« Canada Luggage Depot. Lauren speaking. How can I help you today?”
“Hello Lauren. How are you today?”
“I am doing very well thank you. And yourself?”
“Very well thank you. I am actually hoping you can help me here. I am looking through your website trying to decide on a piece of luggage but there is a lot to chose from.”
“Good problem to have. Let’s see if we can narrow things down a bit. What size suitcase are you looking for?”
“Well I don’t want the one you bring on the plane with you. I want the ones you check in. The bigger ones.”
“Ok. So you want a large format. Are you looking for a hard sided or a soft sided model?”
“Hard. I like the hard models. The ones with the four wheels that spin. And I want it to be a Samsonite.”
And just like that the search narrowed down to about a dozen or so models. But a dozen or so models is still quite a selection. But I still need to help this person narrow down their selection further.
“Are there any models that caught your eye from the models you have seen so far?
“Well yes. I was looking at the Winfield NXT, the Ziplite 4.0 and the Omni 3.0….Any thoughts? Suggestions? Preferences?”
I can understand why people gravitate most towards these three models from Samsonite. In fact I would tell you that these are probably the best selling models from Samsonite on our website.
But which one should you choose? They are all made from the same company, backed by the same warranty and prices are more or less the same. So then which one to choose? Is it simply a question of aesthetics? Or should you be looking at more than just the look of the luggage?
I would tell you to go beyond the look of it. When purchasing luggage there are a few key features you need to look at. Of course material is one of the most important features to look at but since all three of these models are made of the same resilient polycarbonate material we can bypass this feature.
After material, the most important feature on your luggage will likely be the wheels. That is what will see the most wear and tear as it gets you from point A to point B to point C and back. Also they will determine how smoothly your luggage will roll. Now if we look at the three models in question the size of the wheels are all the same. In fact the Winfield NXT and the Ziplite 4.0 both have the same single wheel system. The Omni 4.0 on the other hand has a double wheel system that will allow you to roll your luggage to glide over carpeted areas more smoothly. Think hotel lobbies and hallways. The double wheel system also offers up more stability and support for the weight the luggage holds.
Next feature we should be looking at when purchasing luggage is the zipper on the main compartment of the case. We all have a tendency to overpack our luggage. While we all know that 50% of what we bring with us on a trip will never get used… we still try and squeeze in as much as we can in our luggage… just in case. Well that overpacking usually puts a lot of strain on the zipper when time comes to close it. Add to that the abuse a luggage suffers through as it gets tossed on the plane and off the plane and you can see how the zipper becomes one of the features that really needs to hold up. So le’t look at the zippers of these three models. Just by looking at the three models you can clearly see the difference in the quality of the zippers used. The Winfield NXT and the Ziplite 4.0 are both made of a standard thin auto repairable zipper. The Omni 3.0 on the other hand is made of a thicker and more resilient #10 auto repairable zipper. So again, the Omni 4.0 has the better zippers just like it had the better wheel system.
Another feature to look at are the TSA locks. Some luggage have TSA locks, some do not. All three models in this case have the TSA lock. The main difference here is that the Winfield NXT and the Ziplite 4.0 both have TSA locks that are sticking out of the case while the TSA lock on the Omni 4.0 is recessed which means it is flush with the body of the luggage. This makes it that there is less chance of it taking a hit and cracking or getting damaged.
These are pretty much the important things to look for when purchasing luggage. The remainder of the features will be add on bonuses. For example, while the Winfield NXT has a simple plastic handle, the handles on the Omni and Ziplite are cushioned. This makes it that when it comes time to pick up your luggage off the conveyor belt, the grip you will have on. Your luggage will be a bit stronger and more comfortable.
As for the interior of the luggage, it will usually be the same across all collections. The only difference here between the Omni 4.0 and the other two models, is that the Omni has two zippered divider panels on each half of the suitcase and each divider panel offers two zipped mesh pockets for better organization. I personally love the idea of both sides having the zippered panels as it keeps the clothes in place and should you have to open up your case for whatever reason to access the inside (think TSA agents that need to check your bag), the contents don’t topple out by mistake.
All things being equal, assuming pricing is the same across all three models, I personally would suggest that you go with the Samsonite Omni. Even if the price of the Omni would be more expensive I still would opt it just because of the bigger zippers, the double wheel system, the recessed TSA lock, and the zippered divider panels. I would tell you that quality price wise you would likely get the best value for your dollar with the Samsonite Omni 3.0 collection. Incidentally, that is the model that I personally opted for. Word to the wise, when you fill up the medium format to full capacity (I roll my clothes) I get about 20 kgs of clothes in there. Nothing heavy, just clothes.
Regardless of which model you end up choosing, just know that when you purchase Samsonite, you can rest assured that you got are getting a great deal quality price wise.
Wishing you a wonderful day… and safe travels.
Lauren