LEVEL8 luggage review: is their carry-on worth it?

Last Updated on November 11, 2025 by Ioana

As a travel blogger and frequent traveller, I love to travel light, so I only take a carry-on with me on most of my trips. It was time for me to get a new carry-on suitcase since I had my old one for a very long time. I picked a carry-on luggage from LEVEL8. In this blog post I will share my LEVEL8 luggage review for their black 20″ Luminous Textured carry-on so you can decide if it’s the right one for you too. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here. 

My first impressions

When I opened the package I first saw the cotton dust bag that covered the bag. So my first impression was that I was unboxing something luxurious. It felt just like when you buy a purse from a luxury brand and it comes in a dust bag.

Then when I saw the carry-on the first thing that came to mind was: wow, this looks sleek! Visually, it looked like a high quality hard-shell suitcase.

It had a black, minimalist design, which I loved. I felt that the minimalist look added to the impression that the luggage was high-quality and durable. It also looked expensive.

I was excited to test all its features and to start packing for my upcoming trip.

The design of the LEVEL8 carry-on bag

The luggage has a sleek design. They use high-quality materials such as German-made makrolon polycarbonate for their exterior hard shell. 

The luggage also has a special anti-scratch texture. This feature gives me peace of mind because I was always worried that I would scratch my suitcase.

I got the 20″ carry-on, which is a size that’s compatible with the carry-on requirements for all major international airlines. It might be a bit too large for low-cost airlines, though.

If you travel with low-cost airlines a lot, or just prefer a smaller suitcase, then the 18″ carry-on would be a great choice.

All their suitcases have a waterproof shell, so you don’t have to worry about your clothes getting wet. Of course, the zipper area is not waterproof, but everything else is.

Key features of the LEVEL8 carry-on bag

The suitcase has a 3-step adjustable handle made from aluminum. I found it much easier to move the handle up and down compared to my previous suitcase from a different brand. It glides really smoothly.

I also loved the 360 degree spinner wheels. They roll so smoothly in airports or train stations! It feels like you barely have to apply any force to drag the luggage with you.

I never thought smooth wheels would make such a big difference, but they do.

The carry-on also has built-in TSA-approved locks, which is the standard in the industry nowadays.

The two interior compartments provide ample space to pack all your personal items. Both compartments are closed with zippers. 

My previous suitcase had just one compartment that could be closed with zipper and the other compartment had just two adjustable straps to hold the clothes together.

When I saw that both compartments of this LEVEL8 carry-on need to be zipped I panicked a bit because I thought that I won’t have that much space.

However, I was wrong, since I was able to fit in a lot of things and I was also able to easily zip everything up. I think this modern design for the compartments also works very well with packing cubes.

👉 Save 15% on any LEVEL8 item with code solotravel15

How long did it take to receive your bag?

I am based in Romania and it took a week for me to receive the luggage. They said shipping times are about 7-10 days, and their estimate was correct.

The speed of delivery and shipping fees depend on your location. For example, if you’re based in the US, Canada, UK, and EU, they offer free shipping for all orders. 

If you’re based in Australia, Asia, and the Middle East, there is a shipping fee you have to pay. This shipping fee increases with the size of your order since they have to ship larger weights and volumes in that case.

Just checked their website’s shipping FAQ section to double check the shipping fees for your location.

Does LEVEL8 offer a warranty for their bags?

Yes. LEVEL8 offers a lifetime warranty that covers any functional damage to the shell, wheels, handles, zippers, or anything else that impairs your use of the luggage.

As with other luggage brands as well, this warranty does not cover any damage caused by misuse or wear and tear, which I think is fair.

Does LEVEL8 have other carry-on models as well?

Yes, they do. Their other very popular model is the Voyageur carry-on. It looks very similar to the Luminous model, but it has a wide telescopic handle instead of a regular width handle.

I didn’t pick the Voyageur luggage because of this reason. Sometimes I like to stack a purse or backpack on my carry-on and you can’t really do that on extra wide handles.

However, I will say that the wide handle looks very cool. So if you don’t really need to stack anything on top, then you can go with the Voyageur carry-on instead.

Their Creator and Road Runner carry-on have a laptop pocket for easy access to your laptop. These model also works well for business travel.

I used to be a management consultant before I became a blogger, so working from airport was the norm. These carry-ons would have been handy for me back in the day.

Besides the Voyageur, Creator, and Road Runner models, they have a few others as well. So you definitely have a lot of choices. All their models also come in a variety of colors so you can pick something that matches your style and personality.

I personally went with black because it’s an elegant color and matches any outfit I wear on travel days.

👉 Get 15% off any LEVEL8 item with the code solotravel15

Does LEVEL8 have checked bags too?

Yes, LEVEL8 also has checked bags. All their carry-on models also come in a checked bag size too. And if you buy a 2-piece set that’s comprised of one carry-on and one check-in suitcase you can also save money as they offer discounts.

Final thoughts

I really love my new LEVEL8 Luminous carry-on. I think it’s modern, sleek, durable and has all the features I need. It also fits way more clothes than I thought it would.

Plus, having smooth wheels and a handle that slides up and down easily, makes this carry-on my favorite one yet. I honestly can’t think of something that I don’t like about it. 

👉 Take 15% off your LEVEL8 purchase with promo code solotravel15