Samsonite Stryde 2 Hardside Glider Luggage Review – Is It Worth It? [Video]

With over 100 years of company experience under its belt, Samsonite has grown to become one of the most reliable luggage brands on the market. With both soft-side and hard-side options available, the brand is a dominating force in the mid-range suitcase market.

This reputation as a high-quality and reliable baggage brand can be seen in nearly all of its offerings, especially the Stryde 2 line we’ll review today.

Samsonite Stryde 2 Hardside Luggage

Samsonite’s Stryde 2 Hardside luggage collection consists of a series of fashionable and functional pieces suitable for virtually any traveler. Though this line has a pretty understated appearance, without any flashy or trendy embellishments, it will look just as natural on a luggage cart or carousel in 10 years as it does today.

Most suitcases on the market are taller than they are wide. That’s not the case with the checked versions of the Samsonite Stryde 2 collection, as the body is almost a perfect square. The wide frame gives this case a low center of gravity, so it’s super-stable and easy to roll around.

Samsonite Stryde Hardside Luggage Review

This review looks specifically at the medium-sized checked bag in the Stryde 2 Hardside line. It’s an innovative and timeless bag that combines efficient packing, compactness, and security all in one sleek package.

Samsonite Stryde 2 Hardside Overall Rating

Samsonite Stryde Hardside Style and Look

Whether you’re rushing to check in for an international flight or heading to the front desk of a hotel for a business trip, the Samsonite Stryde is a great, classic suitcase option to suit all occasions.

While no one would say this bag is winning any trend-setting awards, it’s got a sleek look that won’t make it look dated in a few years. We thought the bushed graphite color did a good job of hiding any minor scuffs or dust it might pick up. So you can reach your destination looking the part no matter how long you’ve been traveling.

We thought the ridges on the bag’s shell gave it a slightly more utilitarian and industrial look, but with the color and size of the bag, we don’t think it will look out of place in a more business-casual setting.

You won’t need to attach a luggage tag if this case gets lost. There’s a handy integrated luggage tag on the rear of the case, with a removable privacy cover.

Samsonite Stryde Hardside Size and Compartments

Weighing 11 pounds, the medium Stryde is a pretty heavy bag, especially considering its size. Unlike most suitcases, it has a square shape, measuring 25.5 x 22.5 x 13.5 inches, including its handles and wheels.

Unfortunately, since it’s not a very light option, packing can be tricky, particularly for air travel, as most airlines have strict baggage weight restrictions. Even without using the suitcase’s expander, we easily filled the bag past the typical weight limit. So, we don’t feel too comfortable recommending it to people who tend to overpack, even for short trips.

What the bag loses in size, it makes up for in organization. Thanks to its clamshell opening, there are 2 different packing areas designed to suit specific organizational needs.

We liked that one side of the suitcase had 2 separate X-shaped compression straps. While we don’t think they’ll keep formal clothing perfectly pressed, the extra strap did distribute the central pressure across 2 points.

The case includes a removable laundry bag to separate dirty clothes while you’re away. The bag easily clips in and out of the main compartment, so it won’t move around in transit.

The other packing area can be closed via a zippered divider. We found it useful for keeping things that could create a mess separate from the rest of our belongings, like toiletries and shoes. The divider panel even has 2 small zippered pockets for tiny items like jewelry. However, when the bag is full, these pockets are less useful since they’re strained by pressure from both sides.

Samsonite Stryde Hardside Durability and Materials

All the Stryde 2 Hardside line pieces are made of the same durable polycarbonate that resists denting and cracking to ensure the bag has a long lifespan. The exterior ridges also add a level of durability since they help prevent scratching or damage from sliding by creating traction.

The case has bumpers to protect the exterior from impact and keep it balanced and off the ground when laid down.

We’re confident that the suitcases in this collection will endure the rigors of air travel. The interior lining seemed similarly durable and didn’t feel too thin or prone to tearing.

Samsonite Stryde Hardside Wheels

Samsonite pulled out all the stops for the wheels on this bag. All 4 use a Tru-Trac GT system that allows them to glide smoothly in any direction. We rolled the bag on a few different floors during our tests, and the wheels had no trouble sticking, catching, or delaying response.

The wheels even act as shock absorbers, so you don’t have to resort to carrying your luggage when you encounter uneven surfaces.

The wheels’ vibration-absorbing design also makes them ultra-quiet. We were pleasantly surprised at how silently the suitcase glided even when it rolled quickly.

Samsonite Stryde Hardside Handles

This hard-side bag has 3 different handles. We thought the most important and the best-designed one was the telescopic handle on top of the case.

It can adjust to 8 different height settings, all of which we found were pretty comfortable. What we were most pleased by was how sturdy this handle was. It didn’t rattle or feel like it would snap, even at its tallest setting. Unfortunately, it isn’t the smoothest we’ve ever tried, and we had to play around with it to get it to adjust.

There are 2 carrying handles, one on the top and the other on the side. We thought their placement was pretty intuitive, and we didn’t have trouble grabbing them in a hurry, so they’ll work just fine for getting a bag off a carousel or lifting it onto a luggage scale.

However, we wouldn’t recommend counting on these handles to carry the bag for more than a few minutes since they didn’t have any sort of cushioning and got uncomfortable quickly.

Samsonite Stryde Hardside Locks and Zips

Samsonite’s zippers are one of the company’s best assets. All the zippers on the Stryder are strong and secure, so we didn’t have to worry about them opening or tearing.

We didn’t notice any problems with the way the pulls glided either. They didn’t get stuck on the lining, and we didn’t have to use too much strength to open or close the zippers, even when the bag was full. 

All cases in the range include an integrated TSA lock for securing the main compartment. Although the zipper pulls are not interlaced, slotting the pulls into the luggage lock was still easy.

Samsonite Brand Warranty and Customer Service

Samsonite’s Stryde 2 line is covered by the brand’s warranty, which lasts between 3 and 10 years, depending on the particular details of your purchase. While we appreciate how long this protection lasts, the coverage itself leaves something to be desired.

The warranty only covers factory and manufacturing defects, which doesn’t apply to regular wear and tear damage. The Samsonite customer service is generally pretty helpful, in our opinion, so we’re pretty confident there would be minimal back-and-forth if you need to use the warranty.

Other Samsonite Stryde 2 Hardside Luggage

In addition to the medium-sized check bag we looked at in this review, the Stryde 2 Hardside line includes a large checked bag and 2 different carry-on options.

Though we would love for this line to expand further, perhaps to include an extra-large checked bag or a tech option, we think it covers all the bases for what most travelers need.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Samsonite Stryde 2 Hardside Glider was a handy piece of luggage that we’d happily use regularly. It certainly upholds the brand’s reputation for creating durable, functional luggage.

However, while we liked the durable shell and spacious interior of the bag, it wasn’t perfect. We found ourselves wishing the Stryde had a few extra pockets for organization and was a pound or 2 lighter. Other than those minor gripes, we were pretty impressed.

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