Timbuk2 Copilot Luggage Roller Review

The Timbuk2 Copilot’s smallest size is 37 liters. With that much capacity, it’s fair to assume that Timbuk2 would stick to a conventional and proven design to maximize that space. Yet, they’ve added little touches and unique spins on certain design elements to make the Copilot stand out.

Features such as skateboard-style wheels, a telescoping handle reminiscent of those found on bicycles, and quick-access compartments are some of these few touches. Do these make the Timbuk2 Copilot the best softside luggage for travel? Let’s find out.

External Components

On the outside, the Timbuk2 Copilot doesn’t stray too far from the usual formula used by a lot of softside luggage. You have a decently robust water-resistant nylon outside, with an underlying plastic and metal frame to prop everything up. We’re guessing Timbuk2 uses a mix of polycarbonate or polypropylene and aluminum. Regardless of the specifics, the resulting structure and build quality are quite excellent, especially since there’s also a substantial layer of foam cushioning between the frame and the fabric shell. All of that material means the bag lands on the heftier side of the spectrum at around 7 lbs, but it’s not egregious enough to be a deal-breaker.

At the time of writing, there’s only one colorway: black. That’s good if you already had something inconspicuous in mind. The size is where you might want to put a little more thought into it since there are three to choose from. We’re testing the small version since we wanted the most carry-on-compliant version of the Copilot. However, the medium and XL versions offer 42 and 87 liters of capacity, respectively, in case you need more space for your gear.

You get the basics in terms of extra features. A small slip pocket is on the right side for a luggage tag. Strangely enough, there’s no slip provided, so you’ll have to fashion one yourself. It’s not an issue for us since we usually use smart trackers like AirTags and Tiles. But we still wished Timbuk2 provided an already formatted slip for the sake of convenience. The bag also has grab handles on its sides so you can lift the bag in a pinch.

We like that the handles are relatively flush and low-profile, meaning the chances of them snagging on airport fixtures are minimal. That said, they’re also quite stiff. Despite the handles’ thick appearance, don’t expect them to feel cushioned because they’re not. There’s no padding involved here; the fabric’s simply folded and stitched over at the edges to give them the semblance of thickness. This isn’t necessarily a problem. However, given the bag’s relatively hefty weight, we wish the handles weren’t this Spartan.

At the bottom of the front side is a handle that doubles as the bag’s foreleg to keep it standing up. This solid piece of plastic is also comfortable as a handle, but you’re never really meant to use it to lift, so that’s okay. Instead, you use it to pull the bag along and side to side when you’re packing or shifting gear around your car trunk.

As hinted at by that handle/foreleg (plus the images above), the bag only has two hind wheels, making this a roller rather than a spinner. The wheels are described as “skateboard wheels,” with that distinct glossy finish and rounded shape. We’re guessing these are indeed made of the same polyurethane material as most skateboard wheels since they appear similar. The polyurethane gives the wheels some inherent ability to absorb vibrations since it’s a fairly pliable material.

Only time will tell how long each set of wheels will last, but they are easily replaceable when the time comes. You can either buy a set from Timbuk2’s website, with each wheel assembly costing around $30, or you can DIY replace the wheels themselves. They attach with bolts, so some tinkering can open up more replacement options if you wish to explore them.

The telescoping handle only adjusts to its maximum height, with no steps in between to speak of. This would typically be a flaw for us, but since this bag is a roller, full height is the ideal adjustment anyway. More importantly, the handle is described as “bike-inspired” and we can see Timbuk2’s vision. It’s padded and rather thick, so grabbing it gives that chunky feeling plenty of people who’ve ridden a bike are familiar with.

Fit Notes

Being a roller, you’re meant to pull the Copilot behind you at an angle. This means fully extending the handle which, as already mentioned, is pretty much the only height adjustment option available. As for the bike-inspired handle, it is very comfortable to hold, and we appreciate how forgiving it is compared to hard plastic on other luggage. We wish there were a kickplate of some sort, though. The presence of the metal plate around the handle’s shafts makes us wistful of another one nearer to the bottom. That said, the handle’s thick shafts are beefy enough that we’d kick those instead.

As for rolling smoothness, the skateboard-like wheels really do make a difference, muting out a lot of small vibrations. Whether we were rolling along rough sidewalks or cobblestoned walkways, jitteriness was kept to acceptable and expected levels.

Inside The Carry On Luggage

At the front of the bag is a zippered laptop sleeve. Given the bag’s sizeable 37-liter capacity, it’s rather surprising that Timbuk2 only added a laptop sleeve rated for up to 13-inch devices. We would’ve loved to see something more accommodating. Then again, if you’re one of the many travelers already skeptical about putting a laptop in their luggage, this may not be a huge loss for you anyway. For our part, we wouldn’t put a laptop here if this bag was getting checked. But if it’s boarding alongside you as a carry on, then it has a decent amount of padding to protect it from minor bumps, so it’s fine.

There’s also a pocket at the top. We initially expected this to be a quick-grab pocket for everyday carry accessories, as plenty of softside luggage has such pockets. On the contrary, it’s a sizable shoe compartment. Of course, you can use this pocket for whatever large gear you want, but shoes are its primary use. In terms of size, we could fit up to a pair of men’s size 10 sneakers without folding or rolling, just stacking them on each other. Of course, don’t expect to fit something too bulky like hiking boots.

You can access the main compartment in two ways: the full clamshell opening and partial access through the zippered front flap. The latter is very convenient when you just need to take a few items out quickly, but it won’t grant you access to everything inside the main compartment. Rather, the front flap leads directly into the front half of the main compartment. It’s a relatively roomy bucket space where you can fit a toiletry bag and a few packing cubes of clothing. Note that the shoe compartment is located above this compartment, so there’s some space eaten away there.

Opening the lockable reverse-coil YKK zippers is fairly smooth, leading to the main compartment where all your gear is stored. On the right are two large zippered mesh pockets. These sit adjacent to the front compartment mentioned above, and you can access that compartment from here, too, by undoing the zipper running along the edge. The large mesh pockets’ openings face each other in the middle, making it convenient to reach in without having to stretch your arm all the way to the top where one of them would otherwise be.

Toiletries and accessories can go in those mesh pockets, but you can store the rest of your clothing and gear in the main bucket space on the left. Covered by a large mesh panel, the bucket space has plenty of room for rolls of tops and bottoms. We fit eight tops, four pairs of pants, and a pair of shorts. Why not use packing cubes? With the way the telescoping handle’s frame is taking up space here, packing loose clothing directly seemed more efficient. On that note, there’s no liner fabric, but that matte black material isn’t plastic. Instead, it’s some sort of fabric tightly shrink-wrapped into the bucket space’s surface.

Overall, the Copilot is a pretty interesting piece of luggage with a few unique features that make it stand out. While its two bucket spaces are mostly similar to other luggage we’ve tested, details like quick access to the front compartment, the shoe compartment being a separate area, and the general beefiness of the materials stand out to us as good attention to detail.