The Travelpro Bold 21-inch carry-on isn’t as well-known as other suitcases from Travelpro. It’s one of the hidden gems that Travelpro offers, which is usually overseen because of the popularity of models like the Maxlite 5 and the Platinum Elite.
In this Travelpro Bold 21-inch carry-on review, you’ll find out whether this suitcase has anything unique to offer, how durable it is, as well as how much value it provides, and much more. We’ll also look at similar suitcases from Travelpro and brands like Samsonite and American Tourister to see how the Travelpro Bold ranks up against them.
The Good
- Smoothly-rolling spinner wheels
- Comes with many useful handles
- Comes with good warranty terms
- Great value for your money
The Bad
- Has a heavy feel
- The dimensions are just over the carry-on limit
- Customers complained about the zippers and the exterior straps
Quick Take
Although it’s lighter than most suitcases, the Travelpro Bold feels heavy and is slightly above most airline carry-on size restrictions. This shouldn’t be an issue most of the time, though.
But, apart from all that, the Bold is really easy to move around because of its smooth wheels and plenty of handles all over the bag. It’s also a great value for your money, considering that it’s relatively durable and comes with Travelpro’s “Limited Lifetime” warranty.
Full Review
Dimensions & Weight (7/10)
The case of the Travelpro Bold carry-on measures 21 x 14 x 9 inches (53 x 35.5 x 23 cm), and 23 x 15 x 9 inches (58 x 38 x 23 cm) with the wheels included. This is larger than most airline carry-on size restrictions, but as long as you don’t overpack, the bag should barely fit inside the measuring bins. That said, you’ll rarely receive a penalty if your carry-on is a bit bigger than the airline’s restrictions, so you shouldn’t worry about that. Many customers said you could fit clothes for a 5-day trip on average, which is pretty good for a carry-on.
When it comes to its weight, the Travelpro Bold carry-on weighs 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg), which is slightly lighter than the average weight of carry-ons. However, some customers mentioned that the bag has a “heavy feel”, despite being on the lighter side. Some reviews also noted that the suitcase tends to fall over if you’ve packed it to the brim and placed a personal item on top of it.
Materials & Water-Resistance (10/15)
Like most other softside bags under $200, the Travelpro Bold is made from polyester, the least durable fabric on the market. While Travelpro does not mention it, it’s safe to assume that the polyester on this bag is between 800D-1680D, which is reasonably durable. This is justified when we look at what customers had to say, with nearly no negative reviews about the durability of the polyester. There was, however, one complaint about the fabric of the expandable part of the bag, which is much less durable.
The Bold carry-on also has a water-resistant coating. There wasn’t any negative criticism about it, with some saying that the coating works really well for a light drizzle. Obviously, if you find yourself in the middle of a storm in the Caribbean, the bag “might” not survive. Nevertheless, a bit of rain and a few bumps should not affect the Travelpro Bold.
Read Next: Travelpro Crew Expert 20-Inch Carry-On Review
Durability (15/20)
Travelpro suitcases are made to last for a long time, and the same can be said for the Travelpro Bold. The suitcase is very durable, with many customers praising it for how well-made it is. According to most reviews, the bag can be your travel companion for a bit less than a decade. Some customers even said that the Bold stayed in excellent condition for dozens of trips worldwide.
A more in-depth look at each part of the suitcase provided different results, though. While the case itself is not prone to tears when the bag has expanded, the fabric between the zippers and the case is flimsy and frail; this means that it can be torn if baggage handlers mishandle it. The wheels of the Bold are also not the most durable out there. I’ll tell you more about them below, but there were a couple of complaints about broken wheels after the first couple of trips.
The main complaint about the Travelpro Bold’s durability is the fragility of the zippers. Out of the hundreds of reviews online, the few that are negative are primarily about the zippers breaking off or getting stuck. This is sad to see since the rest of the bag is pretty durable.
Moveability (12/15)
Despite not being the most durable ones, the wheels on the Travelpro Bold are great. More specifically, the wheels are double spinners, so you’ll be rolling the Bold around with eight wheels rather than four. Double spinners are the best type of wheels on the market when it comes to moveability, so Travelpro did a great job at implementing these for the Bold collection. As most reviews mentioned, the bag can easily roll on practically any surface. On top of that, they’re reasonably quiet, which is a plus if you don’t want to disturb anyone while you’re trying to find your hotel in Florence at 3 pm.
Apart from the retractable handle, there’s a side, a top, and a front handle, which is great when you want to place your bag on the overhead bin and grab it once you’ve landed. These have a very soft grip, so you shouldn’t have a problem using them to handle the Bold.
Additional Features (5/10)
Most suitcases have several smart features, which make them a great choice for business and leisure travelers alike. But, this isn’t 100% true for the Travelpro Bold.
While you would expect a bag with several features from a brand like Travelpro, the Bold doesn’t have any unique features. However, that’s not to say that it doesn’t have any good-to-have features. For example, the number of pockets on the Bold is great since it has a few external pockets and many internal pockets, where you could separately place your toiletries, your laundry, and your clothes. As many customers mentioned, one of the exterior pockets can also fit a tablet, but it isn’t big enough for a laptop.
The suitcase is also expandable, which is neat whenever you want to pack an extra outfit. The only other notable feature of the Bold is the interior and exterior compression straps. The interior ones are a great addition since they can keep all your luggage nice and tight, but the exterior ones are controversial among owners of the bag. While they can be used for added security, in case the zippers pop out, you’ll have to unbuckle them whenever you want to open up your suitcase, which can be infuriating, according to most customers.
Design (7/10)
One thing that immediately stands out when you see the Travelpro Bold is its design. We really like the way Travelpro made this one since it looks like a mix of a backpack and a suitcase. Plus, it can be used by both business and leisure travelers, even though it’s only targeted at business travelers. Compared to other business suitcases, the Bold keeps a minimalistic look while also adding a nice color pattern to look more attractive. But, it would have been nicer if Travelpro offered a few more colors because the Bold only comes in Blue/Black and Gray/Black.
The interior design is also noteworthy. While the Blue/Black version has a gray interior with a blue lining, the Gray/Black version’s interior is black with an orange lining. Most owners of the Bold seem to love the artistic touch on the interior, and so do we.
Warranty (8/10)
Every Travelpro suitcase offers an amazing warranty. When most of the brand’s bags cost more than $150, you shouldn’t expect anything less than a 10-year warranty. Travelpro takes it one step further concerning the Travelpro Bold, with the suitcase having a “Limited Lifetime Warranty“. By limited, Travelpro means that the warranty doesn’t cover misuse by the owner or airlines, as well as normal wear and tear. So, the warranty basically covers any manufacturing defects, including wheels, handles, and zippers.
If you register the Bold within 120 days of your purchase, you’ll also get a 1-year “Worry-Free” enhancement to the warranty, which basically covers any damage to the suitcase. Plus, if you end up not liking the suitcase, you can return it within 100 days, and you’ll get a full refund.
If you want to make a warranty claim, you’ll have to take the suitcase to an official Travelpro repair center, just like most other brands. As long as you have your receipt, Travelpro will cover the shipping fees, and your claim will be evaluated.
Value (8/10)
The Travelpro Bold isn’t the cheapest suitcase on the market. But, its durability, along with its moveability and the great Travelpro warranty, make it a much better value for your money compared to similarly-priced suitcases. While it may have some parts that could be improved, like the exterior straps and the color options, the Bold is one of the best suitcases made by Travelpro.
Most customers were happy with their purchase, and a lot of them have kept their suitcase for several years, which is what you should expect when you spend around $150 on a suitcase. So, in the long run, the bag is definitely worth it.
How Does (Product Model) Compare to Similar Suitcases?
When comparing the Travelpro Bold to similar Travelpro suitcases, like the Maxlite 5 and the Crew Versapack, we noticed a bunch of differences between them. While all three suitcases are priced at similar price points, the Maxlite 5 is a much better value than the other two, while the Versapack is the most durable of the three because it’s made from ballistic nylon. The Bold is the heaviest of the three, while the Maxlite 5 is the lightest by a large margin. The wheels on all three are basically the same, while the water resistance on the Versapack and the Maxlite is reasonably better.
Compared to other suitcases, like the Samsonite Solyte DLX and the American Tourister Belle Voyage, the Travelpro Bold does a much better job. While it’s still on the heavier side than the other two, the Bold comes with Travelpro’s warranty and its somewhat durable polyester. The Belle Voyage and the Solyte DLX are pretty similar in terms of the features they offer since they’re basically made from the same brand (Samsonite owns American Tourister).
While the Bold is better than what other brands offer, Travelpro itself provides a few better alternatives.
Our Verdict
The Travelpro Bold 21-inch carry-on is a great affordable option for business travelers and leisure travelers alike. It’s built with durability in mind, and along with Travelpro’s warranty, the Bold should last you for a long time.
That said, it has a few aspects which could see a significant improvement. This includes its exterior compression straps and its zippers. It would also be nice to see the Bold in a few different colors, apart from blue and gray. It wouldn’t hurt if the bag had a few extra features as well, like TSA locks and USB ports.
Other than that, the Travelpro Bold is a great choice if you don’t want to spend a fortune on a suitcase.
(5 votes, average: 4.40 out of 5)
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