Level 8 Luggage Review: Is It Worth the Price?
Last Updated on September 9, 2024 by Kelly
The luggage brand Level8 recently invited me to choose several products to review. I’ve never owned nice luggage, so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to work with them! After reviewing their website, I chose to review the Luminous Textured 3-Piece Set. I frequently travel with my husband and kids, so I was looking for a luggage set that would be ideal for family travel as well as business travel.
Level8 also sent me the Sparter Portable Cooler as a surprise gift. Scroll down to see my review of this awesome cooler as a bonus!
Although I was gifted these products in exchange for my review, it was with the understanding that I was under no obligation to bias my review. Thus, this post features my honest review of the pros and cons of this luggage set.
Because I now own four products from Level 8, I feel I’m qualified to give a pretty thorough review!
If your’e in a hurry, here’s my quick summary.:
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
I’ve already used this luggage set on three vacations, a road trip, and multiple flights. I’ll continue to update this post as I use this luggage, but so far I am extremely impressed!
I definitely think this set is worth the price! If you’re looking to buy a new set of luggage that can see you through some serious miles, I’d definitely recommend the Level8 Luminous Textured 3-Piece Set.
Looking to buy this set? You can find it on the Level8 Site!
Unboxing
As I cut open the package that was shipped to me, I was happy to see that the luggage set was packaged in cotton dust bags. I thought this was a nice touch! It definitely signaled to me that this was a nice brand. (It reminded me of purchasing a luxury purse and getting a dust bag to go with it.)
I carefully read through the tags attached to each luggage handle. I noticed a small typo on one of the tags, which I thought was questionable from a reputable brand. However, after using the suitcases several times, I remain assured that they are of high quality. So, I’ll just accept that it was a minor mistake on the packaging tag.
The first thing I noticed about my new luggage was how compactly it folded up. The nested design allows for the two smaller suitcases to fit directly in the larger one. Because of this, the whole set doesn’t take up too much space. In fact, when the package arrived at my door, I didn’t think it could possibly be the 3-piece set because it looked so small. If you don’t have a lot of storage space in your home, the nested design is a definite must!
The next thing I noticed was how smoothly the wheels glided. The bags kept their balance as I easily glided them around our hallway. I could immediately picture myself easily pushing them throughout the airport.
One thing I also noticed was that there was static when I removed the set from the packaging, so a lot of dust got attached to them. I was worried that this would be a permanent issue, but thankfully it just lasted a few minutes after I unboxed the luggage set. I’ve had the suitcases for several weeks now and there’s not an issue with static.
I thought that the suitcases looked sleek and I couldn’t wait to use them!
My first impressions: The suitcases looked nice, they rolled very smoothly, and I liked the nested design!
Pros of Level8 Luggage
1. Adjustable Handles
I really appreciated how the handles on the luggage had multiple settings to allow for easy use for people of different height. During a recent family trip, we adjusted the handle so my 5-year old daughter could easily push her own luggage around the airport. That was a huge help!
2. Internal Storage is Durable
One thing I really loved about this set was that there was zippered storage on both halves of the suitcase. For our last trip, I had each suitcase jammed full of stuff. I had to really pull on the zipper to make sure everything zipped up. I was a little worried that we would tear the internal fabric, but it has held up great! There are no tears, and we’ve been able to zip up every time without issue. This was a huge 10/10 for me! We really put it to the test and it held up.
3. Quiet and Smooth Wheels
I’ve owned several pieces of luggage that have the spinner wheels, and these ones are by far my favorite. They are more compact than the wheels on my Samsonite suitcase (saving about an inch or so of extra space), and they still have the 360-degree capability. The wheels are quiet and it’s SO easy to push these suitcases around the airport. It felt like I barely had to lift a finger to get these around.
4. TSA-Approved Locks
Each of the pieces has a TSA-approved lock that is easy-to-use. It’s certainly nice to have a little extra piece of security while traveling. I just recommend taking a photo of the lock instructions so that you can easily access them.
5. Easy Storage with Nested Design
As I mentioned earlier, each suitcase fits in the larger one. The whole set barely takes up any room in my closet. This is one of my favorite features because I really need to maximize my storage space at home.
6. Anti-Scratch, Waterproof Material
The outer shell of this set is made with Germany Bayer Makrolon® Polycarbonate Hard Shell material. If it’s raining while the crew is loading luggage, you don’t have to worry that the rain is soaking through into your belongings.
The Cons
As I stated earlier, my goal is to always share an honest review. Truthfully, though, it was hard to find downsides to this luggage set. I’ve thought of. a couple of minor issues, which I will discuss below, but I wasn’t dissatisfied with anything. We’ve had this set for one summer so far, so I’ll update this post if anything comes up over time.
1. No Outside Compartments
This specific luggage set doesn’t have any outside compartments. This could be a pro or a con depending on your preferences. It wasn’t an issue for me, but if you wanted to have an outside panel for easy access, this set doesn’t offer it. (Level8 does have other products that have outside compartments, such as the Road Runner Carry-On 20″.)
I personally didn’t miss not having an outside compartment. We checked the larger luggage anyways, so it was never an issue for us.
2. Carry-On Dimensions for Budget Airlines May Not Be Adequate
I’ve found that the 20″-piece of luggage has worked on every domestic (USA) airline. I did notice, however, that the 20″ may not be suitable for some international budget airlines. The dimensions of the 20″ carry-on are: 14.5” L x 9.2” W x 21.5” H. The dimensions required for RyanAir, for example are, 21.65″ x 15.75″ x 7.87″ (55 x 40 x 20 cm). The dimensions are just slightly off for the width, unfortunately. The same is true with two other international airlines that I found: Air China and Emirates. If you’re planning to travel internationally with the 20″, I recommend carefully reading your airline’s requirements.
3. Single Color Choice
If you want to purchase the 3-piece set, it currently only comes in black. I happen to really like the black color, but if you wanted a bright or bold color, then this is not the set for you. You can get the 2-piece set (20″ and 24″) in either grey or navy, however.
If you are just interested in a carry-on suitcase, then Level8 has plenty of color choices for a single purchase. I just noticed that the sets are more limited in color.
4. Scuff Marks
Level8 states that the material is anti-scratch. I’ve seen some luxury luggage brands whose products look great new, but after a few trips, look awful. They’re covered in black scuff marks and need to be constantly cleaned. This set from Level8, however, has survived multiple trips with minimal scuff marks. My set has some white marks after traveling, but they’re only noticeable in certain lights.
The photo below shows the slight scuff marks after our previous flight. I tried buffing it out with a wet washcloth, but there really wasn’t a difference.
Final Assessment: Is It Worth the Price?
After using the Luminous Textured 3-Piece Set for several trips, I can safely say that I would pay full-price for this set. This set is, by far, the nicest luggage set I’ve ever owned. I can’t go back now!
Prior to using this set, I only owned soft-sided luggage. I’ve now been converted to a hard-sided luggage fan. This set has been super durable, sleek, and convenient.
So far we’ve used this set for a road trip to Chelan and 3 separate flights for our most recent trip to Florida. We’ll also be using it for our upcoming flights to California.
I would highly recommend this set to others. If you’re looking to purchase this set, you can find it on the Level8 website. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to shoot me an email. I’d be happy to share my experience and answer any questions.
Bonus: The Sparter Portable Soft Cooler Review!
Level8 surprised me and also sent me the Sparter Portable Soft Cooler. This cooler wasn’t on my radar, but I’m so glad they sent it to me! This cooler has been the powerhouse of the summer. It’s lightweight and it keeps everything cold. It’s great for day trips, picnics, and backyard barbecues. We’ve used it a ton this summer.
There’s currently a pending patent on this cooler for its insulation technology that allows it to keep items cold for up to 4 to 7 days. (Perfect for camping!)
I decided to put it to the test. I froze a water bottle and placed it in the cooler with the ice pack that came with the cooler. I then placed the cooler in our backyard during the month of August. The daily temperature ranged from the high 70s to mid 80s. I only unzipped the cooler to briefly check on the contents once per day.
Here’s what I found:
Day 1: The water bottle was still about half frozen
Day 2: The water bottle was no longer frozen, and the water was slightly cool to the touch
I was impressed with the cooler’s ability to keep things cool for a full day. I think the results would be even better if I filled the cooler with ice in addition to the ice pack.
I now bring this cooler on overnight trips. I wish I would have had this years ago when we went to the Grand Canyon with our toddler. We went on a massive road trip and I wanted to keep milk and produce fresh while were on the road. I also didn’t want to unpack the cooler every night and transfer it to a hotel fridge. We used our bulky and heavy Yeti for that trip, but this cooler would have been lighter and taken up much less space. Given that experience, I think the Sparter cooler would be perfect for a road trip.
Final Thoughts
One of things I love most about blogging is getting to connect with fellow travelers and brands. In this case, I’m really glad Level8 reached out to me because I’m really happy with their products. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about my experience with either the Luminous Textured 3-Piece Set or the Sparter Portable Soft Cooler.
If you’re interested in other products I’ve reviewed, check out my post about KUHL’s clothing line. I highly recommend them as well!