How to Choose Between Hardside and Softside Luggage, According to Our Tests

Materials

Most hardside suitcases are made out of polycarbonate, polypropylene, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), or aluminum. Polycarbonate is one of the most durable and flexible materials, which means it's more impact-resistant but is also heavier than polypropylene and ABS bags. Polypropylene is the most lightweight when it comes to plastic hardside bags while still remaining fairly durable.

ABS typically falls in the middle weight-wise — it is often the cheapest option but is commonly found in a blend with other materials. Aluminum, on the other hand, has the sleekest look but is usually the priciest and heaviest; it's the most protective, which also means it has the least "give" out of the hardside options when packing.

Arguably the biggest pros and cons of hardside luggage are related to the material used. A hardside suitcase is typically better than a softside bag for protection (as long as your items are packed safely inside, too). However, all hardside materials are prone to getting scuffed, scratched, or possibly cracked more so than with fabric suitcases. Just remember that it’s normal for hardside suitcases to look beat up, particularly after checking them in, but it’s usually not too difficult to buff the case with a sponge to remove the marks (and some suitcases even come with buffing sponges). You can also opt for dark colors that hide damage better like navy blue or black.

Design

One of the most appealing factors of hardside luggage is the sleek design. The shell is typically protective enough to safeguard your belongings during rough airport baggage handling, in-flight turbulence, or rainy delays on the tarmac, making the investment worth it for peace of mind. In general, you can expect to see four 360-degree spinner wheels on most hardshell suitcases, which is ideal for maneuverability in crowded airports.

In terms of interior organization, there should be zippered sections or pocketed dividers to help pack a range of clothing items between the two clamshell-style compartments. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find exterior pockets on many hardside suitcases due to the stiff, solid plastic material, so once your items are packed away, it’ll be difficult to access anything. If this is important to you, seek out hardside suitcases with quick-entry front pockets to solve that problem.

Weight

While polypropylene is the lightest weight material in the hardside suitcase category, other hardshell suitcases will likely still be heavier than softside bags. Aluminum is very durable but it can be quite dense with most carry-ons, weighing over 10 pounds. If weight is important to you for a checked bag with airline weight restrictions, you’ll be better off with a lighter-weight polypropylene suitcase or a softside one. In general, a hardside carry-on will weigh anywhere between five and 10 pounds and a lightweight checked bag will weigh nine to 12 pounds.

Capacity

Since hardside suitcases typically have a clamshell-style design, it's possible to naturally divide up a lot of items. You may find it easier to use packing cubes to help maximize space and stay organized since there are generally fewer pockets in hardside luggage. Conversely, hardside suitcases have less give in the material, so it can be harder to squeeze extra items in.

With hardside carry-ons, your suitcase will always fit in the overhead bin as long as it fits the airline’s dimension requirements as the structure of the bag won’t allow it to exceed its original size — unless it has an expandable zipper that will add an extra inch or two of space. Still, it is easier to overpack a softside bag since the material is more flexible as long as you can close the zipper.

Best Checked

Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside

$190 $180 at Amazon

Our Ratings

• Capacity
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  4.5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

Going on an international trip? This large Samsonite checked bag can fit more than a week’s worth of clothing items thanks to its generous capacity and built-in compression straps that help secure and compress clothes. Made out of durable polycarbonate, the suitcase helps protect all of your belongings no matter the conditions during transit. While it’s on the heavier end of the luggage spectrum at 11.5 pounds, it’s worth it for a durable and wallet-friendly checked suitcase.

The Details: 31.5 x 20.5 x 13 inches | 11.5 pounds | Expandable | 4 spinner wheels

Best Carry-on

Samsonite Freeform Carry-on Spinner

$180 $137 at Amazon $150 at Samsonite $140 at Ebags

Our Ratings

• Capacity
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

This polypropylene carry-on is exceptionally durable to withstand anything from accidental drops to transits in inclement weather. Its light weight will surely be appreciated when you’re lugging it from place to place, too. The clamshell-style suitcase has plenty of room for clothing, shoes, and anything else you need to travel with, but we do wish there were a few more interior pockets for smaller items. The four 360-degree wheels are very smooth and make it easy to maneuver around any airport or hotel obstacles. There's also a matching checked suitcase in the Freeform line if you're looking to buy a great luggage set.

The Details: 21 x 15 x 10 inches | 5.6 pounds | Expandable | 4 spinner wheels

Best Underseat

Calpak Hue Mini Carry-on Luggage

View on Calpaktravel.com

Our Ratings

• Capacity
  5/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Value
  5/5
• Functionality
  5/5

Calpak’s underseat suitcase fits perfectly under a standard airplane seat and, although it’s a hardside bag, it has enough flexibility to squeeze underneath a smaller airplane seat. There are a variety of interior pockets for a laptop, phone charger, and other small items to stay organized while packing light, but you can still easily fit a weekend’s worth of clothes. Plus, the 360-degree wheels make it incredibly easy to roll this small polycarbonate suitcase through a busy airport.

The Details: 16 x 13.5 x 8 inches | 6.05 pounds | 4 spinner wheels

Materials

The most common fabrics used to make softside luggage are nylon and polyester. Higher-end softside luggage is often made with more durable materials like cordura and ballistic nylon whereas budget luggage may be made of a less durable polyester. Ballistic nylon was created during World War II and is a thicker woven fabric designed to be more resistant to abrasion, tearing, and odors. It can also result in a heavier bag.

Softside material can generally hide tears or stains better than a hardside suitcase can hide scuffs or scratches but may still fray and fade over time. A downside to softside luggage is that although the fabric conceals damage better than hardside luggage, your items may not be as well-protected in inclement weather transit so you may want to travel with a hardside suitcase if you’re traveling to a cold or wet destination.

Design

There’s nothing more classic than a piece of softside luggage. While four 360-degree spinning wheels are the industry standard now for prime mobility, there are still quite a few softside suitcases with two wheels on the market. It’s ultimately a personal choice whether you find it easier to get around with four wheels rather than two, but a suitcase with four wheels offers both options as it’s possible to either pull this style behind you on two wheels or roll it by your side on four wheels.

The typical design of a softside suitcase includes one large main compartment with a separate top flap that often has both interior and exterior pockets for organization. That option for external pockets is softside luggage’s most notable design feature as most hardside suitcases lack these. In fact, most softside suitcases will have at least one large front zippered pocket with smaller pockets in or around the larger one so you can access items without having to open the entire suitcase.

Weight

Polyester fabric is very lightweight, so if you’re looking for a suitcase to stay within an airline’s strict limits, softside luggage is a great option. (Remember that any wheels, handles, or the frame itself can add weightiness, too.) It ultimately depends on the brand and size of the suitcase itself, but softside carry-ons can weigh as little as four pounds. Polyester checked bags typically weigh between eight and 11 pounds, with ballistic nylon options often checking in around 15.

Capacity

When it comes to capacity, softside luggage truly shines. Nylon and polyester have more give than hardside suitcases, so there’s more room to cram items in if needed. Plus, softside luggage often comes with expandable zippers that can add several inches of room in the suitcase — a game changer for squeezing in last-minute items. The front zipper pockets are also very helpful for easily accessing items while traveling and can keep you extra organized, too. However, remember when packing this style that you may inadvertently exceed overhead luggage size requirements with overstuffed or expanded bags.

Best Checked

Hartmann Luxe II Medium Journey Luggage

View on Hartmann.com $280 at Bloomingdales $310 at Macy's

Our Ratings

• Capacity
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

One of the biggest drawbacks to softside luggage is usually the style factor, but luckily, that's not the case with this stunning Hartmann checked bag. The vintage-inspired design of this large suitcase makes it effortlessly elegant thanks to the delicate leather trim and subtly patterned fabric. During our durability tests, we noticed that the bag came out completely unscathed, looking as good as new after being hit with a baseball bat several times. This bag can easily fit enough clothing for up to two weeks of traveling, and it also has an expandable zipper to add even more room. The only slight inconvenience we noticed is that the interior only has one large pocket on the opening flap; otherwise, you'll need packing cubes or you can utilize the two large front pocket for organizing smaller items.

The Details: 27.3 x 18.5 x 11.5 inches | 9.4 pounds | Polyester, polypropylene | Expandable

Best Carry-on

Travelpro Platinum Elite Carry-on

$430 $345 at Amazon $430 $366 at Travel Pro $860 at Bloomingdales

Our Ratings

• Capacity
  4.5/5
• Design
  4.8/5
• Maneuverability
  5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  4.5/5

When it comes to durability, Travelpro’s Platinum Elite Carry-on is made with a high-density ballistic nylon fabric with Duraguard coating to ensure the longevity of the suitcase. It has four spinner wheels that glide smoothly over rough and flat surfaces, and going around sharp corners was a breeze when we tested it. The capacity is standard for a carry-on and there are a variety of internal and external pockets including a pocket with a USB port — but you’ll need to supply your own power bank to place in the compatible pocket.

The Details: 23.5 x 14.5 x 9 inches | 8.3 pounds | Expandable | Smart | 4 spinner wheels

Best Underseat

Calpak Luka Soft-sided Mini Carry-on Luggage

View on Calpaktravel.com $165 at The Container Store $165 at Anthropologie

This compact bag makes a great alternative to a tote or duffel if someone wanted a bag that had wheels (but it also has a luggage sleeve on the back if you do want to place it on top of a larger suitcase). It has a puffy, softside exterior and a padded laptop compartment in the front pocket. We especially loved the accessory pockets lining the main compartment, and the smaller pocket on the outside that was perfect for storing a phone or keys. There is a semi-accordion style opening so you can unzip the bag while its standing upright without the whole lid flapping open. The handle did pop open after we tossed it around when we tested it, but it wasn't damaged, and the puffy material seems like it would be great for protecting the items you have packed inside.

The Details: 16 x 14.25 x 9 inches | 5.3 pounds | Polyester | 4 spinner wheels