Monos luggage is the new holy grail for many frequent travelers, but is Monos luggage worth it?
The brand has a boost in demand in the last few years, because of its premium and quality suitcases with great value for money.
In this Monos luggage review, we are going to see if monos luggage is good by covering their pros and cons, things that we think makes Monos worth the hype, also everything that the brand has to offer.
Let’s dive in.
About Monos
Monos is a Canadian luggage company located in Vancouver, the brand was established by Victor Tam, Hubert Chan and Daniel Shin in 2018.
The name Monos is inspired for the Japanese concept of mono no aware.
If you translated Mono from Japanese to English it translated as thing which is something amazing.
The brand mission is to disrupt the premium luggage industry by offering good quality luggage with reasonable prices.
They coined their mission as make premium luggage accessible
Quick Facts About Monos luggage
I wanted to cover almost every aspect that makes a Monos luggage worth it, and eventually everyone has their own opinion and their way to handle luggage, but the basics remain always the same, like the quality, customer service and warranty.
Let us go over the main criteria of Monos luggage.
Material and Durability
Monos utilize almost the same materials as other premium luggage brands use (Polycarbonate which is solid and flexible material ), even though they lowered their prices to ensure their high quality pieces are accessible for everyone.
For some people $245+ is still not a small amount to spare on a single piece of carry-on, as they can get a luggage set of 3 pieces instead of one.
But that is not the philosophy of Mono’s company, especially if this is your first time hearing about it.
Monos stated that more than half of the price other premium luggage brands charge is going directly to their pockets, and Monos wanted to save customers half of this price, by adding only a tiny profit and selling directly to them.
We have already covered the types of material most luggage brands use and what makes them different you can read about him here.
The lifespan of Polycarbonate baggage are more longer compared to other materials.
One of the pros of Polycarbonate is that it is easy to mold and form, so if the suitcase has some types of dents you can easily fix it at home.
Features
Any premium luggage brand needs to deliver.
And that is exactly what Monos did, even though they are still improving and evolving their luggage.
You will find almost any useful feature on Monos suitcases:
Here are some of them
- Smooth 360° spinner wheels for easy rolling and maneuverability
- Aluminum corner guards to protect from rough accidents (especially airport baggage handlers )
- Adjustable telescopic handles
- The TSA approved locks to secure the suitcase even when opened with the TSA
- Built in compression pads ( which is really magic thing to maximize the space in the suitcase )
Monos include in some suitcases an antimicrobial laundry bag and two shoe bags, plus vegan leather luggage tag.
Design
Monos is gradually evolving and doing their best to compete amongst the premium luggage brands in both the price and the design.
And they did well in almost any aspect on the design side, I don’t think anyone will deny having ample space to keep all the belongings while staying stylish.
That is quite possible with most Monos suitcases.
In addition to the mentioned features above, the exterior design is quietly chic and glamorous.
I’m sure you will get some compliments and questions about your new suitcase at the hotel check in or whenever you seal the airport quietly.
I like the Monos hybrid standard carry-on, mainly the obsidian suitcase that looks premium and stunning.
(I like mostly the all matching color 🙂 )
It is lightweight, only 8.8 pounds which leaves a lot of room for my belongings, and still within the airline weight limits.
Warranty
Monos did some rigorous testing before launching any suitcase to the market.
And to ensure they provide the best quality possible they offer a 100-day return policy ( which means from the day you receive the suitcase you can test it at home and you will be able to return it within 100 days for any reason ).
Even though it is not a good deal for some passengers who claim they have to pay an extra $60 for shipping the suitcase back.
Here is what a customer says about returning his suitcase:
“ If you decide to return it, the return shipping fees are exorbitant – $60 for a large piece, $40 for the carry-on. Had I known I would be charged $100 to return this luggage if I didn’t like it ”
In addition to that Monos has a limited lifetime warranty which covers basic defects:
- Breaks in the suitcase shell
- Any defect on wheels or handles (for example a handle that is stuck or didn’t perform well )
- Broken zippers that needs to be changed
The company won’t cover normal defects that occur under normal use like color changing, scratches, or any tear and wear in the inner fabric because of regular use, or that may occur overtime.
Prices
The reason why we give the price 3.5 stars is because they can still make the prices more cheapo.
Their prices range between $245 to $445, the cheapest suitcase is about $245 at the time of writing this review.
Here are some of the popular suitcases and their price range:
| Carry-on bags | Price range |
|---|---|
| Carry-on | $245 |
| Hybrid carry-on | $325 |
| Carry-on plus | $265 |
| Carry-on pro plus | $305 |
| Carry-on pro | $285 |
| Hybrid carry-on plus | $345 |
| Checked bags | Price range |
|---|---|
| Hybrid trunk | $445 |
| Hybrid check in large | $425 |
| Hybrid check in medium | $395 |
| Check in large | $345 |
| Check in medium | $315 |
Monos luggage reviews
Luggage brands that make it to the top and get more people to like them are those that are able to focus on their customer needs and problems.
Monos have a pretty good image and customer support but still some people are not satisfied with the way Monos handle situations.
One of their customers stated that, her suitcase was dented, and when she contact the customer service they told he to use a rubber mallet and pound out the dent.
In my opinion I do think something like this will happen often even with big brands, especially if you encounter an inexperienced agent or just the company overall do not have enough experience to handle loads of complaints.
But most of the time they will answer, just persist and hit them many times in social media, or by email.
The Pros and Cons
Pros
- The suitcases are extremely durable
- Beautiful designs, I like my suitcase
- Ample compartments, it take all my needs
Cons
- Not affordable ( They can do much better )
- Warranty didn’t cover everything
- Customer service ( lack of communication)
- 100 day return only when tested at home not for one trip ( Away luggage offered tested for one trip )
Size and weight
| Carry-on bags | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on | 22″ × 14″ × 9″ | 7.01 lb |
| Hybrid carry-on | 22″ × 14″ × 9″ | 8.81 lb |
| Carry-on plus | 23″ × 15″ × 9.5″ | 7.38 lb |
| Carry-on pro plus | 23″ × 15″ × 9.5″ | 8.38 lb |
| Carry-on pro | 22″ × 14″ × 9″ | 7.8 lb |
| Hybrid carry-on plus | 23″ × 15″ × 9.5″ | 9.25 lb |
| Checked bags | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid trunk | 29.9” x 15.7” x 14.3” | 13.2 lb |
| Hybrid check in large | 30” x 21” x 11” | 13 lb |
| Hybrid check in medium | 26.5” x 18.5” x 10.5” | 11 lb |
| Check in large | 30″ × 21″ × 11″ | 10.58 lb |
| Check in medium | 26.5″ × 18.5″ × 10.5″ | 9.59 lb |
Final Thoughts
In general Monos really deserves a shot, almost nothing to ignore about their suitcases except the price, which they said it is affordable.
Monos suitcases are highly recommended if you are a frequent traveler, and your journey always includes planes, trains and automobiles as they are well built and durable.
But if you wanted something similar but less pricey I would advise to go with Coolife , or Samsonite.
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We hope this helps.