSA combo locks too!

Trolley handle

The handle is quite lightweight and maybe has a bit less weight to it than the one on the Away bag, but that’s not a big factor for me. It adjusts nicely, and has a nice feel on the handle part. I was able to slide a Canvelle weekender bag right through it for sitting on top of the suitcase itself.

YKK zippers (criticism feature)

This is the only criticism I had, that I noted to Dan, in my continued use of our Quince luggage. The zippers that go around the perimeter of the two hardshells can feel like they’re glitching a few times. I originally thought it was them needing to be broken in, but it can sometimes happen out of the blue over the months.

Removable laundry bag

I like that it comes with a laundry bag, as I’m one of those people who preaches all the ways you can do laundry during long-term travel. It saves me from using a tote bag for my dirty clothes.

Available colors

For my Away luggage, I chose a bright color (limited-edition bright yellow)that would stand out on a baggage claim belt. I’ve since turned to more muted and timeless colors when choosing my Quince luggage, and Quince keeps coming out with more pretty colors for the hard shell suitcases.

The Quince luggage comes in a range of seven to nine colors, depending on which size you’re looking at. I have the 21” carry-on in Black, the 24” check-in in Blue and the 21” pocket carry-on in a strong Dark Green.

My best recommendation is for those who want a dark colored suitcase: put a bright-colored sticker or bow or ribbon on it, to make it stand out on the baggage claim belt. There are a LOT of black and navy blue carry-ons on the baggage claim belts these days.

Free shipping & returns

Quince’s hard shell suitcases ship for free. It’s one of the plusses about shopping for all your travel stuff at Quince.

Second, when comparing the opportunity for returns against Away’s policy, Quince’s luggage is able to returned within 365 days, whereas Away only allows 100 days.

For returns, note my advice here: you can get a full refund if you are returning any Quince item that has all original packaging, tags and boxes. Refunds are processed pretty quickly, around five days, which is impressive. The fastest way to obtain a refund is to request a store credit.

USB battery port

I was on my way to Chicago once, and was using my Away extra-large carry-on as, quite literally, a carry-on. At the gate, the flight staff asked if my suitcase had a battery, and, well, it did. They said they weren’t allowed on the plane due to a policy about suitcases with batteries built in.

In the sweatiest most heart-racing scenario (and thank goodness I was not alone), I had to take ALL my items out of my suitcase, quite literally at the gate before boarding the plane, like just as I had gotten my boarding pass scanned, and Dan had to YANK the entire USB battery product out of my Away suitcase. We threw it out.

If he hadn’t been able to get it out, I would’ve had to put my packing cubes into a garbage bag and leave my entire suitcase in the terminal in order to get on that flight. Away has since updated their models, and to quote the Away website: “Classic suitcases no longer come with a battery, and the current design does not accommodate adding a battery.”

So, in conclusion, the Quince suitcase does not come with a battery pack for charging a phone, and you don’t have to worry about this. It’s a good thing. Just bring your own external battery pack, like we do, for charging your phone on the go.

Summary of the Check-In Hard Shell Suitcase (24”)

If I can be honest with you, I hadn’t owned a “full-size” suitcase in my adult life until I got the Quince 24” check-in luggage for my most recent flight. I was interested in comparing it to the 21” carry-on suitcase, both in terms of what could fit inside and the overall weight of it. The 24” Quince suitcase is a piece of luggage that I checked, which is a pretty new idea for me, as it was my first time traveling with my baby.

I might have mentioned above that I’m short, petite and not too strong when it comes to lifting stuff. If I’m going to have a suitcase, I have to be able to roll it comfortably when it’s super full, as well as lift it off a baggage carousel. I got the 24” suitcase in Blue so that it’ll stand out when I’m looking for it among all the other suitcases that come off the plane (this worked, by the way).

The Quince 24” check-in suitcase is a smart piece of luggage. I used it to pack for Dan, me and our infant daughter when we flew to Halifax, Canada (great place to travel, by the way). Sure, we used our best ideas to pack light as a family, but everything did fit, in our packing cubes. Just like with the carry-on Quince suitcase, I appreciated the compression panel on the right side, and the mesh pocket with a zipper on the left.

UPDATE: I did some reading and found out that the 21” carry-on suitcase from Quince can _fit inside the 24” suitcase for storage purposes. I tried it out, and currently, my 21” suitcase is hiding inside my 24” one. Can you believe it?_

The check-in hard shell luggage has all he same great features, from the lightweight build (it weighs 8.8 lbs only) to the durable 360° spinner wheels and a TSA combination lock. Best of all, it’ll save you quite a bit of money when comparing it to the similarly-sized suitcase from Away, which currently clocks in at $385 and might even cost you $725 if you opted for the aluminum version.

Quince Front Pocket Carry-On Hard Shell Suitcase - 21”

At only $159.90, Quince’s newest suitcase in the lineup is the Front Pocket Carry-On Hard Shell Suitcase - 21”. This suitcase in the Quince collection has the “professional upgrade” of the front zipper pocket, which can store a laptop up to 16,” a tablet or some travel essentials.

The way the pocket works is that it has zip-around zippers, it folds out, and inside you can slide in your laptop or tablet. There are also zipper organizers in there for pens, small notebooks, an Apple Pencil or a small pair of headphones.

My sibling borrowed my Quince Front Pocket Carry-On (but checked it through to their destination) and had this report when using it on a cross-country flight from NYC to San Francisco:

• “The handle is nice soft material, comfortable to hold
• The wheels glide smoothly on all airport terrains: carpet, tile, pavement
• It feels durable, but lightweight
• In green, it was easy to spot at baggage claim
• The zippers on front pocket moved a bit when the bag got checked. Luckily, I didn’t have anything in it, so I’m not worried anything fell out.
• The carrying handles on the top and side are nice
• It also comes with a built in laundry bag which is handy
• There are helpful zipper pockets inside, and I like the compression flap pocket.”

Quince Expandable Carry-On Hard Shell 21” Suitcase and Expandable 20” Suitcase

Just like you have probably seen like the ones from Away, Quince came out with an expandable version of the two most popular carry-on suitcases in 21” and 20.” The Expandable Carry-On Suitcase in 21” and Expandable Carry-On Suitcase in 20” are both incredibly affordable.

How does the expansion work? The suitcase zips and unzips to create an additional expanded 1” of area, all around. For me, this is an option I’d use coming back from a trip, because on the way in, all my stuff seems to fit. Once I pack up again, somehow it doesn’t — ha.

You can also try the expandable luggage in the larger Expandable Check-In Hard Shell Suitcase - 24” and Expandable Check-In Hard Shell Suitcase - 27”.

Check-In Hard Shell Suitcase - 27”

Oh boy, the big one is here! With a 27”-suitcase (at only $199.90!), you can hold two weeks of outfits and travel gear, according to the Quince website’s product page for their biggest check-in suitcase yet. This one currently comes in five colors. It is large enough to store your Quince carry-on inside.

Is the Quince suitcase a good investment?

A big yes from me! At the current prices of $129.90 for the original 21” carry-on and only $119.90 for the original 20” hard shell luggage, I feel like these have got to be some of the most competitively-priced carry-on suitcases on the whole market right now. And, Quince seems to be keeping the price down, year over year.

If you’re like me, you want your suitcase to look good and feel good, so it seems like a win-win. Both carry-on sizes are compliant with domestic as well as foreign airline dimension requirements, so unless you are forced into gate check, you should be fine.

If you’re looking to size up and purchase a suitcase for checking into a flight (or just using on a road trip), Quince makes a 24” suitcase that comes in the same colors and has the same features as the carry-ons. It holds 9-12 outfits rather than 6-9, for the 21” carry-on.

I think this suitcase, in whichever size you please, is a good investment if you’re looking for affordable and attractive suitcases for travel. I wish I had known about the Quince hard shell suitcase sooner, and I’m pretty sure I got it in the first weeks of its release.

Get a Quince credit with referring a friend

While Quince doesn’t provide any discount codes, you can totally refer a friend and get some credit toward a new purchase. Check out the Quince refer link and you may get lucky!

More travel finds from Quince

I’ve become a Quince addict over the last few years, ever since the brand debuted affordable travel essentials with great style. What is Quince? You may want to learn about the brand at my full Quince brand review, written after two years of online shopping from them.

More travel gear? See why I took one of the most lightweight tavel finds from Quince on a trip, at my Quince neoprene backpack review (what I like about it is that you can pack it into some Quince luggage). I also wrote a Quince duffel bag review which will tell you which Quince travel duffel is the BEST for a travel day.