When it comes to luggage, travelers are generally either team hardshell or team soft-sided. While both have their perks, soft-sided suitcases rarely get the praise that they deserve. If you’re in the market for a new piece of luggage, you may want to consider a soft-sided suitcase for flexibility and durability while traversing airport terminals, narrow cobblestone streets in Europe, and beyond.
When shopping for soft-sided luggage, you'll want to consider the materials each piece is made with, the overall design—including the wheels and zippers—and the capacity that the bag can hold. We've done most of the legwork for you, though, testing out a range of popular soft-sided suitcases to bring you a list of 10 excellent options.
This article is part of Condé Nast Traveler's first-ever Luggage Week, for which dozens of suitcases, backpacks, and weekender bags were road-tested by our editors.
According to Consumer Reports, soft-sided luggage is often made from woven nylon, but each nylon style has its pros and cons. Cordura has more texture and can hide scuff marks and abrasions better. Ballistic nylon has a smoother texture, but can show wear and tear faster, though the slight imperfections won’t compromise the overall strength and durability of the fabric.
This depends on personal preference and how you travel. Soft-sided luggage can be ideal because of the ample amount of exterior pockets that hard-shell suitcases typically don’t have. The flexible fabric can also be maneuvered into small overhead bins or car trunks easily.
In most instances, soft-sided luggage is extremely durable. Be sure to look for a suitcase that uses high-strength nylon and has strong zippers to ensure that your suitcase doesn’t rip as it’s tossed around by baggage handlers at the airport.
Dimensions: 23" x 16" x 10" Capacity: 52L Weight: 8 lbs.
Pros: Compression straps, removable packing cube Cons: Wheels can glide too easily allowing the suitcase to roll away
After using it on a weeklong trip to Boston and Connecticut, senior commerce editor Madison Flager was impressed with this soft-sided expandable suitcase from Travelpro. It features one main compartment that has compression straps to keep all of your clothes and valuables secure while traveling. There is also a built-in and removable packing cube that can act as a second compartment if needed. "I like the included packing cube, and that they have other accessories you can swap in to suit your needs. I’m personally eyeing the Zip-in All-In-One Organizer to add smaller pockets for undergarments and socks," says Flager. It’s a great starter soft-sided piece for those who want to swap from a hard-sided suitcase and tend to overpack.
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