Hard Shell vs. Soft Carry On Luggage (In-Depth Buyer's Guide)

Which type of Carry On Luggage is Best? Hard Shell or Soft Sided Luggage? Click "Show More" to see ad disclosure.

In this video, I compare hardside luggage and softside luggage and give key considerations, plus pros and cons for each type.

Carry On Luggage Shown in this Video:
LEVEL8 Textured Carry On (Use code "awaytogether" for an extra 10% off your order)

RoadRunner Carry On with Pocket (Use code "awaytogether" for an extra 10% off your order)

Full Aluminum Carry On (Use code "awaytogether" for an extra 10% off your order)

Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Luggage

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⏰ Timecodes ⏰
0:00 Hard Shell vs. Soft Carry On Luggage
0:24 Materials
0:40 Best Hard Shell Luggage Material
1:00 Soft Shell Luggage Materials
1:10 Carry on Luggage Materials: Key Differences
2:38 Common Carry On Luggage Features
2:56 Best Carry on Luggage Wheels
3:19 Carry on Luggage Zippers
3:36 Carry on Luggage with Pockets
4:12 Clamshell Style Suitcase Pros and Cons
4:46 Why You Should use Packing Cubes
4:57 Best Luggage for Souvenirs
5:14 Expandable Luggage?
5:28 Which Carry On Luggage is Right for You?
5:55 Best Hardsided Carry on Luggage

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#carryonluggage #packing

[awaytogether]

Which one do you use? P.S. Get 10% off any piece of luggage from LEVEL8 Cases when you use the code "awaytogether".

[DaveM-FFB]

As a retired road warrior, I've owned just about every kind of bag imaginable. My preference is soft sided, for a completely different reason. Most hardsided bags are clamshell design. When they're completely open they need twice the horizontal space to access both sides, sitting awkwardly on a luggage rack. Most soft side bags position the zipper for a lid design. The lid leans back against the wall using half the horizontal (floor) space. My favorite brand is Briggs & Riley, with Travelpro coming in second with price as a consideration.

[brianpowers]

I like that you always put yourself out there with your personal preference. Not all reviewers do that.

[campagnollo]

My opinion about luggage is that I carry-on soft, check hard. Soft usually has the pockets which is great while you are at the airport. I don’t consider security or it’s contents a concern as it is with you all the time.
The hard sides are excellent for durability, especially vs rough baggage handlers.

[rqchin]

Bucket! After traveling for 6 years with hard sided luggage, I switched a year ago to good quality soft sided luggage (Travelpro Platinum Elite) and I'm much happier with the additional flexibility, the extra pockets, and even the occasional use of the expansion zipper when I'm coming back with a few more things than I left with. The extra flexibility allowed me to make several trips with only my backpack and carry-on, something I greatly appreciated. Also, the bucket style is so much nicer to use in the hotel room. When I had the hard sided luggage, the clam shell design often meant I had to put it on the floor because it took up so much more horizontal space when opened up. I would love to see a comprehensive comparison of soft sided luggage.

[INOD-]

BUCKET!!! (Carry-ons with wheels) Soft-shell suitcases work better on a hotel luggage rack with the "lid on a bucket" design. The main body of the case fits on the luggage rack, and then you just lift up the "lid" and rest it against the wall, to access the contents. The hard-shells with the 50/50 clamshell design don't work well on luggage racks nor even lying on the room's desk. You have to open those spread out on the bed because it doesn't fit on a luggage rack completely open. If you put half of it on the luggage rack, and the other half resting against the wall like a soft-shell, the contents fall out of the vertical half! Why don't they make hard-shell luggage that has just a "lid" on one side over a deeper "bucket" on the other side like the soft-shell? Until they do, I'm sticking with my Swiss Gear soft-shell. I also prefer the outside pockets.

[traveltipstricksandhacks]

One thing to add: Soft shell luggage absorbs moisture so your bag will “weigh more” if you are coming back from a country that is humid. And who needs that after you have bought souvenirs!

[Maggie-trkd]

After much research, I purchased the soft-sided TravelPro's Crew VersaPack Global Carry On Expandable Spinner. I love it. It rolls easily through the airport and down the aisle of the plane. With a convenient handle on the right side of the carry on as well as the main handle, it easily lifts into the overhead bin. No worry about fit because it is the global size. The wheels are well recessed and protected. I expect to enjoy this luggage for years to come. I personally don't care for the hard shell luggage because of scuffs, scratches, and dents and the fact that most of them take up too much space when opened.

[DaneReidVoiceOver]

Here's a tip he didn't mention. If you check your luggage or travel to places that might steal from your bags, get a hard shell bag WITHOUT a zipper. Get one with locks. Zippers are easily broken into. I haven't seen a soft sided bag with locks instead of zippers. If theft isn't a concern where you travel or where you are checking your bags to, then no worries. A friend just had his expensive luggage destroyed and looted here in Colombia.

[joezollner]

I really love my hybrid Ebags Motherlode. I've been using it for nearly 5 years, averaging more than 100 flights a year and it's still in great shape. I love that one side is hard to protect items, while I can pack all my clothes on the soft side for maximum flexibility. Best of both worlds.

[jboutame]

Good presentation! I got a Level 8 Road Runner in Aug 2021 and have used it on over 100 flights. I love it, and my wife bought one a year ago. We have no regrets! And would not consider any others. What you need matters most but if this looks good, I think you’ll love it too.

[crimlarksSteve]

We've used max carry-on size (14x9x22 inch) Eagle Creek backpacks for years for travel. We've traveled all over Europe using those and they're great for travel by train (which we love). The bags are nearly indestructible. Lately we've been cruising, and after a recent cruise I ordered TravelPro soft-sided for each of us, because we're now over 70 and the backpack is tough for my wife to wear. Love the TravelPro bags - we'll continue using those for cruising, but we'll revert back to the Eagle Creek backpacks for European travel. Driving trips in the US - either will do. So no hard-sided bags for us.

[ace-gt]

As a baggage handler at the airport, please do yourself a favor and get hard sided, 4-wheeled rollers. The soft sided ones often have multiple pockets that jut out and get caught on other luggage. The pockets tend to open up if not locked. Also, hard sided stack neater and glide/slide easier over bags as they are loaded and unloaded into/out of the cargo pits & bag carts.

[LeannaRuthJensen]

We bought a set of softsided luggage for our honeymoon two decades ago. It's black, still looks great and the carry on bag is light, wheeled and has external pockets. What I like best about this luggage is, it is nesting. We only have to have space to store the largest suitcase because the other three nest inside it. The only reason I want a BUCKET list is, I miss placed the keys and I would like to have bags I can secure, if necessary.

[EdwardGarrenMFT]

I have a Ricaro polycarbonate carry on bag that has been my solo travel bag, including one trip to Europe for a month with everything I took in that one bag. I occasionally lubricate the wheels so they roll VERY easy and recommend all your folks do thye same. But the best feature is the almost impossible to damage material. Last summer, we were at a train station with no elevator to take down to the transfer corridor. I just put the handle back into the bag, put it on it's flat side and shoved it down the stairs (on the flat side). It slid down the stairs to the bottom, and was fine, all contents safe. You can't do that with soft side luggage. I can also throw it off the train if it's too hard to carry down steps, etc. It's six years old, still looks and works like new. Also, it's red, makes it a LOT easier to spot in a pile or conveyor belt of luggage.

[kcanyon]

I like softsided luggages: 1) light weight 2) expandable 3) it offers the traditional 2-wheel version with wheels better protected. They are not as versatile nor spin freely as the 4 wheel version but the wheels can last a long long time.

[tonychow]

I have both hard side and soft side with spinner wheels lugguages. I always use a luggage strap with checked suitcase to ensure it doesn't pop open during transit.

[Hippy]

If you travel a lot and internationally, I think the soft side is your best bet. Both don't last better one to another. I had used both, and I chose good brands like samsonite and Swiss gear. They don't last more than 3 years for travelling, but they were good for 10 years of use in daily office trip. As they both make no much difference in price and same length of time I use, I prefer soft case for a lot of extra pockets and the convenience to reaching stuffs I need during my trip on plane.
My daughter has a Tumi for work and travel. The difference is that Tumi still scratchy but keeps a good nice shape after 2 years. It's hard side carry-on. Will see how long it will last.
👍 Your video+subscribed

[tennboy]

Yeah, but if you get a scratch or a scarf that won’t come off a hard shell, just get some travel sticker or a bumper sticker and slap that sucker on there and it looks cool like you did it on purpose and it helps you recognize it if it ever gets checked

[tangotangoh]

Softshell bucket!! Moved from the old and heavy Delsey Axiom 2 wheel hard-shell in the 90s to the soft American Tourister spinners with 4-double wheels.