Béis Luggage Review

I have been on the hunt for a new travel backpack and carry-on for a few weeks in preparation for an upcoming trip across the pond. I will be spending some time in Europe this winter, and while I didn’t absolutely need a new backpack or carry-on, I thought it was time to try a new brand and style. I reviewed other popular brands like Away and Tumi, but I wanted to keep pre-trip costs low instead of splurging on higher end travel gear.  

Béis came up in a conversation with a friend recently, and she raved about her Weekender bag and Backpack, in addition to the carry-on and checked suitcases she purchased (yes, she bought five pieces of Béis luggage)! I’ve heard of the brand but was curious to learn more, so here we are in this Béis review to learn all about this fabulous brand and what it offers.

I purchased both The Backpack and The Weekender as my Béis starter pieces, so the focus of this review will be on those items. Perhaps you’ll see an additional review on some Béis carry-on or checked luggage options in the future! Let’s dive in and see what Béis is all about.

What is Béis?

Béis is a brand founded by Canadian actress Shay Mitchell. If you think the same sounds familiar, you are right - this is the same Shay Mitchell that starred as Emily Fields in Pretty Little Liars! She founded the brand intending to give customers a way to travel in style without breaking the bank. Béis provides several functional pieces to make travel more enjoyable, from backpacks to checked luggage. Keeping with a simplistic style, the vast majority of the brand’s products are offered in beige or black, with the occasional pop of color in select accessories. 

The brand truly does offer affordable pieces and a variety of different styles. In addition to backpacks and checked luggage, you’ll also find carry-on bags, accessory organizers, weekender bags, and more on their website. The brand is sold almost exclusively online via their website, Revolve, and Nordstrom, with the latter offering some styles in-store.

Béis Backpack

I purchased The Backpack in black on a whim. I didn’t need a new travel backpack, but I wanted to upgrade my current one to prepare for my trip. The Béis site was running a promotion on the day I happened to be looking at The Backpack, so I decided it was worth a shot. I didn’t do my usual research before this purchase, but The Backpack checked all the boxes of what I wanted.

My new backpack had to have the following:

• Clamshell opening
• Separate laptop compartment for easy TSA passage
• Trolley pass-through
• Several compartments for storage
• Sleek look to match my travel aesthetic 

This backpack seemed like the perfect choice, so I took a chance and bought it. I placed my order on a Thursday evening, and by Saturday morning, it had arrived on my doorstep. I am incredibly impressed with Béis’ order processing and shipping times.

Materials, Quality, and Design

The Backpack’s body is made from cotton, the trim with PVC, and the interior lining is made of polyester. I was slightly nervous about the quality, but upon inspection, this bag is very sturdy. The zippers function well; I zipped and unzipped them several times, and they didn’t give me any trouble or catch on the fabric once.

The design of the bag is what drew me to this option. The clamshell opening makes it easy to open the backpack and organize its contents. The main interior flap contains two storage compartments, one with a mesh lining and the other with a plastic lining. The opposite side of the bag features a compression strap to keep your items from shifting in transit. This design is very functional as you don’t have to dig around to find items packed towards the bottom of the bag.

The front pocket contains organization slots for pens and other travel items like a passport or ID. The Backpack has an additional zipper in the rear to store a laptop or tablet. The separate zipper is a nice feature, so you don’t have to unpack any other items when going through security. The back of the bag contains a luggage pass-through sleeve, so if you are traveling with an additional suitcase, the backpack can slide securely onto the telescopic handle for easy maneuvering. 

I purchased the black version of this backpack. The beige color was also available but I was afraid it would get dirty after a few trips; black is much more forgiving. The bag's look is very simplistic and modern - the leather trim on the handle, bottom of the bag, and two side pockets add something extra to an otherwise dull black bag.

Packing The Backpack

Before taking The Backpack on my trip, I packed it with everything I wanted to bring on the plane. I will be checking a bag (or two), so these are only my necessities and things I will be okay with if my checked bags do not arrive on time. I also will be traveling with a small crossbody purse as my personal item, so The Backpack will serve as my only carry-on. 

Inside The Backpack, I was able to pack the following:

• One makeup organizer
• Two waterproof toiletry bags (for skincare and hair products)
• Two shirts, a pair of pants, and three days' worth of undergarments
• Two pairs of sunglasses
• One pair of ski goggles in front pocket
• One makeshift first-aid kit (in a Ziploc bag)
• One jewelry organizer
• Two laptops (one Dell and one MacBook) and chargers for both
• My iPhone and Apple Watch charging cables
• Inflatable travel pillow (attached to the top carrying strap)
  

To my surprise, there was still some room for small items in the bag after packing it with the above things. I carried the bag around the house for a bit to see how comfortable it would be fully packed, and it was pretty comfortable and didn’t feel unreasonably heavy on my back. I was mindful of packing the bag as I would be carrying it through airports and various cities, so comfort was a priority.

Additionally, European airlines are known for having weight restrictions on cabin baggage. I wanted to pack efficiently but keep The Backpack as light as possible. Fully packed, the weight was 14.1 pounds or 6.4 kilograms. I have seen limits varying from 8 kilograms to 15 kilograms, so keeping the bag under 8 was my goal and will prepare me for any scenario. 

Specifications
Backpack Dimensions: 13" W x 19" H x 5.5" D

Backpack Weight (empty): 1.8 lbs (0.8 kg)

Backpack Weight (packed): 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg)

Overall, The Backpack was a wise purchase, and I am excited to take this on my trip!

Post-Vacation Backpack Review

I used The Backpack while traveling to Switzerland and Germany for two weeks in January. Not only did it fit all of my items perfectly, but it also made going through airport security a breeze. Taking my laptop out of the compartment took all of two seconds and being able to unzip the main compartment fully made it very easy to locate my toiletry bag of liquids to place in the bin.

However, I did find The Backpack to be slightly uncomfortable to wear when it was packed fully. Due to my flight delay from Detroit, when I arrived in Amsterdam, I had to SPRINT to the next gate (two terminals over) to catch my flight to Geneva. My back was a little sore after all that running and if I packed a few less items, I think it would have been a better experience.

On my return trip from Munich, I made sure to put the heavier items in my checked luggage and the backpack was much more comfortable to carry around during my two hour layover in Amsterdam. I stored the backpack in the overhead bin on all of my flights, however I did test if it would fit underneath the seat in front of me on my KLM flight from Amsterdam to Geneva. It was a tight squeeze and left me with very little legroom (and I am only 5'4...) so I wouldn't recommend trying to stuff a fully packed backpack underneath a seat on smaller planes.

Overall, I think The Backpack is my new go-to backpack for travel and am excited to take it on my upcoming trips!

Béis Weekender Bag

While not a traditional rolling carry-on, The Weekender was a good bag to try out as a contender for my new cabin bag. I did purchase the convertible version, which allows you to completely detach the bottom compartment (it cannot be separated on the original version). I bought the bag on Black Friday and saved some money, so I can’t complain. However, even without a discount, this bag is not very expensive. 

I was impressed with the shipping and processing times. Like my backpack order, The Weekender was shipped and delivered relatively quickly. After placing my order on Black Friday, I received the bag the following Tuesday afternoon. Compared to other brands I have ordered from, Béis knocks it out of the park when it comes to quick delivery times!

Materials, Quality, and Design

According to the Béis website, the body and lining of The Weekender are 100% polyester, and the trim is vegan leather. Despite this, when I compare the material of The Weekender to The Backpack, the body material feels identical, so I can’t be sure if I’m missing something or if the website is incorrect. The bag has a removable shoulder strap and pad to give you an additional carrying option. 

The quality of The Weekender impressed me. This feels much more durable than similarly styled bags I’ve used in the past, and the materials do not feel cheap. I zipped and unzipped the bag's top and the detachable bottom compartment at least ten times and did not experience any issues. It was a slight struggle to reattach the bottom compartment in the hotel, but I’m convinced that was due to poor lighting as I didn’t have any issues at home. 

The bag is designed very well. The convertible version has a compartment on the bottom for shoes (or other items) that can be detached completely, which is a nice feature if you don’t need that extra storage space. There is a trolley pass-through on the back of the bag that has a bottom zipper, so it can be used as a pocket instead if desired. There is also a smaller zippered pocket on the front of the bag for storing smaller items. The top zipper closure feels extremely well-made and secure. When expanding the bag for packing purposes, the wireframe allows it to stay open so you can easily pack or unpack without the bag caving in. 

Inside the bag, you’ll find three slip pockets (one large and two small) and a removable padded laptop case that fits perfectly in the large slip pocket. I like that the laptop case is removable, so you get extra packing space if you aren’t traveling with a laptop or tablet. 

Specifications
Convertible Weekender Dimensions: 19" W x 15.7" H x 9.8" D

Convertible Weekender Weight (empty): 3.86 lbs

Packing The Weekender

I tested The Weekender’s packing capacity while getting ready to spend New Year’s Eve in Toronto. I was a little nervous, but I planned to drive, so anything that didn’t fit in the bag could go in the car. 

Inside The Weekender, I was able to pack the following: 

• One makeup organizer
• Two waterproof toiletry bags (for skincare and hair products)
• One jewelry organizer
• Three full-size bottles of hairspray, texture spray, and body wash
• A packing cube containing all of my clothes for the weekend 
• A pair of boots, a pair of heels, and flip-flops (in the bottom compartment)
• A curling iron and blow dryer

I did not expect The Weekender to fit all of these items, so I give Béis bonus points for the design of this bag! I am a serial over-packer, so I tried to be mindful of how much I was packing, but I still threw my coats and extra purses in my car.

The Weekender was the perfect bag for a short road trip to Toronto. However, this bag can quickly get heavy when packed to maximum capacity. Some effort was needed to put this bag into my trunk, but I was lucky to have a pair of strong hands to carry my bag into the hotel. Even with the carrying strap, this bag got heavy very quickly. One trip was all it took for me to determine there were better choices for a carry-on bag and walking long distances. 

I will be keeping The Weekender for my many road trips, but I am still slightly disappointed that this didn’t work out as my new carry-on. I’m optimistic as there are plenty of other carry-on options out there!

Béis Reviews

I was curious about what other customers had to say about Béis, so I headed to Trustpilot to find out. Out of 61 reviews, the brand received a “bad” rating and a score of 1.4 out of 5 stars. Yikes. As I read through the reviews, there was a common theme - customer service. Many of the reviewers stated issues contacting customer service or getting a response. I also read a few reviews about not receiving items on time or faulty craftsmanship with their products. 

Overall, I was not expecting the reviews to be this bad on Trustpilot, especially since the reviews on the Béis site and other online retailers are overwhelmingly positive. Even feedback from friends and acquaintances that have Béis products has been positive. I can’t comment on the customer service issues, but perhaps if the brand ramps up its customer service experience and responsiveness, they will have more happy customers. 

The brand’s Trustpilot profile is unclaimed, and there is no history of asking for reviews, so it may be time for a Béis representative to check in with Trustpilot and assist some of these reviewers!

Béis Warranty

The brand offers a limited warranty that covers only polycarbonate luggage purchased directly from their website or an authorized retailer. This surprised me because they have several other travel products (like The Backpack and Weekender that I bought) that, unfortunately, are not covered by any warranty. 

The Bèis products covered by their limited warranty are: 

• 21" Hardside Rolling Luggage
• 26" Hardside Rolling Luggage
• 29” Hardside Rolling Luggage
• Soft-Sided Collapsible Carry-On Roller
• Soft-Sided Collapsible Check-In Roller

According to the website, the limited warranty covers cracks or breaks in the shell, wheels/handles that break and are unusable, broken zippers, and tears/rips in the fabric (outside of normal wear and tear). Additionally, the “lifetime” warranty doesn’t actually mean lifetime. The brand defines lifetime as the “reasonable lifetime of the materials and components that go into the luggage.” I am pretty surprised by Béis’ sub-par warranty for their luggage and, to be frank, a little disappointed that the brand does not offer any warranty for their other travel products.

In reading reviews from other Béis customers, the warranty is a sore subject and could use some improvement if Béis hopes to compete with other luggage brands.

Béis Travel Review - Travel Merak’s Rating

The Travel Merak rating for Béis is for The Backpack and The Weekender. While I love both bags and am excited to continue using them in the future, I think there are a few areas where the brand can improve. 

Read about Travel Merak’s product rating methodology.

Our Score: 4.4/5

Béis Luggage Review - Final Thoughts

While I have only purchased The Backpack and The Weekender so far, I can see myself buying more luggage from Béis. Despite the negative reviews online and unimpressive warranty, I still feel comfortable spending my money on Béis products. Between my own experience and feedback from friends who have multiple products from the brand, I genuinely think Shay Mitchell has done a great job creating classic luggage pieces. Each luggage brand has room for improvement, and if Mitchell can take constructive criticism from her customers and improve the few cons noted, it would elevate the brand from good to phenomenal. 

Overall, Travel Merak stands behind Béis and thinks you should check them out if you are searching for new luggage.