The Best Softside Luggage Pieces of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Jan 04, 2024

Don't underestimate a sophisticated softside suitcase to keep your items safe and organized.

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Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph

Everyone's idea of the perfect luggage is different. While slick and crush-resistant hardside suitcases are having a moment, lots of folks still prefer the softside variety. It's often more affordable, less prone to scuffs and, in many cases, just as durable.

Of course, not all carriers are created equal. So, what makes a high-quality soft-shell model? If you ask us, it's about a spacious capacity, innovative organizational features, a sturdy exterior that stands up to heavy use, and a lightweight, maneuverable design.

Travel + Leisure tried almost 70 pieces of softside luggage, including carry-ons, checked suitcases, and duffles. We packed them with enough stuff to get through a four-day trip, lifted them overhead, whacked them with a baseball bat, and shoved them off a table to see how they'd perform in a real-life setting. (Get more details about our testing process below.)

Walmart

The reasonably priced SwissTech Executive is spacious and expandable, with multifunctional pockets, smooth spinner wheels, an ergonomic handle, and a durable exterior.

There aren't many color options, and it doesn't have smart features.

Our top choice is the SwissTech Executive Upright Suitcase. Measuring 29 x 19 x 10.5 inches, it's on the larger side for checked luggage, and the expander adds another 2 inches to the depth. We were impressed by the spacious capacity and thoughtfully placed storage compartments. It has some great pockets inside for organizing items, as well as a small removable pouch. We had no problem fitting everything on our list and feel like we could have packed lots more.

The exterior is a 1,680-denier textile. (Generally speaking, the higher the denier, the more durable the material.) This suitcase seems sturdy and long-lasting. It held up after being pushed off a table and clobbered with a bat. We noticed only one small superficial mark, and the whole thing seems easy to wipe clean. We found the SwissTech Executive simple to maneuver, too. It has eight spinner wheels (technically four sets of casters) and a locking telescopic handle with an ergonomic grip. It rolls smoothly over both hard flooring and carpet and even performed surprisingly well when we pulled it over gravel.

This suitcase is pretty standard-looking, and we wish it came in more colors. However, it did everything we'd want softside checked luggage to do, making it a great option for longer trips and international travel. Plus, the price is more than reasonable, and SwissTech backs it with a generous 15-year warranty.

Price at time of publish: $116

The Details: 9.1 pounds | 29 x 19 x 10.5 inches | Expandable | 4 spinner wheels

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Amazon

This attractive, thoughtfully designed carry-on stood up to our durability tests and is a breeze to maneuver on its four spinner wheels.

You'll need to get your own powerbank for the USB charging port, and it's a little harder to pull on two wheels.

Our favorite softside carry-on is the Travelpro Platinum Elite. This expandable spinner suitcase has a premium fabric exterior with genuine leather piping and chrome hardware. It stood up surprisingly well to several bat swings — no scuffs or tears to speak of. It could fit everything into the dual main compartments and pockets. But they had to use the expander, which adds 2 inches to the depth and could make it too big to qualify as carry-on luggage.

The Platinum Elite glides smoothly and turns effortlessly on four wheels, though pulling it on two wheels requires a little more gusto. This smart suitcase has a built-in USB port, allowing you to charge your devices anywhere using a portable powerbank (sold separately). It's not the most affordable option for this size, but considering the lifetime warranty, we think it's worth the investment.

Price at time of publish: $370

The Details: 8.3 pounds | 23.5 x 14.5 x 9 inches | Expandable | Smart | 4 spinner wheels

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph

Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph

Amazon

This roomy, functional checked suitcase has a tip-resistant expander, a TSA-compliant lock, and reliable spinner wheels that work on various terrains.

It doesn't have any smart features and weighs 12 pounds when empty.

For checked baggage, we recommend the larger suitcase from Travelpro's Platinum Elite line. We loved the spacious design that has a generous capacity and a great amount of pockets. This sizable suitcase also has a tip-resistant expander function that adds another 2 inches of wiggle room, plus a TSA-compliant lock. Made of high-density nylon with a thermoplastic coating, it's designed to resist scratches and stains. Sure enough, it survived multiple bat beatings and shoves off a table with no scuffs or dents in sight.

The handle feels sturdy, and the spinner wheels roll well on hard flooring, carpet, and even gravel. But since it's so large and weighs 12 pounds when empty, it can be a little cumbersome. Though this suitcase is a bit of an investment, we think the price is fair — and it's backed by a lifetime warranty. It's a great option for overpackers, long trips, or college students heading home for breaks.

Price at time of publish: $470

The Details: 12 pounds | 32.5 x 21 x 13.5 inches | Expandable | 4 spinner wheels

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Tumi

Made of ballistic nylon, this sturdy suitcase has an expandable main compartment, lots of pockets, a garment sleeve, a security zipper, and a TSA lock.

The price might be hard to justify, and it weighs 15.5 pounds when empty.

If you want the crème de la crème of softside luggage and don't mind paying the big bucks, consider the Tumi Short Trip Packing Case. It has plenty of space to pack for a long trip, and the expander adds another 2.5 inches. We liked the many pockets, smooth zippers, and removable garment sleeve. There's also a user-friendly security zipper and a TSA lock for an added layer of protection.

This suitcase boasts protective bumper rails and a ballistic nylon exterior with a special coating for enhanced durability. We noticed just a few scuffs from our bat tests — but no dents or scratches, and nothing that wouldn't wipe clean. One thing to note is that it's quite heavy (15.5 pounds when empty). The spinner wheels work as expected, but let's just say you'll be glad to have your hands free after dropping it at the checked luggage counter. Still, we think this is an excellent choice for frequent fliers and travelers who like to stay organized.

Price at time of publish: $1,195

The Details: 15.5 pounds | 26 x 19 x 13 inches | Expandable | Smart | 4 spinner wheels

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Amazon

This wheeled carry-on weighs just over 5 pounds, rolls smoothly, and is water-resistant.

We would like some more interior organizational features.

The trustworthy and durable Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Luggage is a large-capacity carry-on perfect for light packers or weekend trippers. The suitcase glides well on both four and two wheels and transitions smoothly for those days when you're running to catch a flight. While this bag doesn't have a lot of organizational features like pockets, we were able to fit every item on our packing list in the large main compartment, so it may be the perfect choice for travelers who love packing cubes to keep organized.

What we love most about this bag is how sturdy it feels. You could confidently gate check this bag knowing it will come back to you without any problems. It's soft shell doesn't show any scuffs after being hit with a baseball bat or launched off a table. This is a simple and well-priced bag that's going to last a long time.

Price at time of publish: $170

The Details: 5.4 pounds | 23 x 14.5 x 9 inches | Expandable | 4 spinner wheels

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + Leisure / Tamara Staples

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Briggs & Riley

The Baseline Spinner has a clever expander function, lots of organizational features, an impact-resistant exterior, and a sophisticated appeal.

The price is steep, and it's over 13 pounds when empty.

If you need something that expands, the Briggs & Riley Baseline Spinner might be your best bet. Measuring 26 x 18 x 12 inches, this mid-size checked suitcase is really roomy but not overly bulky. Thanks to strategically placed compartments and pockets, everything on our packing list fit comfortably with room to spare. There's even a garment sleeve that fits up to two suits. The clever expander adds substantially more depth with the press of two buttons, then compresses when you zip it closed.

The impact-resistant exterior withstood several bat hits and shoves off a table. We wouldn't worry about it getting dragged through a puddle or rained on either. Despite the short and stocky design, we found this softside suitcase easy to push, pull, and lift. The steep price might be hard to justify, but if you can swing it, the sophisticated Baseline Spinner is perfect for business trips, long weekends, extended hotel stays, and anyone who likes well-made luxury luggage with intuitive features.

Price at time of publish: $799

The Details: 13.3 pounds | 26 x 18 x 12 inches | Expandable | 4 spinner wheels

Travel + Leisure / Tamara Staples

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Amazon

This rugged-yet-refined carrier is exceptionally durable, with a spacious interior, gusseted pockets, and smooth-rolling wheels.

It only comes in a couple of colors and is expensive for a duffle.

Interested in a wheeled duffle? We're big fans of this rugged yet refined model from Briggs & Riley. The 800-denier ballistic nylon exterior promises to resist scratches, moisture damage, and premature wear and tear. The fabric is soft but super-strong, it took bat hits and table drops like a champ.

We loved the gusseted pockets, spacious interior, cross straps, internal divider, and smooth zippers. This duffle moves like a dream, too, rolling effortlessly on hard floors, carpet, and gravel. Not only that, but the extendable handle, straps, and grab handles make pushing, pulling, and lifting a breeze. It's pricey for its category and only comes in a couple of colors, but the stuffable design is ideal for outdoor excursions, overseas trips, and anyone traveling with bulky or odd-shaped items.

Price at time of publish: $499

The Details: 8.6 pounds | 27 x 15 x 15 inches | Expandable | 2 wheels

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

These bags did well on our tests but didn't quite make our very top tier of recommendations.

Tumi Continental Dual Access 4 Wheeled Carry-On: This is a high-quality bag that rolls extremely well, but paying four figures for a carry-on is not the best option for most travelers.

Briggs & Riley ZDX 22-inch Domestic Carry-On Expandable Spinner: This softside is sturdy and spacious, but it felt just a little heavy and is on the pricier side.

Vicky Wasik

The T+L team tried dozens of softside luggage options first-hand, performing various tests to evaluate the durability, maneuverability, capacity, and design. We filled them with enough clothes and personal hygiene products to get through a four-day trip (or longer for checked baggage) in moderate-to-cold weather. Our packing list included multiple pairs of pants, several shirts, underwear, socks, two pairs of shoes, two coats, and two toiletry bags.

Besides making sure everything fit, we wanted to see how well the luggage safeguarded the cargo. Our testers hit them with a baseball bat, then pushed them off a table. After assessing potential damage, we pushed and pulled them on different types of flooring and even hoisted them into a makeshift overhead bin. With weight, size, price, and organizational features taken into consideration, the softside models with the highest scores in all testing categories were chosen for this roundup.

Jhett Thompson

Even if you prefer a soft exterior, don't overlook the inside of your luggage. Beyond a spacious capacity, organizational features can make packing and accessing your belongings much easier. This may include dual main compartments, zippered mesh sections, dividers, a compression pad, cross straps, a shoe separator, a garment sleeve for formal wear, a padded laptop sleeve, various pockets, or a removable laundry bag.

It's good to know what size you need when browsing softside luggage. Carry-ons are usually around 23 x 13 x 9 inches, whereas checked suitcases are more like 26 x 19 x 13 inches. Of course, there are smaller and larger options, and many have expanders that add another 2 or 3 inches to the depth. Be sure to check each airline's specific requirements before travel.

A lightweight design is ideal. This will make it easier to lift into the overhead bin when carrying on, and if you check your bag, it'll help you stay within the weight limit. Additionally, suitcases with four wheels tend to be the easiest to maneuver. An extendable locking handle will also help when pushing and pulling a jam-packed spinner. Lastly, you'll be glad to have grab handles when hoisting your luggage overhead or lifting it into a car.

Softside luggage is the gold standard for many frequent fliers. And believe it or not, it can be just as resilient as its hardside counterpart. After testing almost 120 models of both materials in the lab, we can tell you a rigid shell doesn't always mean enhanced durability.

A textile exterior can be trickier to clean, but it usually won't scuff as easily as thermoplastic. Also, many softside suitcases feature a protective coating that makes them easy to wipe down while resisting scratches and premature wear. In the end, the choice is really a matter of personal preference.

Softside luggage can usually be cleaned with a mixture of mild soap and warm water. Dip a clean cloth into the solution and gently scrub the exterior. Then go over it with a clean, damp cloth and allow it to air-dry thoroughly.

Some suitcases have removable, machine-washable linings. If not, you can wipe down the interior with the same soapy solution you used on the outside. A pre-moistened disinfectant wipe can work as well.

For this article, commerce writer Theresa Holland combed through our in-house testing insights, then pored over product manuals to craft a comprehensive list of today's best softside luggage.

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