Level 8 Voyageur Luggage Set
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 checke 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.
28" Voyageur Check-In
The Voyageur Check-In is available in three sizes: 26", 28" and 30". We opted for the 28" and it looks quite substantial compared to our current duffel checked bags. The 28" actually measures 27.3"H x 16.6"W x 13.3"D, weighs 11.8 Ibs 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 8" deep while the lid (the yellow part) is 5.5" 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 with 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.
SCOTTeVEST T5 Sport Coat
Finally, a sport coat that’s PERFECT for travel.
April 9, 2019 - After nearly 20 years of cruising and well over 100 cruises, I have never found the "perfect" travel sport coat. That is, until now. I recently returned from a 14-night transatlantic sailing aboard Regent Seven Seas Explorer, where gentlemen are not "required", but "expected" to dress "appropriately" after 6pm. I just don't feel comfortable going out in the evening aboard a luxury cruise ship not wearing a jacket.
I recently received a T5 Sport Coat from SCOTTeVEST. When my black 42L T5 Sport Coat arrived, I was immediately impressed by the quality and feel of the materials used in the construction. My first positive experience was when I tried it on and it fit PERFECTLY. However, this is much more than just a nice-looking, well-fitting sport coat. The jacket is loaded with cool features, not the least of which is 19 different pockets!
T5 Sport Coat has 19 pockets!
Three of the pockets are on the outside of the jacket: a left-side breast pocket, and two hip pockets. These are complemented by 16 other "hidden" pockets on the interior lining of the jacket. There's a pocket large enough to hide a LARGE iPad and another that is perfect for passports and other documents. Everywhere you look inside this jacket, there are handy pockets of varying sizes and shapes.
On the right side of the jacket interior there is one pocket perfectly sized for a wallet or credit card holder, along with two small slots to hold pens.
One clever little pocket is designed to hold eyeglasses and even includes a small microfiber cleaning cloth.
There are more pockets that you would probably ever use at one time, but it is always better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them. One advantage to having so many pockets is the ability to store all of your gadgets in the jacket before going through airport security. Your cell phone, iPad, keys, wallet, credit cards, and metal objects that normally need to be removed, can all be placed in the jacket. Then, simply remove the jacket and send it through the x-ray machine! There is even a pocket the entire width of the jacket in the back panel that I can only assume is for carring a small laptop. Yes, it's that big.
The T5 Sport Coat also offers RFID protection, and a small key chain is sewn into one of the pockets. A LOT of thought and engineering has gone into this jacket. The jacket is made of a blend of polyester/rayon and spandex to give it incredible travel chops. I folded the T5 into thirds and packed it in my suitcase. When we arrived on the ship hours later, I hung it up and it instantly regained its shape with no wrinkles!
SCOTTeVEST even claims the jacket has some water-resistant properties, which I did not put to the test. The interior zippers are small enough so that they are not visible from the outside of the jacket. And, the liner (with its repeating SCOTTeVEST logo) is very high quality and comfortable. The zippers and pulls appear to be high-quality, but longer-term testing will have to be done before I can make that claim.
I also have not yet had the jacket dry-cleaned (which is recommended), so I cannot make any claim as to how well it holds up over time. However, at first glance, this appears to be the perfect sport coat for those who travel. It is easy to pack, holds everything you could ever want to carry with you, looks good, and fits perfectly. Is there anything that I don't like about the T5? Yes. I don't like that it only comes in black. I would like to have one in gray, navy and camel!
For more information on the SCOTTeVEST, you can visit their website at ScottEVest.com