If you’re one of the regular visiting our site, then perhaps you might have come across my trip to The Philippines to attend the Asia Pacific Predator League 2024 esports tournament. New guy in the block? Click here for parts 1, 2, and 3.
In any case, Predator Malaysia did give me a chance to review the Predator Robust Luggage 22-inch model for this occasion because the timing is just right and pretty good for me to divert from “keyboard exclusive” content to other things for 2024.
So let’s start the review!
From the get-go, the entire luggage seems pretty “robust” (pun intended). I say this because from knocking it from various angles and directions, it doesn’t give out a hollow sound at all. Aside from that, there’s this metal frame that runs across the zipper side for added sturdiness.
To facilitate easy lifting in any possible situation, it has 3 handles – Two you can see on the image above as well as another one on the top side which is the “flimsy” one.
The fact that it has wheels means that one of the handles is the retractable one for dragging.
Aside from knowing that it is built to last and take a beating from the get-go, another highlight of this luggage is the implementation of TSA locks. For those who don’t know, this is basically one of the widely used lock designs made in compliance with international standards.
Not only does it utilize a hatch-like snap lock design to secure the entire thing, but it is also easily openable by customs officers in case they wanna check on you through the use of the small keyhole. As such, they can open and check without knowing the passcode of the lock and proceed to lock it back after screening.
After taking a good look at the outside, then it is time to open up the lock and see what’s inside. To our surprise, the internal cavity is more spacious than we thought it would be.
Additionally, they included a clothes hanger as part of the package which is super appreciated for them to think more about user convenience despite branding it towards gamers.
The pouch compartment is easily clipped onto the hooks on the side so you can quickly access what’s underneath for unpacking. They also included recommended partitions for you to put in your necessities – clothes, cables, smartphone stuff, audio gears, you name it. For me, I just place clothes in the clothes department and everything else as fitted.
Additionally, it is nice of them to use different textures and materials for specific items such as breathable mesh for clothes and water-resistant textiles that keep your chargers and adapters safe (and your power banks which you definitely don’t want any liquid near them).
As for the little pouch inside, it contains several things actually – Alphabetical stickers that you can stick on the luggage for identification purposes, a small note explaining how the TSA lock works and how to set your own password, and the pouch itself can be used to hold your passports, boarding tickets, and such.
Now for a small breakpoint where from this point onwards, it is after the trip that includes some fun bits along the way.
Throughout the entire trip, the Robust Luggage is super easy to move around no matter what the surface – slick, smooth, bumpy, grindy – whatever, it can roll through without any issue as well as from any direction like drag or push. Comfort is also a key factor here as I don’t feel any sort of weight imbalance when I’m moving with it.
Seems pretty firm but still fair points for being a decently built product.
In terms of what I’ve brought for the trip, it is fairly simple actually – garments, clothes, adapters, a bunch of wires, my slippers, and my pillow (I have quite a weak neck so I prefer to sleep with my own pillow).
Unsurprising, when you travel abroad, chances are you’re gonna fill your bag with lots of local exclusive stuff to bring back to your friends and families. And that’s me too but with way stronger intrusive thoughts about impulsive buying. So what happens when u just spam buying hoping you can take it all back?
Yup. The luggage was absolutely stuffed to the maximum. There are 9 ramen packs and 14 chip bags alongside the pillow and some other knick knacks within those pouch compartments.
Suffice it to say that this is impossible to close in the conventional way so as another “bonus round” to test how the frame and hinge could handle extreme weight, I sat on the luggage to close it off (albeit met with extreme resistance at the TSA lock part).
But to my surprise, even having it packed and withheld the tension and internal pressure for up to 10 hours, the frame and hinge didn’t even screak a bit. It just shows how well this thing is built.
So all in all, I think the Predator Robust Luggage is determined to provide gamers with the best traveling experience through the attention given to both the inside and outside of the luggage which in the end, definitely worth carrying “Robust” in its title.
Now, the important thing to grasp – is its price. At RM1,999 I wouldn’t say that this is everyone’s cup of tea especially if you’re just a casual “quarterly” or “yearly” traveler who packs little things and just has fun with your families and friends.
From what I see, the performance ceiling is this high to accommodate some of the more extreme use cases. With all the internal spaces, it is very doable to just have a single luggage bag that you travel along with all your gear and clothes inside while still having enough vacant spots for gifts and stuff.
I project those who need to go outstation frequently for work may consider it as it is really durable enough to withstand all the spiky asphalt roads and daily wear and tear. No matter if you’re going away in domestic regions moving via trains and bus or flying international air, the Robust Luggage can do all, be all.
And let’s be real. This is a luggage for gamers and perhaps even pro players will find it feasible for their needs. Laptop and gears? Easily fitted. Clothes and pants? They’ll pack their team jerseys and parkers just fine.
