If you need to replace your luggage or are looking for great value on a set, below are the ten best hardside luggage sets for your next vacation or journey. The below buying guide breaks down the critical features to consider when shopping for the best hardside luggage set. In addition, the guide will help you determine the best options and whether a standard three-piece set or something more extensive is the right choice for you.
A hardside luggage or hardshell luggage set is a great option for those buying luggage for the first time because of its versatility in trip planning and exceptional value. For an affordable price, you will get both larger pieces and smaller pieces of luggage, which can be used in combinations for road trips, shorter trips, longer trips, and seemingly any kind of trip, even when packing for the whole family.
Frequent travelers should consider if a luggage set is suitable for them, as there are typically consistent features across sets, not allowing for more unique feature configurations seen in specific bags sold individually. This limitation is true for those looking for a great deal that includes a particular piece of luggage, like a garment bag or tote bag.
While there may be sets that include these options, you won’t find the high quality features in the garment bag compared to options not included in a set. The last thing you want to do is to spend money on one of the best luggage sets only to seek out individual pieces shortly after the purchase.
Below are the ten top picks for the best hardside luggage sets. For a detailed breakdown of design features and tips for choosing the best hardside luggage sets for your needs, click here or scroll past the top picks.
Top Picks of the Best Hardside Luggage Sets
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Best Overall: Samsonite Winfield 3 DLX Hardside 3-Piece Set
From one of the best luggage brands comes the top pick among the Samsonite luggage sets on this list and one of the best values for a high-quality luggage set. The Samsonite Winfield 2 DLX Hardside 3-Piece Set includes three hardside spinner suitcases in 20″, 25″, and 28″ sizes. The three pieces will nest inside the larger suitcase for easy storage and are expandable to provide extra space when packing.
The Samsonite Winfield 3 is one of the more feature-rich hardside sets with a lightweight shell made of durable polycarbonate. The bags all feature built-in TSA locks, telescoping lockable handles, and sizeable 360-degree spinner wheels that allow for smooth rolling across an airport floor. In addition, with a wide range of colors available, there are unique color options for easy identification of your bags.
Travelpro Runway 2-Piece Set
This sleek hardshell set includes a 23″ carry-on and a larger 28″ checked suitcase that can be expanded for additional space. From one of the most trusted names in luggage, Travelpro, the Runway 2 Piece Set offers exceptional value and a 10-year warranty. Both bags feature multi-directional spinner wheels, locking telescoping handles, and internal dividers to keep your possessions in place. The bags also include easy-to-use TSA locks, allowing for safety when storing your luggage at hotels or along the journey.
With the Runway 2’s modern design and the simplicity of a 2-piece set, this package is excellent for those looking for matching luggage at a great price. Also, the sets come in four colors: black, white, teal, and pink, perfect for those looking to find a matching luggage set that stands out at the baggage claim.
American Tourister Stratum XLT 3-Piece Set
American Tourister, one of the best-known names in affordable luggage, offers the Stratum XLT 3-Piece Set, which includes a 20-inch carry-on along with 24″ and 28″ larger suitcases. With an expandable zipper on each bag, an internal divider, and straps to keep your stuff in place. The Stratum is made of abs plastic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and one of the most lightweight plastics for luggage.
Offered in a handful of colors, including the standard black option, the Stratum collection has a great updated design, with its push-button telescopic handle and 360-spinning wheels.
Samsonite Omni 2 3-Piece Set
The second Samsonite luggage set on this list, the Samsonite Omni 2, offers a value-priced and full-features option from Samsonite. With a ribbed design that offers additional structure and protection on the bags, the Omni 2 includes the following:
- Multi-directional spinning wheels
- A TSA lock
- Telescopic handle
- Expandable zipper – similar to most bags on this list
Including three bags that are 20″, 24″, and 28″, the Omni 2 offers internal elastic straps and is split inside by a full-zip divider that acts as a large pocket for half of the inside of the suitcase, allowing for easy organization while traveling.
Kenneth Cole Reaction Diamond Tower 3-Piece Set
With the most stylish and modern design on this list, the Kenneth Cole Reaction Diamond Tower stands out with its diamond pattern along the sides. Made of a lightweight plastic outer shell that includes corner guards, the Reaction Diamond Tower features the best internal storage dividers amongst these top picks. One half of each suitcase has a full zipper divider pocket, and the other has a large flat divider that clips into straps and holds your clothes in place.
The bags come in 20″, 24″, and 28″, offered in six different colors. Each bag expands and features a sturdy telescopic handle and 360-spinning wheels, offering a great combination of style and features amongst the hardside sets available.
Travelers Club Midtown Hardside 4-Piece Set
One of the most affordable options on this list, the Travelers Club Midtown Hardside luggage is great for travelers on a budget. With various colors on offer, the set includes 20″ and 26″ hardside spinners, a duffel bag, and a travel kit toiletry bag. The two spinners feature telescoping handles, multi-directional wheels, full zip dividers, and zippers for expanding the bags for more storage.
Amazon Basics Hardside Luggage 3-Piece Set
From Amazon’s product line, Amazon Basics, this 3-piece set is the best of their luggage offerings, with an excellent price for three durable and sleekly-designed hardside spinners. Available in four colors and made from rugged ABS plastic, the Amazon Basics set includes all the essential hardware you need from your luggage, including a telescoping handle, multi-direction wheels, expandability, internal straps, and a full-zip internal divider. Offered in a set of three with 21″, 26″, and 30″ bags included.
Travelers Club Chicago Hardside Luggage 5-Piece Set
The most extensive set of luggage on this list, the Travelers Club Chicago Hardside set includes three hardside spinners in 20″, 24″, and 28″ sizes, along with a travel duffle and a travel toiletry bag. The budget-friendly set of hardside bags is the most extensive collection for one of the more affordable set prices available.
Kenneth Cole Reaction Out of Bounds 3-Piece Set
An excellent bargain for a 3-piece luggage set, the Kenneth Cole Reaction Out of Bounds luggage set includes three hardside spinners that can be nested inside each other for easy storage. Coming in at 20″, 24″, and 28″ and made of lightweight hard ABS plastic, the bags include:
- A push-button telescoping handle
- A full-zip pocket divider
- Multi-direction spinner wheels that effortlessly glide across smooth surfaces
Rockland London Hardside 3-Piece Set
With the widest selection of color options on this list, the Rockland London Hardside 3-Piece set comes in 22″, 24″, and 28″ sizes and provides a budget-friendly value with all the features. For example, the bags offer internal dividers and pockets, multi-direction wheels, and expandable zippers for extra storage. In addition, with different color accents on the corner guards, zippers, and telescoping handles, the Rockland London offers a unique look that will be easy to find on the baggage claim conveyor belt.
Essential Features to Consider in the Best Hardside Luggage Sets
When shopping for the best hardside luggage sets, several key features or options should be considered before you make your purchase. This guide breaks down the decision criteria for these considerations below to help determine your specific needs in a hard case luggage set.
Which sizes of bags do you need?
Luggage sets can include many different sizes of bags. They cater to different tastes and preferences. Suppose you plan an international trip or even multiple trips in your home country involving several flights. In that case, you may focus on larger suitcases that offer a spacious interior to fit enough clothes for an extended period.
If you rarely take long trips and primarily travel with carry-on bags that you will put in an overhead compartment, finding the right combination of hard shell luggage complemented by some soft luggage options may be a better choice for your style of travel.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the pieces of luggage available in luggage sets, and the variety of options allows you to find the best combination of bags for great value if you need new luggage for travel.
Only Buy What You Will Use
The benefit of buying durable luggage sets is the value they can offer when buying multiple hard-shell suitcases simultaneously. The cost can be significantly higher when purchasing numerous bags by the piece individually, so there are significant savings when buying as a set.
Depending on your travel preferences and style, it’s easy to see a six-piece luggage set as an exceptional value for its price and to rush to make the purchase thinking you got a great deal. However, when you later consider that you seldom use the largest suitcase and don’t get much value out of the duffel bag or removable laundry bag, you may have gotten less of a deal than you thought.
Lightweight Materials
Hardside luggage is generally heavier than soft-sided luggage. With checked baggage weight being tracked closely by airlines, it’s sensible to be concerned with the weight of empty luggage as it will cut into your allowance in terms of what you can pack. Look for bags made of lightweight materials to optimize the weight of your bag.
Most hardside luggage is made of lightweight materials like polycarbonate plastic or abs plastic, which is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, which is a lightweight plastic. However, it’s worth considering that while lightweight helps meet baggage limits, it can sacrifice sturdiness and durability, so having a bag that can strike the right balance is essential.
Look for the Right Hardware
The best hardside luggage sets are often similar in style, features, and materials, though not all bags are identical. Be aware of the below standard hardware options to ensure you get the bags you need.
Telescopic Handle: One of the most common features on hardside luggage is a telescopic handle that can be extended to different settings to make it easy to push or pull your bag. While some models still don’t offer these, it is an essential that shouldn’t be missed.
TSA Locks: Gone are the days when you needed to buy a separate combination lock or key safety locks to loop through the zipper pulls on your bag. Instead, many bags come with TSA locks that can be set with a combination and still opened by government security agents during bag screening.
Multi-directional Spinner Wheels: The most critical advancement in luggage technology, multi-directional spinner wheels are the best versions of suitcase wheels to date. These allow bags to smoothly slide across the floors of airports, moving directions quickly and allowing for effortless movement of packed bags. While some bags still come with two single-direction wheels, these are rarer, and most bags sold these days are spinners.
Corner Guards: Some hardside bags are designed with corner guards to allow lighter materials to be used for the bulk of the bag, though corner guards offer protection at the most vulnerable parts of the luggage.
Dividers and Internal Straps: One of the best features inside hardside luggage is the straps and internal dividers that can often be found, unlike soft side luggage. If you are an organized traveler, internal dividers are essential for you.
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Tips for Your Purchase
Beyond the essential features mentioned above, below are some tips to help you make the right decision when looking for the best hardside luggage set.
Consider Different Color Options
Look around most airport baggage claims, and you will see primarily black luggage riding around the conveyor belts. While it’s often a great color that can hide marks and dirt, it can make it very difficult to spot your bags as they come out, requiring you to look closely at bags as they come around.
Today, luggage is offered in different colors, with bright colors making great choices for those who want to easily spot their bag as soon as it comes out on the conveyor belt.
Check the Weight of the Bags
Look into the luggage sets’ specifications to know the bags’ weight. If you are a traveler who likes to maximize their souvenir shopping while on vacation, look for lightweight luggage to allow you to make the most of your baggage limits.
Get the Right Accessories
Beyond just a luggage set, there are a few simple purchases that can extend the features of your luggage and make it easier to pack and find your bags.
Luggage Tags: Luggage tags are old in concept but still essential for finding a bag that is lost by an airline. Consider a unique design or color for your luggage tag to make it easier to spot your bag.
Packing Cubes: One of the modern traveler’s essential gear, packing cubes help to save space and keep your bag organized. These make for easy storage of smaller items, keeping everything in its place, even when your bag is tossed around.
Apple AirTag: The best way to track your bags or other key possessions remotely, clipping an Apple AirTag inside your luggage or carry-on bags is a great way to protect your bags and track lost luggage quickly.
Gift a Bag or Bags
There can be great luggage sets that come with extra bags and more than you need for your travel. In these cases, you may still get a great value buying a set for the bags that you want, and whether its an extra hardside suitcase or soft bags that come in the set, consider gifting a bag or two to a friend or family member that needs a bag as well.
Bottom Line
The above list of the best hardside luggage sets offers many designs and varieties in addition to feature differences that cater to specific travelers’ needs. Consider your packing and storage needs along with your travel style and preferences, as there are plenty of different ways to pack and different luggage sets to meet your needs.
