Useful or Not? Level8 Luggage Review after a 3-Week Trip

Spoiler alert: We completely changed our minds and will now take Level8 suitcases with us on our next trips – they’re stylish, practical, and durable!

To be completely honest and transparent, we never heard of Level8 until they contacted us for a potential partnership. While we don’t usually participate in these types of campaigns, we were optimistic because we saw many others using Level8 suitcases, especially the yellow-colored ones, which looked absolutely stunning.

While Level8 gifted us the suitcases, in this article, we’ll present an honest, unbiased, and down-to-earth account of our experience with the suitcases, particularly on one of our recent trips, where we spent almost a month exploring Albania.

The timing was perfect, as they contacted us just days after we confirmed our trip to Albania and booked our flight tickets. This also meant we had to pay for an additional piece of checked luggage, but in the end it was well worth it!

Now, without further ado, let’s jump into our review of Level8 suitcases, specifically the popular Voyageur Luggage Set, which includes a 20” carry-on and a 26” checked suitcase.

Level8 makes award-winning luggage, and the Voyaguer collection we got is a “Newsweek Readers’ Choice Award Winner”.

Our experience

Here is what we loved about our Level8 luggage and what we tested during our (almost) month-long trip to Albania.

Fast delivery

Level8 has warehouses in both the US and Europe, offering free shipping within the US, to Canada, and within Europe.

Our suitcases came from Germany to us in Croatia in less than a week, which is surprisingly fast for our delivery location. It was right on time for our trip!

Wide handle system, which allows for better packing

Our favorite part of the Level8 Voyaguer luggage is the wide handle, a genius design.

The wide handle allowed us to pack the Level8 luggage exactly as we wanted, without the handle obstructing the middle of the main compartment. Instead, the wide handle occupies only a small amount of space on each side.

Even though we haven’t used suitcases as religiously as we did our backpacks, we do remember the handle in the compartment giving us headaches, as we had to pack around it.

The wide handle essentially gave us more freedom in packing, allowing the suitcase to fit more items, even though it’s the same volume.

Pockets and compartments that make sense

We loved the mesh pockets inside our luggage, as they weren’t tight, which meant we could easily pack a bit more inside them.

Another compartment that we really appreciate is the so-called “Wet pocket”, which we used to store our liquids, mostly our contact lens solution, along with toothpaste, some creams, and similar products.

Throughout our travels, we’ve had a situation where a liquid literally exploded all over our clothes, so it’s nice to have this pocket that minimizes spillage or even prevents it altogether.

Of course, these pockets are not meant for large bottles, but they’re perfect for travel-size toiletries, making them super accessible.

Water resistance

We visited Albania in October, which meant there were a few more rainy days than we would have liked. This meant our suitcase was bound to get wet. And so it did. But did it soak through? Nope.

The only thing we needed to do was to wipe it down dry after it got wet, which was pretty easy to do.

The Level8 product page for the Voyageur luggage doesn’t say it’s waterproof, but after testing, it’s definitely quite water-resistant.

Judging by the polycarbonate material and the way the zippers are made, you shouldn’t have any problems rolling the suitcase around in light to medium rain without it soaking through to your inside compartments.

Wheels that make it roll incredibly smoothly

The 360 spinning wheels are now a standard feature on most suitcases, and while they are nothing to write home about, what sets Level8 apart is the quality of the quiet spinner wheels and the perfect smoothness as they roll.

The sound is not annoying, and you can spin the full suitcase around in circles with just your pinky.

Height-adjustable handle, perfect for both of us

There’s a significant height difference between us, so having the option to set the handle to two different heights was incredibly useful when we alternated who rolled it around.

Arijana used the first level, and Matej the second level of the handle height. Both felt strong when locked in.

While you’re not supposed to lift the suitcase by the wide handle, but rather the carrying handles, we did so on a few occasions when going on/off the sidewalk, and it seemed sturdy enough not to break, even when full.

Sturdy carrying handles (two on carry-on, three on check-in)

For our large check-in luggage, it was extremely convenient to have three different carrying handles: the standard one on top, a side handle, and another on the other side.

So we had no issues picking it up, no matter how it was turned. This was especially useful for putting the suitcase in our car or carrying it up multiple floors to our hotel room (luckily, the max was the fourth floor).

Initially, when we picked up the full check-in suitcase, the material of the case moved outward significantly, and we felt uneasy about it.

However, after carrying the full suitcase for a while, which weighed about 20 kg, we realized that even though the material where the carrying handle is located does indeed move outward, it’s actually pretty strong, secure, and of good quality.

We’ll update this article after further use, but so far, it looks really promising, and we believe it would easily carry even more weight.

Our 26” check-in suitcase had two side handles. However, if you get the larger size of the same Voyageur model, such as the 28” suitcase, you will get a strong handle in the front instead of the second side handle. We were fine without the front handle, but we can definitely see its benefit.

Safety Lock mechanism

We never thought much about the safety lock mechanism on suitcases, but we did have a few situations on our trip where it came in real handy.

For example, the safety lock gave us peace of mind when we had to leave our luggage in a hotel after check-out. We were still out exploring and had our laptops inside the big suitcase. It was reassuring to know that at least there’s some security feature on the suitcase, and that it would be pretty obvious if someone tried to break it.

Another time, we left the Level8 suitcase in a baggage storage facility in downtown Tirana for a few days, and although they had excellent 5-star reviews, we still felt more secure having the suitcase locked.

What we didn’t like

Honestly, there’s little to dislike about the Level8 luggage, as was the case for us as well. But here are the main cons.

Marks on the suitcase

The world is harsh to good-looking, beautifully colored suitcases like our yellow Voyageur suitcases. They do carry battle marks from airport baggage conveyor belts, as well as random scratches and rubber marks they get in buses, and similar.

Though we’re still happy we chose yellow/black, as it looks great, and is easy to spot. Cleaning tip: We use a simple, cheap white cleaning sponge to remove some of the black marks.

High price tag

Level8 luggage is definitely not the most budget-friendly option. We would place it somewhere in the mid-range, as they’re still far from the 1500 to 2000 per item “high-end” pieces.

However, if you’re looking to level up your luggage and not spend a fortune, Level8 is an excellent choice.

Plus, with our special discount code SHIPPEDAWAY15, you can save 15% on your purchase. Combine it with the luggage set, and you get a great deal!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is luggage from Level8 worth it?

After properly testing the carry-on and check-in luggage set, we can confirm that the Level8 luggage is absolutely worth it. The suitcases are durable, look great (super stylish), and can fit a lot of stuff, especially the models with a wide handle.

Which is the best Level8 suitcase?

We love our Voyageur Collection luggage from Level8 and believe it to be the best, as both suitcases feature a wide handle design, along with a durable and stylish design.

Does the 20” carry-on Level8 suitcase fit in the carry-on of every airline?

Since Level8 is a US company, the carry-on Level8 suitcases are the correct size for most US airlines, like Delta, American Airlines, and United Airlines. Unfortunately, the carry-ons by Level8 don’t fit all international airlines, including some low-cost European airlines, such as Ryanair and Wizz Air. However, they do fit on Jet2 and easyJet.

Since our base is Zagreb, Croatia, we depend on Ryanair and Wizz Air a lot, so unfortunately, we won’t be able to use the 20” carry-on for these flights. Sadly, we only realized this after getting the suitcases.

Are Level8 suitcases heavy?

Level8 suitcases are not particularly light, but they’re definitely not heavy when compared to other suitcases in the same price range. The 20” carry-on weighs 8.1lbs (3.7kg), the smallest check-in (26”) weighs 11.8 lbs (5.35kg), and the biggest (30”) weighs 13.9 lbs (6.3kg).

Compared to our big backpacks, they only add a bit of weight, but are a lot more practical.

Are Level8 suitcases durable enough?

We have used our Level8 suitcases extensively and seen them thrown aggressively around on airport conveyor belts and buses on multiple occasions. So far, there has been no damage, so yes, they’re durable for your travels.

Is luggage from Level8 waterproof?

Most of Level8 luggage is highly water-resistant due to the high-quality materials used for the cases and zippers, but not necessarily waterproof.

Does Level8 luggage come with a warranty?

Yes, Level8 offers a lifetime warranty!

Final thoughts

After primarily using backpacks for years, we couldn’t have had a better reintroduction to suitcases than Level8.

We realized how important a good suitcase is for our travel, and Level8 really delivered on all their promises of a quality and durable suitcase that also looks great. The luggage is exceptionally spacious, and we can carry it around with confidence due to the high-quality materials.

Essentially, Level8 helped us make a mental switch from huge backpacks to beautiful, stylish, and practical suitcases.

Our yellow suitcases are the perfect companions, and everyone easily remembers them. For example, a few days before writing this article, after disembarking from a long-distance bus, it was enough to say “the yellow suitcase” for the bus driver to know exactly which bus luggage compartment to open.