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Hardshell Cases for the Adventurous

Hardshell Cases for the Adventurous

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My evaluation of the Voyageur baggage set from LEVEL8: hard-shell wheeled suitcases obtainable in 4 sizes!

After working as a journey blogger for properly over a decade, visiting greater than 60 nations on lots of of various journeys through the years, I prefer to assume I’m one thing of an knowledgeable in the case of packing!

I additionally know that first rate baggage could make a visit SO a lot simpler. I’m slightly bit obsessive about discovering the right baggage: one thing sturdy sufficient to resist all my adventures, but fashionable sufficient to make an announcement.

Over the previous few weeks, I’ve been road-testing the Voyageur Assortment from LEVEL8 – and I’m in love! The design of those circumstances is genius – so many intelligent little touches, which I’ll cowl in additional element under.

LEVEL8 gifted me the Voyageur Carry-on 20″ and Checked 28″ in alternate for this evaluation – however all phrases and opinions are my very own. I hope you discover this beneficial…

PROMO CODE: Get a 15% low cost in your buy from LEVEL8 with my unique reader low cost code emilyluxton15

Hardshell Cases for the Adventurous
LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20″ and Checked 28″

LEVEL8 Voyageur Overview: The Fundamentals

The Voyageur baggage vary from LEVEL8 is a set of hard-shell 4-wheeled suitcases that are available in 4 sizes (see under).

Fast Specs

Colors: a spread of 5 selections (black, navy, olive, yellow and celadon)

Materials: Makrolon® polycarbonate (tremendous sturdy & tremendous light-weight)

Huge telescopic deal with: It’s the total width of the case for straightforward pulling.

4 Wheels: 360° quiet spinner wheels

TSA Fastened Mixture Lock

LEVEL8 Voyageur Sizes Defined

As talked about above, LEVEL8’s Voyageur baggage is available in 4 sizes: cabin (20″) plus 26″, 28″, and 30″ sized maintain baggage. See under for the dimensions and capability particulars:

CARRY-ON 20″: 38.5x25x54.5cm – 43L capability – 3.7kg weight.

CHECKED 26″: 42.5x34x70cm – 93L capability – 5.3kg weight.

CHECKED 28″: 42.5x34x74.5cm – 99L Capability – 5.6kg weight.

CHECKED 30″: 42.5×34.5×81.5cm – 105L capability 5.8kg weight.

Light-colored, hard-shell suitcase with four wheels on a platform, possibly at a train station. The background shows blurred train tracks and platform edge.
The Carry-On 20″ is a superb dimension for brief journeys & practice journeys!

Carry-on: The Carry-On suitcase is a surprisingly roomy little quantity, superb for packing mild on brief journeys. Nonetheless, at 38.5x25x54.5cm, it may be barely too huge for some finances airways. For instance, Ryanair’s paid-for cabin baggage allowance is 55x40x20cm.

CLICK HERE to examine cabin baggage allowances on fashionable finances airways.

Checked: Voyageur’s checked baggage choices are a lot bigger. I’ve been testing the center possibility, the 28″, and whereas I really like the design, I believe it’s too huge for only one individual! In the event you’re a solo traveller like me, go for the 26″: that 93L capability must be a lot. The larger sizes can be higher for {couples} or households – however be cautious of over-filling that 105L case, as a result of it may simply take you over the maintain baggage weight allowance for lots of airways!

Light-colored suitcase lying on its side on a train station platform. The suitcase has four wheels, with yellow accents and a small rectangular indicator. In the background, there is a sign that reads "UPWEY," with platform and train tracks visible.
The Checked 28″ – most likely slightly too huge for one individual!

LEVEL8 Voyageur Baggage Overview: My Experiences

Over the previous few weeks, I’ve been attempting out the Voyageur circumstances and general I’m very impressed.

Initially: I really like the fashionable, minimalist design. I opted for the restricted version “celadon” color, which is a pale inexperienced on one aspect and darkish grey-blue on the opposite, with black trim. The circumstances are fairly rectangular in form and look slightly boxy, however I fairly like the form – it makes them really feel very neat and minimal. It additionally makes for straightforward stacking and storage.

However what they appear like is way much less necessary than HOW the circumstances carry out! There are just a few intelligent little design options which set the Voyageur suitcases properly aside from different baggage, so I’ve damaged these down under.

Tremendous-wide deal with and nice manoeuvrability 

The deal with might be my favorite characteristic of the Voyageur circumstances. Not like most wheeled suitcases, the telescopic deal with (the one you pull as much as wheel the case alongside you) is the total width of the case.

A black matte suitcase handle with a rectangular button, extended with the case out of focus below.

There are two causes that is nice. One: the deal with doesn’t take up any of the case’s inside. In most suitcases, the chute for the deal with is constructed into the within of the bag, taking on packing house. That doesn’t occur with this case-wide deal with, so that you don’t lose any inside house – and the inside base is totally flat for simpler packing.

Purpose two: the broader deal with simply feels way more comfortable. It offers higher weight distribution and stability – and you’ll lean your arm on the deal with as you steer.

Talking of steering, there are additionally 4 360° spinner wheels so you possibly can twist and switch the case effortlessly. They glide properly and are, as promised, fairly quiet – though they do make a little bit of noise on arduous flooring. In my expertise, the circumstances are tremendous simple to maneuver round – even when navigating awkward surfaces (like gravel) and busy, crowded areas.

Close-up view of a black caster wheel attached to light-colored luggage with a textured finish. The wheel has an orange logo resembling two connected dots.

FYI: One draw back to the ultra-wide deal with is that it’s too vast to connect a backpack/carry-on bag utilizing a strap. Some backpacks have an attachment strap which you’ll be able to clip across the deal with of a suitcase to simply carry each directly. I don’t use this personally as my favorite backpack doesn’t have the attachment strap, nevertheless it’s one thing to remember. As a workaround, you possibly can put a backpack on its aspect and place the backpack straps across the deal with.

House and organisation

Partly because of the ultra-wide deal with talked about above, these circumstances actually maximise the inside house. Even the carry-on case can pack a hefty 43L!

All of the Voyageur circumstances open out down the center into two sections, with one aspect barely deeper than the opposite. 

Interior view of an open suitcase with two main compartments, each with mesh dividers. One divider is partially unzipped, revealing the inner lining. The suitcase is empty and well-organized.

Each side have a zip-up cowl – and on one aspect, the duvet has two giant pockets. There’s a mesh pocket which is good for small free gadgets like charging cables. Beneath it is a giant, clear plastic pocket which could possibly be good for small liquids, protecting your journey paperwork secure, or protecting damp gadgets (like your swimming costume) separate from the remainder of your baggage.

There aren’t any different pockets, so I’d advocate utilizing packing cubes to organise the whole lot else. These zip-up covers on both sides are nice for protecting issues organised. I observed that my garments stayed in place and neatly folded because of being zipped neatly away in a single half of the case.

Close-up view of a gray fabric item with two zippers. The zippers are parallel to each other, with one partially open, revealing the interior. The metallic zipper pulls include a small logo or text. The fabric appears durable and textured.

I used to be a bit unhappy that the circumstances don’t have an expander zip. My final suitcase had one and it was at all times good to have that further respiration room “simply in case”. That mentioned, the Voyageur circumstances have a a lot greater capability than my outdated case, so I’d most likely by no means want any extra room!

One factor to Notice

As talked about above, the Cabin 20″ case is slightly on the bigger aspect and will exceed the cabin baggage allowance for some finances airways (like Ryanair) – so examine these before you purchase it. Nonetheless, I’ve discovered it nice for brief weekend breaks and in a single day journeys inside the UK.

My different, budget-airline-friendly, cabin case is nice, nevertheless it’s very restrictive size-wise, so it’s good to have a barely roomier case. This one is ideal for when airways offer you a extra beneficiant allowance – or if you’re not travelling by aircraft. There’s a great deal of room on this 43L case and all the inner organisation makes it superb for brief journeys the place you continue to must pack a good bit.

SUPER sturdy and built-to-last

I journey lots – and to a reasonably big range of locations – so I would like a sturdy suitcase that may stand up to the whole lot I throw at it. The Voyageur circumstances are constructed from German-made Makrolon® polycarbonate, a triple-layered type of plastic which is each tremendous sturdy and tremendous light-weight.

Close-up of a built-in combination lock on a hard-shell suitcase. The lock is set to "000" and has a TSA007 keyhole.
Close-up view of a suitcase lock mechanism with a three-digit combination set to "000" and a TSA007 keyhole below it. Two zipper pulls are inserted into the lock, and the suitcase material appears textured for durability.

Like all LEVEL8 circumstances, in addition they include a lifetime guarantee – though this solely covers practical injury (not regular put on and tear).

To this point, that materials has stood up properly to testing. The inside supplies additionally really feel top quality and built-to-last, notably the mesh dividers and the inside lining, which may be very thick and smooth.

Nonetheless, it’s solely been just a few weeks, so I’ll ensure that to replace this put up once more in just a few months after some extra testing. You possibly can learn extra about how I examined the circumstances on the backside of this web page.

4 handles

I’ve already talked concerning the “fundamental” deal with, the telescopic one. However the Voyageur circumstances even have a aspect and prime deal with – and the 2 bigger circumstances (the Checked 28″ and 30″) even have a fourth deal with, embedded on the entrance of the case.

Close-up view of a light gray suitcase with a black handle and four wheels, standing on a train platform. The suitcase features a small rectangular logo with an orange icon. There is a bridge and train tracks in the background.
Close-up of a hand gripping the gray handle of a piece of luggage.
The additional deal with on the bigger circumstances is absolutely helpful

That is notably helpful for lifting the case out and in of my automobile boot! At any time when I raise a big case utilizing the aspect deal with, I’ve to swing it (or use my knee to angle it) to get it into the automobile. With this further deal with, I can raise the case from above and slide it into the automobile on its aspect. It looks as if such a small further, nevertheless it’s a extremely intelligent concept that solves an enormous drawback.

LEVEL8 Voyageur Baggage Overview: The Fast Model

In case you skimmed by the above – right here’s a fast checklist of what I really like concerning the LEVEL8 Voyaguer baggage vary:

Two light blue pieces of luggage with black handles and LEVEL8 logos, standing on a train station platform with tracks and a pedestrian bridge in the background.

These are tremendous sturdy circumstances that really feel constructed to final – and include a lifetime guarantee for peace of thoughts.

The good ultra-wide deal with and clean wheels make shifting round really easy. They glide properly and switch corners with minimal effort.

That vast deal with additionally means further packing house!

The circumstances open down the center into two sections with zip-up covers.

There are two helpful inside pockets – one mesh, one plastic.

The bigger circumstances have an additional entrance deal with which makes loading/unloading a lot simpler.

Nonetheless, it might be too vast for a backpack attachment strap.

These circumstances are pretty light-weight for hard-shell baggage.

Though the bigger ones are over 5kg, which eats into your baggage allowance!

Lastly, it’s a classy, minimalist design for actually smart-looking baggage.

Though personally, I believe they should add just a few extra color choices!

LEVEL8 Voyageur Review: Hardshell Cases for the Adventurous

As talked about within the evaluation, pay shut consideration to the sizes when selecting your backpack. The Cabin 20″ could also be too giant for some airways’ cabin baggage allowance. In the event you’re unsure which dimension checked bag to go for, have a look at the capability fairly than the measurements. Round 80-90L must be a lot for one individual.

Total, I actually do assume these are nice luggage – they usually positively appear constructed to resist every kind of journey adventures. I’m wanting ahead to utilizing them on much more travels in future.

How I Examined the Instances

As talked about within the intro, I’ve travelled lots through the years! I’ve tried and examined lots of completely different suitcases, backpacks, and packing equipment in that point, so I actually do know what to search for (and what pink flags to look out for).

For this evaluation, I put the circumstances by my normal testing. I stuffed them with about 10kg and pulled them round in just a few completely different places and on varied surfaces, together with pavement (sidewalk), a gravel path, inside a practice station, and carpet. I walked each circumstances across the inside of my flat a number of occasions, navigating furnishings (and piles of garments!). To see how simple it’s to make use of the circumstances in regular journey conditions, I additionally loaded the circumstances out and in of my automobile (each the automobile boot and the again seat), and took them on a practice to trip it one cease. They had been simple to manoeuvre and held up properly beneath regular use.

Along with my commonplace testing, I additionally used the circumstances usually for just a few latest journeys – together with just a few days in London, my latest journey to Tenerife, and a go to to a pal’s home. They’re performing very well up to now, and I’m notably keen on the Cabin 20″ Voyageur case.

I’ll replace this put up in just a few months to let you understand how the circumstances are faring after a bit extra journey.

I hope you discovered this evaluation of the LEVEL8 Voyageur baggage set useful. You probably have a query – or some suggestions of your personal – go away a remark under!

Level8 Voyageur Review : written in white text over a photograph of two grey-blue hardshell suitcases in close up.

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