Away Series 3's Outward-Opening Interior: A Smarter Way to Pack
Inside Away Series 3: An Interior Built to Open Flat
You get to the hotel, set the suitcase on the stand, and unzip it expecting the usual chaos: shirts wedged under shoes, one whole side of the case covered by a panel you have to hold out of the way just to see what's underneath it.
Away Series 3 changes that. The Outward-Opening Interior reorients the packing system so both sides of the suitcase open outward, giving you greater visibility while you pack. The compression pad, zip-around closure, and compression webbing have all been reoriented to make the interior easier to interact with.
Explore the full lineup here. And for the complete rundown of everything new on the suitcase, from the wheels to the trolley, "What's New in Away Series 3" covers it all.
Unobstructed Access: Why Outward-Opening Panels Change the Game
Away Series 3 re-engineers where the compression pad and the zip-around divider land when you open the case. Both are built to swing outward, away from the compartment they're covering, instead of resting back over it.
The Patented CompressMore™ System remains part of the suitcase and still works the way Away's compression system always has — a webbed panel that buckles down to cinch clothing flat — but it's now positioned so it stays more out of the way while you're packing, instead of folding back over the compartment. The zip-around closure has been reoriented, too, helping it stay more out of the way while you pack. The result is both sides of the case fully visible at once, instead of one side hidden under whatever's covering it.
No two travelers pack the same way. Some people like to lay everything out before they commit to where it goes. Others are five minutes from leaving for the airport with one eye on the clock. Series 3 works either way — nothing folds back over what you just packed, so there's nothing left to dig around or prop out of your way, whether you're taking your time or you don't have any to spare.
Master the Packing Routine: A Step-by-Step Series 3 Strategy
With both sides of the case fully visible at once, packing Series 3 comes down to giving each side a job.
Left Shell (Bulky Gear & Footwear)
This side is where the bulkier, shape-holding items go — shoes, boots, a belt, a dopp kit. They stack well in the clamshell on their own, without needing compression, so this side just has a mesh zipper closure to keep everything in place.
Right Shell (Clothing & Compression)
The opposite side is built for soft items — sweaters, shirts, anything that compresses well. Layer those in, then buckle and cinch the compression pad flat; it's designed to hold clothing compact enough to free up real interior volume. The flat pocket built into the pad itself is a good spot for anything thin and rigid — a paperback, a folded itinerary — that doesn't need its own space.
Interior Accessories (Clean Travel Systems)
The Keep-It-Clean Kit handles the parts of packing nobody loves thinking about. The drawstring laundry bag keeps worn clothes separate from clean ones. A water-repellent WipeClean pouch is included with every case too — one in the carry-on sizes, two in the checked sizes — for anything spill-prone: toiletries, a leaking bottle, whatever you'd rather not have touching the rest of your clothes.
Ready to Pack Smarter for Your Next Getaway?
Go back to that hotel room. The suitcase opens flat, both sides visible, nothing to hold out of the way. Packing takes less time, and unpacking looks the same way it did when you zipped it shut.
None of these upgrades comes at the cost of space. There's still plenty of room for a full trip's worth of packing, and the layout works well alongside Away's other packing accessories — a toiletry or cosmetic bag fits neatly into either shell, and the Insider Packing Cubes help keep clothing organized if you like an extra layer of structure.