LEVEL8 Voyageur Review: Hardshell Cases for the Adventurous

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My review of the Voyageur luggage set from LEVEL8: hard-shell wheeled suitcases available in four sizes!

After working as a travel blogger for well over a decade, visiting more than 60 countries on hundreds of different trips over the years, I like to think I’m something of an expert when it comes to packing!

I also know that decent luggage can make a trip SO much easier. I’m a little bit obsessed with finding the perfect luggage: something sturdy enough to withstand all my adventures, yet stylish enough to make a statement.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been road-testing the Voyageur Collection from LEVEL8 – and I am in love! The design of these cases is genius – so many clever little touches, which I’ll cover in more detail below.

LEVEL8 gifted me the Voyageur Carry-on 20″ and Checked 28″ in exchange for this review – but all words and opinions are my own. I hope you find this helpful…

LEVEL8 Voyageur Review: The Basics

The Voyageur luggage range from LEVEL8 is a set of hard-shell 4-wheeled suitcases that come in four sizes (see below).

LEVEL8 Voyageur Sizes Explained

As mentioned above, LEVEL8’s Voyageur luggage comes in four sizes: cabin (20″) plus 26″, 28″, and 30″ sized hold luggage. See below for the size and capacity details:

Carry-on: The Carry-On suitcase is a surprisingly roomy little number, ideal for packing light on short trips. However, at 38.5x25x54.5cm, it might be slightly too big for some budget airlines. For example, Ryanair’s paid-for cabin baggage allowance is 55x40x20cm.

CLICK HERE to check cabin baggage allowances on popular budget airlines.

Checked: Voyageur’s checked baggage options are much larger. I’ve been testing the middle option, the 28″, and while I love the design, I think it’s too big for just one person! If you’re a solo traveller like me, opt for the 26″: that 93L capacity should be plenty. The bigger sizes would be better for couples or families – but be wary of over-filling that 105L case, because it could easily take you over the hold baggage weight allowance for a lot of airlines!

LEVEL8 Voyageur Luggage Review: My Experiences

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been trying out the Voyageur cases and overall I’m very impressed.

First of all: I love the stylish, minimalist design. I opted for the limited edition “celadon” colour, which is a pale green on one side and dark grey-blue on the other, with black trim. The cases are quite rectangular in shape and look a little boxy, but I quite like the shape – it makes them feel very neat and minimal. It also makes for easy stacking and storage.

But what they look like is much less important than HOW the cases perform! There are a few clever little design features which set the Voyageur suitcases well apart from other luggage, so I’ve broken these down below.

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Super-wide handle and great manoeuvrability 

The handle is probably my favourite feature of the Voyageur cases. Unlike most wheeled suitcases, the telescopic handle (the one you pull up to wheel the case alongside you) is the full width of the case.

There are two reasons this is great. One: the handle doesn’t take up any of the case’s interior. In most suitcases, the chute for the handle is built into the inside of the bag, taking up packing space. That doesn’t happen with this case-wide handle, so you don’t lose any interior space – and the interior base is completely flat for easier packing.

Reason two: the wider handle just feels much more comfy. It gives better weight distribution and stability – and you can lean your arm on the handle as you steer.

Speaking of steering, there are also four 360° spinner wheels so you can twist and turn the case effortlessly. They glide well and are, as promised, pretty quiet – although they do make a bit of noise on hard floors. In my experience, the cases are super easy to move around – even when navigating awkward surfaces (like gravel) and busy, crowded areas.

FYI: One downside to the ultra-wide handle is that it’s too wide to attach a backpack/carry-on bag using a strap. Some backpacks have an attachment strap which you can clip around the handle of a suitcase to easily carry both at once. I don’t use this personally as my favourite backpack doesn’t have the attachment strap, but it’s something to bear in mind. As a workaround, you could put a backpack on its side and place the backpack straps around the handle.

Space and organisation

Partly thanks to the ultra-wide handle mentioned above, these cases really maximise the interior space. Even the carry-on case can pack a hefty 43L!

All the Voyageur cases open out down the middle into two sections, with one side slightly deeper than the other. 

Both sides have a zip-up cover – and on one side, the cover has two large pockets. There’s a mesh pocket which is ideal for small loose items like charging cables. Below this is a large, clear plastic pocket which could be good for small liquids, keeping your travel documents safe, or keeping damp items (like your swimming costume) separate from the rest of your luggage.

There are no other pockets, so I’d recommend using packing cubes to organise everything else. Those zip-up covers on each side are great for keeping things organised. I noticed that my clothes stayed in place and neatly folded thanks to being zipped neatly away in one half of the case.

I was a bit sad that the cases don’t have an expander zip. My last suitcase had one and it was always nice to have that extra breathing room “just in case”. That said, the Voyageur cases have a much higher capacity than my old case, so I’d probably never need any more room!

SUPER sturdy and built-to-last

I travel a lot – and to a pretty wide array of places – so I need a sturdy suitcase that can withstand everything I throw at it. The Voyageur cases are built from German-made Makrolon® polycarbonate, a triple-layered kind of plastic which is both super strong and super lightweight.

Like all LEVEL8 cases, they also come with a lifetime warranty – although this only covers functional damage (not normal wear and tear).

So far, that material has stood up well to testing. The interior materials also feel high quality and built-to-last, particularly the mesh dividers and the inner lining, which is very thick and soft.

However, it’s only been a few weeks, so I’ll make sure to update this post again in a few months after some more testing. You can read more about how I tested the cases at the bottom of this page.

Four handles

I’ve already talked about the “main” handle, the telescopic one. But the Voyageur cases also have a side and top handle – and the two larger cases (the Checked 28″ and 30″) also have a fourth handle, embedded on the front of the case.

This is particularly handy for lifting the case in and out of my car boot! Whenever I lift a large case using the side handle, I have to swing it (or use my knee to angle it) to get it into the car. With this extra handle, I can lift the case from above and slide it into the car on its side. It seems like such a small extra, but it’s a really clever idea that solves a big problem.

LEVEL8 Voyageur Luggage Review: The Quick Version

In case you skimmed through the above – here’s a quick list of what I love about the LEVEL8 Voyaguer luggage range:

• These are super durable cases that feel built to last – and come with a lifetime warranty for peace of mind.
• The brilliant ultra-wide handle and smooth wheels make moving around so easy. They glide well and turn corners with minimal effort.
• That wide handle also means extra packing space!
• The cases open down the middle into two sections with zip-up covers.
• There are two handy internal pockets – one mesh, one plastic.
• The larger cases have an extra front handle which makes loading/unloading so much easier.
  • However, it may be too wide for a backpack attachment strap.
• These cases are fairly lightweight for hard-shell luggage.
  • Although the larger ones are over 5kg, which eats into your luggage allowance!
• Finally, it’s a stylish, minimalist design for really smart-looking luggage.
  • Although personally, I think they need to add a few more colour options!

As mentioned in the review, pay close attention to the sizes when choosing your backpack. The Cabin 20″ may be too large for some airlines’ cabin baggage allowance. If you’re not sure which size checked bag to go for, look at the capacity rather than the measurements. Around 80-90L should be plenty for one person.

Overall, I really do think these are great bags – and they definitely seem built to withstand all kinds of travel adventures. I’m looking forward to using them on even more travels in future.

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I’ll update this post in a few months to let you know how the cases are faring after a bit more travel.

I hope you found this review of the LEVEL8 Voyageur luggage set helpful. If you have a question – or some feedback of your own – leave a comment below!