I recently was sent the Samsonite Stryde suitcase to review. I was excited because a. love Samsonite suitcases and b. needed a medium-sized suitcase. To preface, I am of the school of carry-on. For years, I have always managed to travel with a carry-on, to the cost of not bringing souvenirs home or having to wear three variations of the same outfit! Last year, I managed a trip to Belgium, Netherlands, and Sicily, 7 months pregnant with a carry-on. It’s just my thing. However, with a baby in tow, life changes a bit. With baby, car seat, and stroller, adding a carry-on to the mix seemed a bit excessive to me. This is where my Samsonite Stryde came to the rescue.

My Samsonite Stryde at the Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta
My Samsonite Stryde at the Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta

Samsonite Stryde: The Design

I tested the Samsonite Stryde both on a road trip and my most recent trip to Colombia. First, I really like a square and wide design. I feel that it fits better in our car than the long, rectangle luggage. The outside is a hard-case with a stylish ridge design, which makes it stand out on the luggage belt. I got a lot of compliments from the bell hops at the many hotels that we stayed at. They see a lot of bags, so I consider it a compliment!



How I packed:

In order to carry the least number of bags as possible, I shared the luggage with my daughter. She’s still tiny so her clothes fit easily. The one thing that occupies space are the diapers. However, this is a bonus because as I use them, I create more space for souvenirs! I packed one side with my piccola’s items and the other side with mine. Dining Traveler Tip: when packing, choose your shoes first, and work your outfits around them. Shoes occupy the most space! I liked that the Samsonite Stryde has pockets on one of the sides, great to separate underwear and toiletries.

Samsonite Stryde: Functionality

I find the Samsonite Stryde to be very light, which is great given the strict weight restrictions on suitcases. You want to make sure that the weight of the actual items inside the bag are maximized. It has two handles, one on top, and the other one on the side, which makes it much easier to load/unload. My point for improvement is that one side has a zipped cover and the other one does not. Wish both sides had a zipped cover in order for items not to pop at you when you open the suitcase.

The Verdict:

I am very happy with my Samsonite Stryde suitcase! Given that’s on sale at $259.99, it’s an affordable yet stylish and durable piece of luggage. The suitcase also has a 10 year limited warranty, which gives you a warm and fuzzy that your suitcase is a long-term investment.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Samsonite but opinions are my own. I have purchased Samsonite products in the past and have always been satisfied by my purchases.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. I am a believer of the carry on as well – If it doesn’t fit the bag then we don’t need it! But when we found ourselves in Iceland last summer we need a bigger bag for sweaters, raincoats and hiking shoes. An have been on the look out for a slightly bigger bag than the average carry on. Samsonite Stryde looks stylish and sleek – love the design too!

  2. I try to go carry-on whenever I can too – so I know what you mean about no souvenirs!! This luggage looks like a good compromise – and the price is a lot cheaper than I thought when I first started reading the article. I’ll have to check it out 😀

  3. I don’t have a suitcase that I love. You make a good point about the square shape fitting nicely into the car. I will check this out next time I update my bags!

  4. This looks like a wonderful piece of luggage. We are thinking about upgrading our luggage to a lighter version. We are always running into the 50lb US domestic restriction so having an extra pound or two lighter suitcase means we have that extra little bit of space.

  5. I usually travel with a backpack, but sometimes I wish I had a proper suitcase to give my back a rest! This looks a really great lightweight option to consider and I’ve heard so many great things about Samsonite.

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