Understanding Luggage Shell Types
Luggage can be grouped into two broad categories: Hard shell and soft shell. These categories are fairly self-explanatory: Hard shell luggage has a hard outer casing, while soft shell luggage has a soft outer casing.
Hard and soft describe the rigidity of the materials being used:
- Hardshell luggage will typically be made of stiff polymers (like polycarbonate or polypropylene) or metal.
- Softshell luggage will typically be made of durable synthetic fabric (like ballistic nylon or Cordura).
The type of material used will have a substantial impact on the performance of the luggage; whether you opt for soft or hard shell luggage, higher-end materials will provide greater durability and longevity.
Now that we’ve established what the two different types of luggage are, let’s dive into the advantages and disadvantages of both, with the goal of helping you choose the right luggage for your needs:
Hard Shell Luggage
Hardshell Advantages
The core advantages of hard shell luggage (also called hardside luggage) are found in the stiffness of the material used. That stiffness provides added protection for your items and convenience when going through airport security.
- Protection: A hard shell means any impacts to your luggage are unlikely to damage its contents. Hard luggage is a great place to put musical instruments, glass, sensitive electronic equipment, and other items that can be prone to breaking when jostled or impacted. Hard shells are also particularly good in inclement weather; rain, sleet, and snow roll off these surfaces.
- Convenience: Will your bag fit in the overhead bin or under your seat? With hard shell luggage, you never have to guess. Thanks to its rigid exterior, hard shell luggage doesn’t expand past its stated measurements; if the manufacturer tells you that your hard shell luggage will fit within an airline’s carry-on or personal item limits, it will.
Hardshell Disadvantages
The disadvantages of hard shell luggage stem from the same qualities that can make it a great choice for some consumers: The rigid shell is more prone to scratching and scuffing, and it can take up more room than soft shell luggage.
- Scuffing and scratching: Rigid exteriors can easily get scuffed up as they bump up against other baggage. Dark colours (like black or navy blue) can help reduce the appearance of scuffs and bumps; you can also buff out most marks with a sponge.
- Taking up space: This is the flipside of what we discussed in the “Advantages” section. Hard shell luggage won’t expand beyond its measurements - but it won’t contract beneath them, either. You’ll never be able to shove a hard-shell bag below a seat if it was designed to be put in an overhead bin. Hard shell luggage also typically requires more surface space to open - the clamshell design means the bag opens like a book, increasing its surface area.
Soft Shell Luggage
Softshell Advantages
True to its name, soft shell luggage (also called softside luggage or soft-sided luggage) is soft; that can make it easier to pack than hard shell luggage (and most manufacturers add extra pockets and compartments to take full advantage of this benefit). The flexibility of the fabric also makes it easier to squeeze into tight places.
- Extra room: The flexible fabrics used in soft shell luggage make it easier to conform your bags around whatever you’re putting inside - and that means you can carry more stuff in each bag. Most manufacturers will include exterior pockets and compartments with zipper closures; they’ll also typically feature several interior pockets.
- Flexibility: Have a bunch of clothes in your soft shell luggage? That’s fabric in fabric - and that means you’ll be able to squeeze it into spots like overhead bins or under airplane seats. When your luggage is empty, you’ll also be able to store it in tighter spaces than you would if it had a hard shell.
Softshell Disadvantages
The same flexibility that makes soft shell luggage so popular is the source of its disadvantages. Being able to fill your bag with stuff can lead to it expanding beyond the maximum allowable size for personal items or carry-ons, and the soft shell provides less protection than a harder material would.
- Less protection: Soft bags might squeeze better into tight spaces, but you’re sacrificing some level of durability for flexibility. The items inside these bags will be less protected against impact or the weight of other items, so they may not be the ideal choice for anything fragile.
- More guesswork: Have you loaded too many things into your softshell luggage? Get a measuring tape to double-check; these bags expand, so they can go over the maximum allowable size for carry-ons if you stuff too much in them. We recommend using compression packing cubes to help prevent your bags from expanding too much.
Key Comparison Factors
Durability & Protection
When it comes to durability and protection, hard shell luggage is the clear winner - but it’s not by as much as you might expect.
There’s a reason that soft shell luggage has been so popular throughout the years; even though it offers less protection than its hard shell counterparts, the materials used in soft shell luggage are still surprisingly durable. Some soft shell bags are made with water-resistant materials to endure inclement weather, and most are created using synthetic fabrics that are resistant to tearing. These fabrics can also help absorb some impact (though not as well as hard shells can).
A good way of gauging how durable your luggage will be is to check the manufacturer’s warranty. Here at U.N. Luggage, we aim to work with suppliers that back their products with excellent warranties - see the Briggs & Riley Lifetime Guarantee or the Osprey All Mighty Guarantee for examples of what we’re talking about. These companies offer several different types of luggage, including soft shells, and all of their luggage, no matter what the material used, is backed by their incredible warranties.
Weight & Flexibility
When it comes to weight and flexibility, soft shells are the clear winner. Hard shell suitcases weigh more, and they’re rigid; that means they take up more space to store, and they can’t be manipulated to fit where they otherwise couldn’t.
As we’ve discussed, however, flexibility can be a disadvantage if you end up overpacking your soft shell baggage, so be extra mindful of how you pack those bags.
Storage Capabilities
Luggage is made for storage and protection; as such, both soft suitcases and hard-sided suitcases should provide you with plenty of storage space. Soft baggage typically wins out here (more flexibility means more storage), but plenty of companies are working on making hardside luggage store more. Briggs & Riley, for example, has recently introduced its CX Compression-Expansion system into some of its hardshell luggage.
Budget
Hard shell luggage is typically more expensive than soft luggage - especially if it’s made out of premium materials like aluminum. Both types of luggage are available at a range of different price points; however, no matter which type of luggage you choose, high-quality, durable luggage will always cost more.
This gives us a good opportunity to talk about price; as we mentioned above, many manufacturers of high-quality pieces have lifetime warranties. This means you’ll never have to buy another piece of luggage again. Will you pay more up front? Yes. Over the course of your life, however, you’ll end up spending far less - and you’ll have more durable, more convenient luggage that’s better at protecting your stuff.
Choosing Between Hard And Soft Luggage
Let’s condense everything we’ve talked about into our recommendations, all depending on what you’re looking for.
You should choose a hard-sided suitcase if:
- Your goal is to protect fragile contents
- You want something that’s more water-resistant (though no suitcase is considered completely water-resistant)
- You don’t want to worry about whether or not your suitcase will fit where you need it to
You should choose soft-sided luggage if:
- You want more flexibility with how you pack
- You want more storage space
- You want to fit your baggage in tighter spaces
At the end of the day, the luggage you choose is up to your personal preference: A tough exterior to protect your most fragile goods, or a flexible fabric to give you more options with how you pack and store your things.
Still not sure which type of luggage is right for you? We’re here to help. Visit us in-store, contact us by phone, or shoot us an email; we’d be happy to go over your needs and recommend a few bags for you.