u/away_official

The first unofficial summer weekend is finally here. Where are you headed? And most importantly, how are you fitting it all into your suitcase?

Looking for all the tips and inspiration.

She's here 👀

Meet the newest member of our lineup: Topside.

Topside opens from the top, packs deeper, and features our first-ever StopLock™ wheel brake system—so your suitcase stays put while you keep moving. Learn more from our Head of Design, Hannah (some of you met her last week in her AMA!).

https://reddit.com/link/1tb2whc/video/28pu9iqjsp0h1/player

All new features include:

1. Topside Access: By opening from the top, its deep main compartment packs smarter in tight spaces, with zipper expansion that adds nearly 2" of extra space.
2. StopLock^(TM) Wheel Brake: Our first-ever patent pending wheel brake system puts an end to the “runaway bag” on slanted sidewalks and moving trains. One click to stop, one click to glide.
3. The PackAway Closet: We made packing wayyy easier. The removable PackAway Closet lets you organize once, then lift the entire system out and hang it up on arrival.

Who's taking it on their next trip? 🙋 We can't wait to hear what you think.

https://preview.redd.it/439cn8btdezg1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0cb293a135ef00937c22f66c0571ba79d948f1e0

Hi r/awayluggage! Hannah here 👋

I joined Away as Head of Design last year, and I'm doing my first Reddit AMA on Thursday, May 7 at 12pm ET to talk about the design and engineering behind our suitcases—specifically the process behind our newest innovation, Topside.

A bit about me: I've spent my career designing across categories, continents, and teams, and I've held onto one belief through all of it: great design improves the human experience. At Away, that means thinking hard about how people actually move through the world. Topside is a product of a lot of those conversations.

About Topside: You heard it here first. We’re introducing our first non-clamshell hardside suitcase! Topside features top-loading access, deeper packing, and our first-ever StopLock^(TM) wheel brake. It's truly our most innovative suitcase yet, engineered for tight spaces and easy unpacking.

I’m happy to answer questions about:

• Why we chose a top-opening format
• The design and engineering process behind our new features
• How we make new product decisions more generally
• My approach to design leadership
• What else you’d like to see from Away

A few ground rules:

• Please keep your comments on topic for this AMA. The more specific, the better! I'll prioritize questions about Topside, its design, and our process.
• Please respect the Subreddit rules. For specific order questions, send u/away_official a DM.

I'll be live answering questions from 12–1pm ET on May 7, and I'll come back the next day to catch any I missed. Drop your questions below in advance if you can't make it live.

Looking forward to it!
– Hannah