Travelpro Maxlite Air Cabernet Hardside Checked Luggage, 28-Inch

My previous suitcase was something I picked up in Target. OK for the basics, and it did work as a suitcase. After some years of service, though, it was worn out -- zippers were jamming, the canvas had wear marks where it was wearing thin. Not quite done with service but close. I wanted to get something that had enough space for at most a week, would be durable, and would allow me to take it as a carry-on. I found out about this brand from Wirecutter, and I'm not disappointed. Versus the "OK" Target stuff, you can tell that the materials in this bag are of higher quality, the wheels roll more smoothly, the organization of clothes (especially if you use a few packing cubes) is light years better. I also like the hard shell versus canvas, I was less worried about stuff getting crushed if another suitcase was put on top. So the price point was one "jump" above what stuff might cost you at a big box store, but seems like that little jump gets you a pretty big improvement. I know there's more expensive stuff out there, maybe people that lives out of their suitcases and travel extensively find value in that. This seems like a pretty decent compromise.

When searching for carry-on luggage, it seems that the luggage sizes widely vary even though they may say they meet airline reqt dimensions. These actually meet the 22"x14"x9" size reqt including wheels & handles. Additionally, these are very light at just 6.1lbs. Just that reqt alone eliminated 90% of the carry-on's that I searched for. The luggage itself appears well made and good quality. The wheels spin easily & freely. They attach slightly recessed into the bag so hopefully that helps them stay intact when travelling. The handle telescopes up with two handle lengths possible. The grab handles are thick & heavy rubber to avoid any broken handle issues. They also are closely aligned to the bag so as not to increase overall size. The built-in TSA lock works well and is easy to set your own code. The bag does have a 2" expansion gusset should you need to put more in it but this will expand it passed the carry-on size reqt. On the interior, I liked that both sides have zippered enclosed compartments. This will making packing the clamshell type case easier and nothing falls out when opening/closing. The zippers all move freely and don't anticipate any issues. Ended up with the Ensign Blue color as other desired color was sold out. After receiving it, the Ensign Blue color was appealing and happy with my choice.

This is for the 28-inch model. When I received this suitcase, it seemed like it was just right for what I needed it for: A longer trip where I'd need to pack for more than 10 days and check the bag. It was lightweight and seemed sturdy, although even initially the zippers felt a bit flimsy. Was I right about that one. Half way through the first trip it was taken on, a 12-day jaunt through 3 cities, I tried to close the zipper only to find that it had opened u on its own behind the zip. I was able to work the zip back such that the zipper sipped again, but (a) there was never that much stress on it (the suitcase was never over-packed) and (b) it hadn't been zipped and unzipped more than a few times. That it came apart that easily did not give me any faith that it would stay together. (Thank goodness I had a luggage strap.) And when I got to my 3rd destination, when I put the suitcase on the bed, I noticed that one of the wheels was simply missing. No idea when it could have happened. Certainly when I was rolling it through airports and train stations and hotels and sidewalks I never banged it. But heck, there's no way that the wheel assemblies should not be built to take much more than anything it could have endured on this one trip. Thing is, even if the company were to reach out and offer a replacement, it would not be something I could trust to last. There is no sturdiness to this product, and for something that is meant to travel with , to be opened and closed and rolled and tossed, for it to fail in not one, but two places so, so quickly suggests to me that this is not a product that could reasonably be considered to be of even middling quality and is not one that could reasonably be expected to last even a short amount of time. Not recommended.

This is my go to carryon. It is roomier than it looks. I've put a whole weeks worth of clothes minus shoes in there. The wheels work above average & it is certainly lightweight. My only complaints are that one of the seams is starting to come apart - but it appears to not effect the structure & I cannot find a matching checked bag to go with it. I would prefer a lighter color so that it is more distictive when on the luggage carousel. But that's just a preference. Overall great bag.

I bought two of the Maxlite Air suitcases as I really liked the first one and was impressed by the warranty. The second time I used one, it was returned to me with one of the dual spinner wheels missing. I filed a warranty form online with Travelpro after looking up all the information requested and providing photographs, etc. The webpage indicates that a response is to be expected within 3 to 5 days. After receiving no response as well as no email confirmation of receipt of my claim, I filed a second form, again with no confirmation from Travelpro that anything was received. I used the chat feature on their website which automatically terminates the chat without answering any question or allowing contact with an agent. I called the Travelpro number that I found online and, again, after following the prompts, it just terminates the call without allowing conversation with an agent or answering any question about the status of the claim. I have never encountered a company with such absolute shutdown of customer service. I will never buy another product from Travelpro. The warranty is a complete farce. UPDATE: I don't know what happened to delay the response by Travelpro to my first warranty claim but they eventually answered and actually replaced the suitcase as they did not have a wheel to fit it. Since my first post, the lock on my newer Travelpro quit working. After returning home from a trip, I could not get the lock open. Travelpro promptly responded to my warranty claim and I have just received a replacement lock without charge. So, I am happy to eat my words and report that I really like my Max-lite Air luggage and Travelpro has fully honored my warranty claims.

I like the weight & sturdiness outer material. Plus the two zipper covers inside keep clothes from moving around!!

Let's be honest, all luggage takes a beating these days. We have been on 12 land vacations and 43 cruises since retiring. We tried the $400 travel pro series and the $80 "best of walmart" type. One is clearly of a superior quality as iyou notice it gets damaged at the same frequency. Quality and durability are two different things. You need the middle ground on both and STILL you need a warranty for the dents and broken wheels and cracks that occur about every 6-8 uses. This is it for us. We keep a complete set with warranties, we use the warranties as needed ( about three times so far ), and we travel well with gorgeous matching reliable luggage, and save money in the long run. No luggage is durable enough to withstand the automation luggage systems of today, so be smart and buy something in this range guaranteed to last by ongoing replacement.

Love this luggage. It is exactly as described. The spinner wheels make it easy to move.

Leicht, praktisch, qualitativ

Looks good, performs well, held up good to airport baggage handlers.

I am a frequent flyer; International. I have used all of the major brands but none have held up like this Travelpro hard case. It’s one of the lightest hard cases in its class and with the zippered expansion, you can get a lot more packed and stay under the 50lb limit. I love that both shell halves are zippered as it keeps all of my belongings from moving around in transit and nothing goes spilling out when you open the case. The hardshell provides additional protection for my electronics and has stood up to years of abuse. My only complaint while minor, would be the fixed handles; I get that they are “low profiled” to prevent from catching on things but it makes it difficult and mildly uncomfortable gripping the handle. That said, you really only used those handles to load and unload the case from belts and scales. Most times you are wheeling it around by the telescoping handle which functions flawlessly. Amazing value and quality.

I love the color of this suitcase! It also glides smoothly while running through the airport, and I love how both sections of the suitcase are zippered off. The airline luggage handlers on my last flight scuffed it up in a few spots, but all the scuffs came out at home when I cleaned it. I will say, the title of the listing made me think this was the normal carryon size piece, but it turns out it's the compact carryon size. So that was a little annoying, but probably better for international travel anyway. I was able to pack for a week in this, so definitely large enough. Great brand and I'd recommend it to anyone!

I liked it. Wolfie said no