Samsonite F'Lite Upright 82/31 Top Piece of Luggage
December 28, 2012
Reviewer: Med School Professor from St. Louis, MO
Samsonite has been manufacturing hard side luggage for decades. They evolved from the clumsy two-wheels too close to control rolling, to the final wide wheels making the suitcase stable while rolling.However, the post-9/11 Samsonite F'Lite Upright has the Transportation Security Administration (TSI) locks wherein airport TSI's special key can unlock a combination locked suitcase. So you don't have to stand there while your luggage is passed through their scanner. Saves time.Also, the Samsonite F'Lite Upright is somewhat lighter by a pound or two than earlier models ... which counts these days when especially overseas the airlines add charges by the weight rather than by the piece.The Samsonite F'Lite is strong and is easily wheeled through airports or on the street. But perhaps the biggest innovation is the retractable handle. The earlier handles easily bent and QUICKLY got broken. But the retracted handle on F'Lite is yet another position for grabbing and lifting the suitcase. DOWNSIDES: If you own two or more Samsonite F'Lites, the curvature of the case makes it impossible to stack ... on airport luggage carts, or anywhere else. That's a big problem when using two or three of them, and having to consolidate the luggage when running to the next plane ... especially overseas. The F'Lites simply don't stack. Otherwise, it's an excellent piece of luggage at a fair price.
Top Piece of Luggage
December 28, 2012