11 Hardside Luggages That Can Take a Serious Beating

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FREQUENT TRAVEL can wear out luggage fast, especially when it's tossed around every which way from the airport to your place of stay. If you're looking really lock down and protect your belongings, then a hardside suitcase is in the cards for you.

We tested over 20 different types of hardside luggage to find the 11 best pieces to recommend for peak travel season here in 2023. The Men's Health editors and writers travel far and wide for assignments (and vacations), and so ahead of this piece we did a fair amount of IRL testing to see how each piece of hardside luggage peformed "in the wild." Our gear experts also inspected each bag in the office to evaluate special features and materials. After our testing, we found the Samsonite Freeform Carry-on to be the best hardside luggage due to its overall quality for the price.

Read more: How Men's Health Tests Products

Whether you're looking for a new go-to carry-on, a checked suitcase for international trips, or a complete luggage set to gift to a loved one that's just starting to travel more, our best hardside bags were curated to reflect needs for all types of travelers. Let's get to the list.

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Freeform

The Freeform is everything a traveler want in a reliable hardside carry-on: strong 360-degree wheels, smooth zippers, and an a spacious interior for organized packing. The best feature of this suitcase though is of course its shell. The polycarbonate material used is hard, but flexible and lightweight.

We got our hands on this suitcase back in December of 2022, and it's been a reliable carry-on we've turned to many trips over. The TSA locks are well-made, so you don't have to worry about them being all cheap and plastic-y. We also like how the suitcase will expand in space if it needs to be packed to the gills; which always seems to be the case when coming back from a vacation.

There are several hardside suitcases that carry a similar level of features but what the Freeform has is a seriously good price point of just under $200. Even better is the fact it comes with Samsonite's 10-year warranty, should if anything should happen to the bag.

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Omni PC

The Omni PC is much like the Samsonite Freeform in its durable build, spacious interior, and array of quality features like 360-degree wheels and a TSA combination lock. What sets the Omni PC a part from the Freeside though is it has a much more scratch-resistant shell thanks to a polycarbonate material with micro-diamond texture. The raised design of the outer shell also adds a level of strength and ruggedness.

So, what's the tradeoff when choosing the Omni PC over the Freeform? Well the Freeform comes with double spinner wheels (8 wheels total), which adds a much smoother ride and a whole lot more durability over time as opposed to the Omni PC's four spinner wheels. This feature is likely why the Freeform is tad bit more expensive than the Omni PC too. In the end we still like the Freeform in our top spot due to major upgrade in wheels, but if you want to save a few bucks and get a more scratch-resistant shell then the Omni PC is a great choice.

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The Carry-On

Most of us are familiar with Away, but for those who aren't it's a direct-to-consumer luggage brand with modern designs made from supreme quality materials. The result is a seriously good offering of hardside luggage that looks like it could be well over $500, but really is offered for almost half of that. The Carry-On is Away's flagship piece, offering premium toughness thanks to it's shell and smart packing thanks to it's interior compression compartments. Included are high-end features like a built-in battery pack, a laundry bag, and TSA combination locks.

All-in-all, you really can't go wrong buying from Away. Travelers have an opportunity to get a luxury-like hardside piece of luggage for a much lower price.

21-Inch Hardside Spinner

Maybe you don't travel very often or maybe you love a good deal. Whichever one it is (it might be both) the hardside luggage from Amazon Basics is the best bang-for-you-buck bag money can buy. Take for example the 21-inch Hardside Spinner, the carry-on is under $100 (!) even though the price could certainly be north of it. The 21-inch Hardside comes with a shell that's lightweight but still holds up to dings and falls. It also has 360-degree wheels, a polyester liner that's tear-resistant, and an ability to expand up to 15% more packing space (according to Amazon) when stuffing the suitcase full.

The lifespan of this suitcase is not as long as others on this list, so you probably don't want to invest in one if you're a frequent traveler. It also tends to scratch more than other suitcases, but you can manage those by taking a disinfectant wipe to the shell every few trips. Overall, this hardside suitcase packs immense value and offers a fast and friendly way to secure a piece a tough piece of luggage.

Read more: Best Luggage on Amazon

Helium Aero

Delsey is another one of our favorite luggage brands for the price. The Helium Aero is a lightweight hardside option made from polycarbonate with a sleek metallic finish; a design note that adds style points but also helps keep away scratch marks.

The Helium Aero is available in many sizes, but we loved how it performed as a large checked bag for international travel. Due to it being large and lightweight, you can get away carrying more clothes and cargo than expected. The interior is a bit simple with it's mesh divider and tie-down straps, but we noticed the simplicity actually allows for more space inside. You just won't have as neat of organization as some of the other hardside bags offer.

The Check-in Large

Carl Freidrik luggage is on the more expensive side, but this bag is a worthy investment when you consider how it carries a cool James Bond style. The outer shell is made a lightweight polycarbonate and outfitted with an aluminum frame. Full leather is used on the detailing too, giving it a rare touch we found elevates the overall look of the suitcase.

In terms of weight, the suitcase is exceptionally light, especially when carrying the Large Check-In (the biggest bag offered). The 360-degree wheels used across all Carl Fredirik luggage are made by the Japanese brand Hinomoto, so you can trust there won't be any random blowouts or wheel jams in the middle of the airport.

What you get with this checked bag is an investment piece with great style that hits way under the expected price you'd pay for a luxury bag. The marathon lifespan and the high number of compliments is going to make the upfront cost of this piece worth it in the long run.

Clifton Large in Slate

Tough as nails, Antler is a hardside luggage option you can happily use for years after buying. The Clifton showcases a sharp patterned shell surface and some seriously good double spinner wheels. The suitcase has a sturdy handle you can rely on too.

In many ways this hardside suitcase looks a lot like other brands on this list, but what sets Antler a part in our eyes is the variety of stylish colors. The offerings range from darker tones in Sycamore and Ochre to vibrant pieces in Blush and Azure. Lastly, the Clifton bags can be stored inside each other when bought in a set, which is great if you're tight on storage space at home.

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All Weather 4-Wheeler 30''

If you're an adventure travel enthusiast, then the All-Weather 4-Wheeler from The North Face is going to appeal to you. This checked 30-inch version is outfitted with 360-degree wheels and made from a seriously tough polycarbonate shell. The textured exterior adds a level of toughness, helping resistant scratches and sharp objects when tossing and turning. And thanks to the almost trunk-like silhouette, the suitcase has a sneaky way of storing much more than you'd expect.

Lastly, there are two small features we found that we think make this suitcase great for adventure travel. The first is its smooth and sturdy metal handle, and the second is airtight clamshell opening— the design removes the need for zippers all-together.

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Carry On

July's attention to detail in design, combined with their sharp silhouettes, has brought forth luggage that pairs great with all types of personal style. The luggage comes in all types of different colors (including limited-edition releases) and even has personalization available. You can add monogramming or images of your pets. Yes, pets.

We like the brand's signature hardside Carry On, as it's made with a polycarbonate shell and aluminum bumpers, and lined with a water and stain-resistant nylon material. You also get several unique features with this carry-on: two of them being a removable battery pack and a nylon laundry bag.

Read more: Best Travel Bags

3 Piece Set Suitcase

When it comes to buying hardside luggage sets, Amazon-based brand Coolife has been a favorite of ours for a while. The design of the luggage and clean and minimalist, yet it's also available in tons of rich and vibrant colors if you decide to veer from black or gray.

The set comes in three pieces—a 20-inch, 24-inch, and 28-inch—and can all be stored into itself, which is a great feature for those who live in apartments or are tight on space. Each suitcase comes with 360-degree wheels and an aluminum telescopic handle, and is made with a hard plastic shell. Inside you get a solid amount of space with one big mesh zip pocket for better organized storage.

We view this set similar to how we view the Amazon Basics furniture: it's great for occasional travel and will give you all the features you'd want in a modern hardside suitcase, yet we recommend frequent travelers opt for more expensive luggage to better deal with consistent wear and tear.

Maxlite Air Hardside Expandable Luggage

Flexible polycarbonate and a sleek outer finish makes this hardside suitcase a durable and scratch-resistant option for avid travelers. Travelpro has been a staple in luggage for decades, and the Maxlite Air is a testament to the quality you get for a value-driven price. It's sharp, it's lightweight, and it's capable of handling all sorts of adversity when getting from point A to point B.

We like the checked-medium size in this bag, as it's lightweight build helps you pack in more than you might think. The wheels are also doubled up, further insuring your suitcase will roll smoothly even if it's got a lot weighing down on it. Plus the handle includes an ergonomic grip, offering much more comfortable than a lot of the suitcase handles you see. You won't regret going with this piece—not one bit.

What to Look for When Buying Hardside Luggage

• Durability: Hardside luggage is oftentimes made from polycarbonate, a flexible and tough plastic that's can protect even the most delicate of belongings—like camera and video equipment. One downside to hardside luggage is its more prone to scuffing than soft luggage, but you can keep your hardside bag clean by wiping it down with soap and water or with a disinfectant wipe. Another tip to help limit scuffing is to buy hardside luggage in a darker color, as lighter colors tend to show more marks.

• Organizational Features: Interior organization is a matter of preference. Some like zippered compartments and mesh pocketing, while others like a simple zipper closure and a big space to toss everything inside. However it is nice to have features like laptop sleeves, laundry bags, and shoe compartments. And make sure to avoid suitcases with crummy tightening straps and clunky zippered compartments, as they can paradoxically end up taking up more interior space instead of helping create more. Bad zippers are a red flag too, as you don't want to have to fight a zipper each time you're trying to get to your belongings.
  

• Good Wheels: We cannot stress enough how important wheels are on any piece of roller luggage. For hardside luggage, we recommend avoiding anything that doesn't have 360-degree wheels. Make sure to inspect the plastic and the build of the wheels before buying, as you don't want to have a problem of one of them breaking off or jamming in the middle of a trip (the worst). All our hardside suitcases above have been checked to ensure they have durable wheels. If you want even more reliable wheels, opt for a piece of luggage with double-sided 360-wheels (two per each corner, so eight total wheels).
  

• Lightweight Build: Like mentioned above, most of the hardshell luggage these days is made of polycarbonate or some other type of hard and flexible plastic. Only if you buy a premium piece of hardside luggage will you see different types of metals and materials (think over $1,000). The positive about buying hardside luggage made from polycarbonate (and materials similar) is it's lightweight, which means the more you can jam inside your luggage. A lightweight build is going to help you carry your luggage around too, obviously.
  

Why Trust Us

In order to keep up with new new luggage innovations and releases, the MH gear team is continually testing all of the latest luggage to make sure our recommendations reflect the top products within the space. We take all types of luggage out into the real world, from carry-ons and checked bags, to duffel bags and travel backpacks, in order to see how they perform for us organically. Then, we bring luggage back into the office to find what makes each piece of luggage unique, and to see what potential flaws each piece could carry.

In the past three years, we have tested and reviewed well over 200 pieces of luggage total and published our very best recommendations in our evergreen roundups. We also highlight our favorite new luggage releases in our awards franchises, like the Tech Awards and Outdoor Awards.

How We Selected

Our MH commerce team thoroughly researched and tested 20 pieces of hardside luggage ranging in all different price points. We evaluated hardside bags based on design, durability, special features, style, and price point. We also considered how each piece of luggage performed in a real life setting, pointing out what bags could be useful for specific types of travel.

The list above represents our honest picks for the best packing cubes of 2023.

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