Pros:
✅ Lightweight
✅ Sturdy and durable
✅ Spinner wheels make it easy to move around
✅ TSA lock makes it easy to get through security
Cons:
⭕ Smaller space than other bags
Pros:
✅ Easy to maneuver in crowds.
✅ Lots of room for clothes and accessories.
✅ Great price for a suitcase with this many features.
Cons:
⭕ A little heavy, but that’s to be expected from an 8-wheel suitcase.
Pros:
✅ It’s a great size for packing.
✅ The spinner wheels make it easy to roll around, even though it’s not an upright bag.
✅ The interior is well-organized, with a lot of pockets and compartments.
Cons:
⭕ It doesn’t have any exterior pockets (if you’re looking for one that does, check out SwissGear’s 4010-04).
Pros:
✅ This luggage set is very durable and sturdy.
✅ The wheels of the luggage are very quiet and smooth to the touch.
✅ The spinner wheels allow for easy maneuvering.
Cons:
⭕ The handles are not reinforced, so they can crack easily if you over-stuff your luggage.
Introduction
If you’re looking for a soft-sided suitcase that’s on the lighter side, the Travelpro Maxlite 4 Expandable Spinner 21″ is our top pick. It has an excellent balance of portability and usable space, and it can hold up to 50 pounds, making it ideal for short trips where you don’t have enough time to pack lightly or long trips where you’ll need room for souvenirs.
This is one of the best values out there, with no major flaws other than its lack of exterior pockets (but who cares when they’re this cheap?). We also recommend it if you want something spacious but still lightweight enough that you can carry it comfortably through airports and hotels without needing help from others.
We buy our own soft-sided suitcases and put them on the same test bench, so that you can compare the results easily. No cherry-picked units were sent by brands.
We understand that this isn’t always possible, but it’s always worth considering if you’re going to be spending a lot of money on a suitcase.
You should also consider whether or not there is enough space inside for all of your belongings and whether or not they will fit comfortably into your car, plane, or train.
We do this without bias and without sponsors, so you can trust these reviews.
We test the best soft-sided suitcases without bias and without sponsors, so you can trust these reviews.
Our team of travel experts buys their own luggage and travels with it, using it to see how it performs. We don’t accept sponsorships from brands or free samples from brands. We also don’t accept affiliate links from brands or free trips to places where we can test their luggage.
This article was updated on December 28, 2018 to include all new luggage models.
We’re constantly testing new bags and updating this page with any changes we make. That means you can be confident that these are the best soft-sided suitcases for 2019.
We think the best soft-sided suitcase is the Travelpro Maxlite 4 Expandable Spinner 21″ because it has an excellent balance of portability and usable space. It’s an ideal size for a carry-on bag, and it has a durable exterior with two large compartments and numerous pockets. Despite being very lightweight, it’s also sturdy enough to protect your things from most impacts.
The Travelpro Maxlite 4 Expandable Spinner 21″ has an excellent balance of portability and usable space. It’s an ideal size for a carry-on bag, and it has a durable exterior with two large compartments and numerous pockets. Despite being very lightweight, it’s also sturdy enough to protect your things from most impacts.
If you’re looking for a soft-sided suitcase that is easy to pack and can withstand many bumps along the way, this is our top pick!
We are also fans of the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner 21″ for its durability and capacity to hold a lot of luggage for its size. However, at around 8 pounds, it’s a bit heavy when empty, so we’d recommend it if you aren’t carrying it far or lifting it above your head when fully packed.
In our opinion, the Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner 21″ is a great suitcase for those who want durability and the ability to pack a lot into their bag. If you’re traveling long distances or lifting your bag above your head frequently, we’d recommend looking at other options that are lighter in weight when empty.
The Travelpro Maxlite 4 Expandable Spinner 21″ is a great soft-sided suitcase that won’t break the bank or your back! This lightweight bag weighs less than 7 pounds and is made with durable polyester fabric, making it practical for long trips.
The suitcase has four wheels, which makes it easy to carry around while you’re on the move. The telescopic handle extends from 31 inches to 40 inches, so there’s no need to hunch over when carrying it through an airport or train station.
It’s spacious enough to fit everything you need for your trip without being too big for storage at home once you return from your travels. It also has “dual compression” straps that compress the contents further when zipped closed, so there’s not much wasted space inside when packing light (or heavy).
