Level8 Voyageur Suitcase Review

I’ve spent years reviewing camera gear, lenses, and accessories, but travel itself is a constant companion in this work. Long flights, multiple connections, and the inevitable luggage carousel scramble mean that the suitcase you choose matters almost as much as the kit inside it. I recently took a very long trip to New Zealand using my new suitcase of choice…the Level 8 Voyageur.  You know how it goes in the modern world – the moment you start searching for something you immediately begin to get bombarded with ads making sure that you follow through with a purchase.  But one suitcase certainly stood out to me in looks – the bold two-tone look of Level 8’s Voyageur lineup.  The unique two-tone design looked like the Maybach of luggage, and the specs and reviews looked solid.  After some hard use over the past few months, we’ve liked it enough that my wife’s suitcase got given away and has been replaced with a second 28” Voyageur.  Here’s why…

Those Wheels…

Looks are great, but what matters more when you are moving through a huge airport in a rush is how well that suitcase moves.  The standout feature of the Voyageur is the 360° ultra-smooth spinner wheels.

They roll with almost no resistance and make maneuvering effortless, even when the case is fully packed.  I did a test in a long hallway for my video review and gave the suitcase a push.  It rolled all the way up a 30+ foot hallway to my camera man and was still moving at the time.

While traveling the difference between the Voyageur and my wife’s older suitcase was immediately obvious.  I took pity on my wife at times and pulled her suitcase instead, and the difference was night and day.  The Voyageur pulls smoothly over a variety of surfaces (and it seems like I encountered pretty much every surface possible over my trip).  It continues to roll well even with a second bag/backpack stacked on top.

What’s more, Level 8 claims testing to 276,000 wheel rotations and 12,000 handle pulls—numbers that align with the solid, premium feel in hand.  They back that up with a lifetime warranty, which certainly speaks to the confidence they have in their testing.

Build and Handling

The Voyageur has a standout look in either the original Yellow/Black suitcase I ordered, or the new “Celadon” two-ton look my wife ordered.

We haven’t traveled with the Celadon yet, but I can tell you that the unique yellow and black two-tone is very easy to spot when it comes onto the baggage carousel. 

But isn’t just about the looks.  The outer shell is a very tough German-made Makrolon® three-layer polycarbonate.  I got the typical scuffs and marks after four different major flights over the past few months, but most of it could just be wiped off.

The zippers are YKK puncture-resistant models, which add to the overall toughness of the suitcases.

There are four different sizes available in the Voyageur lineup, from the 20” carry-on size up to a massive 30” model.  We elected for the 28-inch model, which delivers a generous 99 liters of volume and measures 13.4″ W × 16.7″ L × 29.3″ H.  It weighs in at 12.4 lbs, which isn’t particularly light, but that’s in large part because it has a more robust build than other suitcases we’ve owned.

The suitcase profile is deep rather than wide, so those external measurements are a little different than the average bag of this size.

There are integrated TSA locks which can be easily programmed to your preferred code.  One advantage of utilizing these is that you always know the position of the zippers and don’t waste time looking for them.

One small but important design element is that there are some small rubberized “rests” on the back of the suitcase that allow it to be set down without the shell being scratched (if you have to open the bag on concrete or some other rough surface).

It is the small things that sometimes make a big difference.

On the inside there are few other pleasant surprises.  Both sides of the suitcase have a zippered cover, which aids in packing neatly and keeping contents from shifting.  It also means that your contents have more privacy if you have to open the suitcase in a public area.  One of those covers has a thoughtful wet/dry separation pocket to help with sorting and cross-contamination.

Underneath the wet/dry separator is a standard buckling strap to hold things down.  I’m not sure it is necessary with the zippered cover, but perhaps it would be useful if you have packed light in that space.

Trolley Handle Pros and Cons

Somewhat unique is the trolley handle.  It is made out of aluminum alloy and telescopes out into multiple positions.  All of that is fine.  Potentially more controversial is the choice about the width of the handle, which extends essentially the entire width of the suitcase.  This design choice has some tangible benefits and at least one downside.

On the plus side, the wider position allows for a flat loading surface that most suitcases don’t match.  Level8 claims a 98% space efficiency for that compartment that compares to the 85% that is the industry standard.  You can see the flat surface inside compared to the typical suitcase.

It is also very nice to grab and walk with.  It is comfortable and stable.

The downside is that most bags or backpacks with trolley straps have been designed with a standard width handle in mind, so you almost certainly won’t be able to fit them onto this trolley handle.  The deep design of the Voyageur might mean that it will sit okay on top anyway.  I just threaded the shoulder straps of my travel backpack around it instead when I was resting it on top of the suitcase.

One other minor quirk is that while Level8 went to great lengths to provide a flat loading surface in the back of the bag (with the wide trolley strap), they have included a front grab handle on the suitcase that I rarely see.  While this is handy for grabbing the suitcase up off a flat surface (like a luggage carousel), it does mean that there is a protrusion into at least one area of the front compartment.

So while the Level8 Voyageur has a flatter than typical loading surface in the rear compartment of the suitcase, it has a less flat loading surface in the front compartment.  Unlike a trolley handle, however, this doesn’t extend the full length of the suitcase.

It Just Works

The Level8 Voyageur was generally a pleasure to use.  I’ve used it approximately half a dozen times now, and I think it looks great (there are more subtle color schemes if you find these too “distinctive”), was great to move around with, and easy to pack thoroughly.  Wheels perform fantastically well across airport floors, sidewalks, and uneven surfaces. The overall design feels modern and stylish while maximizing usable room. Both sides having zippered covers adds flexibility, and those rear rests are a small but welcome detail for stability.

There are some suitcases with more bells and whistles (there is no phone charging option here, for example, and the 20” checked bag doesn’t have a separate tech compartment in the front for laptops), but the Voyageur delivers in the areas that matter. Level8 has other models that have both these features if these are priorities.

I’ve chased the lightest possible suitcases in the past, only to watch them fail earlier than expected. The Voyageur’s added substance feels intentional rather than excess weight.  I’ve bought using the priority of being as light as possible in the past, and it seems that those suitcases often last the least amount of time.

Conclusion

The Level 8 Voyageur earned the Red Dot Design Award in 2024 and was voted a Newsweek Reader’s Choice Award winner for luggage. It looks modern and stylish, offers plenty of room, and comes with a lifetime warranty covering functional aspects including the shell, wheels, handles, and zippers. That warranty, combined with the robust build, addresses my past frustration with lighter bags that simply didn’t last.

Pricing lands around $300 for this size (prices range from$259 to $369 depending on size), and the model currently sits at 4.8 out of 5 stars across nearly 1,600 reviews.  You can also get a 20” and 28” matching set for about $500, saving a bit off the individual pieces. There are obviously cheaper suitcases than this, but I’ve spent far more over the past 15 years on purchasing multiple suitcases without extended warranty that ended getting trashed.  Spending a bit more up front for a suitcase I can use for the rest of my life just makes sense.

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