BÉIS Travel Luggage Review: Carry-On & Check-In Rollers
BÉIS Travel is a Canadian-owned brand of mid-luxury travel luggage. You might know the founder better as "Emily Fields" (portrayed by Shay Mitchell) from Pretty Little Liars (2010). As a famous actress and frequent traveller, it makes sense that Mitchell would start her own travel line. What makes her line different from the rest is that she incorporates a lot of little design functions that don’t seem like a lot but add a lot of quality.
However, the BÉIS line is not without its own hindering problems, which I got to experience from bringing their suitcases (the classic Carry-On and the Large Check-In Roller) several times around the world.
Because the Medium and Large Check-In Rollers are essentially just bigger versions of the original Carry-On, I will review them as a group; they all use the same material, finish, and internal/external design.
BÉIS Carry-On Roller / BÉIS Check-In Roller
I got the most popular BÉIS Carry-On Roller in Atlas Pink and the Large Check-In Roller to match. I see why they get the hype they do for their functionality, though they're still not perfect.
Pros
They're sleek and symmetrical. No uneven corners here – all the better for Tetris-packing.
They have lots and lots of pockets. Ladies, unite!
They have a special zippered compartment for wet items. Perfect for those days by the beach or any leftover laundry.
They have 360 degree Hinomoto wheels. Quiet and smooth, European cobblestones are a challenge no more. I even lugged my large check-in across a pile of snow 20 cm deep in the Arctic Circle with no problems.
They have a retractable strap outside the case for slinging extra bags and goodies. Finally, you can remain hand-free after buying souvenirs or duty-free (but be careful of heavy items and bag limits at the airport).
They have a silicone padded grip handle. Reviewers everywhere laud this specific feature for its comfortability and wonder why no other manufacturers do it.
They're weight-balanced. No worrying about your luggage toppling over to the heavy side.
They offer 2-inch expansion. If you're bringing everything except the kitchen sink, those two inches of extra volume will do you wonders. Just note that when expanded, you'll have to check in the Carry-On as well.
They come with 2 sorting bags (aka. "dirt bags") each. Use them for whatever you want: shoe separating, dirty laundry, etc.
They have a TSA lock (i.e. a lock that any TSA officer can open with a master key). As someone whose own lock has gotten cut open and my suitcase inspected before, the built-in TSA lock gives me peace of mind that my luggage will still be protected by the time it reaches me.
Cons
They scratch really easily. Without a protective luggage case, the carry-on will see some black streaks from even one outing – especially if you have to check it in. The baggage handlers throw them around like nobody’s business. Some of these streaks are just dirt and will wipe off easily with water and a cloth; others are more permanent and might fade a bit with some cleaning but won’t be entirely erasable.
(If they're particularly stubborn, try alcohol wipes or toothpaste (yes, toothpaste!).)
The inside of the case, as well, is prone to scratching and dirt or oil spots.
They're not “universal” sizes. Because of their unique dimensions, only certain plastic luggage protectors will fit each of them respectively. BÉIS offers their own customized protectors for sale, but it's pricey. I use the 20-inch BBKON Clear PVC Luggage Cover from Amazon. It’s quite a tight squeeze, and it definitely won’t fit when the suitcase is expanded, but otherwise it does the job. An alternative is to use stretchy fabric protectors, but these aren’t waterproof (and if you're particular about showing off your suitcase colour, these fabric protectors kind of defeat the purpose).
BÉIS has a reputation amongst travellers for always just missing the mark when it comes to airline restrictions. The Carry-On juuuust skims the border of being too big to, well, carry on. While this is advantageous for those of us who either overpack or have other reasons for needing space (pads, bras, makeup, anyone?), it also means that you might have to check it in for smaller airlines that can’t accommodate the slightly larger-than-usual suitcase.
Plus, even if you're flying on a large plane, if those overhead bins get filled up before you, guess whose luggage is still going to be gate-checked? Yup, yours -- for being slightly beyond the average dimensions of carry-on luggage. (Personally, I love when my suitcase is gate-checked because a) I don't have to spend money to have it checked, and b) it takes the stress off me to find a space in the overhead bins in Economy. I always put the protector on in case my suitcase gets taken away for this reason.)
Average carry-on size restrictions: 22" x 14" x 9"
BÉIS Carry-On Roller dimensions: 22.8" x 15.7" x 9.8"
To counteract this, BÉIS has released a new version of the Carry-On called the Small Carry-On, which measures 21" x 13" x 9".
(Although, on the topic of airline restrictions, I find it unjustly discriminatory that ladies aren't offered a bit more leeway with the amount of feminine hygiene products, bras, and other functional necessities they may have to bring. Without delving deeper into this rabbit hole, the BÉIS Carry-On actually helps by providing more volume and more compartments for exactly these types of issues; it's just that despite their best intentions, airline restrictions have not yet progressed to match that thoughtfulness for women.)
They're expensive (for the budget traveller). While not on the scale of TUMI, BÉIS luggage is still relatively expensive for the average traveller, ranging on average USD $200-400 per case. Considering that you can get a pretty decent suitcase for less than $100 nowadays, you've got to be committed to taking care of your cases if you decide to purchase BÉIS.
To get a sense of the market, BÉIS's direct competitors include Monos (another Canadian brand), Away, and July. They're all trendy and youthful choices with their own pros and cons.
BÉIS now offers the resale of their secondhand items through Second BÉIS. You can score some great deals here.
They only have a limited lifetime warranty. And to be clear, "lifetime" doesn't refer to your lifetime; it means the "reasonable lifetime of the Luggage" (https://eu.beistravel.com/pages/lifetime-luggage-warranty). Only certain items are covered through this warranty, including the Carry-On and Check-In Rollers, so it's worth reading the policy before you buy anything from BÉIS (don't worry, they make it super easy to read).
They're heavy! By far, this is my biggest con for the BÉIS suitcases (and other merchandise, in general). Weighing in at 8.36lbs, the Carry-On by itself is almost 10lbs even without anything in it. The average weight accepted by large airlines for carry-on suitcases is 15-22lbs and 7-10lbs for smaller airlines. That means the BÉIS Carry-On shoulders around half of what you can bring already before you've even packed!
The Medium and Large Check-In Rollers, similarly, are both heavier than many of their competitors.
After many, many trips abroad, I finally had to admit that I wasn't loving my cases as much as I wanted to because of the weight. As a petite woman, the voluminous size and weight actually hindered my ability to go up and down stairs in a comfortable manner, which is especially important when you visit tiny-home countries like Japan and Germany.
The colour's off. This isn't exactly a "con," but it should be noted that the actual Atlas Pink is more of a "dirty" pink than the pastel it shows up as online. This can be due to several factors including studio lighting and screen settings, but heads up if you wanted a suitcase for the bright baby pink look.
Product details:
Carry-On Roller: https://ca.beistravel.com/products/the-carry-on-roller-in-atlas-pink
Small Carry-On Roller: https://ca.beistravel.com/products/the-small-carry-on-roller-in-atlas-pink
Medium Check-In Roller: https://ca.beistravel.com/products/the-26-check-in-roller-in-atlas-pink
Large Check-In Roller: https://ca.beistravel.com/products/the-29-large-check-in-roller-in-atlas-pink
Customer Service
From the one time I had to contact customer service, BÉIS's team seemed very generous and quick. I'd ordered a Carry-On and the Large Check-In Roller, and my Check-In Roller arrived with a long black streak on the divider panel inside. I emailed and asked for just a new divider panel (everything else about the suitcase was fine). They apologized and sent me a whole new suitcase, meaning I essentially got three suitcases for the price of two. If that's not a steal, I don't know what is.
Bonus: The Mini Weekender Review
I couldn't believe my luck when I found The Mini Weekender in Atlas Pink duffel bag at a Winners a few days ago. Winners is a Canadian chain of off-price and discount retail stores. It was labeled C$79.99 (the current sale price on BÉIS's website is USD $88).
I was so very tempted to buy it... BUT it was too heavy. The design of the bag by itself is pretty nice. Again, lots of pockets and voluminous space (with wired framing on the top opening so you can see everything all at once). The problem was the shoe compartment on the bottom. That thing took up half the bag's weight, and unlike the Convertible Mini Weekender where you can fully remove the shoe compartment, the original version's stays put.
Sadly, I decided to leave my find. The bag was too big for my petite frame, and needless to say, I've learned my lesson with heavy bags while traveling.
The Mini Weekender: https://ca.beistravel.com/products/the-mini-weekender-in-pink
The Convertible Mini Weekender: https://ca.beistravel.com/products/the-convertible-mini-weekender-in-atlas-pink
Conclusion
In my opinion, some of BÉIS's pieces are questionable (looking at you, super-heavy jewelry case), but I can't deny that overall BÉIS is a really solid option if you're looking for space, functionality, and intuitive design. My gosh, those wheels are smooth!
However, I get the sense that BÉIS is more for travellers who have the means to shell out for an extra checked bag if need be. If you're a petite person like me, the weight and size of their products may also bring some functional issues on the road.
Nevertheless, I always enjoy packing my BÉIS suitcases, so if you want to get your inner Marie Kondo on with a stylish and innovative brand (and don't mind the higher price point), BÉIS might be a good option for you.
