Booking the trip? Easy. Figuring out which bag to bring? That’s where we start pacing (usually next to a pile of outfits that will absolutely not all fit). Not all types of luggage are built the same; each one offers a different degree of durability, functionality, and style. Choose the right travel luggage for your needs and your travel days get a lot easier and more comfortable.

Below, we’ve broken down the different types of luggage by their styles, features, and sizes so you can choose the one that’s right for you.

The Most Common Types of Luggage

Here are some of the most popular travel bag options:

• Rolling suitcases: The standard rolling suitcase is many people’s go-to piece of luggage. It’s spacious, functional, and easy to take from place to place. Since rolling luggage is on wheels, you can easily glide it through airports and down long hotel hallways. Rolling suitcases come in a range of sizes, materials, and styles, giving you plenty of options to choose from.

• Backpacks: If you pack on the lighter side, a backpack may be your perfect carry on bag. Due to its hands-free style, you can carry your Starbucks latte and bag of duty-free goodies with ease. If you’re nervous that a backpack may strain your shoulders, simply choose one with a comfortable padded back or shoulder strap.

• Duffel bags: A duffel bag offers the space of a suitcase and the soft shape of a backpack. Carry-on-sized duffels slide into most overhead compartments and can hold unconventionally-shaped items; just check your specific airline’s size rules before counting on bin space. Some duffel bags also come with wheels and retractable handles, turning them into a hybrid suitcase.

Hard Luggage vs Soft Luggage

If you choose to purchase a rolling suitcase, you have an important decision to make: Hardside or softside? 

Hardside luggage is made of a hard material, like aluminum or polycarbonate, while softside luggage is made of fabric. Both types of suitcases offer unique advantages. 

The Benefits of Hardside Luggage

Hardside luggage stands out for its:

• Durability: Hardside luggage shrugs off the scrapes and tosses of a busy baggage claim without ripping or tearing. Since it’s harder to overstuff, you’ll also be much less likely to damage its zippers.

• Weather-resistance: If your adventures take you through wet weather conditions, hardside luggage is the way to go. Due to its impermeable exterior, it can withstand snow, rain, and hail much better than its softside counterpart.

• Cleanliness: When it comes to learning how to clean luggage, the hardside variety is the easiest to clean. You can wipe it down with a damp cloth or antiseptic wipe at any time. If you’re a germaphobe, this can offer you a lot of relief. Due to its hard exterior, it also won’t absorb any liquids or mildew-aromas.

• Protection: If you need to transport fragile items, a hardside suitcase can offer them more protection. Its hard outer shell will safeguard your valuables from anything that might bang up against them at the bottom of the plane.

The Benefits of Softside Luggage

Compared to hardside luggage, softside luggage offers more:

• Accessibility: If you need to grab something from your suitcase in a pinch, softside luggage is easier to squeeze your hand into without opening the luggage completely.

• Flexibility: If you want the freedom to overpack a few items here and there, softside luggage is much more flexible, though overstuffing could cause issues with its zippers.

Depending on your priorities, one of these types of luggage will appeal to you more than the other. At BÉIS, we believe that hardside luggage takes the cake. That’s why we offer a line of hardside luggage sets made of 100% virgin polycarbonate. And our softside bags got an upgrade too: they’re now made of recycled and virgin polyester canvas with a TPU coating, replacing the old PU material.

Two-Wheeled vs Spinner Suitcases

When shopping for a suitcase, you have another important choice to make: Do you want two static wheels or four spinner wheels?

The wheels you choose can make or break your travel experience. If they’re flimsy or hard to control, your travel day will be filled with frustration. When they glide smoothly and sturdily, your travel experience will follow suit.

• Two-wheeled static suitcases: Two-wheeled luggage has been around for a long time. You’ve probably used it before. It rolls forward and backward and you have to tilt it back to get it moving.

Since the wheels only move in two directions on a two-wheeled suitcase, they’re a little easier to control on uneven surfaces. However, they can become burdensome if your bag is heavy, since you have to tilt the suitcase back and drag it behind you. If your suitcase is super-heavy, this can put a great strain on your wrist and shoulders.

• Four-wheeled spinner suitcases: Four-wheeled spinner suitcases have a much greater range of motion. Their wheels can rotate 360 degrees, enabling you to turn and spin your suitcase in any direction. With four wheels supporting your bag, you can glide it in an upright position as you walk through the airport or hotel lobby, taking all of the weight off your wrists and shoulders.

As a result, it’s the favored option for most people and the type of suitcase we carry at BÉIS. Our rollers glide on 60mm Hinomoto 360-degree wheels, so you can pivot through crowds (and the occasional gate sprint) with one hand.

The Different Luggage Sizes

Depending on your next getaway’s length and occasion, you’ll need to choose a suitcase of adequate size.

Most luggage lines come with the following options:

• Carry-on bag: If you’re a light packer or if you don’t want to wait around at the baggage claim, you need cabin baggage. Most airlines only allow carry-on bags that are 22 by 14 by 9 inches or smaller.¹ At BÉIS, our Carry-On Roller measures 15.7 x 22.83 x 10 inches (that’s 22.83 inches tall), so double-check your specific airline’s carry-on limits before you head to the gate.

• Medium check-in bag: If you need a little more space, you may be willing to check in your bag instead. At BÉIS, our medium-sized checked luggage is 28.19 inches tall, including wheels and handle. It offers the perfect amount of space to comfortably pack for a weeklong vacation.

• Large check-in bag: If you want to check in a larger piece of luggage, our Large Check-In Roller is 30.98 inches tall, including wheels and handle. This larger checked bag offers the extra room you need to pack bulky items or bring more clothes for a longer travel excursion.

At BÉIS, you can get all three sizes in our hardside luggage set. Grab the carry-on for a long weekend and the 30.98-inch roller for the two-week trip you packed three weeks’ worth of outfits for (no judgment).

The Most Important Luggage Features

In addition to choosing the right style, size, and wheels for your luggage, you should also look for some added features that can make your life easier, including:

• Weight indicators: After packing your bag to the brim, you may be concerned about its weight. Will it exceed that 50-pound weight limit?²

To find out, you can lug your bag on top of your home scale. If you don’t have a scale, you’ll have to take your chances at the airport and risk getting hit with an overweight fee or having to transfer some items to your carry-on.

You can kiss these hassles goodbye for good by choosing a suitcase with a built-in weight indicator. If your bag is over 50 pounds, this indicator will turn red, letting you know you need to lighten the load before heading to the airport.

• Gap-free tapered zippers: Standard zippers often have tiny crevices where water could creep inside. Gap-free tapered zippers close up tight and pair with your TSA-approved lock for extra peace of mind.

• TSA-approved locks: If you want to keep your valuables secure, you may choose to add a lock to your suitcase. However, it’s important to know that TSA has rules about the types of suitcase locks that are allowed.³ At BÉIS, we make things easier for you by including a TSA-approved lock with each of our suitcases.

• A redesigned bag hook: After lugging your carry-on bags around all day, it’s nice to load them onto your suitcase after you pick it up at the baggage claim. Our redesigned bag hook holds up to 30 pounds, so your personal item (and everything in it) rides along securely.

• 2-inch expansion: Souvenirs happen. Our rollers expand a full 2 inches, giving you room for everything you swore you wouldn’t buy.

• A hidden AirTag pocket: Tucked into the hanging pocket, this discreet spot holds your tracker so you can keep tabs on your bag from the gate to the baggage carousel.

• Cushioned silicone trolley handle: Even if your suitcase has four wheels, it can still hurt your hands if the handle is uncomfortable. A cushioned silicone trolley handle gives you a soft, comfortable grip.

At BÉIS, we build our luggage with all of these features to take the friction out of your travel day, from the check-in scale to the baggage carousel. To further your experience, learn how to use packing cubes to maximize your new suitcase purchase!

What Are the Best Places to Buy Luggage?

You can shop for luggage online or in-store. In person, you’re limited to whatever’s on the floor that day. Online, you can compare models side by side and pick the one with the features you actually need (weight indicator, we’re looking at you).

To make that easier, we write detailed descriptions for every product, and our reviews come from travelers who’ve wheeled these bags through real airports, so you know what you’re getting before you hit checkout.

Change your mind after it arrives? Most of our products are eligible for easy 45-day returns, and our luggage is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

The Bottom Line

The right luggage comes down to how you actually pack: hardside or softside, two wheels or four, carry-on or check-in. Whichever way you go, at BÉIS we design our travel bags and packing cubes to keep your packing organized, and our rollers and travel luggage sets come with 360-degree wheels, TSA-approved locks, and a weight indicator that saves you from repacking at the check-in counter.

And don’t forget your hand luggage! Pair a bag with your main luggage that best suits your upcoming adventure. A few favorite travel accessories and bags to consider:

• weekender bag
• camera bag
• garment bag
• tote bag
• shoulder bag
• gym / workout bag
• waist bag
• travel backpack
• laptop bag
• toiletry bag
• jewelry organizer

Pack what you love (yes, even the third pair of shoes). We’ve got you.

Sources:

1. Jamie Ditaranto, “Carry-on and Personal Item Size Limits for 32 Major Airlines.” SmarterTravel, 27 July 2020, URL

   
   

2. Vulcan, Nicole. “How to Prevent Overweight Luggage.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 21 Nov. 2017, URL

3. Walsh, Kathryn. “TSA Luggage Guidelines.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 5 Feb. 2019, URL