A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Updated Sep. 24, 2024
We tested the Calpak Luka, which looks like your favorite winter coat, making it a fun piece of soft-sided luggage for your cold-weather getaway.
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Whether you’re a planner who packs weeks ahead of time or a procrastinator who tosses items in a suitcase just hours before it’s time to leave, one thing is for sure: You need quality luggage. You need a bag that fits your budget and suits your individual needs and style. Of course, there are a ton of options out there, from Amazon luggage to internet-famous brands like Monos and Away, July Luggage and Béis. But there’s another piece of carry-on luggage that made it onto our radar, and we would be remiss not to share it with you. The Calpak Luka Soft-Sided Carry-On is a stylish piece of luggage that reminds us of our favorite puffy winter coats.
To see if this suitcase is as functional as it is fun, our expert product testers took it into the Testing Lab for close inspection. They stuffed it, tossed it, dragged it and soaked it in hopes of mimicking the rough treatment it might receive as a checked bag at the airport. We compiled all of their findings into this comprehensive Calpak Luka review. Here’s everything you need to know.
As its name states, the Calpak Luka is a soft-sided suitcase designed for use as a carry-on bag. It’s available in two sizes: the carry-on and the mini carry-on. We tested the carry-on, which weighs just 6.35 pounds, holds up to 32 liters of storage and measures 41 inches high with the telescopic handle fully extended. Both sizes are within the carry-on dimensions for most U.S. domestic and international airlines.
The exterior of this suitcase is a puffy polyester shell. “It looks cozy and reminds you a puffer winter coat,” says the Product Testing Team. “Simple and minimalist, but still looks different than your average suitcase.” It has a large pocket with smaller compartments inside. One of those compartments is designed specifically for laptops, and it easily fits our tester’s sizable 14-inch computer. Our team noted that the bag’s cushy exterior made them feel as though the computer was very protected. There are also two zippered pockets on each side that look like charging pockets. However, this suitcase doesn’t have a charging cord or port.
The suitcase’s interior features a main compartment with nylon compression straps, one horizontal mesh pocket and two side-by-side mesh pockets. This bag also features cushioned top and side handles that make it easy to lift, well-concealed zippers with easy-to-grab rubber tails, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-approved lock, 360-degree swivel wheels and a telescopic handle for easy maneuvering through airports and hotels.
EMIKO FRANZEN FOR RD.COM
This lightweight suitcase has a trendy minimalist design that's ideal for a range of travelers.
Product testing manager, Annamarie Higley, led the team in their efforts to see what the Calpak Luka carry-on is really made of. Higley was immediately taken with the trendy design, calling it “cute and attractive.” However, she did point out that it’s not a timeless style.
To test this suitcase, our team stuffed it with two heavy moving blankets to add weight and bulk. Then, Higley took it for a spin on various types of terrain, including low-pile carpet, vinyl, sidewalks, cobblestones, gravel and grass. Like other models they tested, this suitcase needed to be pulled rather than pushed over the grass and gravel. That said, our testers found that overall, the Calpak Luka pulled better than it pushed. What our testers didn’t like, however, were the wheels.
While the bag’s 360-degree swivel wheels provide a decent turn radius, our testers felt that they were lower quality than those found on other models. “The wheels really had a mind of their own, guiding the bag in all sorts of wacky directions,” explains our team. “I had an unpleasant time rolling this one overall.” Another issue of concern for our testers was the fabric. According to our testers, the light-colored fabric reaches almost the base of the suitcase. Every time they pulled it over a curb or stair, they ran the risk of the fabric getting snagged or torn.
While they were worried about the fabric being susceptible to snags and tears, they were pleasantly surprised by how well it held up during their next round of tests. During this portion of our testing, the team dropped this suitcase from roughly 4 feet high, tossed it over a barrier and dragged it along the ground for about a yard. After dragging this bag along the ground, it came away virtually unscathed. “I’m shocked to say this bag didn’t incur nearly as much aesthetic damage as I expected,” says the Product Testing Team. “The oatmeal-colored fabric remained unscathed. It picked up no dirt or tears.” After being dropped and thrown, our team noted that there were some scratches on the plastic base of the bag, and one of the wheel caps had popped off. “It could easily be popped back in, but I’m sure an airport employee wouldn’t take the time to do that,” says our team.
Overall, this suitcase will do just fine on a road trip or when used as a carry-on. And given its hip, puffy look, it’s ideal for travelers who value style and minimalism. In order to prevent your new luggage from showing dirt or stains that may accumulate during your travels, our team recommends opting for one of the brand’s darker colors.
At Reader’s Digest, we know how important it is to find quality products that make your travels easier. This especially applies to luggage, which can be a hefty investment. As frequent travelers ourselves, we have years of personal experience with everything from budget-friendly luggage to zipperless luggage and everything in between. We only recommend a piece of luggage if we believe it’ll enhance your own travel experience.
Our product testing experts on the Product Testing Team spent hours in our Testing Lab using and abusing over a dozen soft-sided suitcases to see how well they might hold up to the treatment they’d receive in an airport. Several of those hours were spent with the Calpak Luka. Our team was impressed by the overall design of this suitcase, the durability of the fabric and the dedicated laptop pocket. “The stand-out feature is the laptop holder, which does feel very protected, thanks to the cushy exterior of the bag,” says our team.
EMIKO FRANZEN FOR RD.COM
The light-colored fabric on this bag came away unscathed after being dragged, dropped and tossed.
Originally Published: September 20, 2024
