Hard-Sided vs Soft-Sided Suitcases

A consideration for many travellers is whether to buy a soft sided suitcase or a hard sided one. There are pros and cons for both, but at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference.

Hard-Sided
Pros

• Can offer greater protection especially for larger cases that need to be checked in at the airport.
• In recent years hard-sided cases have become much lighter thanks to new technology.
• More weather resistant. Where a soft-sided suitcase can get wet and the water seep into the contents of the bag, a hard-sided suitcase offers greater protection.
• The majority of hard-sided cases have a 50/50 spilt because the zip is placed around the middle of the case. This allows you to pack the case equally.

Cons

• Doesn’t have outside pockets. This is a consideration for cabin bags where soft-sided cases offer outside pockets for easy access to travel documents, devices etc.
• Less flexible than soft-sided cases, so there isn’t as much give if you are trying to cram lots in.
• Generally more expensive than soft-sided suitcases.
• Hard-sided suitcases can scratch.

Soft-Sided
Pros

• Generally have outside pockets, which are especially great for cabin bags because you don’t have to open the entire case each time you need to find travel documents, devices etc.
• Better selection of 2-wheel cases, which offer greater capacity than 4-wheel cases.
• Many cases are expandable to increase capacity.
• Many soft-sided cases are lighter than hard-sided.

Cons

• Less weather resistant compared to hard-sided cases.
• Offer less protection, which can be a big consideration for bags that are checked-in at the airport.
• Material can rip if it is not high quality.

You can check out our range of hard sided luggage here and our range of soft sided luggage here.