slo’s MONDAY 2/24 poll - Soft vs Hard Side Luggage

[slo]

With us leaving for our WDW trip in 13 days, it has me starting to get our items together to take. The suitcase is out of the attic and open on the spare bedroom bed. I’m not actually packing yet, but I am putting stuff in the suitcase that I don’t want to forget. When I was in the attic, I had to decide if I wanted to take the soft sided or hard sided luggage. Decisions Decisions Me having to decide this is what gave me the idea for this poll today. So let’s talk suitcases today…..

Which type of luggage do you have?
If you have both, do you have a preference of which one you use and when?
(multiple choice)



For Me……I have both and I prefer hard side when I fly and I prefer soft side when we drive. I made the mistake once using a new soft sided suitcase when I flew and it got so disgustingly dirty and torn. The hard sided luggage can take more abuse and I can easily wipe it down. So, when I was in the attic, I took down the hard sided luggage. I’m so excited to be leaving in 13 days

 

[Kitty 34]

I'm like you, Slo. When we fly we do the hard sides and when we do our little driving trips I have my nice soft one.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I personally own soft-sided luggage, but DH has both kinds, and DS has kind of a hybrid one he loves.

If we're checking bags, I'll sometimes use one of DH's, but the carry-on I use most is soft (and pink ).

 

[_19disnA]

Used to have hard sided luggage and found it didn't stand up as well to being banged around with other luggage in the cargo area when flying. Have soft-sided luggage now I like much better.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

We have both, but tend to only use the soft sided. I DO have an old hardside fairly large suitcase, but it just doesn't hold enough for longer trips, and it's too big for smaller trips.

I like that old school Samsonite hard side luggage, I would love to find a vintage train case. Somewhere I still have a child size Samsonite hardshell suitcase that I used to carry back an forth to my grandparents house.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Soft sided luggage it’s all I’ve ever had - I’ve often thought of trying hard sided but just never made the switch

 

[Meriweather]

Soft sided only.
I don't like hard, they tend to be heavier and not as much "give" around the sides and top.

 

[Moliphino]

I have both, but they're different sizes. I usually use my 24" soft sided suitcase, but I also have a 20" hard sided one.

 

[easyas123]

We have both. I'm actually flying out to San Diego tomorrow for a few nights. Which one I use will depend on how light I can pack tonight! I have a hard sided & soft sided carry on, but just hard sided checked luggage. We used to have the soft sided LL Bean rolling duffle bags when the kids were younger and we spent a lot of time going back & forth to the bahamas - those things were great for fishing/diving & snorkel gear!

 

[Marrila]

Soft sided only. I like that it has zip pockets.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Soft side here.

Have fun getting ready for the trip, Sandy. Is tthis one for the two of you or all three?

 

[ronandannette]

Used to have hard sided luggage and found it didn't stand up as well to being banged around with other luggage in the cargo area when flying. Have soft-sided luggage now I like much better.

This. We’ve had three sets of hard-sided over the past 25 years that we’ve done significant travel. Almost all of it involves flights and the luggage takes a beating. Our next set will probably be soft-sided, just to see if it stays nice longer.

 

[Micca]

I think all of our stuff is soft-side.

 

[Scotgirl]

Having watched the baggage handlers and how luggage is treated there's no way I would use soft luggage! At least with hard sided luggage there's a fighting chance of the stuff inside arriving in one piece. Also looking at some of the luggage going round on the carousels the soft luggage is often very dirty and gross looking

 

[NannyBeBe]

I use both. I have several very old Jansport suitcases, soft side, that I guard with my life because Jansport doesn't make luggage anymore. Those suitcases have traveled all over the world with my daughter and are still in great shape. If I were buying new luggage, I would buy hard-sided only because the airline handlers are pretty rough on the luggage.

 

[kdonnel]

I buy my luggage based on weight of the luggage.

I can't afford light hard sided luggage so it is light soft sided luggage for me.

 

[NannyBeBe]

We have both, but tend to only use the soft sided. I DO have an old hardside fairly large suitcase, but it just doesn't hold enough for longer trips, and it's too big for smaller trips.

I like that old school Samsonite hard side luggage, I would love to find a vintage train case. Somewhere I still have a child size Samsonite hardshell suitcase that I used to carry back an forth to my grandparents house.

You can find vintage train cases on eBay.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

I have used soft-side for a long time. 2 wheels, not 4.
I got a hard side before my last trip, and have only used it once.
The 4 wheels are nice, but it doesn't consistently go as smooth as expected.
It holds less, and I don't like that there are not tie downs on both sides when open. I really liked the pockets and zippers on the outside of my soft side, and really miss having them on the hard side. It just seems like it is more for a weekend trip, rather that a week or 2 trip.
But I am 70 now, and the bigger suitcase is hard for me to lift, etc.
I travel alone, so must manage alone.

 

[hertamaniac]

I have and use both. The hard side was a result of a damaged soft side during a flight. I was scheduled to make a presentation to a large audience and the bag got lost and was returned to me damaged the next morning. I had my professional attire in the soft side and managed through.

I got compensated from the airline and immediately purchased a thin-shell hard side luggage carrier. I use it for airlines and more recently for cruises. I will also bring a soft side for non-clothing items.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

My family only has the soft-sided luggage. It's just the way DH and I have done things for the last 25 years. I've always assumed it's harder to cram more junk in a hard-sided suitcase, but I don't really know. I haven't had a hard suitcase since I was a kid. Anyone remember those 1970's strawberry red Samsonite clam shells? Yes, I had one. My parents had the big grey blue/aqua ones.

We don't do big suitcases anyway. Everyone has two suitcases, a "big" Southwest size carry-on 24"x16"x10" and an international size carry-on 22"x14"x9". We try not to over-pack.