LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On Review | Is the Wide Handle Actually Better?
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Every suitcase I have ever owned has the same thing going on inside it. Two bumps running right down the middle of the packing space, from the handle bars. You do not really notice them until you are kneeling on a hotel bed trying to get a pair of jeans to lay flat over a speed bump. So you stuff socks in there, or you accept you lost that space, and that is just luggage.
The LEVEL8 Voyageur Carry-On 20 inch does not do that, and after testing it I have thoughts. It is $259.99, and there is one real catch I want to get to.
The handle bars are pushed all the way out to the sides of the bag instead of running down the center. Two things come out of that. Your packing surface is completely flat, which is the part I actually care about. And the handle itself is noticeably sturdier, because when you push it you are pushing the whole width of the bag rather than one skinny post in the middle dragging the suitcase along behind it. It just goes straight.
Size, Weight and Build
It is 43 liters, which is about 11 gallons, and that is three liters more than a standard 20 inch carry-on purely because nothing is being wasted on handle grooves. Three liters is a pair of shoes. It weighs 3.7 kilos, so about 8 pounds, light enough that you are not fighting it into an overhead bin. The shell is German polycarbonate with a micro diamond finish, so it is textured rather than glossy, and textured shells scratch way less obviously. A shiny shell looks beat up after one trip. It has 360 spinner wheels that are genuinely quiet, a TSA lock and YKK zippers.
Inside the Bag
Both sides are covered, so nothing falls out when you open it on a hotel bed. One side has a wet dry pocket, which matters more than you think if you have ever packed a damp swimsuit at 6am. The other side is a zipped mesh compartment with a Y-strap, so you clip it, pull it tight, and a puffy jacket goes flat. Because both sides zip shut you can stand the whole thing wide open in an airport and nothing spills out.
The One Thing I Do Not Love
A wide handle means no trolley sleeve. If you are someone who slides a personal item over the handle at the airport, and I am that person, you cannot do that with this bag. That is the trade. Flat packing space and the sturdiest handle I have used, or your tote riding on top. It also does not expand, which for me is fine, but you should know going in.
Who This Is For
If you pack in cubes and you care about everything laying flat, this is an easy yes. There is also a Voyageur two piece set if you want the carry-on and a checked bag together, which works out cheaper than buying them separately. If your airport routine depends on stacking a tote on top of your carry-on, look at a regular handle bag instead. I have reviewed a few of those, including the Monos Hybrid Carry-On and the MVST Select Space Series Carry On, and both have traditional trolley handles. If you want something to carry alongside it, the Luka Expandable Laptop Tote is what I have been using as a personal item.
LEVEL8 sponsored this review and sent me the bag, but the opinions here are mine and I tested it on my own terms. Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you buy through them at no extra cost to you.
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