Hard or soft side luggage?

[Shak]

Both have there advantages but a plus of a hard side is its lack of pocket and it doesn't easily bulge like a soft side.

 

Actually many complain of a no pockets on hard sides but I discovered that many luggage manufactures didn't count them in their sizing of the bag. I am flying Air Canada in a few days and I discovered they are being aggressive with carry on and requiring them to fit in their sizer. Some have reported them weighing the bags too.

 

I looked up this practice and watched a few videos from Canadian news of actual flyers at the sizers. Yes there were some of the ones we all see with huge bags but I also noted many didn't pass because they were too fat.

 

When I bought my 20 inch carry on linier inches is what was the industry and airline demanded. For many airlines it was 45 inches. While you still may see the 45 inches it is the size of your bag that is now important.

 

I placed my packed 20 inch bag on a flat surface and measured it. It was 20 inches long or close enough but it was 11 inches wide. My bag was full but not over packed. When I closed the lid I didn't have to press down to zip it either. It appears to me they didn't count the wheels in their dimensions or actually putting something in the lid. If I took out the contents of the lid I think it would squeeze in but I didn't want to take a chance and purchased a hard side that I know will fit the sizers.

 

Shak

[GalCruzer]

Hard-sided luggage deters hitch-hiking bed bugs.

 

This is why I am shopping for this type. :cool:

[GORDONCHICK]

I have this bag in eggplant and love it!

http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/mother-lode-tls-junior-25-wheeled-duffel/125548?productid=1325229

 

Hard in the bottom, soft on the top. I've also got the carry-on one. I want to get a set of these for DS in turquoise or red.

[Floridiana]

We've had hard- and soft side suitcases destroyed on their first trip, always one bottom corner with a wheel. Last time, I saw how the guy did it. I also watched how a guy was standing on a suitcase in a supply boat while he was unloading other suitcases and freight.

 

We now have two expensive hard case spinners and one two wheeled marvelous soft case that has survived 5 continents, countless planes, busses, ships and even a narrow paddled canoe in the jungle. It is a bit too heavy since it is a tough older generation with interior and exterior pockets.

[cookingchick]

I also like wheeled duffels. We have a couple of Timberland wheeled duffels that have a hard bottom compartment for delicate stuff and extremely sturdy, well made wheels...which is crucial. We've schlepped them on planes, trains, ships...up and down metro steps, across the bridges of Venice, in and out of rental cars...still going strong after 7+ years.

[slidergirl]

If I do anything with wheels, it's soft and has 2 wheels. My current wheeled bag is an Osprey Sojourn 25". It's not a dedicated wheelie, but a convertible bag with backpack straps for when I want/need to carry it (wheels don't work well on dirt paths or in sand). Osprey offers a lifetime warranty.

 

I am totally against spinners. I've had to drag them around in my hotel - they are a major PIA in any carpeted area!!!

[Lois R]

I just got 2 new pieces of luggage yesterday:D.....and I LOVE THEM.....

they are by the brand "Lucas" and the material feels like a sturdy nylon

AND it is VERY, VERY lightweight:).....I was looking around and had

gone into Dillard's....I saw these pieces and they CALLED MY NAME;)

They are purple! and are on the spinners and I really love them. The material

almost reminds me of a Kipling. But they were not nearly as pricey.

I wanted to post a picture but the girl in the store said they just got them

in stock last week! I even looked on line and can't find them:eek:.....I got

a 25 inch to check and the 20 inch carry on.....I am very happy! I guess

they are brand new!

 

I had gone into 3 or 3 stores before hitting Dillard's and I do understand

the concept of "you get what you pay for" but I can't spend 600.00

for a suitcase:eek:...I saw a TUMI on the clearance rack at ROSS for that

amount.

 

Oh and the Purple will be really easy to spot as well:)

Edited November 2, 2014 by Lois R

[ilovetotravel1977]

...Actually many complain of a no pockets on hard sides but I discovered that many luggage manufactures didn't count them in their sizing of the bag. I am flying Air Canada in a few days and I discovered they are being aggressive with carry on and requiring them to fit in their sizer. Some have reported them weighing the bags too...

 

This is very true, especially at Toronto Pearson Airport. Crazy strict now.

 

I'm opting for something without front pockets that add size.

 

I think I am going to buy this beauty from my local Mountain Equipment Co-op store (see attachments). The front is a formed soft-sided and the back in hard-sided. I love that I don't need to buy travel cubes as they are essentially built right into the case. :)

 

It weighs 3kgs, which is a bit heavier then what I want to start out with. I just can't find anything lighter that I like better than this one.

[maywell]

I have a Rockland 22 inch Rolling Duffel Bag - so far it hasn't broken down yet from the heavy weight of my clothes. Dunno if I should get a another bag for airport use / overhead bin or keep this one.

[Scrapnana]

I just got 2 new pieces of luggage yesterday:D.....and I LOVE THEM.....

they are by the brand "Lucas" and the material feels like a sturdy nylon

AND it is VERY, VERY lightweight:).....I was looking around and had

gone into Dillard's....I saw these pieces and they CALLED MY NAME;)

They are purple! and are on the spinners and I really love them. The material

almost reminds me of a Kipling. But they were not nearly as pricey.

I wanted to post a picture but the girl in the store said they just got them

in stock last week! I even looked on line and can't find them:eek:.....I got

a 25 inch to check and the 20 inch carry on.....I am very happy! I guess

they are brand new!

 

I had gone into 3 or 3 stores before hitting Dillard's and I do understand

the concept of "you get what you pay for" but I can't spend 600.00

for a suitcase:eek:...I saw a TUMI on the clearance rack at ROSS for that

amount.

 

Oh and the Purple will be really easy to spot as well:)

 

I still have (and use) two pieces of Lucas luggage purchased in 1985! I love luggage and usually buy it on sale or at a store like SteinMart. When it starts to get torn up I get rid of it.

 

I did purchase a bag that was soft and expandable on the top but hard on the bottom. It is my least favorite because it takes up so much space while packing and unpacking and also weighs the most.

[ljones]

So many descriptions list the packing area of the carry-on rather than the Exterior dimensions. As the airlines get stricter (more people bringing carry-ons due to the check baggage fees), the more people will find their 22" bag is really 23" + including the wheels & the width may well be 15" & the depth 10" plus as I discovered with my current Atlantic "22-inch" carry-on (actually 23"x15"x10") rather than 22"x14"x9"...new luggage is less expensive than having to check the old.

[mousey]

I prefer soft-sided. I just donated some Heys hard-sided, clamshell-type luggage. We used it twice and hated it!

 

We went back to our old soft-sided luggage that I also bought at TJ Maxx about 12 years ago. It's a little beat up but still going strong.

 

What we hated about the clam-shell was that it was very inconvenient when staying in hotels or at someone's home because unless you totally unpack it and have a place to store your things...it's a bummer. We absolutely hated it! I got four pieces of the Heys luggage really cheap at TJ Maxx. I just had to have it. It had such a cute print on it...one use and the print was ruined! All scratched up and yucky.

 

As far as how long luggage will last...I think it's the luck of the draw. I've had luggage that fell apart after a year or two and I've had the set we're using now for about 12-15 years. Really! I figure we have about maybe a dozen more uses out of it and then I'll have to shop for something new. It will definitely be soft-sided!

[awhfy]

I have Briggs & Reilly bags. They're pricey, but last beautifully, & have all these neat pockets. My newest one is 6 yrs old & has almost 500,000 miles of travel on it. Great warranty as well (that actually works). I had Tumi & wasn't pleased with them.

 

 

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[ilovetotravel1977]

Canadians...I actually found carry-on luggage that weighs 4lbs! And it is Air Canada approved. The storage space is 18.5 inches, but it has the 4 wheels too.

 

If you have a Bentley store in your local mall, it's their wonderlight Tracker brand luggage.

 

 

http://www.onlinebags.com/en/catalogsearch/result/?q=wonderlight

[INSIDERS CABIN]

The soft and lightweight bag is my preference for solo travel, BUT my experience has shown it is quickly beaten up by airlines and it is squashed and lopsided when I retrieve it from carousel unless absolutely bag carefully packed so that it is filled evenly and fully. The all nylon bag has flimsy frame. The polycarbonate (?) gets bashed and telescoped in at zipper seam and has no outer pockets. I guess it is best to have a "wardrobe" of bags to choose from! The older soft-sided ones are beasts to carry, and when they get wet, in transit at airports, contents get soaked. Very inconvenient. However, these canvas like ones have held up for several years, with just some frayed corners.

[MandyMommyof2]

I just purchased my first set of Samsonite after owning American Tourister for about 10 years. It logged many road,cruise and airport miles. Trust me it was showing its age. There were broken zippers and stains. The Samsonite is a gray color which didnt show much wear after our trip to Hawaii. So I was pleased with it. My daughters have the hard side luggage and we were so disappointed with the way it looked at baggage claim :eek: Almost a bit embarrassed it look so bad after being handled roughly. No biggie though, I really didn't care for the way it is set up with the compartments on the inside. I do want to add I have a set of the Vera Bradley rolling that I only travel by car with because I know it would be destroyed in an airport or cruise setting. I was thinking for our cruise in July to pick up a couple of the LL Bean sturdy rolling duffles. Has anyone had any luck out of those? They would be easy to spot at baggage claim also. :)

[awhfy]

I have the LLBean duffles, love them for road trips. Can't use them for planes (cause I can put too much in them [emoji6])

 

 

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[Nhsaltshaker]

I have used the large LL Bean duffle for years

After 24 flights it still looks great. I use two cheap luggage straps to tighten around the bag to keep things tight and keep the airlines from telling me it is oversized.

[MandyMommyof2]

Nhsaltshaker and awhfy, would you recommend the rolling duffle as opposed to regular duffle? I think they would prefer rolling. The younger still likes to pass off her suitcase to whomever will carry it for her. :cool: Also is the bottom hard or is it soft? I plan to mostly use these for the girls for road trips in the car. I think we made the decision to make the drive to Miami last night for our cruise in July, so my planning wheels are turning. I read some reviews talk about the duffle tipping over if you tried to stand it up. awhfy :D I've been known to have "HEAVY" tags on my luggage a time or two :rolleyes:

[awhfy]

The rolling duffle is highly superior to a regular duffle-it is hard on the bottom only. For a road trip they're awesome

 

 

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[Nhsaltshaker]

Get the rolling one. Yes it won't stand UP. The bottom is reinforced with parts that store the pullout handle. I also use the cubes they sell to keep things together.

[awhfy]

Never thought about using the packing cubes, but will definitely give it a try

 

 

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[mousey]

Never thought about using the packing cubes, but will definitely give it a try

 

 

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awhfy, I love my packing cubes! I just pull them out of the suitcase and put them in a drawer or on a shelf when I unpack and it keeps things neat and handy. Also I hate the idea of people rummaging through my suitcase and touching my intimate apparel with dirty hands (maybe they wear gloves when they do this but I don't want to take a chance)...I'm talking about behind the scenes at airports and such. So, even when I get my suitcase back after it's been rummaged through by baggage handlers...I know my stuff wasn't touched because the handlers can see what's in the cubes and don't have to open or touch the clothes in order to see if there is anything in there that shouldn't be . At least I haven't had that happen yet! I hope it never does.:D Yuck! I buy the ones that have mesh tops so that when my bags are being checked, the person doing the checking can see right into them.

 

Also, when using the cubes, I find it's so much easier to pack and get more stuff into my suitcase using them. I get mine really cheap at TJ Maxx and Marshalls. I usually find them in sets of three. I just love them!

Edited December 30, 2014 by mousey

[awhfy]

I'll give them a try Mousey. I do like the duffles, but things tend to get disordered in them

 

 

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[MandyMommyof2]

Thanks for y'all's opinion on the ruffles. I think I have made the decision to get them. :) I'm gonna look for some packing cubes at Marshall's and TJ Maxx too!