We love hardside luggage for their protective shells, crushproof builds, and jet-set aesthetic. However, many people consider softside luggage a lot more practical, especially with the kind of upsides they bring to your traveling experience. For one, it’s less prone to scuffing and scratching the same way that more rigid suitcases are. We mean, it’s a fabric shell compared to aluminum or plastic, so it handles the regular roughhousing of luggage much better. Sure, they may not be as good-looking as the best hardside luggage out there, but some our favorite softside luggage definitely stack some good aesthetics in their favor, too.
Because of their fabric shells, the best softside luggage are naturally flexible, making them better for frequent travelers who may be prone to overpacking. Not all options have these lighter, more malleable materials, of course, as there also those that are bit more structured, although they also tend to have some give (they use pliant materials, after all) that allows for packing just a little bit more each time out.
Is the best softside luggage just as durable as hardside luggage? It depends what you’re looking for. If you want them to offer the same rigid protection as an aluminum Rimowa, then you definitely won’t get it. They just won’t deliver that same crush-proof function. However, many softside luggage are made from tough fabrics renowned for their abrasion resistance and strength. Coupled with solid construction and you can get softside suitcases that can, literally, hold up for many, many years.
The best softside luggage will often have exterior pockets. Sometimes, they will even have plenty of them. In our opinion, that’s the biggest upside of softside luggage over their more rigid counterparts – it’s just easier to incorporate external pockets for all your travel gadgets into the design. As such, it’s always one of our most important considerations, given how clutch those pockets really become when you’re on the go.
These are the best softside luggage for all your travel needs.
Travelpro Maxlite 5 21-Inch Carry On Spinner
Pros
- Excellent price to features
- Wheels track smoothly on all surfaces
- Very lightweight
Cons
- Might be too big for some folks
- Utilitarian looks
Capacity: 46L
Material: Polyester
Weight: 5.4 pounds
If you travel infrequently and don’t want to pay too much for an expensive suitcase, this budget-friendly softside luggage just might be your thing. Despite the fairly inexpensive price, it does bring most of the great things that make Travelpro’s suitcases very popular among airline workers. You get a durable polyester shell with DuraGuard coating, making it both water- and stain-resistant, while being incredibly light for a wheeled suitcase. We love the two-position trolley handle with the rubberized grip, 360-degree four-wheel spinners, and the easy-to-wipe interior lining. It has a tapered two-inch expansion, too, for those times you overpack, as well as a generous selection of exterior pockets, including a larger zippered pocket, a small zippered pocket, and a small accessory pocket on the backside. It just feels too well-appointed for such an affordable option, making it a really great purchase.
Calpak Luka
Pros
- Compact size perfect for short trips
- Padded laptop compartment out front
- Stylish-looking
Cons
- Handle jiggles quite a bit
Capacity: 31L
Material: Polyester
Weight: 6.4 pounds
This softside luggage is on the more compact side, so this is not the one to get if you plan to pack a bit more on the trip. If you want a smaller suitcase you can take for shorter trips, though, you might really appreciate this bag’s durable yet soft poly fabric shell, the padded laptop pocket out front, and the puffy-looking front panel, which gives it a more unique look compared to other softside options. It has four 360-spinner wheels, but we found it to roll better on two, which isn’t that big a deal, since it’s a smaller bag and isn’t likely to pack too heavy. We don’t think the wheels are the problem, either, as it seems to be the handle that makes maneuvering a little harder than it should be. Still, it tows very well – you’ll just need to switch to two-wheel tracking instead of four occasionally. We do find it to be a little lacking in interior pockets, although we did appreciate the handy compression straps.
Away The Softside Bigger Carry-On
Pros
- Stylish, modern look
- Plenty of pockets and extra compartments
- Expandable by 1.7 inches in thickness
Cons
- Heavy
- Might not pass for carry-on when expanded
Capacity: 38.3L
Material: Nylon
Weight: 9.8 pounds
Away’s take on softside luggage feels much more substantial than your typical option. Seriously, their nylon shell just feels heavier than the fabrics used in other suitcases, which makes us confident it can hold up to the ravages of frequent travel. That’s also important, since this bag is going to straddle that check-in limit if you decide to expand it to the maximum 44.3L size. Yeah, you might want to check with the airline before unzipping that expansion area (or get the smaller version). It’s got everything you can ask for in a good piece of soft luggage, from their patented compression system and multiple interior pockets to the smooth tracking of the 360-degree wheels and the handy exterior pockets. It also looks incredibly stylish for a softside suitcase, which is always very much appreciated. If you like the look of Away’s hard shell luggage, they basically took that and put it on a softside version, which is very impressive.
Osprey Transporter 38
Pros
- Relatively slim profile
- Easy-to-access front compartment
- Highly water-resistant
Cons
- Front gets lumpy when heavily packed
Capacity: 38L
Material: Polyester, nylon
Weight: 5.1 pounds
We’ll admit – this looks more like a backpack with a trolley handle than your usual softside luggage. As such, it looks like a little weird. The more time we spent with it, the more we liked it, though, since it really translates Osprey’s experience with backpacks to carry-on luggage. The main compartment packs like a regular luggage, so you have to tip the bag on its back, with plenty of room for organizing your clothes and other essentials. It has multiple exterior pockets that look ripped straight out of their backpack designs, including a padded laptop compartment, so they should be easy to use on the go. The fabric is quite malleable, so it, pretty much, conforms to whatever items you’re carrying, which means you might, occasionally, end up dragging a suitcase with lumps in certain sections. Do note, it only has two wheels, so they’re not as smooth to drag around as 360-degree spinners, although we did find it pleasant-enough to use, albeit with a limited range of movement. Our favorite part, by the way, is the TPU finish, which doesn’t just give it excellent water-resistance, but a striking matte appearance, too.
Dagne Dover Seattle 20.5-Inch Carry-On Luggage
Pros
- Easy front access to main compartment
- Excellent compression system
- Easy to maneuver
Cons
- Heavy for its size
- Pricey
Capacity: 33L
Material: Polyester
Weight: 9.1 pounds
We’re always fond of softside bags that open clamshell-style – splitting the main compartment into two always make organizing just a bit easier. Both sides have their own compression straps, too, for secure everything in place, while one side also has a zippered divider with two large mesh pockets, which you can roll up if you prefer not to use it. Our favorite part, though, are the zippered front pockets. The larger one, for instance, offers a laptop sleeve and a zipper that actually opens to one of the main compartment areas, allowing you to grab stuff from inside without opening up the whole suitcase. The smaller external pocket isn’t so small, either, as it can fit a 13-inch laptop comfortably, while a third zippered pocket sits in the back for phones, passports, and other small items. The thick polyester shell they use in the entire bag feels equally durable and premium, although it does tack on a fair amount of weight, while corner protectors and luggage feet give it even more buffer against potential bumps and scrapes. The trolley handle and the spinner wheels work great, too, making it pretty east to get around corners and go up-and-down escalators.
