CALPAK Luggage Review for 2023

Calpak is a luggage brand that offers unique luggage with functional features at affordable prices. Based in California and family-run, Calpak has plenty of modern and stylish options to choose from. But luggage isn’t the only thing you can buy at Calpak - the brand has plenty of accessories and bags to suit any style. 

A Glimpse at Calpak Products

• Carry-on and checked luggage
• Luggage sets
• Duffel bags
• Backpacks and crossbody bags
• Organizers for toiletries and makeup
• Packing cubes
• Travel accessories like neck pillows and portable chargers

With such a wide range of products, there is plenty to choose from at Calpak. Although Calpak isn’t as popular as luggage brands like Tumi or Samsonite, their suitcases come with great features at a much lower cost than these more prominent brands. But how well does Calpak stack up to other luggage brands? Do the quality and durability justify the price? In this review, we’ll look at Calpak’s variety of travel gear and determine if this brand is worth taking a chance on.

What is Calpak?

Calpak, originally named California Pak, was founded by Edward and Judy Kwon in 1989. What started as a company providing handbags and wallets expanded to travel products like duffels and soft-side luggage in 1997. By 2008, the company ventured into manufacturing hard-side luggage. 

Being a family-owned and operated company is unique among today’s luggage brands, making Calpak stand out! As a family-run company, the founders’ children, Jennifer and Roy, joined the family business in 2013 and helped Calpak stay modern and relevant by rebranding the logo and travel products. In over thirty years, Calpak has added multiple travel products to its collection and even added wellness products and apparel in 2021. 

Calpak even launched a collaboration with well-known celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin in 2018, bringing fresh and modern designs to the brand and giving Calpak more exposure with fans of the hairstylist and her fashion intrigued by the luggage collaboration.

With no brick-and-mortar stores, Calpak is available online only. While you can purchase directly from Calpak, the luggage is also available online at retailers like Nordstrom and Sierra.

Calpak Luggage Features

While each suitcase may differ slightly, most of Calpak’s luggage options have the same features. Let’s take a look at what the brand offers. 

Durable Exterior

Most of Calpak’s carry-on and checked luggage options are made from polycarbonate or polycarbonate & ABS, providing a solid and durable exterior. These materials are frequently used in hard-side luggage as they can withstand the beating your bag may take in transit and protect your travel essentials. 

Interior Organization

Calpak suitcases feature an interior organization divider, complete with zippered pockets to keep your smaller travel essentials neatly compartmentalized and secured. Compression straps help to keep any loose items from moving around through transit and are standard on most suitcases these days. But what I really like about Calpak is the removable accessory pocket! You can keep it in your suitcase or quickly throw it into another bag, which would be helpful if you need to check your carry-on luggage unexpectedly. 

Dual Spinner Wheels

Almost all of Calpak’s suitcases come equipped with four dual 360-degree spinner wheels to provide a smoother and sturdier base to roll your luggage. There is no doubt that 360-degree spinner wheels are here to stay with the vast majority of luggage brands, but having the dual wheels on Calpak’s suitcases gives an extra layer of support when wheeling your bag, whether through airport terminals or busy city streets. 

Expandable

Who doesn’t like extra packing space? Calpak suitcases are expandable by two inches, giving you flexibility and the option to expand your bag when you need it the most. The sturdy zipper lets you easily expand your luggage to pack a little extra or stash those souvenirs you bought! 

TSA Approved Locks

Additional security on your luggage is always a good idea, whether you are in transit or need to keep your suitcase secured at your destination. The TSA-approved locks on the exterior of each Calpak luggage make it easy to secure your belongings while remaining TSA compliant (and not having to worry about TSA damaging your bag if it needs to be opened).

Calpak Carry On

Calpak has eleven options for carry-on suitcases, all offering different styles and features to suit a wide range of tastes. For this review, I looked at the most popular carry-on styles, the Ambeur Carry-On and Hue Carry-On.

Calpak Ambeur Carry-On Luggage

 
The Ambeur Carry-On Luggage is a stylish and lightweight option for travelers looking to purchase a new carry-on. The interior of this bag has Calpak’s standard interior organization divider, compression straps, and a removable accessory pouch. With carbon steel bearing wheels, this durable suitcase glides easily even when packed fully (and expanded). 

This suitcase is available in four colors: silver, gold, rose gold, and black. While other bags offer a wider range of colors, the Ambeur has a sleek look that reminds me of Rimowa’s much more expensive carry-on option, but with the option to expand for an additional two inches of packing space. 

At the time of this post, 188 reviewers on Calpak’s website give the Ambeur carry-on 4.9/5 stars, showing that this is a customer favorite!

Dimensions: 21" x 14" x 9"

Weight: 6 pounds

Calpak Hue Carry-On Luggage

 
For minimalistic travelers, look no further than Calpak’s Hue Carry-On Luggage. This suitcase has a no-frills polycarbonate exterior, a TSA-approved lock, an interior organization divider, and 360-degree spinner wheels. This bag is available in five colors, but I really like the look of the jade color! If you want a stylish bag that still stands out among the sea of black suitcases, this color is a great, gender-neutral option.

While this bag is slightly heavier than its Ambeur counterpart, it is still relatively lightweight for a carry-on bag. Its budget-friendly price of $195 makes it an excellent option for travelers looking for a solid carry-on that won’t break the bank. 

Dimensions: 21.5” x 13.75” x 9”

Weight: 7.8 pounds

Calpak Checked Luggage

The best value for your money for checked luggage is Calpak’s Hue Large Luggage. At $275 (price subject to change), this is an incredible price for this suitcase size. The Hue collection provides a sleek and minimalistic design to keep you looking stylish while embarking on your travels. 

This bag’s exterior is made from durable polycarbonate, ensuring that your items will be safe from any damage during transit. With 110L of packing space, the Hue Large suitcase makes for an excellent option for trips up to (or longer) than a month or digital nomads. The four dual-spinner wheels create a sturdy base to allow the Hue to glide with minimal effort. 

The TSA-approved lock, standard on most of Calpak’s luggage, keeps your items secure. And the best part? This bag is expandable! So if you find yourself buying too many souvenirs as I do, you have the option to expand for a little extra packing space. For the size of this bag, I think this is an excellent value for your money. 

Dimensions: 30” x 19” x 11.8”

Weight: 12.2 pounds

Calpak Luggage Set

Luggage sets are a terrific way to save money when purchasing multiple pieces of luggage. Calpak’s Trnk 3-Piece Luggage Set offers excellent value for your money with one carry-on bag, one medium checked bag, and one large checked bag in the set. This contemporary luggage set is not only functional but stylish as well. 

Trnk’s exterior is made from polycarbonate and finished with faux crocodile leather for a unique look, and the aluminum side protectors provide extra support and durability throughout your travels. Available in almond and black, each suitcase in this set gives you Calpak’s standard features like TSA-approved locks, 360-degree spinner wheels, interior pockets, and compression straps. 

The Trnk set is perfect for those longer trips or when traveling with a companion or family. Roller handles can be a concern when traveling with heavy luggage, but one reviewer stated, “The roller handles are perfect height, and it rolls so smoothly.” 

Dimensions

Carry-On: 20.5” x 13” x 9”

Medium Checked: 24.5” x 15.5” x 10”

Large Checked: 29” x 18.5” x 11.5”

Weight

Carry-On: 7.4 pounds

Medium Checked: 9 pounds

Large Checked: 12 pounds

Calpak Luka Duffel

The Luka Duffel is the most popular option out of Calpak’s duffel bag line, with 940 reviewers giving this duffel bag 4.8/5 stars. The water-resistant polyester exterior helps to keep your items clean and dry, while the nine pockets offer plenty of ways to organize and categorize all your things. 

This duffel is exceptionally lightweight at 1.95 lbs and can be used not only for travel but as an everyday bag for the gym. I think the Luka is a perfect option as a weekend bag or even a personal item for air travel, as it can fit beneath the seat in front of you. The bag also comes in nine colors - four classic neutral colors and five vibrant limited edition colors. 

The Luka has a separate shoe compartment to keep the rest of your stuff clean, but my favorite feature is the luggage trolley sleeve! This makes it easy to rest your duffel on top of a carry-on or checked bag, especially if you get tired of carrying around a heavy duffel. 

Dimensions: 16" x 12" x 7"

Weight: 1.95 pounds

Calpak Backpack

Calpak’s Kaya Laptop Backpack is a stylish and functional backpack with a dedicated laptop compartment, making it an excellent option for digital nomads and business travelers, as well as those looking for a daily bag for their commute. Adjustable straps provide customization and comfort, while the interior organization pockets help to keep all your belongings secured. Available in an astonishing 19 different colors, there is an option for everyone looking to purchase the Kaya Laptop Backpack. 

As I read through the reviews, I was surprised to see so many positive comments about the backpack. Over 1,000 reviews and rated 4.7/5 stars, many commented on the sleek design and functionality of the bag, with one reviewer even stating, “best purchase I have ever made.” 

I think having a good travel backpack is essential for any traveler as it’s more comfortable to carry than a duffel or crossbody and can be used as a personal item or outside of travel for work, school, or the gym! 

Dimensions: 15.5” x 11.5” x 4.5”

Weight: 3 pounds

Calpak Packing Cubes

Calpak offers two types of packing cubes - a set of five standard packing cubes and a set of two compression packing cubes. 

The Calpak packing cube set comes in nine classic colors and five limited edition prints. This set comes with one envelope-style cube, two small cubes, one medium cube, and one large cube. Made from polyester, these cubes have a mesh panel to see what you’ve packed inside easily. There is a zippered pouch on the exterior of each cube, providing you with more space to pack your items. There even is a small flap to insert a label on each packing cube! These are a great option to keep your suitcase organized. 

Dimensions

Envelope: 13” x 10” x 1.5”

Small: 12” x 8.8” x 3”

Medium: 15” x 11” x 3” 

Large: 17” x 12” x 3”

The compression packing cubes come in five colors and are also made of polyester. Both cubes are identical, with dimensions of 13 inches by 9 inches. My favorite feature about these cubes is that they are compressible by over half their original height (4.5 inches expanded to 2 inches compressed). I purchased these in pink sand and thoroughly tested and reviewed how they compare to other compressible options. While I have yet to use them on any trips, I have no doubt they will become my new favorite travel must-have.

Calpak Warranty

Calpak products come with a one-year, two-year, or five-year warranty, depending on which product you purchase. The warranties only cover defects in materials and workmanship, and if you need to have a product serviced, there is a service fee of $24.95 for luggage (and less for smaller products). As with most luggage brands, the warranty does not cover any normal wear and tear, accidents, or transport damage by airlines. 

The warranties offered by Calpak are standard in the luggage industry, minus the service fee. I think Calpak could do better and eliminate the service fees, especially for material defects or workmanship issues. 

The warranty process is simple enough. You can submit a warranty claim here. The form is standard and asks for contact information, proof of purchase, and a description of the issue. There is even a space to add pictures of your product for the warranty claim. 

Calpak on Instagram

I initially saw several ads on Instagram for Calpak, so I headed to their Instagram account to dive deeper into what Calpak has to offer. @Calpak has about 289,000 followers and almost 2,500 posts, which is impressive, considering I thought this was a less popular luggage brand.

Calpak’s Instagram is full of posts highlighting the luggage brand’s various lines and styles offered and promoting sales. As I’m reviewing their page, there are plenty of ads for the upcoming holiday season for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, so I expect we will see more sales throughout the end of the year leading to Boxing Day. 

Calpak’s reels offer packing tips using their packing cubes and organizers in addition to product launches. The posted highlights showcase Calpak’s travel bags and organizers and give customers answers to FAQs and tips for cleaning your Calpak luggage. I found the cleaning tips interesting and helpful, and I have not seen many other luggage brands provide instructional videos on how to clean bags!

Calpak on Trustpilot

Unfortunately, all the good vibes about Calpak end at their Trustpilot review. It came as a surprise to me to see that Calpak has a measly 1.9 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot. This translates to a “poor” rating on the site. The profile is unclaimed, and there is no history of asking for reviews (or responding to any). I was intrigued by what customers had to say about Calpak, as all the feedback I had seen online up until this point was positive. 

With only twelve reviews and all given the same 1-star rating, I decided to read through them all to determine what had customers so upset and dissatisfied. One reviewer stated, “Worst customer service I’ve ever encountered. Do not order from them unless you want a headache”. Other reviewers also commented on the lack of satisfactory customer service. While I have ordered from Calpak, I haven’t needed to contact their customer service (yet), so I can’t comment on the experience personally, but from these reviews, it should be something to be mindful of when making your purchase.

Calpak Rating by Travel Merak

Calpak is a functional and stylish brand that offers various styles and luggage options for all travelers! I am very impressed with their commitment to embracing change and evolving as travel styles and needs shift over time. However, the negative Trustpilot reviews and limited warranty coverage are something to be aware of. 

Our Rating: 4.4/5

Pros

• Affordable prices
• Durable materials
• Plenty of styles and color options
• Functionality features like interior organization pockets
• Dual spinner wheels provide additional stability
• Backpack and duffel options are great as personal items

Cons

• Negative Trustpilot reviews
• Limited coverage warranty
• No free returns
• No known sustainability initiatives 

Read about Travel Merak’s product rating methodology.

Final Thoughts

Modern and unique, Calpak offers affordable luggage with various styles and functional features. With plenty of options for each traveler, Calpak has done a great job of catering to different needs and keeping up with travel style trends. What’s more impressive is that this is a family-run company, and the brand has managed to evolve and branch out from their humble beginnings of handbags and wallets.

Offering durable and functional travel products at affordable prices, Calpak is the perfect choice for the budget-savvy traveler. However, I do think they could do better in the warranty and returns department by offering additional warranty protection and free returns. And while there are negative reviews on Trustpilot, the overall feedback on Calpak’s website and social media are positive.