Over the previous 10 years, the bags market has boomed with startup manufacturers promoting fashionable, polycarbonate suitcases with luxurious options however at costs decrease than luxurious manufacturers. Béis and Monos are two of those, and selecting between them isn’t simple.
I’ve spent months testing and analyzing dozens of suitcases, together with a number of fashions from these two manufacturers. I in contrast suitcases from each manufacturers utilizing our in-depth baggage ranking system, which evaluates baggage throughout 33 particular person goal and subjective metrics. These findings confirmed me precisely the place every model excels.
Béis was based by the actress and influencer Shay Mitchell. As you’d anticipate, Béis suitcases are very fashionable and on-trend, however additionally they embody a shocking array of modern options.
Monos focuses on creating purposeful, minimalist baggage designed to supply luxury-level high quality at an accessible worth. Their design philosophy is to create easy designs and make merchandise that final.
On the floor, these two manufacturers are very related: they each promote high-quality polycarbonate baggage. However while you dig below the floor, there are undoubtedly some necessary variations.
I’ll stroll you thru these variations and show you how to resolve which model has the precise suitcase for you.
Béis Overview
Actress Shay Mitchell based Béis in 2018 when she noticed a spot out there for sensible but trendy baggage and jumped on the alternative to fill it. She wished to create merchandise that not solely work, however are additionally a pleasure to make use of.
Béis focuses on each fashion and practicality, and also you’ll see that mirrored of their designs. Béis suitcases look wonderful, however they’re additionally loaded with good little options which will appear gimmicky at first look, aside from the truth that they work.
Béis can also be barely cheaper than Monos. Actually, for those who’re on the lookout for an on-trend suitcase that’s made with polycarbonate and sturdy parts, Béis is likely one of the most reasonably priced choices on the market.
Béis Supplies & High quality
Béis makes use of polycarbonate laborious shells for all of their baggage. Polycarbonate is just about the gold-standard materials for hardside suitcases proper now. It’s powerful, light-weight, and scratch-resistant.
Essentially the most spectacular factor about Béis is that they’re in a position to supply full polycarbonate suitcases at a lower cost than most of their rivals.
Past the shell, the main points of Béis suitcases additionally really feel nicely made. The handles aren’t overly rattly, the inside lining is slick and waterproof, the spinner wheels are smooth-rolling and durable.
But, whereas Béis does a stable job at high quality management, they will’t fairly compete with the rigorous testing that Monos does to their suitcases. For instance, Béis makes use of glue to connect their seize handles, whereas Monos makes use of sturdy screws. Don’t get me flawed, Béis baggage is loads sturdy; it’s simply not fairly as powerful as Monos.
One other draw back is that Béis hasn’t achieved a lot towards utilizing sustainable supplies of their merchandise. They don’t use recycled supplies or offset their emissions. If sustainability is necessary to you, Monos is manner forward.
Regardless of these factors, Béis nonetheless affords a compelling selection with their restricted lifetime guarantee—a promise that they imagine within the longevity of their merchandise. It’s not all about being the hardest on the block; it’s additionally about belief and repair.
Béis Design and Options
First off, Béis baggage seems wonderful. The stylish design and large collection of enjoyable colours are excellent for expressing a bit character when you journey. I do know that isn’t a very powerful factor for everybody, however I’ve discovered that if I like how my journey gear seems, I take pleasure in utilizing it extra and really feel higher whereas touring.
The design goes past seems although. Béis has all the pieces you’d anticipate in a sensible fashionable suitcase: inside dividers and compression straps to maintain your garments in place, TSA locks, 360-degree spinner wheels, and inner pockets for smaller gadgets.
All of those options are nice to have, however none of them are distinctive. Nevertheless, Béis baggage does have a couple of small particulars that I haven’t seen anyplace else.
First off, the seize handles on each Béis suitcase have a built-in weight indicator. Basically, in case your bag is over 50 lbs, a bit plastic window within the deal with will present up purple. After all, this solely works in case your airline’s weight restrict is 50 lbs, however it’s an excellent sanity test to have.
Béis baggage additionally comes with a small retractable bag strap. You possibly can pull this little strap out from the highest of the suitcase and loop it via the deal with of your private merchandise bag. That manner, you may wheel all the pieces round collectively in a single easy-to-manage bundle.
I’m very impressed with the design of Béis baggage general. It hits simply the precise stability between performance and ease.
Béis Baggage Execs and Cons
Béis is a go-to for if you need your journey gear to make an announcement with out breaking the financial institution. Béis baggage is well-designed and well-made.
Nevertheless, it isn’t excellent. The construct high quality is nice, however it’s not as spectacular as you’d get by paying just a bit bit extra for a Monos suitcase.
- Extra reasonably priced than Monos
- Contains helpful antimicrobial laundry luggage
- Options fashionable laptop computer sleeves
- Comes with built-in weight indicators
- Affords high-end fashions at nice costs
- Sturdiness considerations with glue-attached straps
- Restricted capability for heavy baggage
- Lacks eco-friendly supplies in design
Monos Overview
In 2018, three childhood buddies in Vancouver launched Monos. Their aim was to construct luxury-quality hardshell suitcases at a extra attainable worth. Their suitcases nonetheless aren’t low cost, however they’ve a formidable high quality degree for the value.
Monos baggage is designed by vacationers, for vacationers. Their aim is to create purposeful, minimalist suitcases that do precisely what you want them to so you may give attention to the experiences of your journey.
Monos impressed me additional by attaining Local weather Impartial Certification and being a part of the 1% for the Planet motion. As local weather change and international habitat destruction have gotten extra salient points, it’s necessary to me to make use of and suggest manufacturers which can be decreasing their influence. Monos is likely one of the greatest baggage manufacturers on the market in that regard.
Monos actually tunes into what immediately’s vacationers are after, putting a stability between sturdy suitcases, smooth seems, and inexperienced practices. Nonetheless, whereas they goal excessive with their beliefs, they fall considerably quick when it comes to thrilling extras.
Monos Supplies & High quality
Monos builds their suitcases to final, and that design intent reveals in each element. They supply high-quality supplies and parts and work with vetted factories to fabricate the perfect product for the value.
They put every suitcase via a gauntlet of assessments, together with a deal with jerk take a look at, wheel abrasion take a look at, drop assessments, and extra. These assessments simulate real-world abuse. In case you’re curious, I extremely suggest trying out their high quality testing. Only a few baggage producers go to such extremes to make suitcases that gained’t break.
The outer shell is produced from German Makrolon polycarbonate, which is probably the perfect materials at the moment obtainable for laborious facet baggage. That is much like the polycarbonate utilized by Béis besides that it comes immediately from Bayer, the German firm that invented polycarbonate within the first place.
The one draw back is that I’ve seen Monos suitcases come out of the luggage declare with some severe scratches and scuffs. That is solely beauty, however it nonetheless is a bummer. Luckily, our information for how you can clear baggage has ideas for how you can take away these scuffs.
Many baggage manufacturers purchase handles and wheels from third-party suppliers, so that you’ll see the identical parts used throughout many alternative manufacturers. Monos couldn’t discover a telescoping deal with or spinner wheels that lived as much as their requirements, in order that they designed and constructed their very own from the bottom up.
The telescoping handles are produced from extruded aluminum moderately than the usual forged zinc tubes. This makes them stronger and stiffer. In addition they offset the 2 telescoping sections 45 levels in both path. This makes them rather more secure than normal baggage handles.
Monos’ new wheels are among the greatest I’ve ever examined. They’re {smooth}, simple to maneuver, and really sturdy. They really feel considerably beefier than the wheels on Béis baggage.
Not like Béis, Monos’ heavy-duty seize handles are secured to the suitcase with screws as a substitute of glue. These particulars may appear minor at first look, however they point out a philosophy that values modern design as a lot as sustainability.
Monos Design & Options
The design language of Monos baggage is smooth and minimalist. It’s laborious to not love the look of a Monos suitcase, particularly as a result of they arrive in a variety of colours. In terms of fashion, Monos and Béis are each stylish, fashionable, and on-trend. It’ll finally come down to non-public desire.
The minimalist method extends to the main points and inside of Monos suitcases as nicely.
Inside, there’s a zippered divider with a giant mesh pocket on one facet and a giant compression panel with a couple of extra pockets and beefy straps on the opposite. The Monos compression straps are thick and have huge chunky buckles. They work manner higher than the flimsier straps on Béis suitcases (or just about every other baggage, for that matter).
I additionally actually appreciated the telescopic deal with design. It’s contoured and comfy to carry, and the discharge button is on the underside facet. This makes far more sense as a result of that’s the place your fingers go naturally.
In case you’re touring with a laptop computer or pill, the Monos Carry-On Professional is likely one of the greatest suitcases on the market. It has an exterior zippered pocket with a laptop computer sleeve and some smaller compartments for gadgets you need fast entry to. That’s one thing you gained’t get in a Béis suitcase.
One factor you gained’t get with Monos is an growth zipper. No Monos suitcases have the choice to develop, and that does make them a bit much less versatile. If that’s an necessary characteristic for you, Béis might be a greater choice.
Monos additionally doesn’t have all of the nifty options that Béis baggage delivers just like the built-in weight indicator and the retracting bag strap.
Monos Baggage Execs and Cons
Monos stands out for its dedication to sustainability and a minimalist design. Their use of eco-friendly supplies and smooth aesthetics in every Monos suitcase and Monos carry-on bag appeals to eco-conscious and style-savvy vacationers alike.
In comparison with Béis, Monos affords fewer bells and whistles, focusing as a substitute on doing the fundamentals very well.
- Sturdy give attention to sustainability.
- Makes use of sturdy, eco-friendly supplies.
- Modern, minimalist design.
- Affords a lifetime guarantee.
- Options ergonomic handles and silent wheels.
- Greater worth level than Béis.
- Fewer modern options.
- Restricted vary of designs and colours.
- Not as many organizational compartments.
- Might be too easy for tech-lovers.
Béis vs Monos: Which Ought to You Purchase?
Now you’ve obtained the fundamentals of each manufacturers. In case you’re nonetheless unsure what to choose, listed here are a couple of factors that will help you resolve.
Design and Options
Béis baggage brings a singular aptitude to the journey gear market, combining performance with a classy aesthetic that stands out at baggage declare. Béis has a couple of extra modern options that you simply gained’t see in every other suitcase.
Monos, however, opts for a minimalist method that appeals to those that favor smooth, uncomplicated designs. Their suitcases are marked by clear traces and a refined look.
Monos doesn’t have any loopy distinctive options, however each little element is well-thought-out and works flawlessly.
Sturdiness
If sturdiness is your primary precedence, Monos is the way in which to go. Monos baggage makes use of sturdier parts and goes via rather more rigorous high quality testing. Monos additionally has a barely higher guarantee.
That mentioned, Béis baggage remains to be well-built and will nonetheless final for years of journey for most individuals.
Sustainability
Monos is likely one of the greatest baggage manufacturers on the market in relation to sustainability. They’re a member of 1% for the Planet and are Local weather Impartial Licensed. They use recycled supplies, renewable vitality, and sturdy parts which can be designed to remain out of the landfill.
Béis can’t sustain right here, so if sustainability is necessary to you, select Monos.
Worth
Béis baggage affords unimaginable bang to your buck. You may get a smooth, high-quality polycarbonate suitcase for a lower cost.
Given the similarity between the 2 manufacturers, it’s fairly spectacular that Béis managed to construct such a aggressive product at this worth.
Béis Baggage Evaluation and Monos Baggage Evaluation FAQs
What supplies are Béis and Monos baggage produced from?
Do Béis or Monos suitcases supply guarantee or returns?
How do the designs of Béis and Monos baggage evaluate?
Are there any distinctive options in Béis or Monos baggage?
Monos baggage includes a extra sturdy and thicker shell, high quality compression panels, and consists of washable luggage. Béis baggage is expandable, has a padded deal with, and affords extra colour decisions.
Jeremy Scott Foster
Jeremy Scott Foster is an adventure-junkie, gear knowledgeable and journey photographer based mostly in Southern California. Beforehand nomadic, he’s been to ~50 nations and loves spending time outside. You possibly can often discover him on the path, on the street, leaping from bridges or hustling on his laptop computer working to supply the perfect journey and outside content material immediately.
