Travelpro Crew Versapack Luggage Review — Is It Worth It? [Video]

Travelpro may not have been around for as long as the likes of Samsonite or Delsey, but it’s been growing in popularity over the last few decades. Founded by a commercial airline pilot, the company delivers high-quality pieces that regular travelers and airline crew swear by.

Among its popular lines is the Crew Versapack collection, which we’ll be reviewing today.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Luggage

As the name suggests, the Travelpro Crew Versapack line was designed and manufactured with professional-grade dependability in mind. If it’s good enough for airline crew, it’s certainly good enough for the occasional or frequent traveler.

While this collection doesn’t win any awards for its aesthetics, it’s a smart, understated soft-sided luggage range with spacious interiors and thoughtful packing elements.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Luggage Review

For this review, we tested the underseater in the Crew Versapack line by Travelpro. It’s a small but mighty bag that can act as a mobile workspace while also leaving room for a few changes of clothing and other travel essentials.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Overall Rating

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Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater

The TravelPro Crew Verspack Underseater is a great bag for short trips or flights that you've booked a ticket with a personal item only. The exterior and interior organization is great for such a small bag, and the USB port is an added bonus.

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Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Style and Look

Travelpro luggage tends to favor function over fashion, but you can’t deny how smart this little bag is.

The case comes in a small range of colors to suit a variety of tastes, though most tend to be muted tones. While it’s not a particularly trendy carry-on, it has a sophisticated and timeless exterior that should never go out of style.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Size and Compartments

Measuring just 8.25 x 13.25 x 16 inches, Travelpro’s compact carry-on should fit under the seat in front of you on most domestic and international flights. However, if you’re flying on a particularly small aircraft or aren’t sure, make sure to check the allowed carry-on measurements before you start packing.

Since this tote is meant to be used as a personal item, it’s not usually subject to weight restrictions. However, always double-check before flying. In any case, we found this particular underseater to be pretty lightweight on its own.

Despite its tiny size, this bag has more than its fair share of pockets to keep you organized. A small pocket at the front of the case is large enough to protect a passport and other documents without causing creases or other damage. This also has a soft, padded compartment to hold a tablet.

There’s a pocket on the side, as well, that has just enough elasticity to slip a typical water bottle or compact umbrella into. While this pocket might not be as useful when flying, it can come in handy when using the bag on road trips or for standard work days.

A pocket on the other side of the bag also connects to the integrated USB port, so you can stash your power bank here to keep your devices charged.

The interior compartment opens in a U-shape, complete with padding on the lid that’s big enough to store up to a 14-inch laptop. Snap buttons prevent the lid from opening on its own, and these can be easily undone to fully access the main compartment.

While you can easily store a few days of clothing in this compartment, there’s no compression strap. We recommend only packing clothes that won’t wrinkle. Additionally, there’s a toiletry organizer included with the case that’s TSA-approved for travel and can be removed and hung up.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Additional Features

Despite its small size, the underseater in the Crew Versapack line has all the bases covered for professionals on the go. An external USB-A port is perfect for keeping small devices powered up.

It would have been great if the bag came with its own power bank, but most cases don’t include one, so this wasn’t a dealbreaker.

You can store your contact details safely and discreetly within the built-in ID holder on the side of the case. This saves any worry about loose luggage tags being ripped off in transit.

If you’re traveling for longer with a piece of checked luggage, you’ll find the luggage sleeve on the back of the underseater useful. Simply slip the sleeve over the telescopic handle of the checked bag and you can easily transport the underseater on top of the case.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Durability and Materials

As softside luggage, the underseater is made of ballistic nylon. This fabric allows some flexibility while still providing a dense shell that protects your belongings.

This nylon is strong enough to stand up to the typical wear and tear of travel on its own, but it’s made even stronger by a Duraguard coating, which helps resist tears, scuffs, and even stains. So we don’t think it would be too difficult to keep this bag in good shape.

There’s a slightly cushioned grip on the handles as well to add a little more comfort. However, while it feels like this material is pretty strong, we wouldn’t be surprised if it started to wear down over time.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Wheels

The 2 ball bearing, in-line skate wheels are recessed in the bag’s frame to protect them from any damage incurred while rolling around or being stuffed inside the overhead compartment. They didn’t stick or have trouble gliding during our tests, even when we tested the bag on multiple surfaces, including outdoors.

Although spinner wheels are generally easier to maneuver, in-line skate wheels are incredibly hardwearing. We had to take extra care when maneuvering around corners and curves to avoid tipping over the bag. This might be irritating if you’re used to wheels that can turn 360 degrees.

The Crew Versapack range includes a few alternative cases with spinner wheels, should you prefer these.

With in-line skate wheels, the bottom of the case sits closer to the floor and is more prone to impact on uneven surfaces or when traveling up sidewalks. Thankfully, this case has a guard at the bottom to help protect the nylon material from ripping.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Handles

In total, there are 2 handles on this underseater. The telescopic handle zips away neatly inside the case and can be adjusted to 3 height settings using the button. Considering the size of the underseater, this handle was surprisingly sturdy even when extended to its highest setting. However, it was a bit noisy when pulling it up and down.

There’s a carrying handle on the top of the bag, which is easy to find and grip at a moment’s notice. It has 2 straps that join together to form a strong carry handle and can be pulled apart to open the bag.

While we’re happy with the bag’s straps, an extra handle on the bottom would have been useful.

Travelpro Crew Versapack Underseater Locks and Zips

We were pleased that this underseater has a double zipper, allowing you to control how widely you open the case lid. The zippers ran smoothly, and the zipper pulls were easy to grip.

Unfortunately, this bag has no built-in lock, which caused us to be a little let down. The zippers interlace on the main compartment to allow you to attach your own luggage lock.

Travelpro Brand Warranty and Customer Service

TravelPro’s warranty offers pretty complete coverage when it comes to factory issues. All bags are protected for at least 2 years, starting from the date of delivery or purchase.

Bags are also subject to potentially extended warranties that typically last 5 or 10 years, though some purchases come with a lifetime warranty.

Keep in mind that after the first 6 months, you need to provide proof of a manufacturing defect to take advantage of the warranty. While we understand the need for this to ensure damages aren’t from misuse, we’re also a little concerned that it could be hard to supply sufficient proof for coverage.

Other Travelpro Crew Versapack Luggage

If you’re looking for a complete luggage set, the Crew Versapack line is one of Travelpro’s most extensive.

Several totes are available, but if you use your bags exclusively for air travel, you likely don’t need a tote and an underseater. There are also multiple carry-ons that can go in the overhead compartment. Checked bags include both a medium and large size.

Final Thoughts

Travelpro might not be as well-known as some other luggage brands, but the company has used its 35 years plus experience to develop a loyal following, including those in the airline industry. Travelers love how high-quality these bags are without having to shell out luxury prices.