In addition to the above, we also factored in the price of each bag. Suitcases need to be able to withstand a fair amount of abuse, fit a lot of stuff, and roll without a hitch. We broke up all the factors that matter to travelers into categories, and then evaluated how each case held up. The excess weight could cause trouble when trying to carry this bag onto certain international flights. Soft-sided suitcases are made of canvas, nylon, or another flexible material. They can often expand up to 3 inches when extra storage is needed. This bag excelled in our durability tests, and features both a fantastic warranty and beautiful craftsmanship. What we didn’t like, however, was the disparity in packing space once you open up the bag. The soft-sided ones are lightweight & expandable and come with zipper closures and stiffeners. This soft-sided, carry-on suitcase is compact enough to fit in most airline overhead bins and offers a stylish solution to your luggage needs. Also available in 25 inches, 28 inches, and underseater options, you can also choose from black, floral, and red colors. This brand offers a Limited 10 Year Global Warranty that fixes any issue caused by manufacturing defects. Amar was born and raised in England and sadly didn’t catch his bout of wanderlust until his early twenties. Playing catch up, Amar embarked on an 11-country round-the-world gap year after graduation and then became well and truly hooked. The first gap year inspired a second which ended up being a 23-country down-the-world trip from Canada to Antarctica. Since then Amar has endeavored to turn his gap year into a "gap life" and has spent the last 13 years traveling the 7 continents. It's really a matter of whether you want to safeguard your packed items from getting crushed or protect the exterior of the suitcase from superficial blemishes . The T+L team tested at least five bags per brand on our winners list to ensure a broad sample size. We tested underseat luggage, checked luggage, and carry-on luggage and gave each individual bag a score based on its capacity, design, durability, maneuverability, and overall value. The T+L team tried upwards of 170 pieces of luggage in the lab, our New York City testing facility. We tested several models from many top-rated brands, performing a range of assessments to evaluate the capacity, maneuverability, durability, design, and overall value. A super-strong, extendable handle makes rolling a breeze, and the push-button mechanism makes it easy to extend and retract the handle in an instant. If you need lots of room to pack all of your belongings, but don’t want to compromise on style, this large, softside suitcase could be everything you dreamed of and more. Also available in 21- and 28-inch options and with a matching underseater, the 4 Kix range offers American Tourister quality in soft, yet incredibly durable packaging. Although the Star Wars hardside isn’t the best when it comes to durability or features, it’s decent enough. Combine that with the low price, epic designs, excellent customer reviews, and you get a suitcase that’s perfect for your kids or hardcore Star Wars fans. Now when it comes to packing features, the Belle Voyage is pretty decent. First of all, the main compartment expands by 1.5 inches if you ever run low on space. Secondly, the main compartment is fitted with dedicated shoe pockets, a zippered compartment, and x-shaped compression straps.