Most Durable Hard Shell Luggage of 2024 | Ultimate Luggage Guide

When it comes to travel, the most important thing that you should ensure is the durability of your luggage. Picture this: you’re passing through crowded airports, streets, and unpredictable weather conditions. Under these conditions, your belongings need to stay safe and untouched.

This is where durable, hard-shell luggage comes into play, promising to be a trusted companion. In this guide to the most durable hard shell luggage, we’ll be covering only those suitcases that are the most durable and can easily withstand bumps and rough handling.

These suitcases are designed to tackle every problem faced by travelers. No matter what you bring inside your luggage, whether it’s fragile or valuable items, you’ll be covered with these suitcases. Your problem of facing flimsy handles and cheap material won’t exist anymore so stay with us and choose the luggage that suits you the best.

Detailed Guide of the Most Durable Hard Shell Luggage Options

Material: Polypropylene Hardside | Dimensions: 21.25 × 15.25 × 10.0 Inches | Weight: 6.5 lbs | Capacity: 34 L | Available Colors: 14 | Returns: Within 30 Days (Unused) | Warranty: 10 Years Limited

You might already know about the Samsonite luggage brand; it’s one of the oldest and most popular luggage brands. That’s for a reason, unlike Samsonite, which offers affordable luggage options without compromising on quality.

Samsonite Freeform is not an exception; it’s one of the most popular hard shell models of Samsonite. Though it’s made from polypropylene hard shell material, it’s not as tough as polycarbonate luggage. But during the test, the material proved to be excellent and loved by thousands of people across the globe.

The exterior of the luggage is flexible enough to make it very less likely to break under extreme pressure. So no matter whether you choose checked luggage or carry-on luggage, it’s a perfect option because of its durability, flexibility, and lightweight properties.

I personally love this Samsonite Freeform luggage. The dual spinner wheels of the Freeform roll smoothly and are convenient to maneuver through different surfaces and even on carpets. Besides the wheels, the Samsonite Freeform also offers almost every essential feature, like expandable zippers, a TSA lock, and adjustable carry handles to make travel smoother.

Inside the luggage, you get an adjustable compression strap and a zippered panel to keep your belongings in place. The interior is spacious, with multiple pockets for better organization. Unfortunately, no laundry bag is there with the luggage.

The aesthetics of the Freeform are super futuristic and provide an elegant look wherever I go. We recommend this Samsonite Freeform to those who frequently travel or anyone who prefers to have a piece of durable and reliable luggage.

Also Read: 5 Best TSA-Approved Luggage Locks

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Material: Polycarbonate Hardshell | Dimensions: 22 × 14 × 9 Inches | Weight: 6.5 lbs | Capacity: 34 L | Available Colors: 13 |Returns: Within 30 Days (Unused) | Warranty: 10 Years Limited

The Samsonite Omni PC is another piece of Samsonite hard shell luggage. It’s also one of the most popular options. The exterior of the luggage is scratch- and temperature-resistant; no matter where you travel with this luggage, it’s an excellent option.

The wheels are good enough and roll smoothly, though it could be a dual spinner for enhanced stability. It maneuvers smoothly even when it is completely stuffed on the carpet. That being said, these wheels sometimes get stuck in grooves due to their small size.

Besides wheels, the Samsonite Omni PC offers all the essential features that you might need during travel. These features include a TSA-approved lock, an expander zipper, an adjustable handle, and grab handles.

The main compartment opens up into a dual compartment of equal sizes and features cross straps and a few pockets for organization. However, since the organization facility is limited, you might have to use packing cubes to manage it.

The price of the Samsonite Omni PC is excellent considering the brand’s reliability and quality. We’d recommend it to those who frequently travel, overpackers, or anyone who wants something durable without breaking the bank.

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Material: Polycarbonate Hardside | Dimensions: 21.25 × 14 × 9 Inches | Weight: 8.2 lbs | Available Colors: 10 | Expandable: Yes | Returns: Within 30 Days (Unused) | Warranty: 10 Years Limited

If you want something that looks more premium with an excellent appearance, the Helium Aero hard shell luggage from Delsey Paris is an excellent choice. The luggage is entirely made from polycarbonate hard shell luggage material, and the exterior of the luggage looks modern and resistant to scuffs and dents.

Apart from its durability, it features a TSA-approved combination lock to keep you peaceful, knowing that your belongings are secure. Besides the TSA lock, it also features 360-degree dual spinner wheels, expandable zippers, and an adjustable handle.

The four dual spinner wheels of the Delsey Paris Helium Aero are excellent and we’re impressed with how efficiently they roll on different surfaces, even when it’s completely full.

The Delsey Paris Helium Aero opens up into two main compartments, one with a lined zippered divider and the other with compressional straps. The good thing about Helium Aero is that it expands up to 2 inches, which is a good way to stuff more items.

There are not enough pockets for better organization; if you love to organize your belongings in a much better way, you might need packing cubes. But in terms of space, the main compartment is spacious.

The Delsey Paris Helium Aero comes in various size options, including carry-on and checked luggage. The good thing is that if you opt for 19-inch carry-on luggage, you get exterior laptop pockets that you can use to fit a laptop up to 15.6 inches.

Delsey has not provided a flashy design; it comes with clean vertical lines that look quite simple and sophisticated. We personally love the metallic variant because of its excellent aesthetics. The Delsey Helium Aero hard shell luggage is available in different color options that you can choose from as well.

No matter whether you pack for a business trip or vacation, the luggage has enough room to accommodate your belongings and protect them in the best way.

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Material: ABS Platic Hardside | Dimensions: 22 × 14.9 × 10.0 Inches | Weight: 7.3 lbs | Capacity: 23 L | Available Colors: 4 | Expandable: Yes | Returns: Within 30 Days (Unused)

If you want something on a limited budget under $100, the best choice from our side is the Amazon Basics hard shell luggage. It’s one of the most affordable luggage options.

Amazon Basics hard shell luggage is made from extra-thick ABS material, which is quite durable but not as durable as polycarbonate luggage. It easily maneuvered on almost every type of surface, even carpet; it could perform really well.

The Amazon Basics could fit every item, including clothes, shoes, jackets, and even toiletries. The good thing is that it’s expandable by 15%, which is good, especially if you prefer to pack a little more. Because it’s budget luggage, you’ll have to compromise on a few things, like the TSA lock and color options.

Except for the TSA lock, it offers almost all the features, like an adjustable handle, dual spinner wheels, expandable zippers, and grab handles. Despite being affordable luggage, it could stand up to expectations and make a spot on this list.

We’d recommend this luggage to those who travel infrequently, twice or three times a year or anyone with a low budget. Considering the price point, it’s a good pick, especially because of its affordability and value for money.

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Material: Polycarbonate Hardside | Dimensions: 21.7 × 13.7 × 9 Inches | Weight: 8.1 lbs | Capacity: 39.8 L | Available Colors: 10 | Expandable: Yes | Return: 100 Return Policy | Warranty: Lifetime with no shipping cost

Away has gained rapid popularity because of its premium feel and durability without breaking the bank. The Away carry-on comes in two variations, one without expansion and the other with expansion, which the Away calls flex models. The Flex model offers you 2.25 inches of additional space that you can use for keeping additional items.

However, when it’s expanded, it most probably exceeds the carry-on size limit set by airlines. The organization of the luggage is superb, you can organize your belongings in a much better way, even without the use of packing cubes.

The luggage comes with two main, spacious compartments with compression straps and dividers, that hold your clothes and other items in place, Even if you throw your luggage away, nothing is going to be misplaced.

The material used in the zipper, adjustable handle, and wheels is excellent. The zippers ran smoothly and the wheels are

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Material: Polypropylene Hardside Shell | Dimensions: 22 × 15 × 10 Inches | Weight: 7.7 lbs | Capacity: 44 L | Returns: 30 Day Return Policy | Warranty: 10 Years Limited

The Delsey Chetelet Air 2.0 with French aesthetics is also one of our favorite suitcases. For some reason, the Delsey Chetelet Air 2.0 is extremely durable and could go beyond expectations because of its highly durable polycarbonate construction.

Despite being compact, the interior of the Delsey Chetelet Air 2.0 is spacious. It comes with a zippered divider on one side and compression straps on the other side. The good thing about the luggage is that it comes with multiple small and big pockets that help us organize and arrange our belongings.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 doesn’t come with expandable zippers, which is disappointing as we couldn’t pack beyond the limit. But if you strategically pack your belongings with the help of organizing pockets, you can make it happen.

Besides main features like dual spinner wheels and adjustable handles, the Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 also offers a USB port that you can connect to your phone or tablet for easy charging. This feature is useful, especially if you’re a tech-savvy traveler.

The wheels are excellently durable and roll smoothly with full luggage on different surfaces, even cobblestones. The material of the handle is excellent and it doesn’t feel flimsy like other suitcases. Zippers are 3 times more secure than a regular zipper and are very difficult to open with a ballpoint pen.

The aesthetics of the Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 are totally different from the French style. The addition of a faux leather touch gives it a unique and luxurious look, which ultimately helps you spot your luggage on the baggage carousel.

Because the Delsey Chatelet is different from a regular suitcase in various aspects, it might seem expensive to you, but it’s worth it in the long run. So we’d recommend this Delsey Paris Chatelet Air 2.0 to those who frequently travel for business or any other purpose or anyone who loves to look unique and stylish with ultimate durability.

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Buying Guide: Things to Consider When Choosing a Hardside Luggage

There are certain things that you must take into consideration before you choose any piece of luggage. Below, we’ve explained some other essential factors that you should take into account.

Always Look for Durability

Durability and reliability of luggage must be the biggest factors when it comes to choosing the right piece of luggage. There are different types of materials for hardside luggage on the market; these materials mainly include aluminum, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and ABS.

Depending on the brand, the quality of the material might vary. That’s why you should always make sure to get a piece of luggage from a reputable brand like Samsonite, Delsey, Travelpro, Briggs & Riley, Away, or any other reputable brand so that your luggage stays with you for a longer period of time.

When it comes to durability, the material is the first thing to consider. That’s why we’d recommend you go with polycarbonate luggage because polycarbonate is the most durable material of all the plastic materials. You can also consider polypropylene-material luggage from a trusted luggage brand.

Talking about ABS, we don’t recommend it unless you’re limited by your budget or travel occasionally. You can choose aluminum only when you want extreme durability and don’t have any issues with its additional weight and high price.

Also consider the durability of the other elements as well, like zippers, handles, and wheels. Make sure the wheels are robust and the handles don’t feel flimsy.

Here is a detailed guide on luggage material that you must read to learn more about luggage materials.

Look for maneuverability

This is another important factor that you must consider. Wheels and handles are two main elements of luggage that directly impact the maneuverability of any luggage. There are various types of wheels with spinner luggage; these wheels mainly include dual spinner wheels and single spinner wheels.

We’d recommend you get a piece of luggage with dual spinner wheels, as these wheels provide better stability than single spinner wheels. Even if you choose single-spinner wheels, make sure the wheels are sturdy enough and not too small to get stuck in grooves.

Here is the complete guide on luggage wheels; you should read it if you want to know more.

Features

Features are the essential things that make us feel comfortable throughout the journey. We can categorize these into two categories: basic or essential features and advanced features. At least, you should consider basic features like expandable zippers, TSA-approved locks, wheels, and adjustable handles. and a USB charging facility if you’re a tech-savvy person.

These are the must-have features for any piece of luggage. Sometimes TSA-approved locks don’t come with a carry-on size of luggage and are available in only checked luggage. If you’re getting a piece of carry-on luggage, always ensure that your carry-on features a TSA lock if you need it.

So make sure that whatever luggage you choose, it’s equipped with at least all these features.

Size Compatibility with Airlines

Most people miss the compatibility of their luggage with airlines. Each airline has its own regulations for carry-on and checked luggage. But the most common rule for carry-on that most airlines follow is 22 × 14 × 9 inches, and for checked luggage, it’s 62 linear inches for most airlines.

That’s why you should always make sure to get a piece of luggage within the guidelines of these common guidelines to avoid any oversized additional fees.

Most of the time, manufacturers manipulate the size and label their luggage according to the airlines’ guidelines, but in reality, they exceed the limit and ultimately leave you in trouble.

Warranty

Warranty is also one of the most important concerns. Initially, you won’t have to take care of it but in the long run, it might cause you problems if you don’t consider it.

Different brands offer different types of warranties; some brands like Samsonite, Delsey, and Travelpro offer limited warranties, and some other brands like Briggs & Riley and Away provide unconditional warranties.

Warranties also vary depending on the duration; brands mostly offer 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, or lifetime warranties. So make sure to go with at least a 10-year warranty or lifetime warranty so that you always stay stress-free and enjoy your travel.

Conclusion: Which luggage should you choose?

We’ve listed some of the most durable and popular suitcases from various trusted brands, which include Samsonite, Delsey, Away, and Travelpro. We’ve ensured that whatever suitcases we select are reliable and trustworthy enough to prove to be the best companions for your travel.

We’d recommend you go with Samsonite Freeform because it’s a perfect solution for all types of travelers. You can also choose Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 hard shell luggage if you want to be more premium. It’s comparatively little expensive but it’s worth it.

If you’re tight on your budget, you can take a look at Amazon Basics, which is not as durable as other suitcases. We’ve listed it for those who want something more affordable. But you should not expect it to be highly durable.

Away luggage is also one of the viable options; you can choose it if you’re ready to spend more on a premium brand, and you’ll also enjoy a lifetime unconditional warranty. For those who love to be more premium and different from regular brands, Away luggage is the perfect choice.

If you still have any questions, let us know in the comment section. We’d love to hear from you and help you find the best travel companion for you.

Looking to explore more Luggage Brands?  Check out our Huge A-Z List of EVERY Luggage Brand to find the perfect luggage set for your upcoming travels!

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