Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 3/20/24 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 3/20/24

Level 8 Voyageur Luggage Set

We put the Voyaguer luggage from Level 8 to the test.

The search for the perfect set of luggage seems to be never ending. Over the past 20 years of travel, we have gone through no less than a dozen different carry-on and checked luggage products.

When it comes to checked luggage, we have had hard-sided luggage and soft duffel bags. We have had luggage with wheels and some without. We definitely prefer those with wheels. Our most recent checked bags are wheeled soft duffels that came from COSTCO. They have performed well, but are beginning to show some wear and tear.

Finding the perfect carry-on bag is no less challenging. Rickee and I agree that a carry-on must have four wheels that easily swivel and fit “wheels first” into the most common aircraft overhead bins.

We recently became aware of Level 8 luggage from YouTube and reached out to them to see if they would like for us to review their products during a cruise with Swan Hellenic.

The first to arrive was the Voyageur 2-piece luggage set which included a 26” checked bag and a matching 20” carry-on. Some may find the yellow-and-black color scheme to be a bit garish, but we like luggage that we can easily spot in a sea of black bags on an airport carousel.

26” Voyageur Check-In

The Voyageur Check-In is available in three sizes: 26”, 28” and 30”. We opted for the 26” and it looks quite substantial compared to our current duffel checked bags. The 26” actually measures 27.3''H x 16.6''W x 13.3''D, weighs 11.8 lbs and has a claimed capacity of 93 liters.

The Check-In is shaped more like a trunk than a traditional piece of luggage. The shell is a German-made Makrolon® polycarbonate construction, which Level 8 claims to be light and durable. Ours came in yellow and black making it hard to miss.

The base of the Check-In is XX” deep while the lid (the yellow part) is XX” deep.

The zipper has Level 8 branded pulls which appear sturdy. The zipper is not waterproof, so care should be taken not to leave the luggage in the rain. The zipper is the most likely point of failure on any piece of zippered luggage, and only time will tell if the Level 8 zippers will hold up to the rigors of abusive baggage handlers. The zipper does glide easily and the pulls can be secured into a TSA lock mechanism on the side of the bag.

The four casters each swivel 360 degrees to turn this into a spinner bag. Each caster has two wheels and each wheel has a rubber tread. The bag glides easily on hard or carpeted surfaces.

The aluminum telescopic handle has three detents and is one of the distinguishing features of the Voyageur line up. Unlike on the more traditional spinners, the handle spans the entire width of the bag, making it quite sturdy and stable while placing the support rails inside the bag at the very edges.

This design places the support rails on the interior of the base at the far edges of the bag rather than in the center of the base. This design makes it easier to pack the base without the need to work around the handle support structure inside the base of the bag.

Opening the shell of the Voyageur Check-In may lead to some confusion as the interior designs are not consistent from bag to bag. For some reason, the Voyageur luggage interior comes in two different layouts. On the Check-In sent to us, the black base is covered with a zippered mesh fabric, underneath which are compression straps. On the lid (the yellow piece), is another zippered panel with two zippered pockets. One pocket is a breathable mesh and the other a vinyl “moisture proof” design. The interior configuration of the other version is just the opposite with the two zippered pockets being placed on the black base side.

You won’t know which configuration you get until your Voyageur arrives because the bags are selected for shipping ‘randomly’. There is no option to select which version you actually want. Our Check-In also had compression straps affixed to the inside of the base, even though the accompanying literature does not show any straps. This confusion continues to the Voyageur Carry-On, as we will discuss later.

As for the zippers, there is a reference on the Level 8 website to suggest that YKK- brand zippers are used, but with zipper pulls branded for Level 8. This is good news since YKK is known for making the highest quality zippers. While the shell material of the Voyageur bags is completely waterproof, the zippers are not. Therefore, the Voyageur bags should not be left out in the rain.

Voyageur Carry-On 20”

The Voyageur Carry-on is a 20” roll-aboard bag with 4 caster spinner wheels with two wheels per caster, just like its big brother, the Check-In. The shell is constructed of the same German-made Makrolon® polycarbonate as the Check-In. Notwithstanding the lack of an additional handle on the bag’s lid, the Carry-On is basically a smaller version of the Check-In in almost every way.

And, for some reason, just like the Check-In, the interior layout comes in two versions that ship randomly. Our Voyageur Carry-On did not have compression straps in the base side of the case, even though the accompanying owner’s manual did show the straps. We were disappointed that these compression straps were missing because we feel they are critical to securing items in the bag.

As with the Check-In, the zippers on the Carry-On are not waterproof.

While the wide edge-to-edge handle does offer an unobstructed base when packing, it limits the ability to slip a personal item, equipped with a sleeve, over the handle. Your only option may be to set your personal item (backpack, etc) on the top of the Voyageur and hope it does not slide off onto the floor as you travel through the airport.

If you absolutely insist on being able to slip your personal luggage over the handle, you might be better served with the Level 8 Luminous 20” Carry-On, which is essentially the same bag, but with a narrow pull-up handle.

Performance

We field tested the Voyageur Check-In and Carry-On during a cruise vacation that had us flying from DFW to San Jose, Costa Rica. Arranging packing cubes (Eagle Creek) in the Check-In was effortless and the shape of the Check-In along with the design of the wide handle offers a lot of unobstructed space for packing.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/13/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/13/21

Luggage Forward Luggage Delivery Service Review

For the third time, we use Luggage Forward to ship our luggage and, once again they deliver!

Luggage Forward is a door-to-door luggage and sports equipment delivery service that can eliminate the hassle of having to deal with your luggage when traveling. Rather than lugging your checked luggage through airports and praying that the airlines don’t lose your luggage, you can let Luggage Forward ship your luggage or sports equipment directly to your travel destination. Luggage Forward’s network of shipping partners can pick-up and deliver your luggage virtually anywhere in the world.

We have used Luggage Forward delivery services several times over the past few years and they have always come through with excellent service. Luggage Forward is a sponsor of our most recent cruise aboard Silversea Silver Moon. Below are some of the experiences we have had with Luggage Forward.

2021 UPDATE: LUXURY OCEAN CRUISE

When we were invited to join a group of media professionals for a 10-night sailing aboard Silversea Silver Moon, we knew this would be the perfect opportunity to utilize Luggage Forward’s services. Setting up the service on their website is straightforward.

We received our label packet from Luggage Forward in plenty of time and the instructions were clear and concise.

Instructions and labels for the luggage return

Even though Luggage Forward did not say it was necessary, we decided to wrap our bags in a stretchy plastic wrap, then we attached the Luggage Forward labels to both bags per the instructions. The labels are very durable and tough.

Fedex arrived at our home about 10 days before our departure date to collect our luggage and we did not see the luggage again until we reached the ship in Athens. The luggage was shipped to Greece and we were informed by Luggage Forward when the bags arrived safely and that they were being kept in a locked, dry room at the port until the ship arrived. We appreciated being notified of the delivery status. Our bags were waiting for us when we embarked Silver Moon. It is so nice not to have to deal with our large luggage when traveling internationally, nor worrying whether or not the luggage will be transferred to connecting flights.

When we disembarked the vessel, our luggage was picked up by DHL at the pier and they were delivered to our home only 4 days after we disembarked the ship in Athens! Amazing service.

As you can see from the photo below, our bags arrived in excellent condition, despite not being plastic‑wrapped for the return home. Once again, Luggage Forward delivered as promised. This is a great service and one that we can highly recommend!

2016 UPDATE: EUROPE RIVER CRUISE

On our 2016 European River Cruise assignment, we were scheduled to be in Europe for three weeks covering two different cruise lines. Once again, we decided to have one of our pieces of luggage shipped to our hotel in Basel, Switzerland (Swissôtel Le Plaza). We also wanted two pieces of luggage shipped home at the conclusion of the cruise. I was able to book the shipping service through the Luggage Forward website (LuggageForward.com), which is very straightforward and easy to use. When our plans changed, I emailed Luggage Forward support and within an hour, they had made the change on their end. We have always had excellent follow-up and service from Luggage Forward.

A few days after making the booking online, we received our Luggage Forward shipping labels and instructions, which are very well organized. About ten days from our departure date, the shipping company showed up to pick up my large blue duffel bag and ship it to our hotel in Switzerland. A few days later, I received an email from Luggage Forward informing me that my luggage had been delivered to Swissôtel in Basel.

A few days later, we arrived in Basel and after checking into our hotel, we found that my blue duffel had already delivered to our room!

*Duffel bag deliverd to our hotel room in Basel, Switzerland*

At the end of our three-week cruise assignment, it was time to put the Luggage Forward labels on both of our bags for return shipping to the USA. Luggage Forward is used to dealing with cruise ships and hotels, so all that was required was for us to leave our luggage with the ship's concierge before we disembarked. Later that same day, I received another email from Luggage Forward informing me that our bags had been picked up for shipment back to the USA.

*Our bags are labeled for the return trip to the USA*

Luggage Forward informed us that we could expect our luggage to be shipped back to our home in Texas no later than June 6. Imagine our delight when the luggage was delivered to our door on May 30, only 3 days after we arrived back home. They were even delivered on Memorial Day!

Once again, we are amazed at how efficiently Luggage Forward picks up, ships and delivers our luggage. Our luggage was returned to us in the same condition as when we last saw it. We continue to be impressed with the service this company provides, and that is why Luggage Forward was selected to receive our Editor's Choice award for 2015.

Once again, we avoided the hassle of dealing with checked luggage on the airlines, having to wait for our luggage at baggage claim after an all-night flight, and dealing with Customs at the airport. Shipping your luggage directly to your hotel or cruise ship is the only way to travel in style.

This is a great company with a great track record and we can highly recommend their services. Check their website at LuggageForward.com.

2015 UPDATE: OUR 2015 HAWAII CRUISE AND LUGGAGE FORWARD

We just returned from a 10-day Hawaiian cruise with Un-Cruise Adventures. Rather than hassle with checked luggage on our return flight from Kona, Hawaii to Dallas-Fort Worth, we decided to have our two large duffel bags shipped home using Luggage Forward. We were so impressed with the service we received last year in New Zealand, that we were confident our luggage would arrive back home on time and safe. When we booked the pick-up on their website, we indicated that we would be leaving the bags with the concierge at the Four Seasons Haulalai in Kona, Hawaii. A few days before we departed for Hawaii, our Luggage Forward labels arrived with complete instructions.

As you can see in the photo above, we attached the Luggage Forward labels to our two bags then dropped them off with the hotel concierge. We were able to fly home without the hassle and added cost of checking bags with the airlines. We also did not have to wait for 30 minutes at baggage claim when we arrived at 6:00 am after an all-night flight. Much more convenience! Best of all, in just two days, our bags arrived at our home, a day ahead of schedule!

*Our bags arrived at home a day ahead of schedule*

Once again, Luggage Forward came through for us. This is a great service for anyone on any cruise, and especially Un-Cruise Adventures. If you want to pack up your snorkel gear, SCUBA, hiking boots and gear, or whatever, you can easily have your stuff shipped directly to the cruise ship with Un-Cruise. Your gear will be waiting for you in your stateroom when you board the ship! Once again, Luggage Forward made believers out of us!

LUGGAGE FORWARD FOR OUR NEW ZEALAND CRUISE 2014

A three-week-long trip to New Zealand was the perfect opportunity to have our two large duffel bags shipped directly to our cruise ship. This was not the first time we have used[end] a luggage shipping service. And quite frankly, we have had mixed results in the past. The main reason we selected Luggage Forward for this trip was because of a good experience we had the last time we used their service. We can honestly say from experience , the company you choose can make a big difference.

*Easy to follow instructions and pre-printed labels from Luggage Forward*

You may be wondering why we chose to ship our bags to New Zealand instead of just checking them with the airline. First, this trip involves three different connecting flights on two different airlines. That translates into at least three opportunities for the airlines to lose our luggage. Since we are embarking on a cruise to the subantarctic islands, there would be no way for delayed luggage to get to our cruise ship. Second, since we are flying internationally, we would have to claim our checked luggage in Auckland, go through Customs, then re-check the luggage on to Dunedin (our final destination). That is a hassle and time consuming. And third, the airlines have strict weight restrictions on checked luggage.

I was able to schedule our luggage delivery entirely through the Luggage Forward website (LuggageForward.com), which was quite easy to navigate and understand. A few days after booking online, I received a package from Luggage Forward with detailed information and pre-printed shipping labels. This was quite an upgraded process from the previous time we used Luggage Forward. They have really streamlined the process of shipping luggage. There was a separate envelope with all the paperwork required for each leg of the trip and the envelopes were clearly marked. It could not have been easier.

*Our two large bags are wrapped in plastic with Luggage Forward labels attached*

In our case, our luggage was schedule to be picked up from our home 10 days before our flight to New Zealand. We chose to wrap our luggage in plastic wrap just to protect the canvas luggage, but it probably was not necessary. We attached the large shipping labels using plastic cable ties in addition to the adhesive backing on the labels. The Federal Express driver showed up right on time, scanned our luggage, and off they went.

We arrived in Dunedin, New Zealand, the day before our cruise. After nearly 24 hours of flying from Dallas to Dunedin, it was nice to walk off the plane and not have to wait for our luggage at baggage claim. When we arrived at our hotel, I checked my email and had a message from Luggage Forward confirming that our luggage had been delivered to the ship as promised. When we boarded Silver Discoverer the following day, our luggage was sitting on the bed when we arrived at our suite. Now THAT is the way to start a Silversea cruise!

*Our luggage was waiting for us in our suite when we arrived on board*

At the end of our cruise in Wellington, New Zealand, we had scheduled to have Luggage Forward ship one of our duffel bags back to the USA. We planned to keep one with us for five days of post-cruise travel through New Zealand. After disembarking Silver Discoverer, we located the port agent who was tasked with making sure our duffel was picked up by the local DHL shipping agent. The following day, we received an email from Luggage Forward confirming that our duffel was picked up by DHL and was on its way back to the USA.

*Our bag awaiting pickup at the Wellington cruise terminal (no plastic wrap)*

A few days before we departed New Zealand for home, we received another email from Luggage Forward indicating that they had attempted to deliver our luggage to our house, but nobody was there to sign for it. I fired off an email to let them know we would not be home for two more days and asked if they could schedule delivery on a specific day. Within an hour I received and email back from Luggage Forward confirming that they had re-scheduled delivery of our luggage.

Our luggage arrived the next day after we arrived home, as promised. In our opinion, Luggage Forward delivered on their promise of a hassle-free luggage shipping service. Their website is top-notch, emails are answered quickly and calls to their toll-free number are answered by real people. If you are looking for a hassle-free way to have your luggage shipped directly to your cruise ship, we highly recommend Luggage Forward!

Shipping luggage to New Zealand and back to the USA is not cheap. However, if we were to ship the same duffel to a cruise ship in the USA, the cost is only around $179. Obviously, the destination has a dramatic impact on the cost, as well as the size and weight of the luggage. However, for the convenience and security of knowing we would not be on a two week cruise with no clothes, it was well worth it.

For more information, check out their website at LuggageForward.com

Originally posted on: 2/26/2015

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/5/18 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/5/18

Eagle Creek® Pack-It Spectre Travel Organizers

These lightweight organizers make packing for your next cruise easy.

We have been using Eagle Creek original Pack-It™ products for years and have always found them to be quite useful. When we discovered that they had released the new Spectre™ line of Pack-It products, we were very anxious to give them a try.

As you can see from the photo above, the Pack-It is a complete packing system with a wide variety of sizes, shapes (and even colors) to solve a number of packing problems. The first thing we noticed about the new Spectre line of Pack-It products was how light they are. Eagle Creek uses a parachute nylon material which is extremely thin and lightweight, but tough and durable. Weight is paramount when packing, especially when traveling on airlines with strict weight limits.

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*Spectre products come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes*

The garment folder is one of our favorite Pack-It products. I can fit one large and one medium Garment Folder into my large duffle bag. A medium-size garment folder can easily fit into a roll-aboard piece of luggage. Slacks can be folded in half to fit into the garment folder and a handy plastic guide (included) helps you with folding shirts and blouses. I can easily fit two pair of dress slacks and six shirts into a single large garment folder. The garment folder seals with Velcro and is adjustable so that it can hold more, or less, depending on your needs.

*Large garment folder packed with two pair of slacks and six shirts*

The compression cubes were perfect for packing underwear and socks. The unique zipper wraps around the cube so that it compresses the contents, saving even more space in your luggage.

The Wristlet Set contains two smaller pieces, one of which is the perfect size for holding a standard can of sunscreen!

These bags also have a plastic liner, making them leak/moisture-resistant. These are great for packing liquids and small cosmetic items.

The cube-shaped pieces are great for stuffing just about any sort of item into each one. With everything packed into uniform folders and bags, it is very easy to arrange the Pack-It items in your suitcase.

*Pack-It Spectre items fit nicely into any suitcase*

Another advantage of the Pack-It system comes into play when you arrive at your destination. You can simply remove the Pack-It containers and throw them into a dresser drawer or on a shelf at your hotel or cruise ship. This is what I do with the Pack-It Cube that I use for socks and underwear. I carry an empty Pack-It cube to hold dirty items for the trip home.

There are dozens of different shapes and sizes of Pack-It Specter products, and Eagle Creek has just introduced a line of Pack-It Spectre Tech products to complement the ones we tested. Perhaps we will have an opportunity to test some of those in the near future! Click for details.

The Spectre Starter Set contains a medium garment folder, a cube and a half-cube for $58.95. It is a great way to try out the Pack-It system for yourself, but beware, you will soon be ordering more once you become accustomed to the convenience of the Pack-It way of packing.

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As I said at the beginning of this review, we have been using the Eagle Creek Pack-It system for years. The Spectre line is even better than the original. Each piece is lighter, tougher and more flexible than other Pack-It systems. We will never travel without them!

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