Carry Awards
Insights
Liking
Projects
Interviews
Carry Candy
Community and Marketplace
Carryology delivered. Your inbox. every two weeks.
Only the best stuff (and giveaways!), we promise.
Drive By :: Samsonite Lite-Locked 68L Spinner
Taking the wheel in our latest Drive By is Lina Calabria, finance manager, altruist and mother of two..
Weight and security are key considerations when it comes to checked luggage. The Samsonite Lite-Locked 68L Spinner claims to cover both bases with a combination of their lightweight and impact-resistant Curv material and a three-point locking system.
.
.
Sounds good, but how does it perform in real-world settings? The spinner was put to the test on a variety of journeys: a one-week family trip saw the case head to Bali where it served as one of our two checked bags for the whole family (our 6-year-old and 8-year-old were fighting each other over who got to push it – massive parenting win). It also tagged along for a mother/daughter weekend to Sydney (we put all our stuff in there and so just had one bag, each with our own side). And to cap it off, the suitcase endured a gruelling 5-day business trip to China and Hong Kong – 1 day flying, 1 day Shanghai, 1 day Guangdong, 1 day Hong Kong, 1 day flying.
.
.
Who It Suits
Travelers looking for a functional and well-constructed spinner for business or holiday use that is lighter than a lot of options out there.
.
.
Who It Doesn’t
This case is pricey, so if you don’t have some serious cash to splash and you’re watching your budget, this isn’t the best option. The aesthetics are also eye-catching and modern, which will appeal to some but not to others.
.
.
The Good
The size of the spinner is excellent – you can fill it and easily stay under 20kg (the case itself is 3.3kg). The case fit so much more than I was expecting. As I was packing I was worried all the things I needed to get in would not fit, but nope, it’s bigger than it looks.
.
.
The case is a classic Samsonite spinner, which means nicely finished, reasonable sized wheels, and solid hardware. Most zippers offer no security – just watch what a pen can do. This system is much more secure, resisting most non-destructive entry attempts.
.
“The case fit so much more than I was expecting.”
The case is well put together, with less flex than most as there is a rigid frame that clamps it all together. It also looks good. Radiuses where you want them, muted colors and nice levels of finish.
.
.
If you want some more security, this is a good solution. It’s discreet, fairly resolved, and doesn’t feel like you’re paranoid. We’re a bit worried about how the hard plastics will hold up to aggressive luggage handling (like a tree, flex can be forgiving), but so far there have been no issues on our couple of trips.
.
“If you want some more security, this is a good solution. It’s discreet, fairly resolved, and doesn’t feel like you’re paranoid.”
.
.
.
The Not So Good
The border can feel a touch aggressive when open, as there is a fair bit of hard plastic moulding detail to make this happen. A weird one, but the opening edge is also quite sharp – it would be neat to just have a slight radius or sanding to this as we caught our fingers against it a few times.
The buckles have quite a few parts, which look like they may occasionally fail at the hands of an over-zealous baggage handler. So far it’s been all good for us though, so this is just something to be aware of.
While the seal looks like it would be water-resistant, don’t expect much. Various assembly areas can still let water enter. In addition, there’s a small weight penalty for the closure system, but in smaller cases it won’t be an issue.
“The border can feel a touch aggressive when open, as there is a fair bit of hard plastic moulding detail to make this happen.”
The finish of the internals is lovely, but the functionality is not as good as some other cases. The X-elastic is set up too high to be really effective, and the enclosed half doesn’t offer any additional pocketing. That means you’ll want to be using packing cubes to keep things tidy.
Others To Consider
There are a few options when it comes to other cases to look at. For solid construction and protection of the contents, Pelican is one to consider. For stylish and functional spinners Delsey and Rimowa both have tempting choices, while security-conscious travelers may want to peruse Pacsafe’s offerings.
Conclusion
The Samsonite Lite-Locked 68L spinner is made well, looks good and takes its job seriously. However, there is room for tweaking the internal organization to make it more efficient and the edge could use some refining. The case is a discreet option if you’re looking for a suitcase that offers good protection for the contents without looking like a fortress and sacrificing style. If you need a versatile spinner that glides between work and play, this is an attractive contender for the role of your travel companion.
.
.
WAYS TO CARRY