Level8 Hegent Carry On Review
A business-focused offering targeting a Goldilocks price point and quality. Does it succeed?
Level8 Hegent Carry On Review Introduction
Level8 - the newest brand to me in this bit of a “golden age” of spinning luggage. In the past 5 years we’ve really seen quite a few newish brands come onto the scene to battle with the old guards of Samsonite and the TJ Maxx specials in the rolling luggage world. First was Away. Then came Monos, Paravel, etc. Even backpacks and EDC companies like AER and Nomatic are ‘rolling’ out luggage now. See what I did there? Enter, Level8.
I started seeing them advertising online but also with a few of the YouTubers I watch. And, the respectable YouTubers at that. Once I saw The Flip Flop Traveler with one (I’ve no relationship or connection to him) - then I started to believe it was a company I should check out. He doesn’t take luggage, or sponsorship, lightly.
They have a really solid selection - and frankly I think they hit on every type you’d need with spinners - but I don't see much that you WOULDN'T need. Where a brand like Paravel is looking for that bougie Safari aesthetic (Paravel Aviator review here) - Level8 is coming with that practical, German-looking, industrial aesthetic. And we’ll get into that further in the article. Today, we’ve got their Hegent 20 inch carry on spinner.
This is my review of the Level8 Hegent Carry On luggage. A business travel targeted piece, they’ve got the Executive traveler in mind with this one. I took this with me on two domestic flights (one cross country for work and one to a family wedding) as well as an international trip from NYC to LHR for 4 days. I also purchased their packing cubes on my own so I could pair them up in the photos. I wanted brand consistency, sue me.
As always for full transparency, I did proactively reach out to Level8 to ask if they’d be willing to provide a piece for review and they agreed. However, this is not sponsored and I received no money to publish this (I paid for the cubes). I do use affiliate links which help to support the site if you decide to use them to make a purchase, but you’re under no obligation to do so and there’s no additional cost to you. Thanks for stopping by!
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Level8 Hegent Carry On Overview
On Tour in Heathrow
So as mentioned the Hegent lineup is looking to target the executive business traveler. Both in terms of function (no fluff, has all you need), and looks (sleek, but understated and not looking to draw too much attention to itself).
In general, my impression of the brand is that they are trying to hit on extremely well made luggage with quality details and looks, but trim out the unnecessary stuff to keep the costs reasonable. I say reasonable and not cheap because this is NOT cheap luggage and it’s not meant to be. It’s meant to hit the sweet spot in terms of VALUE. That’s a very different thing.
The Hegent line adds some upgraded bits like aluminum-magnesium alloy frame and metal corner guards for extra durability.
It comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects. Remember though, it’s your responsibility to ensure you understand warranties as they can differ by manufacturer. Here is the link: Level8 warranty.
The suitcase itself is about 38L in total - which is a great number for flexible travel scenarios. Do note that there is also a check-in version that is considered a 24-inch piece.
Stats from the site:
Materials: Frame: Made with Aerospace-grade aluminum magnesium alloy.
Exterior: German-made Makrolon® polycarbonate.
Interior: Polyester fiberDimensions: 15''L x 9''W x 21.2''H (38.6 x 22.8 x 53.8 cm)
Weight: 10lbs (4.5kg)
It retails for $239.99 USD as of Nov 2024. Mine is in Navy and it looks damn good.
Hegent Carry On Features
Catching some rays in Laguardia with my Wife’s tote catching a ride.
This luggage, while light on “fluff” - does in fact come with some nice features to speak of. So let’s run through those now.
Right off the bat, the outside is made of Makrolon polycarbonate. This is German manufactured (which of course doesn’t mean anything with no context, but generally their process is well done) polycarbonate and widely considered one of the best in the world as far as this material goes. It’s used all over the place and nice luggage is one such example.
We mentioned the frame and corner reinforcements, check.
The luggage offers three sturdy handles. One is a slow release handle on the top of the bag, same on the side, and the last is a 4-stage telescoping handle for moving the bag around. Both are well made.
Something a little more unique is that they use a zipperless opening system that is still TSA compliant in terms of the locking mechanism. More on these later.
Ultra quiet and 360 degree spinning wheels round out the outside features.
Inside we’ve got some nice organization that includes a compression divider (with an additional pocket for flat items) on the main compartment, and a zippered flap on the secondary compartment (a favorite feature of mine).
On this flap you’ll see two zippered pockets, one that is actually TPU coated and waterproof. You can either place some smaller or flatter toiletry items here (maybe masks for those in the know) or wet clothes if you made one stop at the beach before your flight. Or a slightly wet travel towel, etc. Get creative with that - it’s your world amigo.
The Good
Design and branding is really, really solid here. It’s not “wow” or stand out really - but I for one I think that’s intentional. As I noted above it’s just got this really nice industrial, German kind of look to it and I think it’s pretty classy and non-boring, without looking flashy. I really like the yellow logo/branding on it as well. Some may not, but that works for me based on the whole. Color choices are also nice and business friendly and subtle.
I found it nice and sturdy. There’s a balance with these lightweight polycarbonate shells - you can’t have lightweight and ALSO have something built like a brick. Doesn’t work that way. Some higher priced luggages can still feel cheaper than they should, though. I felt the Hegent felt like it should. If that makes sense. Sturdy enough, even considering the lightweight materials being used.
Material choice in most cases was good, with two exceptions noted in the next section. Having a TPU coated pocket on the inside flap was a smart idea and not something I’ve seen a lot of in luggage. Makrolon is obviously a top choice. And I also liked with the side handles that they added some soft touch rubber to the bottom of them. So, the part you touch. That’s a nice thing to consider from the designers.
The wheelbase was very good and offered good balance with almost no tipping. In my previous spinner review you’ll note that I had real issues with that. But on the Hegent, I can report that it was fantastic handling small bumps and changes in surfaces (like carpet to tile) or just carpet in general and the materials on the jetways. It’s my belief that they made the wheels swing out slightly wider than the suitcase itself, so that makes me think it’s able to manage the top weight better. Regardless of the reason, I can report that it was great in practice and my wife noticed right away that it handled it better just from watching me with it.
Opening mechanisms - I loved these things! I’ve never used a piece of luggage that did not have a zipper on it and I’ll tell you, I’m sold. This was SO much easier for opening and closing and just less awkward. I’m not going to sit here and say zippers are impossible, they aren’t that big of a deal. But in a vacuum, these are just much better. I’d like to see these be more metal, but they felt sturdy and nice.
Slow release handles - this is just a good detail.
The rubber stands on one side are a nice touch too, in case you need to stand this on its side, it won’t have to sit directly on the ground and possibly mess up or scratch the hinges.
Lastly I really liked the implementation of the compression strap inside - another take on an old feature that I’ve not seen done this way before. Well done.
The Bad
Of course it’s never going to be all roses and unicorns. So what do I think could be improved?
The materials choice on the telescoping grab handle I think could be stepped up. I think using some soft touch there would go a long way. Touch points always carry extra weight in terms of how people perceive “quality”. So I think it’s important to take that into consideration in design. That one spot you touch over and over should be an easy win in terms of making the user appreciate how it feels.
Top materials on side handles - similar comment here. The underside already has it, so lets coat the entire handle.
Internal Divider could improve a bit in build quality vs. competitors’ offerings. It’s not the end of the world, but based on how great the rest of the Hegent is, this almost doesn’t fit with that quality standard.
Since this is luggage and not a bag, you’re going to need to take your tech kit out before flights or keep a secondary backpack as a personal item. Not a Level8 issue, just an issue with carry on luggage in general.
Packing The Hegent Carry On
So as mentioned I used this on a couple of trips. Here is what I did when I went to a long weekend for a wedding. I used the packing cubes from Level8 to showcase those, too, and I really liked the material and hand feel of them.
So I packed the left side with the cubes.
Two Level8 packing cubes with t-shirts and a long sleeve, then socks and underwear and sleeping items in the smaller one.
Next, we’ve got the Bellroy Toiletry kit in their standard size. Another thing I’m testing so link to review coming soon, but it’s really nice quality.
Western Rise Shoe packing cube. Had my wedding shoes here.
The main compartment I put my suit into and very lightly compressed it just to hold it in place but not squish it and wrinkle it. It survived with flying colors with a short flight followed by a car ride.
Alpaka Element Mini tech case shown for scale.
Final Thoughts On My Level8 Hegent Carry On Review
BA Heathrow Lounge visit w/ a view.
Are we in a bit of a golden age for boutique companies making rolling luggage? Yeah, I think we are. But what that means is that you just have more choices - a good and bad thing for many people.
Wrapping up our second ever review of spinning luggage, the Level8 both surprised and didn’t with the Hegent Carry On. I mean both of those comments in a good way. For one, I had seen some pretty glowing reviews on their luggage, so going into it I was pretty sure I wouldn’t have gotten a stinker. But once I got it, I have to say I was still surprised at the overall quality to value ratio that they’re able to deliver on the product.
I really liked the design overall - it’s got that German, industrial, business look to it that adds just enough panache to ensure it’s not a boring black slab like so many cheap pieces of luggage. They managed to pack in (pun intended) some great small touches like slow release handles, the rubber on the touch point of the bottom of those handles, a clever compression strap, etc. I was also REALLY impressed with the closing latches instead of zippers. It’s so much better than zippers on a roller. Down with zippers!! That might be the platform I run on when I run for travel Mayor.
I had really great performance out of the wheels as well, especially over different material surfaces or the transitions between different surfaces.
It wasn’t perfect - I think the included divider could up the quality and I think the handle on the telescoping grab handle could have some soft touch rubber added to improve the “hand feel”.
So design, price, features - really when taken on the whole the value is outstanding on this piece. In fact, I already got rid of my prior unit (Paravel Aviator Carry On review) and plan to replace it with this as my evergreen unit (meaning, what I use if I’m not testing something else). I highly recommend you check this brand out. My wife preferred the Hegent Carry On, too.
As always with the indy brands, I’d suggest buying directly through their website for best service.
Wander more - and wander smarter everyone.
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