Buying guide for best soft-sided luggage
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When you start shopping for luggage, one of the first things you need to consider is whether you prefer soft-sided or hard-sided luggage. While a hardside suitcase might seem like the obvious choice in terms of offering the best protection for your belongings, the best soft-sided luggage is as tough or tougher in many ways than its hard-sided counterparts.
Made of fabric or leather and supported by an interior frame, softsides are easier to pack to the brim, and the tough fabrics won’t show scuffs or scratches the way hardsides do. With big compartments and roomy pockets, soft-sided suitcases are as flexible in organization as they are in shape. And its flexible exterior also comes in handy when you need to squeeze it into tight spaces.
The BestReviews Testing Lab has tested some of the most popular soft- and hard-sided luggage and used that experience to inform our picks among the most popular brands and models. We love the Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Checked Luggage, which is made of strong, high-density nylon and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
Editors’ picks for 2025
Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Checked Luggage
Editors’ Favorite
Type: Checked | Dimensions: 21" W x 13.25" D x 32.5" H | Weight: 11.5 lb | Material: Nylon and leather | Expandable: Yes (2”)
Based on our testing, we think the Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Checked Luggage is the best soft-sided luggage available. We gave it perfect scores in every category we tested, from durability to features to design and value for money. Overall, it’s the best soft-sided luggage you can buy.
It features a shell made of hard-wearing nylon that’s coated to repel water and resist stains, accented with elegant leather trim. The large checked size we’re recommending has 143.5 liters of capacity, making it ideal for weekslong trips or to pack for more than one person. It includes 2 inches of bottom expansion to keep from tipping over and even a built-in suiter in the lid, so your favorite outfits stay wrinkle-free.
We loved how smoothly the magnetically aligned wheels rolled on a variety of terrain and appreciated the comfort and handling of the contoured, padded trolley handle. The Platinum Elite comes with internal compression panels with extra pockets, a big exterior front pocket, TSA-compatible locks and handles on the top, side and bottom.
SwissGear Sion Softside Expandable Roller Luggage
Great Value
Type: Checked | Dimensions: 18.5” W x 12.5” D x 30” H | Weight: 11.1 lb | Material: Polyester | Expandable: Yes
The SwissGear Sion Softside Expandable Roller Luggage is a solid soft-sided luggage piece with plenty of pockets inside and out. Elevated, well-considered features make it look and work like a more expensive model. It’s a great value for a checked suitcase and comes in assorted colors.
The large checked Sion Softside is made of scuff-resistant polyester fabric. It offers 80 liters of capacity for about a week’s worth of outfits and weighs just over 11 pounds. Its fully-lined interior comes with tie-down straps that are adjustable for a touch of compression, with a removable wet bag, side pouch and full-length mesh pocket in the lid. Two exterior lid pockets keep loose items close at hand, and the lower pocket tilts open for easier access.
The Sion rolls on four single spinner wheels with sturdy corner struts. Its trolley handle is both padded and contoured for grip, and it offers handles on the bottom and side as well as the top. The red Swissgear logo is most prominent on the black bag, but the suitcase is also available in several vivid shades to stand out at baggage claim.
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Checked Luggage
Best Medium-Sized Luggage
Type: Checked | Dimensions: 18.5” W x 11.5” D x 27” H | Weight: 7.3 lb | Material: Polyester | Expandable: Yes (2”)
Polyester is a lighter material than nylon in soft-sided luggage. The Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Checked Luggage takes advantage of this to deliver a high-quality softside luggage piece that’s lighter than other models but doesn’t skimp on high-quality features.
The Maxlite 5 medium checked bag offers 95 liters of capacity but weighs only 7.3 pounds. Its durable polyester shell is treated to repel water and resist stains. The fully lined main compartment offers adjustable cargo straps, a full-length interior lid mesh pocket and a side mesh pocket for delicates. And if you need to squeeze in more souvenirs, the lid expands 2 inches at the bottom to avoid tipping over and offers a large exterior pocket for loose items.
Though the Maxlite 5 saves more weight with single spinner wheels, these lack the magnetic alignment of other Travelpro models. Its main trolley handle has a contoured and padded grip, however, and it also integrates side and bottom handles into its fabric casing.
Travelpro VersaPack+ Lightweight Softside Expandable Carry-On Luggage
Best Carry-On
Type: Carry-on | Dimensions: 14” W x 9” D x 22” H | Weight: 7.4 lb | Material: Ballistic nylon | Expandable: Yes (2”)
Seasoned travelers who value mobility know that carry-ons are the key to quick trips. The Travelpro VersaPack+ Lightweight Softside Expandable Carry-On Luggage is an impressively designed, full-featured soft-sided carry-on that fits most domestic and international carriers.
The VersaPack+ has a shell made of tough ballistic nylon in a selection of professional yet fashionable colors. Its 22-by-14-by-9-inch dimensions are intended to fit all but the strictest airline policies for hand luggage, and its four semi-recessed double-spinner wheels and contour-grip trolley handle make it easy to maneuver through crowded airports. Inside is 38 liters of space organized by adjustable compression straps, a pocketed packing cube panel, and a full-length lid pocket and side pocket; plus shoe and laundry bags are included.
The VersaPack+ offers 2 inches of bottom anti-tip expansion in its lid, which also integrates a pair of concealed exterior pockets. It offers TSA locks for security and uses YKK zippers throughout.
Samsonite Ascella 3.0 Softside Expandable Luggage Set
Best Luggage Set
Type: Set | Dimensions: 15" W x 10" D x 23.75" H x (carry-on), 18" W x 11" D x 28" H (checked) | Weight: 7.76 lb (carry-on), 11.09 lb (checked) | Material: Polyester twill | Expandable: Yes
Like Travelpro, Samsonite is a name that should need no introduction when it comes to luggage. The venerable brand has made enduring, popular hard- and soft-sided luggage for decades. The Samsonite Ascella 3.0 Softside Expandable Luggage Set is well-made, widely available and affordably priced.
The Ascella 3.0 set is composed of a 23-inch carry-on and a 27-inch checked suitcase with fabric shells made of polyester twill. Added contrast piping protects edges from wear and scuffs. Each individual suitcase offers fully-lined interiors with elastic tie-down straps, zipped interior lid and side pockets, and a removable wet bag. The lid features built-in expansion, a large zippered pocket and a smaller stash pocket.
The Ascella set glides on smooth-rolling double spinner wheels and is guided by a multistop trolley handle with contour grip. It’s available in black, dark red or blue.
Amazon Basics Luggage, 30-Inch Large Checked Softside Suitcase
Best Under $100
Type: Checked | Dimensions: 17.2” W x 11.2” D x 30.1” H | Weight: 7.82 lb | Material: Polyester | Expandable: Yes (28%)
Travelers on a budget and people who go on just a few trips a year may not want or need to spend hundreds of dollars on top soft-sided luggage. In our experience, Amazon’s Basics line of luggage provides solid performance at sub-$100 prices, and this includes the Amazon Basics Luggage, 30-Inch Large Checked Softside Suitcase.
This Amazon Basics softside features a polyester shell that weighs 7.8 pounds despite being over 30 inches tall with 77 liters of capacity. Inside you’ll find a lined interior with adjustable tie-down straps and a full-length zippered lid pocket. The lid also offers a large exterior zippered pocket, while matched piping adds durability to corners and edges.
Four single-wheel spinners give this large checked softside mobility when traveling. There are handles on the top and side for lifting, and a telescoping trolley handle for rolling.
Briggs & Riley 29-Inch Large Expandable Baseline Spinner
Most Durable
Type: Checked | Dimensions: 20" W x 12" D x 29" H | Weight: 13.6 lb | Material: Ballistic nylon | Expandable: Yes
If money is no object and heirloom quality is something you desire, consider the Briggs & Riley 29-Inch Large Expandable Baseline Spinner. This premium soft-sided suitcase boasts elevated materials, innovative features and a lifetime guarantee.
The Briggs & Riley Large Spinner is made of ballistic nylon with reinforced corners to combat wear and tear. The rails of its trolley handle are external, avoiding the lumpy interior of so many other roller bags that make packing the first layer a bit of a challenge. The 29-inch height offers 112.7 liters of capacity, organized with a pocketed compression panel, two half-length zippered lid pockets, and a folding full-sized garment bag.
One of the most compelling innovations of Briggs & Riley suitcases is its CX compression system. The main compartment expands at a touch and then clicks shut at its original size, allowing you to pack more into the same volume. It offers double spinner wheels, contoured grip, exterior convenience pockets and a handy strap for hanging a second bag.
Away Softside Large
Most Stylish
Type: Checked | Dimensions: 21.5" W x 11.8" D x 28.7" H | Weight: 14.8 lb | Material: Nylon | Expandable: Yes (15%)
Away made its name with colorful, viral polycarbonate hardside spinners, but the brand expanded into soft-sided luggage in 2024. The Away Softside Large is the biggest softside roller the brand offers, available in seven muted shades and pastels.
The Away Softside Large has a case made of high-strength nylon treated with a water-repellent coating. It integrates Away’s brand-specialty internal compression and also expands up to 15% in additional volume, from 101.3 to 115 liters. Inside, it holds the compression plate with mesh pockets, lid mesh pockets and polyester laundry bag. Outside, the lid hides two discreet stash pockets.
This attractive bag rolls smoothly on double spinner wheels. Aside from the trolley handle, there are grab handles on the top and side and a third one hidden among the wheels. To make traveling with it even easier, the Away Softside Large integrates an anti-tip stabilizer to keep it balanced while on the go.
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Rolling Tote
Best Underseat Luggage
Type: Carry-on | Dimensions: 16.25" L x 8.5" W x 15.5" H | Weight: 5.4 lb | Material: Polyester | Expandable: No
The overhead bin isn’t the only place to stow carry-on luggage. Make the most of the space you’re allowed for a personal item with the Travelpro Maxlite 5 Rolling Tote.
The Maxlite Rolling Tote is designed to fit in the footwell of a standard airline passenger seat, where personal items usually get stashed. Measuring 16.5 inches long, 15.5 inches high and 8.5 inches wide, it offers 32 liters of packing capacity, with a fully-lined main compartment and a fold-down front lid with integrated interior and exterior pockets. Its shell is made of durable polyester with water- and stain-repellent treatment.
The Maxlite 5 rolling tote moves on two roller ball-bearing wheels for pushing or pulling along. It has a contoured grip on its trolley handle and wheel stops to keep it from budging. It also features a back luggage strap to attach it to the trolley handle of a bigger suitcase.
Delsey Paris Sky Max 2.0 Softside Expandable Luggage
Best for its Easy-Access Pockets
Type: Checked | Dimensions: 20” W x 13.25” D x 31” H | Weight: 8.4 lb | Material: Polyester | Expandable: Yes (2”)
Another well-regarded luggage brand, Delsey is based in Paris, France. The Delsey Paris Sky Max 2.0 Softside Expandable Luggage looks particularly elegant, while at the same time impressing with its roomy, easy-access exterior pockets.
The Delsey Sky Max 2.0 is constructed of light, strong polyester twill. Its interior is fully lined with a large main compartment feeling elastic cross-straps, while its lid offers a large zippered pocket and smaller mesh pocket on the interior and two big exterior pockets with rounded, contoured quilted padding. A small side pocket keeps small items concealed and out of the way.
The Sky Max 2.0 rolls on four double spinner wheels. It has a contour-grip trolley handle, top and side grab handles, and TSA-compliant combination locks.
How we analyzed
We put together this article based on our experience testing a wide selection of luggage, both hard-sided and soft-sided, checked and carry-on. We narrowed down our picks according to features, brand reputation and customer comments, as well as noting industry and consumer reviews.
Tested products were evaluated on durability, mobility, capacity, design and value for money, including drop tests, splash tests and actual plane travel. We also researched fabric composition, fabric quality, zipper manufacturer, wheel and handle design and security features to fill out this buying guide.
Key features to consider
Size and weight
Dimensions
Even if you rarely travel by plane, your choice of luggage size will generally be among two main air-travel-based categories: checked baggage and carry-ons.
- Carry-on: Also known as cabin luggage or handcarry, it’s sized to fit in the overhead bins of passenger planes. Good for three to five outfits or two to five days of travel, it comes in two sizes: international carry-on and domestic (North American) carry-on. International carry-on measures around 21.5 by 15.5 by 9 inches, while domestic carry-on should fit within 22 by 14 by 9 inches. These dimensions need to include any handles and wheels.
- Checked: Checked luggage goes into the cargo hold of a plane and is good for at least a week’s worth of outfits. Airlines rules for checked baggage are somewhat different, as the airlines often look at a maximum linear length (the sum of the length, width and height) and a weight limit. Generally, checked bags should have a linear length of no greater than 60 inches and a weight limit of 50 pounds. You’ll have to pay extra for oversized or overweight luggage.
Exact allowances vary from carrier to carrier, so check those of your most-used carrier when shopping for luggage.
Capacity
Luggage capacity is measured in liters, even if the linear dimensions are in inches. Carry-ons have a capacity of around 30 to 50 liters and checked luggage around 80 to 150 liters.
Note that capacity can vary even between models that have similar linear dimensions. This is due to different interior shapes and features, such as wheel wells, handle grooves, dividers, pockets and pouches, and even the thickness of the case material or frame.
Weight
Soft-sided luggage was, for a long time, considered lighter than hard-sided luggage, but in our testing experience that’s no longer true. The sturdiest fabrics and textiles, along with the metal frames, of the best soft-sided luggage tend to be heavier and denser than the super-light injection-molded plastics of today’s popular hardsides. Don’t forget that the weight of your suitcase when empty, counts against the weight limits of your airline’s luggage policies.
Our top picks: Size and weight
- Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Checked Luggage: This bag offers 143.5 liters of capacity and weighs 11.5 pounds but is slightly longer than the strict maximum linear dimensions of most airlines.
- SwissGear Sion Softside Expandable Roller Luggage: With this bag, you’ll get just 80 liters of capacity and a weight of about 11 pounds.
- Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Checked Luggage: A lightweight option, it’s just over 7 pounds and provides 95 liters of space.
- Travelpro VersaPack+ Lightweight Softside Expandable Carry on Luggage: This bag fits most domestic and international cabin luggage policies.
- Samsonite Ascella 3.0 Softside Expandable Luggage Set: Lightweight polyester helps lower the weight on the pieces in this set; however, the carry-on is a little big for some airlines.
Materials and maneuverability
Fabric
The majority of today’s soft-sided luggage is made of fabric. These fabrics should be durable and hard-wearing, resistant to abrasion and tearing and ideally somewhat water-resistant.
A measure of fabric strength is denier or D. This indicates the thickness and weight of a fabric’s fiber. The higher the denier number, the stronger the fabric.
Popular luggage fabrics include:
- Polyester: The lightest and most affordable luggage fabric, it needs denier counts of at least 600D to be strong enough for luggage.
- Nylon: Stronger, softer and shinier than polyester, nylon can have the same strength at lower denier count than polyester. Ballistic nylon is a popular luggage fabric with thicker and heavier threads than regular nylon, while ripstop is a nylon woven to resist tearing and wear.
- Cordura: A brand name for a fabric that’s particularly tough and durable with a degree of water resistance, it can be made of either nylon or polyester and was originally made of rayon.
Canvas, made of natural fibers like cotton or hemp, is also a fabric used in some softside luggage, while leather remains a popular (if expensive) choice for duffels and tote bags. Leather and synthetic leather is popular as trim on fabric softside luggage.
Zippers
Soft-sided luggage uses zippers to close. Zippers can be a frequent point of failure for luggage, with their teeth or sometimes their seams coming open. It’s important to pay attention to the quality of the zippers used when considering a piece of soft-sided luggage.
There are two main types of zippers:
- Chain zippers have individual teeth made of metal or plastic set into the fabric zipper tape.
- Coil zippers have teeth formed from a single continuous spiral or coil of material, usually nylon or polyester.
Coil zippers have higher horizontal strength and are more self-repairing than chain zippers. Both kinds can be found on luggage, with coil zippers becoming more prevalent.
When shopping for luggage, the zipper manufacturer has become a shortcut for estimating zipper quality. A name that’s become synonymous with high-quality, dependable zippers is YKK, a manufacturer based in Japan. Luggage brands will boast of having YKK zippers on their luggage.
Wheels
Today’s soft-sided luggage typically comes with built-in wheels for mobility.
- Spinners have four wheels or pairs of wheels attached at the corners of the bottom of the luggage piece. They can move in any direction and can be pushed, pulled, or walked beside you.
- Rollers have two rear wheels for pulling behind you as you walk. They are less prone to damage, like breaking off, than spinners, but are less maneuverable and often take up more interior space. Rollers tend to handle rough surfaces like cobblestone better than spinners.
Spinners come in single- or double-wheeled varieties, with either one or two individual wheels per strut. Double wheels are generally smoother. The wheels themselves may be solid, like rollerblade wheels, or spoked.
Look for wheels that resist crushing or breakage, that roll smoothly, and that can withstand rough terrain.
Our top picks: Durable materials and maneuverability
- Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Checked Luggage: Travelpro doesn’t mention the denier, but it’s a hard-wearing nylon. We loved the smoothness and mobility of the spinner wheels.
- SwissGear Sion Softside Expandable Roller Luggage: Solid single-wheel spinners are less smooth and stable than rival models, and polyester is not as soft or strong as nylon.
- Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Checked Luggage: It features spoked single wheels that lack the magnetic alignment of higher-priced Travelpros. It’s made of polyester.
- Travelpro VersaPack+ Lightweight Softside Expandable Carry-On Luggage: Boasting a ballistic nylon build, it offers double spinner wheels with magnetic alignment and YKK zippers with a zipper repair kit.
- Samsonite Ascella 3.0 Softside Expandable Luggage Set: Double spinner wheels elevate this department-store standby. It’s made of polyester material.
Additional features
Compartments, pockets and dividers
Soft-sided luggage commonly offers a single large compartment, accessed by a lid that forms the front of the piece. This lid often has spacious pockets on both the interior and exterior and frequently integrates a zippered gusset for expansion. The main compartment may offer straps or other compression features. Common accessories include a dry bag, toiletry bag or dopp kit.
Handles
Today’s soft-sided luggage should have at least three handles: a top handle, a side handle and an extendable trolley handle.
The trolley handle should be strong, capable of supporting a significant amount of weight when extended, and stable, without extreme flexing or shifting during use. It should also have a comfortable contoured or padded grip, since it’s the handle you’ll be using the most.
The top and side handles are for lifting and hefting the luggage piece, such as when placing it in an overhead compartment or picking up from a baggage carousel. A third handle, on the bottom between the wheels, is a welcome extra.
Locks
Locking luggage helps keep contents safe and private. Locks can be built in or added afterward, but built-in combination locks are commonplace among luggage today.
Make sure that any built-in locks are advertised as “TSA-compliant,” which means they can be opened by agents of the US Transportation Safety Administration and their international counterparts for security inspection. These agents use a special key that opens the lock without knowing your combination. Locks that aren’t TSA-compatible will be broken if selected during inspection.
Expandability
One benefit of soft-sided luggage is the ability to flex, but a dedicated expansion feature is always welcome. This generally involves a gusset, closed by a zipper, that can add around two additional inches in depth or more than 20% additional capacity.
Colors and prints
Soft-sided luggage made of fabric is available in a wide variety of colors, but hard-sided luggage, with its colorful shells, offers many more options. Among our picks, the colors tend to be subtler and more muted. A colorful suitcase can help you identify your luggage quickly; black soft-sided luggage is hard to distinguish at baggage claim, and using stickers and scarves to make your bag stand out are disliked by baggage handlers because they can get caught in automated handling systems.
Our top picks: Additional features
- Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Checked Luggage: The trolley handle was particularly comfortable and precise during testing. The built-in suiter and pocketed compression panels add organization and space efficiency.
- SwissGear Sion Softside Expandable Roller Luggage: This bag has a nice selection of pockets and compartments and comes in some vivid color options.
- Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Checked Luggage: The main handle is designed for comfort, and there’s a bottom fabric handle as well as side and top handles.
- Travelpro VersaPack+ Lightweight Softside Expandable Carry-On Luggage: This bag includes a packing cube system, shoe bags and a laundry bag.
- Samsonite Ascella 3.0 Softside Expandable Luggage Set: A removable wet bag and an extra lid pocket come in handy. A contoured trolley handle makes it comfortable to pull.
FAQ
Q. Is soft-sided luggage better than hard-sided luggage?
A. There are advantages to owning each type, which you should carefully consider before purchasing one or the other.
- Hard-sided luggage: The big advantage of a hard-sided suitcase is that it can better protect your belongings (thieves can't slice open a polycarbonate shell). It also offers more protection from the elements and accidental spills. Soft-sided luggage: These bags tend to offer easier access to storage, such as outer pockets, where you might stash your boarding pass or a book while you wait for your plane. The fact that they’re typically expandable also makes soft-sided bags more versatile, and the flexible material means you can really stuff them full.
Q. Which is better on soft-sided luggage: two wheels or four wheels?
A. Two wheels on bags, known as roller bags, are typically recessed and better at handling obstacles like curbs and uneven surfaces. Because you’re essentially dragging the bag, two-wheeled bags can cause shoulder, arm and back pain if you need to transport your bag long distances.
Four-wheeled bags can stand on their wheels and be rolled easily through terminals, so they’re both easier on you and navigate tight spaces better than two-wheeled bags. These wheels aren’t the best option for rolling over carpeting or uneven terrain. Also, if you’re on any sort of incline, you need to keep a firm grip on your bag or it will roll away.
Our expertise
Jmar Gambol has been writing for BestReviews since 2021. He has written or assisted on more than a hundred articles and buying guides, including those for the best suitcases, best carry-ons, best spinner suitcases and best Samsonite luggage. He has traveled internationally since a young age and has been described as an airport dad.
