What Does a
Lifetime Warranty
Really Cover?
Luggage takes a beating. It’s lobbed from
the cargo hold to the runway in blizzards
and monsoons, and wheeled mercilessly over
cobblestones and off of high curbs. All of this abuse
makes the lifetime warranties offered by some top-
scoring luggage brands, including Away, Briggs &
Riley, and Eagle Creek, definitely appealing. But
what do they really cover?
In our most recent survey of more than 38,000
CR members, 30 percent had complaints about
luggage, including broken zippers, handles, and
wheels, split seams, and materials that wore out.
The good news is that—generally speaking—
lifetime warranties will cover all of those problems.
But as with most warranties, there are exclusions.
Here are things to keep in mind when purchasing
a bag with a lifetime warranty. —Kevin Doyle
Exclusions: In general, lifetime warranties
don’t cover cosmetic damage, such as
scuffs, stains, scratches, dents, and other
“wear and tear” that doesn’t affect the
bag’s functionality. And lifetime warranties
sometimes apply only to the original owner.
Away, for instance, doesn’t cover bags
purchased secondhand or from unauthorized
retailers. Briggs & Riley and Eagle Creek,
however, say they will repair their bags free
of charge regardless of whether they were
purchased new or used.Repair vs. replacement: Companies
generally reserve the right to repair a bag
and will replace it only if a fix isn’t possible.
Replacement bags may be a similar but
not identical model, and may also be a
different color.How long is a lifetime? Some lifetime
warranties, such as Eagle Creek’s, cover a
bag only for its product life. In this case,
a manufacturer may refuse to repair or
replace a bag it determines has reached the
end of that life. That means buying a suitcase
with a lifetime warranty doesn’t ensure you’ll
never have to purchase another one. Away
and Briggs & Riley say that they place no such
limitation on their warranties.Shipping costs: Repair and replacement may
be free; shipping may not be. Eagle Creek and
Briggs & Riley, for instance, require consumers
to pay for shipping a bag to their repair
facilities but will pay the return shipping costs.
Away will pay all shipping charges.Proof of purchase: Away requires proof of
purchase for a bag to be covered by its limited
lifetime warranty. Briggs & Riley and Eagle
Creek require no such documentation.FEBRUARY 2020 CR.ORG 47