Hello my wonder friends, how have you been?
Are you of suitcases breaking in the middle of the trip and having to go shopping for a brand new one in the middle of your travels?
After needing to change generic brand suitcases every other year, one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to go on a quest for the perfect travel luggage.
Hours of research later, I ended up buying a Level 8 Hegent Suitcase, and here’s my review of wonders in case you’re in the search of a durable suitcase that will last you many years!
A Review of the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase
Finding the right suitcase brand can be a challenging task. After all, it’s not as if you can take it out for a test run and return it to the store after a long months-long trip if you’re not convinced.
This is why making the right choice at the beginning is very important. After years of traveling with generic luggage that I replaced every other year, I decided to give Level 8 a go after many fellow travelers recommended it.
When buying a suitcase, there are 7 important key aspects I always consider to be the most essential: Size and Capacity, Durability, Weight, Design and Mobility, Safety Features, Compartments, and Warranty.
Here’s how the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase scores in each of them.
Size and Capacity
In the world of travel luggage, there are two important categories you need to consider when it comes to which one you want to purchase: carry-on luggage or checked-in luggage.
Me? I prefer to travel with a carry-on backpack where I put all of my electronics and a change of clothes in case my checked-in luggage goes missing. In addition to that, I also travel with a checked-in suitcase where I put all of my clothes, toiletries, and tripod.
I have met travelers who prefer the opposite combination. That is, a carry-on suitcase and a checked-in massive backpack. I also met double backpack users and double suitcase users.
Whatever your preferred travel style is, you need to pay a lot of attention to the dimensions that each airline has for the limits of carry-on luggage since it always needs to fit either under your seat or on the overhead bin.
Not all airlines have the same requirements so check it out before you travel to avoid last-minute surprises. This website has an updated non-exhaustive list of many airlines’ size limits for carry-on luggage.
Level 8 Suitcases sells both carry-on and checked-in suitcases so no matter what your favorite travel style is, you can find the perfect travel companion for your adventures.
The model I ordered, the Hegent 24’, is in the category of checked-in luggage since, as I mentioned, my preferred method of travel is to carry a small backpack as a carry-on and then check in a single suitcase.
And this suitcase is more than enough for me to pack enough clothes to travel for 2 weeks which is the perfect timeframe for long-term travel since it only requires you to do laundry every 10 days or so.
Level 8 also sells a very useful backpack, the Atlas Model which is perfect light-weight backpack for your laptop, camera, and other electronics to take with you onboard the plane.
Size and Capacity Score: 5/5
Durability
As I mentioned earlier, there’s nothing worse than having your suitcase or backpack break in the middle of nowhere and being forced to buy an overpriced last-minute replacement that will end up breaking as well in a few months.
This has happened to me multiple times. The worst one? Having to carry a suitcase with broken wheels across the Sahara Desert. Yeah, it sucked.
In Mexico, we have a phrase that says “Lo Barato Sale Caro” which translates basically to, “cheap items will end up costing you more in the long run”. And with travel luggage, this saying is true.
Sure, you can save a lot of money by buying a generic suitcase. But if that suitcase breaks to the point where you need to buy a new one every year: are you saving money or spending way more money than if you had just bought an expensive durable one?
When buying the perfect travel luggage, make sure that it will last you at least 5 years. This is the ideal timeframe for having a durable travel companion that will never break.
My research on durable suitcases leaned towards favoring those with a hard shell since they are harder to break and impossible to slash or tear. Luckily, the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase has this covered with their hard-shell suitcases.
The moment my Level 8 Hegent Suitcase arrived, I was immediately surprised by the sturdiness of its hard shell. This thing is meant to last!
The metal corner external protectors and polycarbonate shell combined with its built-in alluminium frame provide the perfect protection for both the suitcase’s contents and also for the suitcase’s exterior itself (no scratches!).
Knowing how “delicate” airport staff behaves in major airports, the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase gives me a lot of confidence that my perfume bottles will never break.
Durability Score: 5/5
Weight
While correlated to size and capacity, weight is important enough to be in its category. The reason for that? Small luggage can be very heavy depending on the material. And big luggage can be very light as well.
Weight is directly correlated to durability as well. Durable materials, such as hard shells for suitcases, weigh a lot. While non-durable materials, such as nylon, weigh very little.
This creates a dilemma for most travelers in the sense that if you want durable big travel luggage, it is going to weigh A LOT so you will have to be very smart when packing (you can read my packing guide here) to avoid having to pay extra pounds/kilos at the airport.
At the same time, if you want light big travel luggage, you will have to make a compromise in its durability and also on its security features (more on that later) since the light-weighted materials used can be easily slashed or broken into by thieves.
Personally, after years of traveling with valuable photo equipment, I have come to accept that the best travel luggage will end up weighing a lot so I have to make sure that it doesn’t exceed the accepted weight restrictions by airlines.
After weeks of traveling in Mexico and trying out the Level 8 Hegent suitcase, the only thing that falls short of a perfect score is that it is quite on the heavy side so you will have to pack in a smart way to avoid having to pay extra at the airport when they weigh your checked-in luggage.
This isn’t a problem for most travelers but it might be a problem for photographers who check in heavy tripods or for folks who love going on shopping sprees and bringing back a lot of souvenirs.
When it comes to compromises you have to make when finding the perfect travel luggage, I consider weight to be the one that is the easiest one to sacrifice to prioritize durability and safety so I don’t mind how heavy the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase is at the end of the day.
Weight Score 4/5
Design and Mobility
Even if you’re the type of traveler who takes taxis everywhere, you still need travel luggage with efficient mobility for when you’re moving inside the airport.
Airports can easily become a huge nuisance if you don’t have travel luggage that is efficient in the mobility department. Can you imagine the nightmare of missing a flight simply because you weren’t fast enough to reach your boarding gate?
If your suitcase doesn’t have reliable wheels that can spin in all directions, you should consider getting one that does. Having a sturdy retractable handle is also a must since there’s nothing more inconvenient than traveling around with a broken suitcase handle.
The overall design of the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase is one of mature minimalism which perfectly fits a down-to-earth yet stylish aesthetic.
One of the things that stand out the most is the lack of an external zipper. The suitcase is fully opened by just unlocking both padlocks which is a brilliant design in my opinion since it makes it easier to access the contents of your Level 8 Hegent Suitcase.
The telescopic handle of the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase I ordered is also very sturdy and can be adjusted to many sizes so it doesn’t matter how tall (or short) you are. The wheels do their job amazingly and spin around 360 degrees for ease of use.
This suitcase is a true gem of exquisite design coupled with great features that will enhance your travel experience, my wonder friends.
A piece of well-designed travel luggage can be a lifesaver while a poorly designed one will cause you a lot of headaches and this is why the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase is becoming one of the favorite suitcases I have ever owned.
Design and Mobility Score: 5/5
Security Features
When you travel, you must make sure that all of your valuables are safely stored inside your travel luggage without a way for thieves to access them.
Sadly, in our modern day, a zipper and a keyed padlock are simply not enough to protect your stuff from getting stolen.
This is why investing in travel luggage with built-in code-based padlocks is a smart investment since these are harder to lockpick, unlike traditional keyed padlocks.
The Level 8 Hegent Suitcase features not just one but two code-based SAT-approved padlocks making this the safest suitcase currently on the market.
Each padlock can have an independent combination making it hard for potential thieves to guess it. The internal mechanisms are inaccessible from the outside so they can’t be lockpicked.
In many ways, placing all of my valuable electronics inside the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase felt way safer than placing them inside the hotel room’s safe. When it comes to security features, the Hegent exceeded all of my expectations and more!
Security Features: 5/5
Compartments
Having multiple compartments is a must so you can better organize all of your clothes, toiletries, and other items that you will need during your travels.
The ideal travel luggage has at least 3 different compartments so you can sort out your items and ensure that you have easy access to all of them.
Packing cubes, which Level 8 also sells, are the ideal companion if you need more compartments. I recommend putting all of your electronics in a single packing cube so you have an easier time at the airport when going through checkpoints.
The inside of the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase has a lot of compartments which make sorting your clothes quite easy.
I don’t know about you but I prefer to have my trousers in one section and my shirts in another different one so I can mix and match the outfit of the day more quickly and this suitcase enables this perfectly.
The Y-strap compression system is excellent for keeping your clothes and other personal items steady when you travel so your clothes don’t get scrambled all over.
The best thing? There’s a waterproof pocket which is perfect in case something inside of your toiletry bag spills. This way, the spill won’t carry over to the rest of the clothes.
Raise your hand if you ever arrived at your destination only to find out that the airplane pressure caused your shampoo to spill!
Compartment Score: 5/5
Warranty
A warranty is always important to have in case there are factory-made imperfections that need to be fixed.
Being able to return your travel luggage in case a wheel goes off, if the zipper breaks, or if the handle breaks is a good deal so make sure that the suitcase or backpack you’re buying has at least a 1-month warranty although aiming for a 1-year warranty is ideal.
Level 8 has a 1-year warranty for all suitcases which is a good enough timeframe for testing the suitcase out in case there’s an imperfection that can be fixed.
You can read the full details of the Warranty here on the Level 8 Website.
Warranty Score: 5/5
Rating of Wonders of Level 8 Hegent Suitcase:
Size and Capacity: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Weight 4/5
Design and Mobility 5/5
Security Features 5/5
Compartments 5/5
Warranty 5/5
Final Verdict: Must-Buy.
Are Level 8 Suitcases Worth the Money?
Level 8 is on the high-end of suitcases (200 USD and upwards) and understandably, it can be very expensive for many travelers who are used to buying generic 50 USD suitcases.
However, Level 8 Suitcases will last you for many years. Think of buying one as you would think of buying a nice watch or even a car. You’re not replacing them every other year. You’re very rarely going to replace them at all!
Therefore it offers great value for your money since, while expensive at first, it will end up being cheaper in the long run since you won’t be replacing it every other year (unlike generic suitcase brands).
What are you waiting for? Join the Level 8 Family and get ready to start your journey of wonders today my wonder friends!
The dimensions of the Level 8 Hegent 24’ Luggage I got are 17.7’Lx10.6’Wx26’H inches (45x27x66 cm). It has a weight of 12.6 lbs (5.7kg) and a capacity of 68L.
Level 8 also sells a 20’ model of the Hegent which is perfect for carry-on. The dimensions of the 20’ model are 15’’L x 9’’W x 22’H (38.5 x 23 x 56cm). It has a weight of 10lbs (4.5kg) and a capacity of 38L.
You can purchase it and many more here on the official Level 8 site. And on Amazon as well. You can use the discount code JourneyWonders10 to get an exclusive 10% when buying from the Level 8 Website discount.
I hope you have enjoyed this review of the Level 8 Hegent Suitcase. Don’t forget to subscribe to get more awesome updates and tips straight to your e-mail!
What’s your favorite suitcase brand? How often do you change suitcases? Share your thoughts and let me know what you think!
Until next time, my friends!
