Jeremy Scott Foster is an adventure-junkie, gear professional and journey photographer based mostly in Southern California.
It could be arduous for 2 baggage manufacturers to be extra totally different than CALPAK and Samsonite. They’ve very totally different designs and approaches to constructing baggage, so to decide on between them, you might want to resolve what your priorities are.
CALPAK is understood for its hanging designs and clear aesthetic. These suitcases aren’t nearly carrying your stuff, they’re meant to make a press release.
Alternatively, Samsonite baggage is probably not as stylish as CALPAK, however it’s dependable (and you will discover it in every single place). Samsonite has been round for over a century, and so they’re essentially the most well-known model within the enterprise. They promote an enormous vary of baggage, particularly in comparison with CALPAK’s restricted providing.
Our staff has examined over 150 suitcases over the previous 15 years, and I’ve put each CALPAK and Samsonite to the take a look at by myself travels. It’s straightforward to learn product pages and advertising information, however a lot more durable to judge how a suitcase works in the actual world.
I’ll delve into the CALPAK versus Samsonite debate, protecting all the pieces from the standard of supplies to key design options. I’ll share insights from utilizing baggage from each manufacturers on journeys across the globe. I goal that can assist you make an knowledgeable determination that fits your journey model and wishes.
Why You Can Belief Us
The TravelFreak editorial staff has examined dozens of suitcases over time, and we’ve realized rather a lot about what separates a high quality piece of baggage from an overpriced, overhyped piece of plastic. We’ve examined and reviewed price range baggage, luxurious suitcases, and all the pieces in between.
We all know how arduous it’s to seek out the right suitcase, and we wish to make the method simpler for you. So we received our staff of drugs junkies and former product engineers collectively to develop essentially the most complete baggage take a look at methodology attainable.
We examined and rated 6 CALPAK suitcases and 15 Samsonite suitcases, together with carry-ons and checked baggage, hardshells and softshells from each manufacturers.
We evaluated each one in all these suitcases on 31 metrics throughout eight classes. We gave all of them the identical remedy and rated them on the identical standardized scales. This makes it straightforward for us (and also you) to check the benefits and downsides of every.
At a Look
CALPAK vs Samsonite: Fast Solutions
- Sturdiness: Samsonite makes extra sturdy baggage, however their price range fashions aren’t nearly as good as CALPAK baggage.
- Value: Samsonite provides each budget-friendly and high-priced premium choices, whereas CALPAK is solidly mid-range on worth.
- Guarantee: Most Samsonite baggage has a 10-year guarantee, whereas CALPAK solely has a 2-year guarantee.
- Sustainability: Samsonite makes use of recycled supplies and has packages to scale back vitality consumption and carbon footprint. CALPAK doesn’t have any sustainability initiatives.
- Supplies: CALPAK makes use of sturdy polycarbonate throughout the board. Some Samsonite suitcases use cheaper plastics and a few use cutting-edge supplies which are extraordinarily sturdy and impact-resistant.
- Design and Fashion: CALPAK baggage is trendy, minimalist, and really fashionable. Samsonite has extra selection, however none of their designs are as modern or refined.
- Inside Group: Samsonite provides rather more alternative for inside group, whereas all CALPAK suitcases are just about the identical.
- Expandability: Each CALPAK and Samsonite promote expandable suitcases.
- Wheels: Each manufacturers use comparable double spinner wheels which are smooth-rolling and sturdy.
- Deal with: The handles on CALPAK baggage are a bit sturdier than similarly-priced Samsonite fashions.
- Coloration Choices: CALPAK has extra shade and elegance choices than Samsonite.
CALPAK vs Samsonite: Which Ought to You Purchase?
Purchase CALPAK in the event you…
- want baggage for holidays, cruises, or getaways.
- you prioritize model in your journey gear.
- usually take city-hopping journeys.
- desire a carry-on for shorter weekend journeys.
- you desire a mid-range piece of baggage.
Purchase Samsonite in the event you…
- journey for work.
- are a frequent traveler.
- you largely care about performance.
- desire a checked bag for prolonged stays.
- are on a decent price range, OR
- are prepared to spend extra on a premium suitcase.
Supplies & High quality
CALPAK makes use of 100% polycarbonate for his or her hardshell suitcases—similar to pricier manufacturers like Monos and Away. Should you’ve been eyeing these uber-trendy suitcases, however can’t fairly justify the spend, CALPAK could also be an incredible possibility for you.
Samsonite makes use of a variety of supplies for his or her suitcases. Price range fashions are made with ABS or polypropylene, each of that are weaker than polycarbonate. The high-end Samsonite fashions use fancy high-tech supplies which are even stronger than polycarbonate.
CALPAK makes use of double spinner wheels, that are stronger than single spinners. Samsonite additionally makes use of double spinner wheels on all the pieces besides a number of of their most cost-effective fashions.
That’s just about the sample you’ll see throughout the board when evaluating CALPAK and Samsonite. Samsonite’s low-end fashions are cheaper and fewer sturdy than CALPAK, however Samsonite’s higher-priced fashions are stronger and use higher parts.
Samsonite scored 7.9 on common for Construct High quality—a bit greater than CALPAK’s 7.5 Construct High quality rating. Keep in mind, although, that’s an common from each suitcase we examined from every model.
Design & Options
Should you care about model, CALPAK is a reasonably clear winner. Their suitcases are modern, minimalist, and on-trend. I particularly love the tremendous dialed-back look of the Hue Carry-On. Any such stylish hardside baggage design has turn out to be actually in style lately as a bunch of recent baggage startups like Away, Monos, and July hit the scene. CALPAK retains up with the very best of them.
From the minimal Hue to the vintage-style TRNK, each bit has some persona in-built, whether or not you favor flashy or understated. Plus, they’re all obtainable in a variety of enjoyable colours.
Truthfully, model is likely one of the essential causes to decide on CALPAK over Samsonite.
Not that Samsonite instances look unhealthy, they simply don’t have fairly the identical dialed-in, Instagram-ready look. Samsonite’s model tends to lean both towards skilled or techy. Should you’re headed on a enterprise journey, one thing like their Elevation Plus Carry-On might slot in higher than a colourful CALPAK bag.
When you get previous the floor, all CALPAK suitcases are just about equivalent. Inside they’ve a zippered divider with a number of mesh pockets on one facet and a set of elastic compression straps on the opposite. It’s nothing fancy, however it works. I might most likely suggest shopping for a number of packing cubes to remain organized, although.
There are just a few fashions that diverge from this fundamental design. Their entrance pocket carry-ons (obtainable for the Hue or Ambeur types) embody an exterior zippered pocket that’s excellent for a laptop computer or pill and has a number of smaller pockets inside for issues like a passport, telephone, boarding move, and pocket book. Their softside fashions (just like the Terra 45L) even have extra pockets to maintain smaller issues tidy.
Usually, although, in the event you want extra pockets and group, you’ll be happier with Samsonite’s Define Professional than with something from CALPAK. For a similar worth as a CALPAK suitcase, you will get a way more organized and useful design.
Samsonite has an enormous vary of merchandise with very totally different designs, and it looks like their designers are at all times arising with new progressive options, like built-in packing cubes and wi-fi charging pocket on the Simply Proper Carry-On or the included folding garment storage within the Samsonite Professional. There’s even a mannequin that has built-in LED lights to maintain you seen at night time on metropolis streets.
Mainly, if you’d like a sure characteristic, Samsonite most likely has it.
Samsonite is extra sensible, and the group options make it simpler to pack. Samsonite scored 8.9 for Ease of Use, the place CALPAK solely scored 7.5. Samsonite additionally scored barely greater for performance.
Despite the fact that CALPAK focuses on model and didn’t rating as excessive in our rankings, their suitcases work properly throughout real-world journey. Nonetheless, if model isn’t crucial factor, and also you need extra superior options, Samsonite has extra to supply.
Worth for Your Cash
Each CALPAK and Samsonite scored very properly in our Value-to-Efficiency class: 8.7 for CALPAK and eight.6 for Samsonite. If you wish to get an incredible bang in your buck, both model is a wonderful alternative.
CALPAK actually shines when it comes to the sheer worth and high quality you get for the cash. Their baggage is fairly corresponding to manufacturers like Monos or July—you get the identical polycarbonate shell materials and modern aesthetic—however it prices considerably much less.
Should you like the trendy, stylish polycarbonate suitcase designs, CALPAK is just about the lowest-priced possibility on the market.
That stated, in the event you’re on a very tight price range, Samsonite does have cheaper fashions than CALPAK, particularly in the event you discover them on sale, which is frequent.
Guarantee and Shopping for Expertise
CALPAK’s guarantee shouldn’t be nice in comparison with the competitors. They solely have a 2-year restricted guarantee, the place many comparable manufacturers have lifetime warranties. I believe this is likely one of the locations the place CALPAK is slicing prices to promote their suitcases for cheaper. That’s not essentially a foul factor, you simply should resolve if saving cash or having an incredible guarantee is extra necessary.
Samsonite does higher, with a 10-year guarantee on most fashions. In addition they have a reasonably good popularity for changing or repairing suitcases underneath guarantee, so if you’d like that peace of thoughts, Samsonite might be the higher alternative.
Model Influence & Sustainability
Should you care about shopping for sustainable merchandise and lowering your impression on the setting, you’ll wish to select Samsonite over CALPAK. Neither model is excellent in relation to sustainability, however Samsonite scored considerably greater for our Model Influence class: 6.2. CALPAK solely scored 4.5.
Samsonite makes use of recycled supplies for many of their suitcases, and their Essens and Maxsum Eco fashions use 70% recycled materials for the arduous shell. Samsonite additionally has packages to scale back carbon footprint, use extra sustainable vitality, and help truthful working rights. The model nonetheless has an extended method to go, however these are steps in the proper path.
CALPAK doesn’t use recycled supplies and has nearly no sustainability initiatives in place. Their focus is making good merchandise at an inexpensive worth fairly than making these merchandise good for the setting.
Last Ideas
The controversy between CALPAK and Samsonite in the end comes all the way down to this: do you prioritize model or practicality extra?
CALPAK is the most cost effective model promoting stylish, well-built polycarbonate baggage proper now. The primary draw is the dialed-in model, so if aesthetics are necessary to you, you’ll most likely be happier with CALPAK. Their baggage can be well-built and well-designed, so that you gained’t be sacrificing on perform.
Samsonite suitcases are only a bit extra sensible, although. They’re sturdier, have extra pockets and options, and include a greater guarantee. Should you journey for work (or simply journey rather a lot), you’ll most likely want Samsonite’s reliability.
Right here’s one final query which will assist you to resolve: what are the percentages you’ll be taking images together with your baggage in your subsequent journey?
CALPAK vs Samsonite FAQs
Is CALPAK or Samsonite Higher?
Is CALPAK baggage a superb model?
Sure, CALPAK is famend for its fashionable, useful baggage (together with keep it up baggage) with progressive options like 360-degree spinner wheels. They provide nice worth and sturdiness.
Is a CALPAK carry-on too large?
CALPAK carry-ons are designed to satisfy most airline measurement restrictions.
Is Samsonite the very best baggage?
Samsonite is extremely regarded for its high quality, progressive baggage options, and international guarantee, making it a best choice amongst frequent vacationers.
Which model of baggage is essentially the most sturdy?
Samsonite‘s use of polycarbonate and ballistic nylon supplies usually offers it an edge in longevity.