Always on the hunt for the perfect cabin case, I was delighted to receive a Stori suitcase from Australian luggage brand Nere to add to my collection.
Eager to get into it, I couldn't wait to sample the 55cm cabin-size case from the best-selling Nere Stori range. According to the Nere website, the Stori is "the perfect travel piece to have by your side for that next flight or car ride. With a quality ABS hard shell, runway-inspired colours and essential features, it's stylish, strong and ready for adventure."
The Stori suitcase measures 55 x 37.5 x 20cm, meaning it complies with hand luggage restrictions for most UK airlines such as Jet2, British Airways, and TUI, as well as passengers with Ryanair Priority and EasyJet Speedy Boarding tickets. Better still, savvy shoppers can snap up the £99 suitcase for £69 thanks to a limited-time "spend £99, save £30" deal.
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With a 31-litre capacity, the Stori is designed to maximize hand luggage packing power. It features self-repairing zippers and a built-in TSA combination lock, ensuring your belongings are secure during travel. Nere claims the ABS hard case construction is made to endure frequent flying, and its smooth-rolling spinner wheels facilitate easy movement through airports. Additionally, the Nere Stori 55 also comes with a 10-year warranty.
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At first glance, it's a smart-looking cabin case, with wheels that roll nicely and a pretty stable handle. I played with it, packed it and even popped it in the car to share my thoughts on the £99 suitcase from Nere.
I should also mention at this point, that when I opened the case, I was lucky enough to find that the luggage experts at Nere had also thrown in a set of three Nere Packing Cubes and a matching Luggage Tag.
Exterior
The Navy Blue colour and the honeycomb texture give the case a really classy look (Laura McKenna)I have found in the past that some hard-sided suitcases look brilliant before they hit the road but become a little more scratched and dull with every journey. On that basis, I would expect to see some marks on these cases too, but I am hoping the unique honeycomb texture on the Stori hardshell will help keep it looking newer for longer.
The Deep Navy colourway is stunning - with almost a smidge of metallic to the sophisticated hue, it looks way more expensive than it is.
Interior
The Stori 55 has a spacious and well-thought-out interior (Laura McKenna)Unlike some cases at the same price point, the Stori is fully lined with a fabric that doesn't feel cheap and shiny. It's the little things like this that impress me most.
One side comes with luggage straps to prevent everything from rolling around in transit, or more usually in my case, to help squish things in. The other side has a full zipper compartment with two rather useful zippered slip-in pockets for toiletries or smaller items.
Handle
The adjustable handle feels sturdy and is a good height (Laura McKenna)Nothing puts me off a suitcase more than a handle that rattles or feels like it will snap off in your hands. The Stori handle has quite a solid feel and for the price, I was pleasantly surprised how sturdy it felt, even wheeling it around when full.
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The ergonomic soft-touch handle is also a good feature that fits the hand nicely and feels like something you would find on a more expensive suitcase. The height on the handle is good too - I'm 5'9" and it easily comes up to my elbow level when fully extended, making for an easy roll around the concourse.
Wheels
The all-black wheels look nice and glide along easily (Laura McKenna)Unless you buy a real stinker, most suitcases have pretty good wheels these days. The Stori comes with quiet, smooth-gliding spinner wheels that still felt quite good on my uneven driveway.
Not the quietest, but given how much you would have to pay for the whisper-quiet Hinomoto wheels you find on more expensive brands, I'll take a little bit of a rattle and be happy with it. I also like the fact that the wheels were black, giving the case a sleeker look.
Locks and Zippers
The Stori comes with self-repairing zippers (Laura McKenna)The Stori comes with a recessed TSA-approved lock. I like these, they are easy to use without worrying about a key. A standard addition to many cases, it's nice to see them on the Stori range too. This little suitcase also features self-repairing zippers, which means that should the worst happen and something on the inside breaks through, you can rearrange and rezip, keeping your gear safe until you get home.
How much could I fit?
Knowing how much you can fit in your cabin case is almost as important as the external measurements.
I was so impressed with the Nere Packing Cubes. With a combination of rolling and folding my clothing, I was able to use up every inch of interior space, spread across the three different-sized cubes. This meant I fit in enough everyday clothing to last me a week, including swimwear, a pair of sandals and a small toiletry bag.
Of course, fancy outfits, a full make-up kit and several pairs of high heels are never going to fit in a cabin case, but for all the basics you need this case has enough space to see me through. The Stori, which is similar in style to the £170 Antler Clifton Cabin, comes in a collection of other muted colours such as Mineral, Light Aqua, Shadow Lime, and a new addition for 2024, Orchid Pink.
The Stori range offers fashion-forward luggage at affordable prices (Nere)Other delighted travellers like me, have been leaving reviews on Trustpilot. One customer said: "Fantastic luggage with stunning colours, lots of space, and just love them. I have the bright pink and purple rose, can’t wait to go on holiday now."
Another satisfied customer mentioned: "Beautiful, sturdy, and expensive-looking suitcases. Wheels and expanding handles are well-made and run smoothly. Plan to purchase the matching packing bags."
A third reviewer gave a five-star rating, stating: "Great quality items. Stylish and love the colours available. Everything I've purchased is practical and hard-wearing. I love showing them off."
However, some reviews expressed concerns about the quality of the case. One customer shared, "The suitcase we bought broke as soon as we got to the airport (handle wouldn't work), and by the time we had landed, the zip had also burst."
Is the Nere Stori 55 my perfect cabin case?
Not quite, but it's not far off either. The colour is lovely, the hardshell feels solid and the wheels roll nicely along the ground. While it is roomy on the inside, it loses potential packing space where the handle retracts itself back into the shell.
All in all - it's a brilliant buy for £99 (now £69 with £30 off deal). Especially compared to the similarly styled Antler Clifton which is £170 or the Away Carry On which starts at £220.
The Stori range as a whole has a lot going for it. Not only can you buy the 55cm cabin case, the 65cm Check-In Medium and the 75cm Check-In Large, you can also snap up a matching Stori Vanity Case for £59 and the super cute Stori Mini Case for £19, perfect for popping your passport in.
Savvy shoppers can save up to 30% when they buy a three-piece luggage set. Buy all three sizes in the Stori range for £275 - saving of £72 off RRP. Additionally, luggage lovers who spend over £99 will automatically save £30 at checkout in a limited-time deal. This takes the price down to £69 - a brilliant price for a most excellent little cabin case.
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