Samsonite Omni PC Spinner review

A barebones but very rugged carry on bag

The Samsonite Omni PC is probably one of Samsonite’s best bags. This is because it sits in a cost category that the true industry leaders like Briggs & Riley and Tumi simply can’t touch. They have successfully made a basic but very durable bag that can be had for a very reasonable price. This domestic carry on size 6.8 pound bag is made of 100% polycarbonate on the outside. As far as hard-shell bags go, polycarbonate is the way to go. It resists scuffs and scrapes better than PVC and is incredibly good at returning to its original shape if it ever gets impacted while in transit. Samsonite uses a nice “micro-diamond” texture on the polycarbonate which goes a very long way in masking any scuffs and scratches. The 20″ carry on spinner version of the Omni PC is part of a larger family of luggage in this line.

The inside-mounted pull handle is of decent quality and don’t exhibit too much wobble back and forth. The wheels, however, are probably the only weakness in this bag’s design. They simply aren’t strong enough or manueverable to make the bag roll perfectly straight. It is by no means a deal breaker, but more expensive bags like the TravelPro Magna 2 have much better wheels.

Samsonite has included a side-mounted TSA-approved combination lock on this bag. This is actually pretty impressive, given the price point of the bag.

One area of consideration is the dimensions of the Samsonite Omni PC spinner carry on. This bag’s overall dimensions are: 22.0″ x 15.0″ x 9.5″.  This is actually slightly larger than many domestic airlines technically allow. We’d recommend not over-packing this bag if you are going to use this as your carry on bag as the usual limit is 22.0″ x 14.0″ x 9″. Most people won’t run into issues until they start looking at international airlines or small regional jets that have small overhead bin space. Nevertheless, it is a bit disappointing that Samsonite has sized this bag too big for most official carry on luggage restrictions.

The inside of the Omni PC is a pretty basic clamshell design. One side of the main compartment is secured with a zipped netting pocket while the other is wide open for whatever you want to pack. Compression straps keep everything in the main pocket from moving around. That’s it. Nothing to call home about. But it does provide a surprising amount of space for clothes!

Warranty and value

Samsonite does not cover user or airlines damage like Briggs & Riley does. Instead Samsonite provides a barebones warranty that covers manufacturer defect for the life of the product. We wouldn’t rely too heavily on this warranty for any repairs or replacements.

Samsonite Omni PC Spinner review round-up: Is this bag for me?

This is a pretty good entry-level bag for most. If you are a business traveler I’d say look elsewhere at TravelPro or B&R. But if you just need a serviceable carry on bag for the odd trip, then its hard to argue with the price. Just don’t expect this bag to last decades. It won’t.

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