Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Review: A Suitcase Built for Serious Travel?

A good suitcase should be where everyone starts when it comes to selecting travel gear. Get a bad one and you risk starting or ending your trip in a bad mood. Gregory recently reached out asking to send some of their bags for review, and along with the Rhune 25L and Alpaca 40L duffel, they also sent me their first suitcase, the Quadro Pro 88L.

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Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Quick Summary

Pros

Cons

Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Technical Details

Feature	Details
Dimensions	71 × 46 × 29 cm
Weight	5.31kg
Capacity	88L
Main Materials	Polycarbonate Shell

First Impressions of the Gregory Quadro Pro 88L

Sometimes when brands move into new product lines, it can feel like they have slapped their logo onto someone else’s product, but that isn;t the case here. Some genuine though has gone into what accessories and features, that on paper at least, a seasoned traveller would want.

Features such as an airtag pouch and activeshield compartment, or moulded handles to make it easier to grab your luggage. But I would have to wait for my first trip to find out how practical these would be.

Who should actually buy the Gregory Quadro Pro 88L?

Gregory have aimed this suitcase at seasoned travellers who value organisation and practical features, as well as durability. That does come at the cost of weight, as the bag alone is a pretty hefty 5.31kg when empty.  

Why I Chose the Gregory Quadro Pro 88L

Gregory gave me the choice of which products I wanted to review, and there were a few reasons why the Quadro Pro 88L stood out. Originally, the plan was to test some of their other bags on my trip to Japan, but unfortunately we couldn’t make it work in time.

Whilst in Japan, my previous suitcase failed. I would love to say it happened after years of intense travelling, but in reality it was only its third trip, and it broke right at the start. It was an American Tourister, and after that experience I wanted something that felt better suited to longer, less relaxed trips.

Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Design

The Gregory Quadro Pro 88L arrived just in the nick of time for me. I had been invited on a last-minute press trip to Marmaris with Jet2, and I wasn’t keen on the idea of my American Tourister limping its way through Stansted Airport.

As well as the traditional handle on the top, the Quadro Pro also has one on each side. I immediately knew where this would be useful: the baggage carousel. Your suitcase never seems to come out with the handle facing you, which can make it awkward to grab. Having another handle on the side makes lifting it off the carousel considerably easier.

Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Build Quality

The exterior is made from polycarbonate, which feels thicker and more rigid than my previous suitcase. My initial thought was that the finish would probably pick up scuffs and marks quite easily, but that the suitcase itself felt built to last. I could see it becoming a little battle-scarred over time rather than actually looking worn out.

As I suspected, when I spotted it on the carousel in Marmaris there were already a few scuff marks. That’s hardly surprising though; checked luggage isn’t exactly treated gently at airports. Aside from those marks, the suitcase was still in excellent condition, with no cracks, dents or noticeable damage.

I’ve since taken the Quadro Pro 88L on several more trips, including Las Vegas, and so far it has held up extremely well. The wheels and YKK zippers run smooth, the handle doesn’t stick and the TSA lock built in was a detail my last suitcase lacked that I really enjoy.

How Much Can You Fit in the Gregory Quadro Pro 88L?

The longest trip I have used the Gregory Quadro Pro 88L for has been five days. But this a condensed packing list for my trip to Vegas: 

• x7 T-shirts
• x5 Shirts
• x2 trousers
• Swimwear
• Underwear 
• Toiletries
• Shoes
• Camera accessories
• A Jacket

Even with all that packed I actually had so much space remaining so I did add in a few extras just in case. 

I could easily stretch this bag to last me a two-week trip without having to think too carefully about what I was packing. There’s enough room to bring whatever I want without having to justify every item – which in my case usually means extra camera gear.

The ActiveShield Compartment

Inside the Quadro Pro, Gregory has included an Activeshield Compartment. This is treated with Polygiene anti-microbial technology and is designed to keep wet or dirty clothes separate from the rest of your gear. A particularly useful addition if you decide to go to the pool on your very last day. 

The compartment is fully removable, making it much easier to clean after a long trip of holding dirty clothes. I’ve found it especially useful for swimwear and gym clothes. I don’t want a wet swimsuit soaking everything else in my suitcase, and sweaty gym clothes are definitely something i’d prefer to keep separate.

Normally I use packing cubes and keep one spare for dirty clothes. If I’m staying in the same hotel for a while, I’ll often unpack everything and gradually put worn clothes back into the suitcase. But when bouncing between multiple hotels, the Activeshield compartment has been genuinely useful because I can keep dirty or damp clothes separate without having to reorganise the rest of my luggage.

What Are the Wheels Like?

Throughout my travels, I’ve found the wheels to be incredibly smooth, and the suitcase glides easily across most surfaces. In airports, it’s particularly good because I can push it alongside me without needing much effort.

On my first trip, I was parked right at the back of Stansted Airport’s car park. The road there isn’t exactly the smoothest, but the Quadro Pro handled it well enough without me feeling like I needed to drag it behind me.

My time in Turkey was mostly spent moving across tiled surfaces, which the wheels handled perfectly. Las Vegas was actually where I noticed their biggest weakness.

The Bellagio has sections of carpet surrounded by tiled flooring. The Quadro Pro was excellent on the tiles and still moved reasonably well across the carpet, but it sometimes caught on the small raised edge where the two surfaces met. It wasn’t a major issue, but it did mean I occasionally had to give the suitcase a little lift rather than simply rolling straight through.

Organisation Inside the Suitcase

A suitcase obviously needs one big space to throw everything into, but that doesn’t mean a few smaller pockets aren’t useful for keeping things organised.

While one side is dedicated to the ActiveShield compartment, the other includes several smaller compression pockets. These are useful for items that would otherwise end up loose inside the suitcase, without needing to put absolutely everything into separate organisers.

I’ll still be using my own packing cubes and storage bags, but the built-in pockets work well alongside them rather than replacing them completely.

Travelling With a 5.31kg Suitcase

Initially I was concerned by the weight on this suitcase. For reference my old suitcase was the American Tourister Jet Driver 2.0, which came in at 3.6kg. That’s almost 1.7kg less than the Quadro Pro 88L.

But for me, the trade off is worth it. The wheels run so smoothly I didn’t even notice the extra weight until I looked up the specifications for this article. Given the issues I had in Japan with my previous suitcase failing, I’d happily sacrifice some of my luggage allowance for something that’s more durable. Even if I was panicking about the weight of my souvenirs in Japan. 

Is the Extra Weight Worth it?

Given the choice between a lighter suitcase and one that feels better built, I will take durability every time. I know full well that the extra 1.7 kilograms I could pack into other suitcases won’t feel like a benefit when the wheels inevitably fail or a zip breaks. 

Choosing a heavier but better built suitcase and packing smarter will be a better decision for myself than squeezing in a few extra t-shirts and a pair of trainers I won’t wear.

Small Features I Really Like

There’s lots of little features I really like about the Quadro Pro 88L. One is the simplest but really shows consideration, and that’s the handles on the sides. Often bags might have one but in an inconvenient location. Placing them on the front side made it so much easier to grab my bag from the carousel. It also helped me identify it from a distance as it stood out.

The Airtag holder is a nice touch. I am not in the iPhone system myself but it’s a nice touch. I wish it was integrated a little differently so that it could fit other 

What Could Be Better?

I have found this bag really hard not to love, but in future versions there are a few tweaks I would like to see. 

The first being the weight. At more than 5kg, it is a lot just for the suitcase itself. If Gregory could find a way to bring this weight down but still keep the features and durability, that would be amazing.

I would also like to see a tweak to the airtag holder by making it universal. AirTags are one of the most popular trackers on the market, so I understand why Gregory would design a compartment around them. 

But there are other brands and it would be more beneficial to include android users. Especially considering Android users are an average of 72% of the worldwide smartphone market. 

A more flexible holder would also add some futureproofing to the suitcase. We have no clue if in the future Airtags will stay the same shape or size. So being prepared to accommodate different trackers would help.

Who Is the Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Best For?

I’d recommend it for:

Long-haul travellers, longer trips, people who check luggage regularly, travellers carrying bulky clothing/equipment.

I’d look elsewhere if:

You want a suitcase that is lighter in weight. The 40/44L version meets carry on regulations but is still heavier than most cases.

Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Colour Options

The 88L version currently only comes in Optic Black. If you get the 40L version you do get the option of Mirage Tan which I really love. Tan and Khaki are my favourite colours for bags and accessories. So it’s a shame the colour is exclusive to the smaller size. I think the black looks great but there are so many black suitcases at airports the tan would be easier to spot. I also just think it would suit my vibe a little more.

Is the Gregory Quadro Pro 88L Worth Buying?

Bags are a product you want to buy once and last a lifetime of travel. In my case I may put them through multiple lifetimes. But realistically it’s the last product you want to be regularly replacing. I always think investing into one at the start will save you in the future, and you can put those savings towards more adventures to bring it on. 

I love the features like the activeshield and storage pockets. Whilst I don’t love the weight of the suitcase I think it’s a worthwhile compromise for the build quality. With more trips planned for the year, I’ll be getting a lot more use out of the Quadro Pro 88L.