The Best Softside Luggage, Rigorously Tested By Our Staff Editors

Forbes

28-03-2025

The best softside luggage is flexible and forgiving, often built with more malleable materials that provide extra packing space. After extensive testing by our team of editors, the Briggs & Riley Baseline 22-inch Carry-On is our top recommendation thanks to its durable construction, built-in compression system and excellent interior organization. We also recommend the lightweight Calpak Terra Softside Carry-On, coming in at just six pounds, as well as the Travelpro Versapack + Large Check In Spinner for a checked option.
The best softside luggage is lightweight and expandable, which provides extra flexibility when ... More traveling.
As its name suggests, softside luggage has a soft exterior that is more pliant; these suitcases are also often equipped with a large external pocket. Despite the added flexibility, softside luggage is most commonly crafted from nylon or polyester, synthetic materials trusted for their durability, abrasion resistance and strength. When choosing the right softside suitcase for you, make sure to consider size, weight and interior and exterior organization. 'Look for convenient exterior pockets that offer easy access to phones, boarding passes (if used) and tech gear," says Georgene Rada, vice president of design at Briggs & Riley. Below, the best softside luggage for 2025.
Briggs & Riley
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Dimensions: 22 × 14 × 9 inches | Colors: 5 total, including Navy and Olive | Weight: 10 pounds | Material: Ballistic nylon
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This well-designed suitcase from trusted brand Briggs & Riley routinely tops our best luggage list due to its durable yet flexible exterior crafted with ballistic nylon. It also features a unique, one-touch expansion tool that allows you to compress your belongings and increase the interior capacity easily and efficiently. Its sleek design is elegant and gender neutral, and it comes with a garment folder that can hold up to two suits or dresses, which is a nice feature if you're traveling for business or a wedding. 'It rolls so smoothly and has a super comfortable grip handle," says our tester. 'I also loved its many interior and exterior pockets.' This suitcase is certainly a splurge, but despite its price tag, customers rave about its endurance, with many reviewers saying it will hold up beautifully for years to come.
Amazon
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Dimensions: 30.7 x 18 x 13.2 inches | Colors: 4 total, including Black and Estate Blue | Weight: 10.9 pounds | Material: High-density ballistic nylon fabric
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A go-to brand for pilots and flight attendants, Travelpro's reasonably priced and durable suitcases (the brand earned the top spot in our guide to the best luggage) are commonly spotted at airports around the world. This sturdy, checked suitcase from the brand's recently launched Versapack+ collection is made from ballistic nylon fabric, which hides scratches and stains well. Our tester appreciated the spacious main compartment lined with several slimmer zippered compartments for storing smaller items. Its expandable design is also helpful for longer trips requiring more gear, which came in handy on our tester's recent ski trip: 'It's a super-spacious bag as is, but it didn't hurt to have those two extra inches of expansion." Plus, it comes with two removable packing cubes and a removable laundry bag.
Calpak
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Dimensions: 21.5 x 14.5 x 8.7 inches | Colors: 4 total, including Juniper and White Sands | Weight: 6 pounds | Material: Recycled ripstop polyester with TPU
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The Calpak Terra Softside Carry-On is a stylish and well-made piece of luggage that's easy to transport from one destination to the next. It's made from 29 recycled bottles and has a good amount of structure for a softside bag. There are two exterior pockets and three interior ones, although there's no locking mechanism, which may be a downside for some. However, its biggest strength lies in its maneuverability. It's incredibly lightweight, even when fully packed, and easily fits into the overhead compartment. 'I can rotate it in a 360-degree circle with one hand, and it smoothly glides along the floor," says our tester. "It's easy to make sharp turns in the airport and has an effortless pull.'
Cotopaxi
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Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 12 inches | Colors: 3 total, including Woods and Blue Spruce | Weight: 6.1 pounds | Material: Recycled nylon and ripstop polyester
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Cotopaxi's Alpa Roller Bag is your best bet for trips requiring a highly durable and rugged bag that can handle being tossed around. Our tester took this on a trip to Japan, where she visited five different cities—traversing planes, trains, ferries, city streets and snow—and it held up well and felt sturdy. It has a comfortable, retractable handle, a split-case design and several internal pockets to keep you organized. However, our tester missed the lack of spinner wheels and recommends this bag for a streamlined packer, as it doesn't have an expandable design.
Dagne Dover
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Dimensions: 20.5 × 13 × 8.7 inches | Colors: 4 total, including Onyx and Ash | Weight: 9.2 pounds | Material: Recycled 900D poly
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If you prefer traveling with a carry-on only, the Dagne Dover Seattle Carry-On is an excellent option that scored high marks with our tester. This option is constructed from recycled 900D polyester with 360-degree smooth glide wheels, and there are tons of pockets to help you stay organized while on the road. 'I can't get over the number of compartments and zipped-in segments,' says our tester. 'Organizing was effortless, and every single item had a designated place. I didn't have to rummage whatsoever.' Users also can roll up the internal divider if they don't need it, and a padded tech sleeve keeps your laptop safe and secure while in transit.
The Forbes Vetted travel team has researched, written and published dozens of in-depth roundups on luggage, including the best checked luggage, best carry-on luggage and best lightweight luggage.
We relied on expert advice, independent reviews, research and personal experience to select our top recommendations for the best softside luggage.
There are several factors to consider when shopping for the best softside luggage. Here's what to look for.
Most softside luggage is made from nylon or polyester, both synthetic materials known for their strength and durability. 'Nylon is a better choice over polyester as it's a strong, superior material,' says Rada. 'Ballistic [nylon] is still a good standard, but other durable nylon weaves work well too.' While hardside materials, like aluminum or polycarbonate, can offer more protection from rough handling, synthetic fabrics are more resistant to scratches and scuffs. If you're a frequent flyer worried about in-flight turbulence and other unforeseen circumstances but prefer a softside suitcase, opt for something made from ballistic nylon. The Travelpro Versapack + Large Check-In Spinner and Briggs & Riley Baseline 22-inch Carry-On are made from this material and received excellent marks from our testers regarding their durability.
The length of your trip will determine the size of your suitcase. A carry-on should offer you enough packing space for trips lasting less than a week, but you might want to invest in a checked bag for trips over a week. Also, opt for a checked suitcase if you plan to bring items that cannot be carried on, such as liquids or creams over 3.4 ounces. Before you make a purchase and begin packing, check the airline's guidelines to ensure your bag complies with the rules.
Softside luggage is known for being lighter than its hardside counterparts, but some options are lighter than others. If you're looking for something easy to move through the airport and lift into an overhead bin, the Calpak Terra Softside Carry-On is an excellent choice as it weighs a mere six pounds. As a general rule, always check the airline's weight restrictions for carry-on and checked bags before arriving at the airport.
Many suitcases come with helpful extras that can make traveling more seamless. For example, a tech sleeve to store your laptop, included packing cubes, a separate water-resistant compartment and built-in TSA-approved luggage locks are all helpful and convenient features. (If your suitcase doesn't have a built-in luggage lock, we found the best TSA-approved luggage locks you can purchase separately.) Another worthwhile feature is an expansion option, which can add several extra inches of packing space. Before you invest in a new suitcase, decide what features are most important to you.
After extensive research and testing, the best softside luggage is the Travelpro Versapack + Large Check-In Spinner. It's a spacious bag with smooth wheels and many helpful features, like a built-in TSA-approved lock and large packing cubes. The expandable design also gives you two extra inches of space.
There are benefits to both types of luggage, but if you prefer having extra packing space, softside options have more give. Beyond the flexible materials, many softside suitcases have an expandable design that can give you several additional inches of space. They also tend to weigh less and have exterior pockets where you can stash essential items like your passport, keys and wallet.
Flight attendants prefer softside luggage as they are more convenient and flexible when it comes to packing. 'As flight attendants, we need a luggage system that carries at least three bags, and a hardsided bag doesn't cut it,' says Marisa Ramos, a flight attendant at a major airline. 'We can stuff more in a softsided bag, which comes in handy. In 26 years of flying, I've only gone through three bags…softside suitcases are very sturdy.'