Should I get hardsided luggage or the softsided kind?

[Gramma Ann]

Our old luggage is beginning to wear out. To look at it you'd wonder which dumpster I drug them from . PLUS - some is red, and some is black. Seems everyone's luggage is either red or black. I've been looking and reading reviews on the hardsided kind. Not as impressed as I thought I'd be.

So what kind do you all have, and what are your thoughts.

OH, yeah, why do picnic baskets fall apart so quickly now? Our old one lasted 5 or 6 years. New one - ONE TRIP :madd:.

 

[Corky]

We have soft-sided. But it is a thick material. That is what I would look for. Thick material that has a tight weave. I usually find the best deals at Macy's.

 

[nieciez]

We have softsided and have been using it a good number of years. It is Samsonite...and we got it in 2002, so it has been on a lot of cruises LOL. Just wish it has the spinner wheels.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have softsided luggage.

Nothing lasts more than a couple of cruises for us. Either HAL is destroying them or the airlines destroy them.

Macy's in our area has very little choices in luggage -- and their prices are TOOO high. I can get the same luggage at JC Penney for half the price and with have lots of choices.

 

[Einstein]

We love our NEW hard sided luggage with the spinner wheels. :boogie: This is our 3rd set of luggage in the past 10 years. Guess we travel WAY to MUCH. The 1st two were good quality soft sided versions made by Delsey Helium (lasted 4 years) ...


Delsey Helium Fusion Lite 3.0 25" Exp. Suiter Trolley - eBags.com

and Ricardo (lasted 4 years) ...

Ricardo Beverly Hills Valencia Lite 21" 2-Compartment Carry-on - eBags.com

They wore well but after the multiple beatings from the luggage gorillas their shape was becoming rounded at best. We decided to go with a hard sided version and went with the Perry Ellis version (Link below) and so far its been VERY good for us. :clap: The spinner wheels make it a breeze to move around. :boogie: Here is a Link to the type we bought and we actually bought it for a cheaper price thru our local Burlington outlet than online.

Perry Ellis Luggage Rivington 21" Hardside Spinner Carry-on - eBags.com

One thing to be said however is that with the luggage gorillas these days NO luggage is completely free from damage as the gorillas can make ends meat of any type. Another note is that with the spinner wheels while we would NOT do without them again they do tend to bear the brunt of the gorilla damage. Can U tell I am found of luggage gorillas. :madd: Make U wonder why we continue to tip them so much consider the care they put toward our luggage. :whistle: I have also heard good things about the Heys brand of hard sided luggage as well. Anyway there is my 2 cents on it. :doubleup:

 

[nieciez]

I usually get my luggage at JCP or Kohls!

 

[KathyC]

Ours is soft sided by Samsonite with the spinner wheels which I love as the luggage just glides along so easily. We have had this luggage a number yrs & it has held up amazingly well. Our kids have also used it in their travels & so far it has remained in very good shape after having gone on many trips; cruises for us & our kids flying to those all inclusive resorts.

 

[Gramma Ann]

In the reviews i did see where the wheels were easier to break. We do not fly, so those gorillas don't have a chance to get to ours. I just seem to be rather hard on ours, lugging them in and out of the back of the van, sometimes having to toss them out, etc.

I wonder if I can find any that have Mickey Mouse on them. Bet that would show up easily in the sea of luggage!!! :boogie:

 

[Donna - dsw]

with the cost of weight - I would go with soft side - looking for spinner wheels for my next set

 

[Whimsy]

We buy sturdy looking softside luggage with the best deals from JC Pennys and Kohls. I don't buy sets anymore, just look for the odd piece here and there to replace which ones are needing to replaced when a piece gets damaged. I have found that if I do not fill the suitcase they tend to get damaged more than a very full suitcase. I would try to leave room for bringing something back and found the sides tend to get bent. Last trip we put big orange duct tape X's and across the top of our luggage. It was very easy to find in the terminal.

It's always fun to get new luggage and think of all the great places you will be going!

 

[nieciez]

We buy sturdy looking softside luggage with the best deals from JC Pennys and Kohls. I don't buy sets anymore, just look for the odd piece here and there to replace which ones are needing to replaced when a piece gets damaged. I have found that if I do not fill the suitcase they tend to get damaged more than a very full suitcase. I would try to leave room for bringing something back and found the sides tend to get bent. Last trip we put big orange duct tape X's and across the top of our luggage. It was very easy to find in the terminal.

It's always fun to get new luggage and think of all the great places you will be going!

LOL Marie, we have been doing that with the orange or yellow duct tape for along time....except we do a big Z for our last name

 

[Mbandy]

I bought Susan Samsonite hard sided luggage with spinner wheels. She loves it. Got a great deal from bags.com.

 

[Einstein]

In the reviews i did see where the wheels were easier to break. We do not fly, so those gorillas don't have a chance to get to ours. I just seem to be rather hard on ours, lugging them in and out of the back of the van, sometimes having to toss them out, etc.

I wonder if I can find any that have Mickey Mouse on them. Bet that would show up easily in the sea of luggage!!! :boogie:

Unfortunately MOST of our damage has been by the gorillas at the port. :madd: Just chance of luck but if your luggage is on the bottom of one of those cage boxes they load and there are 10 suitcases loaded on top of yours then the stress on your luggage will be significant in comparison to the persons luggage that is on the VERY top. :whistle: Amazingly enough our hard sided luggage we currently use is about 2 lbs per suitcase lighter than the Delsey Helium soft sided we had which is suppose to be one of the lighter soft sided versions. :clap: Guess it makes sense as those soft sided versions have to get support from somewhere such as metal bracing where as the ABS hard shells need no metal bracing. We also have gotten matching pieces at Marshalls and TJ Maxx at decent prices. One thin we NEVER do anymore is buy as piece larger than the 25 or 26 incher as that is the max size that will allow for filling the suitcase and remaining under the 50 LB limitations. BEst advice I have on the weight is to take along one of those portable luggage scales we all seem to need or have now and use it to weigh the luggage U are thinking of buying. :doubleup: U would be amazed at the differences in weight U find as it can make U scratch your head in wondering where the differences in weight really are. :scratch:

 

[suer182]

Princess destroyed friends hard sided luggage (wheels and handle assembly) on the only cruise they went on. The irony, that same luggage went to China and back without issue. We had to help carry the luggage from the wharehouse to the cab, cab to the terminal at the airport.

 

[Rubysky]

We have soft sided made with ballistic nylon. DH used to travel a lot for work and Samsonite has been very good at paying for repairs when the airlines messed things up.
All I can say is to google reviews of whatever you are interested in and consider whoever gives the longest warranty.

 

[George C]

I like the hard sided luggage , we did a RCCL Hawaii cruise about 10 years ago and could see the porters throwing around the luggage.

 

[Gayle V]

Whatever you do, don't spend a lot of money on your luggage. They get ruined no matter how good the quality. Last time the gorillas destroyed our larger pullman, I intended to just buy a single replacement. Found that just buying one was either more, or the same price as an entire set of the cheaper stuff. Found a soft set at Penney's. Chose it because, I like the looks of it, and because it didn't weigh as much at the better "quality". For $99 I got six pieces, with nice roller-blade type wheels that didn't extend out much from the body of the bag. I figured, they wouldn't break off as easily, and at that price it won't piss me off when the gorillas rip it up. Funny thing is, that set has lasted longer than any other we've had. ..Go figure.

 

[BSeabob]

I bought Susan Samsonite hard sided luggage with spinner wheels. She loves it. Got a great deal from bags.com.

I didn't know that you knew someone from that Luggage family. Do you get a deal ???

 

[S&M in Pgh]

I got Susie a carry on from Ebags a couple years ago for X-Mas. It is kind of a combo hard and soft. The bottom is a hard shell, but the top is soft ballstic nylon. She has used it a few times now and really likes it. As a matter of fact when Delta trashed my mom's wheeled pullman on our way to Aruba last year, we replaced it with the 26" pullman from Ebags. She really likes how light it is and how easy it wheels. It is called the Motherload duffle. They call it a duffle, but it is really more of a wheeled pullman. And the best part is a lifetime warranty.

Mike

 

[maw]

I think I bought my soft side duffels with wheels from Overstock-good heavy material-Have taken two cruises with. One set of semi hards didn't last but one cruise legs were broke off etc.

I am sticking with soft side. Denier of material is important best was 1200. You will find lots of 600 and they are not as sturdy