The lightest bag we tested 

With its sleek, futuristic look, the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner suitcase is a clear winner if you want to turn heads, but it’s more than just a pretty bag. Samsonite claims it rigorously tests its suitcases to ensure they’re durable and long-lasting. In fact, the brand promises that the Freeform bag, with its scratch-resistant texture and lightweight construction, will look as “great on the hundredth trip as it does on the first.”

Is that possible? The BestReviews Testing Lab put it through its paces in real-world travel scenarios. At 9.6 pounds, it was indeed the lightest of the large bags that we tested. We also appreciated its 360-degree double spinner wheels that easily navigated twists and turns in all directions. As for that cool-looking exterior, our rigorous drop tests only caused a minor scratch on the exterior. 

All in all, this bag is perfect for frequent fliers preparing for a five- to seven-day trip. It’s durable, attractive and affordable. What more could you ask for? 

What is the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner?

The Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner is lightweight and convenient to use.

Product Specifications

Dimensions: 20.9” W x 13.8” D x 31.1” H | Capacity: 147 L | Weight: 9.6 lb | Material: Polypropylene | Expandable: Yes

We tested the biggest Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner in the brand’s Freeform line, which also includes a smaller 21-inch carry-on and a medium checked suitcase. We love its futuristic exterior, which features shiny horizontal grooves that stand out against the textured matte shell. It has handles on the top and side, a height-adjustable telescoping handle and a built-in three-dial TSA lock at the top to keep your belongings secure.

Offering a spacious 147-liter capacity, the bag zips open and has two equal-size compartments: one with a zippered divider and one with straps that buckle together to hold your belongings in place. Each compartment also has a pocket for organization. 

Made of lightweight polypropylene and weighing only 9.6 pounds when empty, it was easy to lift and carry. It nimbly rolled through crowded spaces and easily made tight turns on its four double spinner wheels. Similar to the Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Spinner we tested, the Freeform’s shell held up well after forcefully dropping it several times onto concrete. It suffered only a barely noticeable scratch. 

Price and where to buy

The Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner suitcase retails for $229.99 on Amazon. 

Why we like it

Lightweight

Before we packed the Samsonite Freeform Spinner Hardside bag, it weighed just 9.6 pounds. This is thanks to its lightweight polypropylene shell, which makes such a large bag easy to lift and carry. The bag weighed 20.2 pounds after we packed it with a week’s worth of clothing, shoes and other items.  

Spacious interior 

Thanks to its generous 147-liter capacity, this bag fit everything on our list for a weeklong trip, and we could have easily added more. The convenient expansion feature granted us an additional 1.5 inches of depth. 

Very durable

The Freeform's exterior didn’t dent once during our testing, which included forcefully dropping it and throwing it several times onto concrete from a height of about three feet. The only damage was a minor scratch.    

What we don’t like

Noisy wheels 

We didn’t love the wheels on the Freeform bag. When we rolled it over some rough and uneven ground, we noticed that it had some difficulty getting over the bumps and cracks. Even when we rolled it over smooth concrete, the wheels were quite noisy. 

Built-in ID tag is easy to miss

There’s a built-in ID tag tucked into the back side of the suitcase, which will come in handy if your bag is ever lost, but the downside is that the tag, which is hidden beneath the Samsonite logo, isn’t obvious. You need to use your fingernail to pry it open, and because few other suitcases have this feature, most people wouldn’t know to look for it or even realize it’s an ID tag. We also found it difficult to open. 

Design and features

The bag easily held everything on our packing list with room to spare. The expansion feature granted us an additional 1.5 inches of depth.

Overall, the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner is a basic suitcase with some thoughtful convenience features for the frequent traveler. For instance, we liked the “luggage feet” on one side, which helped keep the bag balanced when placed on its side. We also liked the adjustable telescopic handle. It has four heights, all of which felt reasonably sturdy.    

The top and side handles on the case's exterior retracted slightly when we pulled them up. Each handle is around five inches long and easy to grip, and they make it easier to lift the suitcase from an overhead bin or baggage carousel. Though these handles aren’t soft or particularly comfortable to hold, we preferred them to the handles on the Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Spinner. There is no bottom handle, but the bottom is indented, which made lifting the bag easier for us. 

We appreciated the built-in TSA-approved three-dial lock, which protects it from thieves but gives TSA easy access if needed. While the bag’s futuristic shell looks sleek in black, you can choose from more than a dozen eye-catching colors, including pink rose, sage green and vibrant tangerine, so it will surely stand out at baggage claim. 

Durability and build quality

This bag’s polypropylene exterior didn’t dent once during our testing.

The Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner suitcase has a polypropylene shell, making it lighter than bags with polycarbonate shells. However, polycarbonate, which is found in more than 40% of hardside suitcases, is considered to be stronger and more durable than polypropylene. 

While we can’t say how the Freeform would hold up after months of use, we simulated some of the abuse it might experience from baggage handlers during our tests. We dropped this suitcase from a height of three feet onto a concrete surface several times, testing each of its six sides. 

Similar to the Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Checked bag (28 inches) we tested, the shell held up really well during these impact tests, with zero dents. Damage consisted only of a minor scratch on its scratch-resistant textured shell after conducting an especially forceful three-foot drop onto concrete. 

Maneuverability and travel convenience

We liked that the bag had “luggage feet,” which helped us keep it balanced when it was on its side.

We rolled this suitcase over a variety of surfaces, including smooth floors, carpeting, uneven sidewalks and a gravel path. Overall, we found that it was easy to roll this bag across various surfaces. We only struggled when pulling this bag over carpet, which is less likely to be encountered when traveling anyway. We also took it through tight turns and quick stops and navigated it through a slalom of obstacles, which it handled with ease.

The only true downside to these wheels is that they’re quite noisy even on smooth concrete. They were loud and quite annoying to listen to during a long walk down a concrete path.

Packing efficiency and organizational features 

There’s a built-in ID tag tucked into the back of the Samsonite Freeform Hardside, which can come in handy if you lose the bag.

Inside the bag, there is a zippered divider on one side for holding smaller items like socks and underwear in place, which includes a built-in zippered pocket. The other side has an elastic strap that compresses clothes and prevents them from shifting around. This side also has a zippered pocket that seems too small to be of much use. 

As we packed, we noticed that the telescopic handle retracts inside the suitcase, which, unfortunately, takes up some of the main compartment’s packing space. We packed the suitcase with a set list of items: four T-shirts, two long-sleeved shirts, three pairs of pants, five pairs of socks, five pairs of underwear, jacket, one pair of shoes, and toiletry bag. We didn’t use the 1.5-inch expansion feature and were surprised by how much space was left. Our fully packed bag weighed about 20 pounds. 

How does it compare to other luggage we’ve tested?

We compared the Samsonite Freeform Spinner Hardside suitcase to eight other suitcases. The main difference is that the Freeform is made of polypropylene, which shouldn’t be confused with polycarbonate, a tough polyester compound. The polypropylene is very light but not as durable as the polycarbonate on some other bags we tested, including the Away Carry-on, Travelpro Platinum Elite Large Check-In Hardside Spinner, the July Checked Trunk and Samsonite Omni Hardside luggage. The Samsonite Freeform might not be as resistant to cracks and other damage over time.  

It’s important to note that Samsonite only offers a 10-year warranty on its bags, while many luggage companies offer either limited-lifetime or lifetime warranties.  

Testing the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Luggage

The testing team was impressed by the light weight of the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner suitcase. The empty bag weighs just 9.6 pounds.

We tested the Samsonite Freeform bag’s durability, maneuverability and packing efficiency. 

Durability and impact-resistance test

To evaluate how well the shell stands up to typical baggage handling when traveling, we dropped the bag from a height of three feet, once on each of its six sides. 

Maneuverability and wheel performance test

To assess ease of movement, wheel durability and handling, we rolled the suitcase over various surfaces, including smooth floors, carpeting, uneven sidewalks and gravel paths. We also performed tight turns and quick stops. 

Packing efficiency and organizational features test

Last, to determine how much we could fit in the bag, we packed it with four T-shirts, two long-sleeved shirts, three pairs of pants, five pairs of socks, five pairs of underwear, jacket, one pair of shoes and toiletry bag. We also tried all of the organizational pockets. 

Should you get the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Luggage?

The Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner is an attractive option if you’re looking for a well-made, basic suitcase.

If you’re looking for a simple and stylish checked suitcase at a decent price, look no further. The Samsonite Freeform Hardside bag is a great choice if you want something that’s lightweight, strong, durable, easy to maneuver and affordable. Plus, Samsonite suitcases come with a 10-year warranty.