Hard or soft-sided suitcase?

There are typically two types of suitcases – hard and soft. Hard-sided luggage has a rigid exterior that is stiff rather than flexible. Soft-sided luggage is made of fabric and has a flexible exterior.

There's often a perception that hard-sided suitcases are more durable than soft-sided suitcases. However, our lab testing of suitcases over a number of years has proven this isn't the case. Our results show that the best suitcases for durability can be either soft or hard-sided.

The type for you will depend on your individual needs. Here are some pros and cons of each suitcase type to help you make a decision.

Hard-sided luggage

Pros

• Can offer greater protection to fragile items
• Tends to be more water resistant
• Increasing number of lightweight options available
• Perceived to be more stylish by some travellers

Cons

• Glossy finish of some suitcases may scratch
• Fewer expandable cases
• Non-flexible exterior can make them trickier to store
• Typically more expensive than soft-sided cases

Soft-sided luggage

Pros

• Flexible fabric makes them comparatively easy to store
• Many are expandable to increase suitcase capacity
• Generally lighter than hard-sided suitcases
• Often cheaper than like-for-like hard-sided suitcases

Cons

• Fabric can be less water resistant compared with hard suitcases
• Fragile items may have less protection
• Can be perceived by some travellers as less stylish