The Best Rolling Luggage
Luggage is a necessity for travel, and the Cut Shop asked frequent fliers to recommend their favorite bags. These picks are on the no-frills side, but they’ll get your gear from point A to point B reliably.
Many of these pieces have built-in packing cubes and toiletry bags for added organization. Some are even expandable to give you extra room for souvenirs.
Briggs & Riley ZDX International 21′′ Carry-On Expandable Spinner
The Briggs & Riley ZDX collection is designed for everyday travel, and this large spinner in particular has many thoughtful features to make a trip more comfortable. It’s made of tough-as-nails 800D ballistic nylon and has a sleek, patented Outsider handle that sits flat against the suitcase for more interior space, plus 360-degree spinner wheels that maneuver easily over all types of terrain. The zippered expansion depth is an added bonus for overpackers, as it lets you add an extra two inches of width to hold that one last outfit or souvenir on your return.
Most of the brands on this list offer plenty of pockets and dividers to help you stay organized, and some have devices like fold-out suiters for formal clothing that can be stored flat in transit and will help avoid wrinkles. The ZDX bag, however, stands out with a premium build that includes a convenient exterior battery pocket to keep your phone charged while you’re on the move and a Smartlink strap for connecting it to another piece of luggage so you can get through airport security more quickly.
Amazon Basics 30′′ Hardside Spinner
If you’re looking for a hard-sided suitcase at a budget-friendly price, the Amazon Basics 30′′ Hardside Spinner is an excellent choice. It offers an expansive 39-liter capacity, which can fit clothes for a week if you pack using packing cubes. It also includes a tri-fold hanging garment envelope and nicely placed external pockets for day-of organization. Its four large double-spinner wheels don’t sway as much alongside you when rolling on smooth surfaces or pivot on a dime like those on our premium top pick, but they still roll and maneuver well over gravel, cobblestones, and uneven pavement.
The bag’s polypropylene exterior held up well to our baseball bat tests and has a modern, high-end appearance. Its comfortable telescoping handle and 360-degree spinner wheels make it easy to maneuver through airports, while its internal compression system maximizes space. Its zippers, embedded TSA-approved lock, and extra expandability option round out a great travel package. The only downsides are the slightly flimsy plastic fitting that affixes the telescoping handle and lack of locking loops for the zippers, which could be susceptible to accidental opening during use.
Monos
Monos is a sleek, modern luggage brand that has been in business since 2018 and best rolling luggage is dedicated to building luxury-level suitcases at affordable prices for travelers. Their direct-to-consumer business model allows them to avoid the markup that often occurs in brick and mortar travel shops, which means you can save money on your next trip without sacrificing style or functionality.
Their luggage is made from German Makrolon polycarbonate, a lightweight aerospace-grade material that’s resilient and durable. The company goes to extreme lengths in terms of quality testing (you might call it luggage torture) to make sure the wheels, shell, and other components stand up to whatever you throw at them while traveling.
The suitcases have four 360-degree spinner wheels that glide over a variety of different surfaces and maneuver easily through twists and turns. GH testers found that they didn’t tip even when packed to the brim with multiple bags and were easy to navigate through busy airports and train stations. All Monos luggage also comes with a laundry bag and two shoe bags for keeping dirty clothes and shoes separate.
Samsonite
Luggage from Samsonite is one of the most recognizable names in travel luggage. Hang out at any airport and you’ll probably see Samsonite bags everywhere. That prevalence brings with it reasonable expectations of build quality, design, and function.
Founded in Denver, Colorado, on hand bag supplier March 10, 1910 by Black Hawk, Colorado native Jesse Shwayder, the company began as the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company. By his mid-20s Shwayder was a successful salesman and had saved enough money to open his own business.
Samsonite became the world’s largest designer, manufacturer, and distributor of luggage and travel-related products with a global network of nearly 100 distribution centers and more than 130 retail stores. Its innovative designs helped pioneer many of the features in modern suitcases, including molded-on wheels, integrated luggage carts, and fully structured garment bags.
Samsonite is also known for a large selection of different sizes and styles of luggage in its luggage collections, which are available at most retail stores worldwide. Its durable luggage is consistently rated highly among travel experts and often costs less than you might expect for its quality.
July
The best luggage should zip you through the airport with ease, and most top-rated rolling carry ons are designed to do just that. They can be hard-sided or soft, and have either four slick 360-degree wheels or good old-fashioned spinners. They also have a super comfortable handle that’s straighter toward the suitcase’s back and more curved where your hands wrap around it. That’s a nice touch because some handles feel awkward to hold, especially when you have a heavy load of clothes and electronics.
July’s hardshell suitcases are a cut above the rest, and they address many common travel challenges with smart features like an ejectable battery bank, multiple handle heights, and slick wheels that make cobblestone streets feel as smooth as ice. They even have a hidden laundry bag made of the same stain-resistant material as the interior lining. The only downside is that they’re a little more expensive than most of the other suitcases on this list, but still offer excellent value for high-end materials and quality.