Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Luggage Review — Is It Worth It? [Video]

Travelpro might not be a household name yet, but it’s built a reputation among travelers for the past 3 decades. Known for its ability to balance high quality and reliability with a mid-range price point, many travelers are making the switch to the brand’s extensive luggage lines. It’s easy to see why when it’s often the choice of luggage for airline crew.

Recently, Travelpro has expanded its market by offering a wider range of bags and accessories meant to make traveling easier. Yet its classic softside and hardside suitcases, like the Tourlite Softside Spinner collection we’re looking at today, remain its hallmark.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Luggage

Travelpro’s Tourlite Softside Spinner luggage consists of a small collection suited for travelers who value incredibly lightweight, functional, and durable bags.

Though not the trendiest pieces, they offer space and versatility. Whether you’re looking for something you can roll into your next business conference or a bag that can comfortably fit all your necessities for a weekend getaway, this Travelpro range has you covered.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Luggage Review

For this review, we used the larger carry-on in the Tourlite Softside Spinner line. It’s a functional little bag that provides plenty of space for clothing, tech, cables, and other necessities you might need for a work trip or weekend adventure.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Overall Rating

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Style and Look

While it won’t win any style awards, the Tourlite Softside series has a classic appearance. It’s not too casual for business professionals and not too sophisticated to send with a kid to summer camp.

However, since this line is very understated and average-looking, it won’t catch your eye on a luggage carousel. We recommend adding a strap or special tag so you can pick out your bag in a lineup.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Size and Compartments

Measuring 23 x 14.5 x 9 inches, including handles and wheels, the Tourlite’s larger carry-on is a little over the size allowance for many airlines. Domestic flights occasionally use small planes, so make sure you check your allotted luggage size before you start packing.

Though weight limits are less of a concern for carry-ons, this luggage range is one of the lightest Travelpro products, with the carry-on weighing just 5.7 pounds.

Even though it’s a small piece of luggage, there are multiple compartments to help make packing organized and simple.

The main compartment has 1 large space. However, there are a few small pockets for items such as jewelry or cables. One of these pockets is located on the spine of the bag, while the lid acts as 1 large mesh storage space.

The main area has compression straps to hold your items in place. We personally prefer elastic straps over these rigid, adjustable compression straps.

There are 2 small exterior compartments with separate zippers for extra storage. We found these pockets useful for storing travel documents in an easy-to-reach place.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Durability and Materials

The entire Tourlite Softside Spinner line is made of polyester material designed to prevent rips and tears. The material has a Duraguard coating that repels water if you’re caught in the rain.

This same treatment helps prevent staining, so you can keep the bag looking pristine for longer, which is a must if you’re a frequent traveler.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Wheels

The wheels felt securely attached to the case and handled rolling on uneven terrain pretty well. They’re recessed in the base of the case, providing protection from any knocks or catching on items in transit.

The recessed wheels give the case a low profile, so it’s more susceptible to damage on uneven surfaces. There’s a guard to prevent that, but it’s something to consider if you plan to roll it down cobbled streets or pull it up sidewalks.

Since the wheels are double spinners, they maneuver smoothly, even around corners, which is not the case with every rolling carry-on on the market.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Handles

Despite its small size, the Tourlite carry-on has 4 handles.

We believe the telescopic handle will be the most used. It has 2 height options that are easily adjusted with a button. Usually, we notice some issues with the smoothness of switching between heights, but that wasn’t the case with this bag. It extended and retracted without issues and felt secure, even at the highest setting.

There are 3 additional handles on the top, side, and bottom, which are useful for carrying or lifting the bag into the overhead compartment of an airplane.

We were really happy with the top and side handles as they were comfortable to use. They’re cushioned and not too tight against the case’s body, so we could easily get our fingers through them.

The bottom handle is less comfortable. It’s made of hard plastic, so there’s no cushion or flexibility. Still, it’s useful for helping distribute weight when picking the case up and beats not having one there at all.

Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Locks and Zips

Travelpro didn’t add an integrated lock to the design of this particular luggage range. While integrated locks are not always necessary for carry-ons, we would have liked the option built into the bag, and certainly on the medium and large versions.

However, the zipper pulls are designed to allow for a standalone lock to be attached. If that’s important, you can add one yourself.

The zippers themselves were smooth. We didn’t notice any snagging or catching on the teeth or anything in the bag.

Even when packed full, we didn’t have issues getting the case to close. That’s in part thanks to the design of the pulls. They’re quite large and easy to get a good grip on. While they do jingle a bit, we didn’t find the sound to be too annoying.

Travelpro Brand Warranty and Customer Service

Travelpro is so confident in its design and manufacturing quality that it offers a limited lifetime warranty for many of its bags, including the Tourlite. This warranty protects against any manufacturing defects in the wheels, zippers, telescopic handle, and carrying handles.

The Tourlite range also comes with Travelpro’s Trusted Companion policy, which covers the cost of repairs from damage caused by airlines or another common carrier. To benefit from this enhanced warranty, travelers must register their luggage within 120 days of delivery, and the suitcase will be covered for the first year of ownership.

Other Travelpro Tourlite Softside Spinner Luggage

To round out the collection, the Tourlite softside line includes a smaller cabin bag option. There are also 2 checked bag sizes, a medium and a large.

While this range isn’t very large, it covers the bases. We’d love to see a few more specific bags included in the line in the future, like specially designed laptop bags or softside bags that include USB charging ports.

Final Thoughts

With over 30 years of experience producing luggage, Travelpro has learned how to balance quality, functionality, and affordability.

The carry-on version of the Tourlite Softside Spinner is a clever little bag that manages to embody the brand’s reputation perfectly. If you travel regularly, you’ll appreciate this suitcase’s space and versatility.

We were a little disappointed in some of the design choices, namely the lack of an integrated lock. However, it’s overall a functional little cabin bag that can suit a wide variety of trips.