Samsonite is one of the top brands when it comes to suitcases. Their product selection and thousands of positive online reviews speak for themselves, plus they provide a solid warranty and helpful customer support.
Their budget-friendly luggage is the ideal option for travelers on a tight budget. Their most affordable models range between $100 and $200, although some of their more luxurious options can go up to $700.
They're renowned for their durability and dependability, which has kept customers loyal to them for years. This can be attributed to their excellent warranties and friendly support teams.
Samsonite has always been a top priority when it comes to suitcase durability, especially if they will be used regularly. Unfortunately, zippers can break, handles can get stuck, seams can rip and hard shells may crack over time; fortunately Samsonite has done an excellent job of avoiding these problems; which is why many customers are satisfied with their bags.
Their medium-class suitcases are constructed with 1680D polyester, making them highly durable and water-resistant. Furthermore, they feature a retractable handle to easily roll them around while flying, as well as spinner wheels for added mobility.
For travelers who appreciate lightweight suitcases with some additional features, such as a telescopic handle that can be extended, TSA-approved lock on the top of the case, and retractable handle, this is an ideal option.
Some of the higher-end suitcases are constructed from 100% polycarbonate, which is lighter than many other materials and gives them a sleek and professional appearance. Furthermore, some come equipped with reflective scratch-resistant surfaces to increase visibility at night.
They're lightweight enough to fit within most airlines' 22 x 14 x 9 size limit, making them perfect for frequent travelers who need a bag that will keep their belongings secure.
Samsonite also utilizes their 'Right Height' handle system, offering eight fixed heights when using retractable handles. This can be especially helpful if you're tall or have difficulty maneuvering standard handles.
Samsonite's suitcase wheels may not be the strongest available, but they still provide plenty of support and stability for their job. Plus, these suitcases boast a retractable handle that can be extended, making them easier to manoeuvre than most other brands on the market.
They offer a TSA-approved lock on most of their hardside suitcases, which is an invaluable feature for frequent travelers.
Their luggage designs are quite good, though not the most stylish out there. They cater mainly to business professionals, frequent travelers and those who appreciate discreet yet minimalistic aesthetics over flashy ones.
This is an excellent bag produced by the most well-known name in the luggage industry. Although we found the interior dividers to be rather obstructive, we have no trouble recommending the product as a whole. However, the price tag on this bag is also rather exorbitant, despite the fact that our customer score for this bag was exceptionally good. Very high in comparison to the vast majority of Samsonite bags in this size category, at least. Although most people can still afford it, the price may not be low enough to be an impulsive buy. Since you are taking the time to read this review, there is a good chance that you won't have to make a rash choice today.
The dimensions of this Samsonite Centric are 26.5 inches by 17.75 inches by 11 inches, giving it a total linear size of 55.2 inches when wheels are included. Because of this, the bag is significantly shorter than the allowed limit of 62 linear inches. The dimensions of the inside packaging come in at a little reduced 24 inches by 16.5 inches by 11 inches, and the weight of the empty bag is a reasonable 9 pounds.
If you are unable to fully commit to the carry-on lifestyle of weekend travelers and those who want to travel light and unfettered, then a checked bag with a dimension of 24 inches is a decent compromise for you to consider. That two additional inches of length contribute to a significant increase in the inner space, and it removes one item from your list of potential items to leave behind on the airplane.
As compared to other hard-sided suitcases of the same size, this one has a weight that is marginally higher than the norm. With a bag of this size, it's going to be very difficult to get to the maximum weight of 50 pounds, thus it shouldn't be a cause for concern at all. Even if you are attempting to smuggle gold ingots or carry three toiletry bags filled with seven different kinds of shampoo and conditioner, you will not be successful.
When it comes to carry-on luggage and the largest checked baggage, weight becomes a more significant consideration because both types frequently exceed the weight limitations imposed by airlines when they are completely filled. At this scale, sacrificing a little bit of weight in exchange for increased durability is a fair and reasonable trade-off.
Polycarbonate offers the best water resistance, which is one of the primary reasons why consumers opt for a hard-sided suitcase. The other reason being how much of a beating, kicking, and stabbing it can withstand while still protecting your belongings.
A hard-sided polycarbonate suitcase such as this one is an absolute must if you travel with photographic gear or other fragile items that are too large to fit in a carry-on bag. A hard-shell suitcase looks beautiful and holds up well even if you just travel with four pairs of pants and a dozen shirts.
We are particularly fond of the tweed-like weave that was utilized on the external surface of this suitcase and many others. Not only does it look great, but it also withstands being thrown around and dragged along conveyor belts extremely well.
Almost every suitcase made of polycarbonate excels in terms of durability. The seams, handles, and wheels of any hard-shell suitcase are likely to break first. Although there have been claims of poor mobility with this bag, which may be due to inadequate quality control in reference to the wheel tolerances, our bag moved easily and we had no problems with our wheels.
That is not anything you should be concerned about, but you should be aware of it so that you can inspect your suitcase carefully for any problems when it comes.
While the suitcase was empty, the general stiffness of the bag was a little bit lower than what we want to see with hard-sided luggage. Because it has a good amount of flex, you should be especially careful if you want to place another suitcase on top of this one when you wheel it through the airport. If you pack lightly and want to put a large backpack on top of the bag, or if you plan to fit one of Samsonite's sleeved bags overtop the handle, such as the Samsonite Underseater bag we reviewed last week, this might be an issue for you.
It is important to note that these ratings are not representative of the Centric line as a whole; rather, they are exclusive to one bag size. As a result, the total number of reviews does not number in the thousands but rather in the low hundreds. We are still of the opinion that this is a statistically substantial number of reviews, and it is with great pleasure that we make this recommendation.
Yet, like with any checked luggage, its durability is limited by the laws of physics, and if you have the misfortune of encountering a group of rough baggage handlers, this bag is just about as likely to fail as one that is offered at a lower price point.
Luggage like this is not cheap. This Samsonite bag falls somewhere in the center, which makes it difficult to assess. Many of the Samsonite bags we examine tend toward the more affordable end of the range.
Even from Samsonite, there are undoubtedly less expensive bags available that are essentially identical in terms of their feature sets and size. In addition, there are bags available at the higher end of the price spectrum that have a number of noticeable enhancements, such as double-spinner wheels, an increased number of inside sorting options, and more solid dividers. In the end, it boils down to one's own priorities.
Everyone has a budget and if this fits your budget, this is a good bag. Spending half as much on something like the 24-inch Samsonite Omni, though, could make you happy. Nevertheless, if you have some more money in your budget, you may consider shelling out 30–40% more money for a higher-quality bag that comes with some extra features and accessories. You may consider purchasing anything from Briggs & Riley such as the Sympatico Hardside Spinner if you want to stay inside this pricing range. You can read our comprehensive review of Briggs & Riley here.
When it comes to luggage, value might be difficult to evaluate in terms of performance per money. If all that matters is functionality—that is, whether or not it can transport your belongings from one place to another—then you should go for the cheapest and most lightweight one that also satisfies your size requirements.
As you start to think about factors such as longevity, convenience, security, and even aesthetics, it becomes more difficult to find a solution that would work for everyone because everyone has different objectives. We believe that this bag has a reasonable price for the features that it offers, it has a nice appearance, and the twill surface weave is excellent for preventing scratches; however, if you are considering a less expensive bag from Samsonite or another reputable brand, it is not worth stretching your budget in order to purchase this bag.
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