Just sharing my experience with scratches and the Topas Stealth.
- I'm a bit of a luggage nerd and have the Topas Stealth (22" cabin and half-height business trolley), Topas Aluminum (26"), Salsa Air (32"), Salsa matte black (30") and Salsa Deluxe (cabin trolley). I say this not to show off but just to note that I've been able to compare the performance of the different models over time.
- The Topas Stealth will definitely scratch. Luggage is not fine crystal: it will get knocked around no matter how well you take care of it. Even if you don't check your bag in and handle it personally with gloves, all it takes is a bump in the trunk of an Uber or taxi and you end up with a scratch or a nick.
- So if you can't abide scratches, don't get the stealth. But read the next point.
- I like a few scratches on the stealth. Without scratches, the Topas Stealth is pretty hard to distinguish from the low-end Salsa black models...particularly the Salsa matte black, because the stealth has a low-reflectance satin finish. So a few scratches/nicks help highlight the aluminum character of the stealth and set it apart from the polycarbonate models.
- Aesthetically I prefer sleek and clean minimalism (for example, I don't like stickers on my luggage, and I don't like the super-banged up look that some Rimowa enthusiasts enjoy)...I say this because even with my preference for clean looks I still think the stealth looks better with a few scratches because of how similar it looks to the polycarbonates from afar.
- That said, I would personally not buy a stealth as a check-in bag. My topas aluminum is a check-in bag and it definitely gets scratched and knocked around (in a good way). The stealth would look REALLY battered after a short time if it were checked in, and that look is not for me so I've limited my stealth purchases to carry-on bags.
- I try to use my stealth bags whenever I can, they're my favorite Rimowa cases. But I would be really annoyed if I had to check them in, so I only use them on travel where I'm not flying economy or where I know I'm going to board early because of mileage status or priority boarding.
- I try to buy my aluminum Rimowas in Europe. They're much cheaper there (esp in Germany) and they're made in Germany. The ones in the US are usually made in Canada.
- Lastly, if you're considering the Stealth, you might take a look at the Rimowa-Moncler collaboration. They are a little pricer than the normal Topas Stealth, but Moncler does some pretty cool things with kitting out the interior with some nice lining and accessories.
Hope that helps