Need extra funds for your next purchase?
I have a soft spot for lightweight luggage, and I am not going to pretend that looks do not matter. So when the Provogue Cascade arrived in Timberwolf Grey with Burnt Orange accents, I was immediately excited. It looked like the sort of suitcase I would expect from a fashion-focused luggage brand such as Nasher Miles, rather than something sitting in the budget section. I took the Cascade to Coorg for five days, across four flights, a five-hour cab ride from Mangalore to Virajpet and plenty of peak monsoon weather. The good news? At its price, this one makes a very convincing case for itself. It is not the best suitcase I have tested. The wheels and handle could be better, and the hardware feels fairly average. But if you want a suitcase that looks considerably more expensive than it costs, the Cascade gets a lot right. The Timberwolf Grey and Burnt Orange combination was what got me first. It is a very good-looking suitcase, and the colour pairing gives it a more expensive feel than the price suggests. I also liked the slightly textured PP shell, which feels practical for a checked suitcase that is going to spend time being handled by baggage staff. My first thought was simple. This looks much better than most suitcases at this price. My second thought, after using it for a while, was slightly less enthusiastic. It is still very much a budget suitcase. And that distinction matters. For me, that makes the Cascade more useful than a standard budget hard shell suitcase. You can pack normally on the way out and have some extra breathing room on the way back. And if you travel, you know that somehow the return journey always requires more space. If you want a good-looking suitcase at a budget price, I would absolutely consider it. The design can easily hold its own against pricier fashion-focused luggage from brands such as Nasher Miles and Mokobara. The hardware cannot.
After testing more than 25 suitcases, I have learnt not to get carried away by a pretty exterior.
