BAGSMART Getaway 20” Carry-on: Front-Opening Review

The BAGSMART Getaway 20″ Carry-on: Front-Opening has a unique opening, closer to the clamshell-style opening on your travel backpack than traditional hardside luggage. Plus, it has dedicated storage areas for your laptop and liquids. It’s more expensive than other BAGSMART gear we’ve tested before, so we’re curious to see if the brand has stepped up its game or if the price is worth what you’ll get. Let’s dive in and find out!

External Components

The shell is crafted from polycarbonate, a standard material for rolling luggage. That said, not all polycarbonate is designed the same. Sometimes the material is thicker, more durable, and less prone to cracking. The shell here isn’t particularly dense, although it feels more durable than some of the cheaper models we’ve seen previously. We’ve had no issues with it, though it does mark up fairly easily.

The front of the luggage has horizontal accent lines, which adds a textured look to the bag that we appreciate.

The bag utilizes SBS zippers, a budget brand. We’ve had issues with these zippers in the past, but not to a greater extent than other budget brands we’ve tested. So far with this bag, things have worked well. They get caught occasionally around the lower bends of the bag, but that’s more a result of the bag’s design than the zipper itself.

There’s a TSA-approved zipper lock, which is a nice inclusion. This is more of a theft deterrent than a comprehensive solution, as someone could still gain entry with sufficient determination. The lock is easy to use and simple to change if you know the code, which we appreciate. The lock is on the top of the case, which is unusual, as they’re typically on the side. This is because the bag is a front-loader, so you can open it while rolling through the airport.

There are handles on the top and sides that slide up when engaged and slip back down when not in use, saving space and preventing them from getting caught on things. They’re crafted from plastic and not the most comfortable we’ve used, but they do the job.

BAGSMART employed GlideTech 360° double spinner wheels, which are entirely plastic with a few metal components. They don’t feel the most durable, but have held up well in testing. Similar to other plastic wheels we’ve tested, we wouldn’t recommend these for trips that involve a lot of stairs, such as those in Venice or Pittsburgh. One bad bounce, and your heavy bag became a paperweight, and not a fun souvenir one.

The telescopic handle is made of metal and has four height options. It’s a bit wobbly and would bend easily if pressed, but in testing, it has performed fine.

Fit Notes

The telescopic handle leaves some things to be desired, such as stability and sturdiness, but for trips that won’t require much off-roading, it performs adequately.

Similarly, the wheels do very well on smooth surfaces and transition between 2- and 4-wheel modes seamlessly. Off-roading is another matter, as they feel somewhat fragile on brick or cobblestone surfaces.

As a general rule of thumb for this bag, concrete and the airport are fair game, but cities with older or rugged streets might be a bit of a stretch, although this might only be due to comfort reasons.

Inside The Carry On Luggage

The most unique thing about this bag is that it is a front-loader, meaning that it doesn’t open around the middle like most rolling luggage. It features an almost clamshell-style opening, similar to those found on travel backpacks or daypack.

When you open it, there are two gusset straps to ensure the front piece doesn’t fall open. This is handy when you’re getting gear from the organizational section, as you open the front, grab your item, and go. To access the main compartment, you’ll need to unclip the gussets, which is a quick and easy process.

The front section resembles an admin panel, which is also unique for rolling luggage. We aren’t accustomed to this level of organization, which will work well for people who prefer to keep their gear organized. The front side features two zippered pockets, one made from mesh and the other from explicit TPU material. If you’re checking the bag, this helps store liquids. If you’re using it as a carry on, you’ll still need a clear 3-1-1 pouch.

On the back side, there are three liner pockets—one is smaller than the other two. You can fit a computer here, which is handy, as many rolling luggage sets don’t include a dedicated space for a laptop. Still, there isn’t much padding here, and the compartment is suspended between the main storage area and the admin panel, leaving the computer in a state of flux. We didn’t encounter any issues during testing of the bag, but it doesn’t feel like the best design. There’s a slot for an AirTag tracker here, too, which is handy, but very noticeable.

Behind all that is a more standard main compartment. To get to it, there’s a zipper that runs around the perimeter of the bag. The divider lacks structure, which isn’t an issue when there’s no gear in the organization, but it’s an issue when you have to lift heavy gear to get into the bulk of the main compartment.

Inside, there’s little organization, as you’d expect from traditional rolling luggage. There’s a lot of space here, so we’d recommend organizing it with packing cubes and other pouches. There are compression straps on the bottom, which help secure whatever you stow inside. We dig the dynamism presented by a traditional main component like this and the admin portion of the bag, but it’s a bit clunky to use them simultaneously.

Generally, we view BAGSMART as a budget brand, and the materials and durability of this bag support that assessment. That said, the price tag doesn’t. At the time of writing, this bag costs $180, which is closer in price to some of our favorite rolling bags than it is to more budget-friendly competition. We don’t dislike the bag, but for the price, there are other, more durable options available.