July Trackable Luggage Review: You’re Better Off With an AirTag

Writer Kit Dillon has tested the July Carry-On in the past (the version without the new tracking feature) for our guide to the best carry-on luggage and wasn’t impressed by the bag, especially when comparing it with Away’s The Carry-On, our top pick for hard-sided luggage. After using both bags myself, I have to agree.

The July Carry-On isn’t a bad bag, per se. The interior is spacious enough for a quick trip, the YKK zippers are smooth, and the 360-degree wheels make the bag easy to navigate through crowds, as I learned while taking it on Seattle’s public transit. It also comes with an ejectable battery pack that allows you to charge your phone on the go (just remember that if you’re checking the bag, you need to remove the battery). But the flexible polycarbonate shell felt flimsy and cheap to me, which I found surprising considering the bag’s $325 price tag. The Away Carry-On, which I’ve been long-term testing since September, has a harder shell that makes the bag feel sturdier and more luxe.

July luggage, with or without the integrated CaseSafe technology, is more expensive than the Away bags we recommend in our guide to carry-on luggage. The classic July Carry-On (which Kit dismissed) is $295; the CaseSafe version is $325. Both the Away Carry-On and the Away Bigger Carry-On are slightly less expensive, retailing for $275 and $295, respectively.

If you already have a carry-on bag you love and want to start tracking its location while traveling, you’re better off buying a single AirTag or Moto Tag than buying luggage with a built-in location tracker. But that doesn’t mean a bag with a built-in tracker can’t be beneficial; for some people, it might feel more convenient than dealing with a separate tracker that you may forget to toss in your bag.

You’ll also have the opportunity to use a standalone tracker with other items when it’s not being used to track your luggage, making it more useful in your day-to-day life than a tracker attached to a carry-on, which you may use only a few times a year. Plus, replacing the battery on a standalone tracker is a much easier, tool-free process, while swapping out the July battery requires a screwdriver.

No one wants to deal with lost luggage. But you don’t necessarily need to spend extra for a bag with built-in tracking to keep an eye on your possessions while you’re traveling. A Bluetooth tracker works just as well, if not better.

This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Maxine Builder.