Béis, the luggage brand founded by actor Shay Mitchell, quietly relaunched its bestselling Weekender in July after social media filled with videos of travellers struggling to carry the original. The new version keeps the same empty weight — 3.8 pounds — but reworks nearly everything else, and Condé Nast Traveler's reviewer road-tested it against the old model on a trip to Rhode Island to see if it lives up to the hype.
The headline change is space. Unclip the sides and the bag gains a few inches of height, which sounds like it would make the heaviness problem worse, but the reviewer — a self-confessed overpacker — fit everything for a three-night trip with room to spare. Exterior pockets grew too: the main zip pocket is now 10 by 8.75 inches, and the pass-through pocket doubles as a trolley sleeve that finally zips shut on top, so whatever you stash there stays put when the bag is riding on your suitcase.
Comfort got the biggest overhaul. The shoulder straps are longer and the removable crossbody strap has more padding, and because the new bag is frameless, it no longer has the wiring that used to dig into the reviewer's armpit when carried by hand. Inside, the slip pockets are now stretchy, there's a water bottle pocket with a handle cutout, a magnetic laptop closure replaces Velcro, and a fabric separator can be rolled flat if you want one big compartment.
The materials changed as well. The faux leather base — which was starting to peel on older versions — is gone, replaced by sturdy canvas with a coated base, in the classic maple colourway plus olive, black and beige.
Not everything survived the redesign. The spiky floor risers that kept the bag off grim airport floors are history, and the shoe compartment lost half an inch of height — fine for sneakers and sandals, tight for boots or heels. The reviewer's verdict: the new model is the better buy for road trips, but neither version earns a spot on a flight. If you need a personal item, the brand's recently updated Mini Weekender or a simple tote is the smarter pick.
For travellers, the takeaway is straightforward: this is a road-trip and rail bag, not an airport one. If you already own the original and loved it, the upgrades — comfort, durability, packing ease — justify the swap. If you're buying fresh for weekend drives or train trips, the new Weekender is worth shortlisting over lighter alternatives that have recently edged it out of best-of lists. Either way, leave it in the car for that flight.
