Samsonite Omni Hardside Spinner: Luggage Review – Is It Worth It? [Video]

Samsonite has been manufacturing suitcases for a long time and has gained a loyal customer base by focusing on durability and affordability. Although Samsonite does offer some premium luggage collections, it’s truly cemented itself as the market leader for mid-range luggage.

Whether you’re looking for a stylish case to stand out on your annual vacation or something more sturdy for that weekly business trip, Samsonite’s wide range of luggage will have you covered.

Samsonite Omni Hardside Spinner Luggage

If you’re looking for an affordable, no-frills suitcase, the Samsonite Omni could be just the answer. It’s one of the cheapest hardside cases available and does the job if you’re happy to sacrifice sophisticated storage solutions or fancy features such as USB ports or laptop pockets.

Samsonite Omni Hardside Spinner Luggage Review

For this review, we looked at the carry-on version of the Samsonite Omni PC collection. We found various pros and cons detailed in this article, or watch our video review above to see this case in action.

Samsonite Omni Luggage Overall Rating

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Samsonite Omni PC Hardside

If you're looking for an affordable, no-frills suitcase, then the Samsonite Omni could be just the answer. It's made of polycarbonate and has a smooth and sturdy telescopic handle.

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Samsonite Omni Hardside Spinner Style and Look

Appearance-wise, the Samsonite Omni has a simple and modern design. The hard shell has a metallic finish and comes in various muted and bright colors, depending on your preference. There’s nothing too fancy with the detail or accents on this case, but that’s not surprising for the price.

Samsonite Omni Hardside Size and Compartments

Measuring 22 x 15 x 9.8 inches, this case is slightly larger than the carry-on size requirements for many U.S. domestic and international airlines. Weighing just 6.2 pounds, it’s a pretty lightweight carry-on. Although many airlines don’t restrict the weight of your carry-on, you still need to consider how heavy it is to lift in and out of the overhead compartment once it’s packed full.

The Samsonite Omni has 2 main compartments that are the same size. Opening like a clamshell, the case requires a reasonably large area to open it fully. Thankfully, one side of the case has a zippered divider to hold items in place securely, so this can be treated as the lid when opening the case.

Compression straps in the other compartment will stop your clothes from moving around too much, but items such as a hairdryer or toiletries are best contained in the zippered compartment. Your other option is to use packing cubes to keep your main compartment organized.

You can safely store items such as jewelry, belts, cufflinks, etc., in the small zippered pocket along the spine of the case.

We’ve all been in that situation where your case is just large enough to transport your belongings, but the vacation shopping or souvenirs are a stretch too far. That’s not a problem with the Samsonite Omni, as all sizes within the range expand by 1 inch to allow for additional packing room.

The colored, expandable zipper is easy to distinguish from the regular zipper and is easy to use by simply unzipping to allow the extra fabric to expand the case.

Samsonite Omni Hardside Durability and Materials

This hardside luggage collection is polycarbonate and has a micro-diamond scratch-resistant texture. Although the material feels reasonably sturdy, it’s definitely not the strongest of cases and would likely succumb to damage with frequent travel.

Samsonite Omni Hardside Wheels

The 4 single-spinner wheels are quite small for a standard carry-on, so they aren’t as easy to maneuver as some bags with larger or double wheels. Although this case has tens of thousands of positive reviews, the most common negative review is the durability of the wheels. That’s why we would only consider this case for occasional use.

Samsonite Omni Hardside Handles

The carry-on version we purchased for this review only has 1 handle on top of the bag. An additional side or bottom handle would be useful for lifting it in and out of the overhead compartment. If you purchase the medium or checked versions, these cases also have a side handle for lifting off the carousel.

With no padding on the handle, we didn’t find it too comfortable to carry, but it does retract back into place when not in use.

The telescoping handle is adjustable to 2 heights using the button on the handle. It operates smoothly and is quite sturdy, even when extended to the highest position.

Samsonite Freeform Hardside Lock and Zippers

All sizes of the Samsonite Omni PC Hardside have an integrated TSA combination lock on the case’s exterior to deter thieves from accessing your belongings. The zipper pulls slip neatly into the lock and are secured using a 3-digit PIN code.

Warranty and Customer Service

The Samsonite Omni PC Hardside collection has a limited 10-year warranty covering any defects in materials and manufacturing. Unfortunately, as with many luggage warranties, this won’t cover any damage caused to the case when flying.

Other Samsonite Omni Hardside Luggage

It’s always nice to have a matching luggage set so you’re ready to jet off, no matter how long your travels. The Samsonite Omni PC Hardside collection also includes medium and large checked bags that can be purchased individually or as a luggage set.

Final Thoughts

Although we weren’t blown away by some of the individual features on this case, such as the lack of padding on the carry handle, there’s no denying that this collection is excellent value for the money. The telescopic handle is smooth to use, and the interior has a couple of compartments and pockets to stay organized.

If you purchase the full set, there’s the added bonus that these cases nest inside one another for super-easy and space-saving storage.

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