'Why I think you should buy my husband's most-hated item'
Of all the things I own, it's the item my husband probably has the most contentious relationship with.
I'm talking about a suitcase – my Samsonite OC2Lite Hardside Spinner Suitcase in fact.
It's usually $499, but currently $299.40 – so you're getting a pretty hefty 40 per cent off.
I bought this suitcase back in March to move countries. But I've ended up dragging it through Europe for three months (and counting) instead, so I've had a while to use it.
When buying this suitcase I weighed up a few things: quality, functionality and space.
The Samsonite name is known for its premium luggage, and with that comes its high price tag. I was prepared to pay that much and in return I expected a quality product and one that would last years to come. A few people I know own a Samsonite and have always had good things to say, so I decided to take the leap.
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
The first thing I noticed about it as I left the store was it didn't roll but glided across the floor. And I can safely say after tackling the cobblestone streets of Florence, the steep inclines of Cinque Terre and the uneven terrain of Corfu, the wheels have held up and continue to make the task of moving my suitcase from point A to point B in high-30C temperatures a lot easier. I've had cheap suitcases before and the 360-degree maneuverability of this baby's wheels is far superior.
The hard cover of the suitcase is another huge plus. As you can tell from the less than pristine white exterior of my bag in these photos, it's seen some s---. And though there's a few scuff marks, nothing seems to have penetrated its fortress and it's kept its shape, thereby protecting its contents.
Speaking of inside, the suitcase has a compartment divider you can zip off on one side, which is ideal for someone who is carrying around her winter clothing during her summer holiday. That means it can remain untouched and means packing up and moving to our next location is easier. The divider also has a pocket, which you can also zip up, where I store my underwear and socks; another point for functionality. And finally in the third space I pack my everyday clothes and footwear. There's also cross ribbons to keep everything in place and it is expandable (I've used this feature once and it was a lifesaver).
If you're still playing at home, the bag has a TSA combination lock. As someone who is super paranoid, I always secure up my bag usually with a flimsy padlock. But having it built into this bag has been a dream because I don't fear losing the key.
Now the only downside to this suitcase... is my husband's sheer hatred of carrying it up stairs. And in Europe, there are lots of them. But we did opt to stay in a lot of Airbnbs instead of hotels to try and stretch our money further, so a lot of buildings we stayed in did not have the luxury of an elevator.
So, was Samsonite OC2Lite Hardside Spinner Suitcase worth the price tag?
Yes, in my opinion as it'll last me for years to come (it comes with a limited 10-year global warranty) and I like to invest in good quality items, which theoretically means less need to buy more replacements.
But if this suitcase is a little bit out of your price range, here are some more affordable ones:
Amazon Basics Hardside Expandable Spinner Suitcase
The Amazon Basic Hardside Expandable Suitcase comes in at a great price point of $179 for the 68cm one. It has "four double spinner wheels ensure smooth-rolling mobility in any direction". And inside it has the same compartments as its more expensive counterpart.
U.S. Traveler Expandable Softside Luggage with Spinner Wheels
A soft case bag with the same trunk space. It has an average Amazon customer rating of 4.1 stars, with more than 2,100 reviews. So a pretty good strike rate. It also has four 360-degree spinner wheels for optimal rolling.
Want even more? Try these.
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