Hard or soft-sided hand luggage?

There are typically two types of suitcases – hard and soft. Hard-sided hand luggage has a rigid exterior that is stiff rather than flexible. Soft-sided hand luggage is made of fabric and has a flexible exterior. 

Many soft-sided suitcases will have some form of rigidity to give the suitcase shape. This can help to protect your belongings and may help to balance the suitcase.

There's often a perception that hard-sided hand luggage is more durable than soft-sided hand luggage. However, our lab testing of suitcases over a number of years has proven this not to be the case. Our results show that the best suitcases for durability can be either soft or hard-sided.

Here are some pros and cons of each suitcase type to help you make the right decision for you.

Hard-sided hand luggage

Pros

• Can offer greater protection to fragile items
• Tend to be more water resistant
• More lightweight options are available than with soft-shelled hand luggage
• Is perceived to be more stylish by some travellers

Cons

• The glossy finish of some suitcases can be prone to scratching
• There are fewer expandable cases
• The non-flexible exterior can make them trickier to store
• They are typically more expensive than soft-sided cases.

Ready to choose? Go straight to our reviews to find the best cabin bag for you.

Soft-sided hand luggage

Pros

• Flexible fabric makes them comparatively easy to store
• Many have expandable compartments to increase the suitcase's capacity
• A number of lightweight options are available
• Tends to be cheaper than like-for-like hard-sided suitcases

Cons

• Fabric can be less water resistant compared with hard-suitcases
• Fragile items may have less protection
• May be perceived by some travellers as less stylish