Travel is a way of life in our busy modern society. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, over 2.5 million people travel in and out of U.S. airports on a daily basis – that doesn’t even count bus travel, train travel, and the ever popular road trip. With an increasing number of people always on the go, picking great luggage has become exceptionally important.
With all the luggage options out there, how do you decide what luggage will best fit your needs?
You could shop and research for hours trying to figure out what type of luggage or even what brand to pick.
In an effort to make the decision a little easier, we chose two popular brands:
Samsonite and TravelPro and compared the options, styles, pros, and cons of each.
The Trusted Old-Timer: Samsonite
Samsonite is one of the most recognizable names in the luggage industry. They’ve been making briefcases, suitcases and everything in between since 1910, garnering a great reputation for quality and longevity.
They offer a very wide variety of options, including hard-side luggage, soft-sided luggage and matching sets in a range of styles and colors.
One of the highlights of Samsonite products is the security they provide. The Tru-Frame hard-side collection, for example, comes equipped with dual locking latches, a gasket seal, and a very durable polycarbonate frame to keep your valuables safe and secure. They offer innovative soft-side options as well, such as the Spinner Underseater, which boasts both a compact size and an integrated USB port to keep your electronics at the ready on those long flights.
Samsonite remains a strong contender when it comes to the luggage game, however. From duffle bags to heavy-duty suitcases, Samsonite is a trusted brand that offers a host of options for the travel-centric individual.
You can read our review for one of Samsonite’s Winfield luggage suitcases on our blog.
Young and Scrappy: TravelPro
As a much younger company, TravelPro quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the luggage industry. In their early days, they focused heavily on well-designed wheeled luggage, gaining a foothold amongst frequent flyers and airline staff.
Even in today’s market, they continue that mission by offering luggage that is simply designed, is easy to maneuver and is crafted specifically for the rigors of air travel. They produce an impressive line of soft-sided luggage as well as a few hard-side options.
Some of their most impressive options are their innovative selection of carry-ons such as the Crew 11 Smart Duffle. The small dimensions of this page make it ideal for overnight trips. It includes a padded tablet sleeve, built-in USB port and a unique “suiter” system that allows you to store an entire business suit without it wrinkling. Smaller than a gym bag, yet perfectly equipped for business travel, it is a great option for quick trips. Their larger suitcases follow this same trend, from expandable hard-sides like Maxlite Spinner to the Platinum Magna Rolling Garment Bag designed to fit your wardrobe on a long business trip or vacation. One downside of TravelPro’s product line is that they focus more on utilitarian functionality than style in many cases, which doesn’t always track with today’s trends.
If you’re interested in checking out more of their luggage, read our Travelpro Maxlite review.
Head-to-Head: Samsonite vs Travelpro
Both Samsonite and TravelPro manufacture great products for travelers.
Samsonite offers a wider variety of bags, especially in hard-side luggage, with a stronger focus on security and durability. They also provide more color options for the style-conscious consumer – nearly all of their luggage lines come in a variety of colors.
On the other hand:
TravelPro clearly focuses on luggage made specifically for airline travel with innovative designs to help make your traveling convenient and streamlined. There are fewer color options to choose from, but you know you are getting a product that was designed to meet both the customer’s needs as well as the many rules and regulations applicable to air travel.
While TravelPro has been gaining popularity in recent years, I find their limited selection in both style and design leaves quite a bit to be desired. Given the reputation and longevity of the Samsonite company, the wide variety of options available and the focus on quality, I would choose Samsonite over Travelpro for my luggage needs.
I’ve owned a set of Samsonite luggage for many years, and find their products to be well worth the money spent. Samsonite products work great no matter your mode of travel and they have options to fit any budget. Give Samsonite a try – you won’t be disappointed.