If you travel frequently, having a very durable and dependable piece of luggage should be your priority. You really can’t afford to be carrying a torn bag around, risking the loss of your valuables.
This is one reason why many people recommend hardside luggage. They are strong, durable and ideal for packing fragile items. They are able to protect your items from external forces, pressure, and moisture. This is why some travelers prefer them to their soft side counterparts.
There’s been a commendable evolution in the manufacture of hardside luggage. Previously, travelers were concerned about their bulkiness and the risk of cracking when pressed, however, this has changed.
They are mostly now made of polycarbonate, a lightweight but tough material that gives some flexibility, ensuring it ‘absorbs’ external forces better.
In this post, we’ll be helping you choose the best hardside luggage. We’ll start off by listing the top ones, thereafter, we’ll dig deeper into their specifications, pros, cons, and user feedback to help you make a well-informed decision.
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The Best Hardside Luggage For 2021
COOLIFE PC+ABS Spinner Luggage - Overall Best
Amazon Basics Urban Softside Spinner Luggage
25-Inch - Best For a Budget
American Tourister Moonlight Expandable Hardside Luggage with Spinner Wheels
Best Carry-on
COOLIFE Luggage 3 Piece Set Spinner Hardshell
Best Hardside Luggage Set
Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside with Spinner Wheels - Best Checked Luggage
Now that we have listed the top 5 products, let’s go on to discuss them in detail.
Overall Best
In our opinion, this is the best hardside luggage right now. It’s a very strong product that comes in several colors and three sizes- 20″, 24″, and 28″. You can choose to purchase all three sizes, the smaller ones fit easily into the bigger ones. The 20″ is ideal as a carry-on, the 24″ is ideal for short trips, while the 28″ can be checked in for long vacations.
It’s made from polycarbonate and ABS plastic material which makes it uniquely durable, it can go through the rigors of long trips and come out fantastic. You also don’t need to be worried about your luggage being crushed or broken.
With its nice 4 spinner wheels, you can easily maneuver this suitcase around, the wheels are strong and tough, they’ll not get degraded anytime soon even if you travel very often. The telescoping handle is also well-designed and comfortable to use even if you’re very tall.
This product has a spacious lined interior with many pockets for keeping small items like your chargers, socks, and documents. There are also straps for keeping your clothes in place. With its in-built TSA-lock, you can be assured of the safety of your bag.
To protect your purchase, the suitcase comes with a 2-year warranty.
User Feedback:
This product has fantastic reviews, many customers enjoy this hardside luggage with very few complaints.
Best Budget Choice
If you are looking to save a little money when purchasing your luggage, you should get this, it provides good value for its price.
It is a 20-inch product that is made of an extra-thick ABS material that is very durable and scratch-resistant. It is available in multiple colors, so you can select one to choose your travel color theme.
There are 4 spinner wheels that are sturdy, making it easy to roll in tight spaces, you don’t need to be worried about your suitcase tipping over. To further reinforce its convenience, it has a nice telescoping handle and a smaller handle for carrying it.
The lined interior is roomy with 3 separate pockets for keeping small items. Furthermore, you can actually increase its storage space by 15% when you use the expandable zipper. However, you have to be careful about exceeding the airline’s carry-on luggage limit if you intend to use the expandable zipper.
User Feedback:
Many users are happy with this product, there have been a few concerns about some movements in its handles when rolled.
This suitcase is the ideal carry-on hard side luggage for many reasons.
It is a very well-constructed product that is made from ABS and polycarbonate, so it is lightweight but strong enough to handle the multiple flights. It is very portable with 4 spinner wheels, so you can roll it around or even store it in the overhead compartment of the aircraft cabin.
It comes with an aluminum lightweight telescoping handle that ensures that you can roll it around and maneuver the bag very easily. It is beautiful too, you can choose between different colors and patterns, you’ll like it if you’re a stylish person.
The suitcase opens like a book with a mesh divider, multiple pocket compartments, and cross straps. It is spacious enough to handle relatively many clothes, shoes, and travel gear comfortably. You can also expand it by up to 1.5″ in case you want to carry some extra clothes.
As for its durability, the manufacturer offers a 10-year warranty, so this shows that it is made with some long-lasting materials and zippers.
User Feedback:
Most users are pleased with how portable the suitcase is, it fits the overhead storage compartment of most airlines while very spacious. There have been a few complaints about the brighter colored products looking scratched when checked in.
Best Hardside Luggage
Coolife seems to be an awesome manufacturer of luggage nowadays, their single piece suitcase made it as our best hardside luggage. We also recommend their luggage set. You can also check our review of the best luggage sets.
They really spend time crafting awesome products that have an edge over the competition while maintaining an affordable product line. This particular luggage set comes in three sizes-20″,24″ and 28″, so you can use one as your carry-on, while the others can be checked-in. These boxes are available in so many awesome colors to suit your taste.
Each suitcase is made of a very sturdy but lightweight ABS plastic, with strong wheels that can be used for different surfaces over a long period of time. The product can withstand different external forces and shoves without cracking or breaking. Its nice telescoping handle makes it easy to roll and maneuver.
Its interior is spacious, has different pockets that are elastic and comes with a TSA-accepted lock that secures your bag. The manufacturer also gives a 2-year warranty period.
User Feedback:
Most owners of this baggage are excited about the design and durability of these suitcases.
Best Checked Luggage
If you are looking for a large, durable hardside checked luggage, this should be your main consideration.
It is made of polycarbonate, so it doesn’t feel bulky, in fact, its lightweight gives you enough room to carry as many clothes and shoes as you like without exceeding the airline’s requirements. There is also an added zipper that makes it expandable.
The exterior has a brushed pattern design that hides unwanted scratches, so even if the bag is mishandled by baggage officials, it still looks new. It comes in different colors to suit your style and is secured properly by a TSA-accepted lock.
The 4 spinner wheels and comfortable handles make this suitcase easy to roll even when filled with your clothes and items. It is made by Samsonite, an industry leader. The company gives a 10-year warranty period for this suitcase which is more than what most other companies give.
User Feedback:
There is massive positive feedback about this suitcase, users love with its durability and storage capacity.
What To Look Out For When Getting Hardside Luggage
To ensure you make a very good choice, here are some things to consider:
1. Appearance
This matters. Even if your bag can store a lot and is very lightweight, you’ll want one that looks pretty decent, modern, and presentable. Most bags even come in different colors, so you can always pick on that matches the color of your other bags, this can also help you identify your luggage easily.
2. Size
They typically come in three sizes, the small 20″ carry-on, the intermediate 24″, and the 28″ variant that is ideal as checked luggage. You should pick a suitcase that fits your travel needs. If you are going to be away for just a few days or a weekend at your friend’s place, you can go for the 20″. It is also ideal as carry-on luggage in planes.
You can take the 24″ for a domestic business trip that lasts about a week while the 28-inch can be used for a long trip.
You should also check if the suitcase you’re about to pick is expandable, this could help you increase the capacity of the bag when you need to.
3. Material
Like we earlier established, most hardside luggage are made of polycarbonate that makes them lightweight, more flexible, and durable. You should only go for those made with polycarbonate, ABS, or a hybrid of both. If you choose a product made from inferior material, you’ll be risking getting your suitcase cracked at the airport, and might need to purchase an overpriced one there.
4. Wheels
Try to take only one with spinner wheels. They are more convenient, easier to maneuver, and less likely to tip over when being rolled around. The wheel should also be sturdy, try to read what other users had to say about the wheels because if a single one pops off, it can make an entire piece of luggage feel useless.
5. Handles
The ideal suitcase should be made of a telescoping push handle, this means that it can be opened up to three different lengths, just the way you open an umbrella. Many of them are made of aluminum so that they stay sturdy but lightweight.
6. Price
Most of these suitcases are not expensive, you can always get a hardside luggage for every budget. One major determinant of the price is the size of the suitcase. The smaller ones are significantly cheaper than the larger, more spacious ones.
7. Warranty
This is one of the most practical ways of knowing how long you should expect a suitcase to last. Generally, the longer the warranty period, the more durable a product is. Manufacturers that offer little or no warranty are passing a clear message to you that their product cannot be trusted to last long.
Some brands offer a year warranty while some offer as long as 10 years.
Over To You
Now that we have reviewed the top hardside luggage on the market, it’s time to make your choice. We hope you’ve been able to find one that fits your taste, budget, and preference.
If you have any questions or suggestions, kindly leave a comment, we’ll be happy to continue this conversation in the comment section. Also, if you have used any product that is worth a mention in this review, let us know. We’ll be happy to keep this article updated and fresh. Thanks for reading.
