The BEST Rolling Baggage of 2023

After destroying the wheels of two spinner suitcases on the cobblestones in Germany, I’ve learned the value of investing in high-quality luggage that’s built to last. If you’re looking for the most durable luggage out there, two-wheeled rolling luggage is your best bet.

From business trips to Malaysia to safaris in South Africa, I have experience with many different kinds of travel. I’ve hauled luggage over some pretty unforgiving surfaces, and I know how important it is to have a durable, well-built suitcase you can count on when you’re far from home.

Before we dive into a list of the best rolling luggage, it’s important to understand the difference between roller and spinner luggage.

• Spinner luggage has four spinner wheels that can rotate 360-degrees so you can push the bag in any direction and it will roll smoothly.
• Rolling suitcases, also known as rollaboards, have two wheels that are mounted at fixed points on the suitcase with an extendable handle that lets you pull them behind you.

Luggage with spinner wheels have become much more popular, but there are many advantages of rollaboards. These include better durability, easier rolling on rough surfaces, and even improved ergonomics.

One thing to note is that you can’t really find rollaboard hard shell luggage these days. If you want the advantages of two sturdy wheels, you’ll need to focus on soft sided bags.

Now that you know the specifics of rolling luggage, I’m sure you’re ready to dive right into the top picks. This article will highlight the best rolling luggage for various categories and unpack the details and specs of each one.

In 1987 Bob Plath, an airline pilot and the founder of Travelpro, invented the rollaboard suitcase by attaching two wheels and an extendable handle.

That’s right, the Travelpro brand was built by the inventor of rollaboard luggage, so it’s no surprise that the best rolling luggage comes from Travelpro.

When Plath started making luggage, he initially marketed them to fellow flight crews. Soon, though, the idea took off and travelers around the world started using wheeled luggage based on his original design.

One of the key benefits of rollaboard luggage is durability. Four-wheel spinners are much more complicated and fragile than the securely-mounted wheels of 2-wheel luggage. The best rolling luggage needs to make the most of this advantage with extremely durable and long-lasting construction.

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 knocks this out of the park with durable materials, well-engineered wheels, and excellent quality construction. Compared to pretty much any spinner suitcase with four wheels, the wheels on this bag feel absolutely bomber.

Of course, any component is going to wear out over time. The Maxlite 5 addresses this with easily replaceable wheels that you can buy from their parts catalog. I love seeing luggage brands give you the ability to make your bag last forever.

The Maxlite pro also has a good assortment of internal and external zippered pockets and compression straps. Frequent travelers know how much good organization can make travel easier.

While this medium 26” bag is intended for checked luggage, the Maxlite 5 is also available in a smaller carry-on bag.

All Travelpro products have a 100-day trial where your can return for now cost and are covered by a great limited lifetime warranty.

If you’re going to be hauling your suitcase across cobblestone streets in Europe or even rougher paths around the world, this durable rollaboard suitcase won’t disappoint. 

Who is the manufacturer? What do they specialize in? For what do they stand? What kind of people do they make products for?

AmazonBasics makes a lot of inexpensive, functional items that are fantastic for people looking to save money while still getting a descent product.

Good budget rolling luggage should ideally cost less than $100 while still providing good performance and longevity. In my opinion, rollaboards are better budget choice than luggage with 360-degree spinner wheels. When manufacturers cut costs on spinner wheels, they are even more likely to break during use.

AmazonBasics Softside Luggage is very affordable, and still packs in a lot of great features, making it the best rolling luggage for anyone on a budget.

You should be aware that with a piece of luggage this inexpensive, you won’t get the same quality and craftsmanship as higher-end brands. The weak point here will be the zippers. If you are only traveling occasionally, though, this budget bag should do the job.

The built-in TSA-approved lock is a feature you normally see in more expensive suitcases. It makes this bag more secure while you’re traveling.

This softside rolling suitcase is available in 28”, 24”, and 21.6” sizes, so whether you need a checked or carry-on bag, you’ll be able to get one that fits your needs.

Bric’s is an Italian family-owned business that originally started making premium leather bags in 1952. They specialize in exceptional craftsmanship and making beautiful products that stand the test of time.

If you’re traveling the world, you want a rugged carry-on bag that is as lightweight as possible so it doesn’t weigh you down when tossing your luggage into overhead bins or hauling it through cities.

Bric’s X-Travel product line is a collection of utilitarian travel bags with adventure-ready styling and features. The X-Travel Montagne Trolley is a rolling carry-on weighs in at just five pounds, cutting down the weight you have to carry around.

The exterior of the Montagne Trolley is made of a durable polyamide fabric with a thick PVC coating. This makes it extremely water resistant so all your belongings are protected when you encounter monsoon season in Southeast Asia or blizzards in New England.

With a compact size of 20”x13”x8”, this softside luggage is easily small enough to fit carry-on size restrictions for virtually any flight in the world. You’ll never need to worry about showing up to the gate only to be told you have to check your bag because it’s too big.

The flip side is that this bag will be a bit small for many people. If you aren’t a light packer, you may want to look for a bigger carry-on with a bit more packing space.

On the outside of the bag you have multiple compartments for easy access to anything you may need when traveling. I hate digging around inside my bag for something, so this is a very welcome feature.

In my view, if you’re looking for the best lightweight luggage for a rolling international carry-on, you can’t go wrong with the X-Travel Montagne Trolley.

Briggs & Riley is one of the world’s premier luggage manufacturers. While their products are more expensive than most of the options on this list, the price is worth it if you’re looking for the absolute best in quality and durability.

Briggs & Riley backs up their products with a true lifetime warranty that’s one of the best in the business. So if you invest in one of their products, you can rest assured knowing you’re getting a suitcase for life.

This is fantastic news for anyone looking for the best carry-on luggage. If you’re a frequent flier, you know that carry-ons take a lot of abuse. From shoving them into a tight overhead compartment to dragging them over rough surfaces, we ask a lot from them.

It stands to reason that, if you’re traveling frequently, you want a high-quality carry-on that can stand up to everything you throw at it.

The Briggs & Riley Baseline 22” carry-on is built to stand the test of time. With rugged construction, ample packing space, and clean styling, this carry-on is ready for wherever your journey takes you.

The expandable design lets you turn this into a bigger carry-on by opening up a zipper around the side. This feature adds a lot of versatility and lets you grow or shrink the size of the bag for different trips.

If you need a durable rolling carry-on that will last a lifetime, the Briggs & Riley Baseline has you covered with its great build quality and warranty.

Db is an innovative Scandinavian manufacturer with innovative designs and high quality that make them one of the best luggage brands out there.

One thing I love about Db is their commitment to environmental stewardship. Many brands talk the talk, but few implement really meaningful policies geared toward sustainability. 

When it comes to checked luggage, you need a suitcase that provides durable protection for your belongings. We all know airline baggage handlers are far from gentle. You also want to have plenty of storage space for everything you’ll need on your trip.

The Db Hugger Rollerbag is a durable, padded, and highly protective rolling checked suitcase. Its innovative design is simple and incredibly utilitarian. With 90 liters of space, it swallows big loads for any trip.

This bag has padded sides and an embedded ABS skeleton that adds protection and structure. You can rest assured during your travel that your belongings are safe from damage.

For big checked bags, it makes even more sense to choose a roller rather than more breakable spinner wheels. The Db Hugger is an ultra-durable option that’s big enough to carry everything you need for longer trips.

Travelpro makes multiple appearances in this list, and it’s for good reason. Having invented the rollaboard category, they know a thing or two about making durable and functional rolling luggage.

While suitcases with spinner wheels have started to dominate the luggage, one place you won’t find them is in duffel bags.

Duffel bags are fantastic for their ability to swallow massive amounts of gear with ease. They are also very versatile from packing clothes for a family of four to hauling climbing gear to a remote destination.

A good rolling duffel should have cavernous space and wide zippered openings to give access to the contents.

The Travelpro Bold Duffel is a rugged bag with lots of room and lots of zippers. The durability, ease of access, and versatile design make this a fantastic choice for a large rolling duffel.

This duffel is built from burly high-density polyester fabric and has beefed-up handles and compression straps. It’s ultra-durable and water-resistant.

The massive main compartment can be separated with a zippered divider or opened up to give you one massive space. This adds versatility for packing different types of loads.

The bag features one long all-around zipper and several other zippered access points. It’s easy to get into the contents and access what you need.

This bulky duffel isn’t for everyone, but if you need space and durability, it’s a great choice.

July is dedicated to building products that improve the travel experience. They started their design process by reading thousands of reviews for existing products and setting out to solve the problems they saw.

If you need multiple suitcases, it makes a lot of sense to buy a luggage set. You save money over buying bags individually, and having matching suitcases makes it easy to identify which ones are yours on the baggage claim.

The July Family Luggage Set technically has spinner wheels rather than roller design, but there aren’t really rollaboard sets on the market, and this fantastic set has a lot going for it.

This set comes with a carry-on, a medium checked bag, and a large checked bag. These cases will keep you ready for trips of any length.

Each suitcase is built with a durable polycarbonate shell that has aluminum-reinforced corners. These cases are truly built to last a lifetime.

The built-in combination lock in each suitcase keeps your belongings secure and protected.

July cases have a hidden laundry bag built inside. This helps keep your dirty clothes separated and out of the way when you travel.

While 360-degree spinner wheels are less durable in general, July set out to change that with their design. They designed their own double spinner wheels from scratch and used steel ball bearings and advanced engineering to make a spinner bag that will last on rough surfaces.

Okay, yes, it’s another Travelpro bag. You’re probably getting the point by now that specifically when it comes to two-wheeled rolling suitcases, this brand is one of the best in the business.

Sometimes you just don’t need the room of a bigger carry-on. Or maybe you need just a bit more room, but not enough to justify checking a bag. Or maybe you’re flying on a budget airline that charges fees for carry-ons in the overhead bin.

An underseat carry-on is designed to fit the size restrictions for personal item, meaning it doesn’t count as your main carry-on in the overhead bin. 

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat Bag has many of the same features as their larger suitcases in a compact package. With well-designed low-profile wheels, it makes much better use of space than spinner wheels and provides a surprising amount of packing volume.

It has a padded laptop sleeve for protecting your electronics. This works well for providing easy access to your devices as you travel.

If you’re traveling super light or just need an extra bag for small items, the Maxlite 5 Underseat Bag is a reliable choice.

American Tourister is one of the largest mainstream luggage brands in the world. While they don’t offer the same craftsmanship as some of the smaller brands, they have a huge range of products available for affordable prices.

Kids luggage needs to be simple, fun, and inexpensive, since they’ll be outgrowing it at some point. If you’re traveling with kids it’s definitely nice to have small bags they can pull along themselves.

The American Tourister Kid’s 18” suitcase fits the bill perfectly. It’s small enough for little ones to tote behind them and has just the right amount of storage and organization.

You also won’t be breaking the bank getting luggage for your kids. Traveling with a family is expensive enough, so anywhere you can save some cash is welcome.

The fact that it comes in a variety of fun colorways with Disney character prints is an added bonus that makes it fun for little travelers. 

Samsonite is probably the largest and most well-known luggage brand in the world. They’ve been making luggage since 1910, and build well-thought-out products for all travelers.

If you are looking for a small rolling carry-on, a roller uses space more efficiently than a spinner bag. You’ll also want good storage options for a laptop, tablet, or other devices.

The Samsonite Ascella is a simple, well-designed small rollaboard with sturdy materials and excellent features.

The padded laptop sleeve fits up to 15” screens and is easy to access. This makes the Ascella a perfect choice to use as a laptop bag during your travels.

There is an internal compression system and an array of zipped pockets. This helps you keep the contents neat and organized on your trip.

It’s hard to go wrong with Samsonite luggage, and this small suitcase is simple, well-built, and highly functional.

Eagle Creek is a manufacturer that has built a reputation on making travel gear that lasts forever. They use burly materials, and their “No Matter What Warranty” beats out the typical limited lifetime warranty you find from most brands.

Sometimes you need a travel bag that can carry everything but the kitchen sink. Whether you’re packing for a family or hauling all your worldly possessions for a move across the globe, having one massive bag is simpler than trying to use multiple smaller ones.

For large rolling luggage, durability is paramount. You’ll be hauling heavy loads and need bomber construction that will stand up to the stress.

The Eagle Creek Expanse is a massive rolling duffel that keeps things simple with one cavernous main compartment and a few zippered pockets for small items.

With ultra-durable wheels, thick Cordura-like fabric, and big YKK zippers, this giant duffel is ready to haul whatever you put in it wherever you need to go.

It’s nothing fancy, but the combination of immense space and legendary durability makes this pick a no-brainer when you’re hauling big loads.

This is another brand that shows up multiple times in this list, and for good reason. Their Baseline collection is a great example of how a brand can take a simple design concept and refine it.

Garment bags are designed specifically for traveling with suits, dresses, or other clothing you don’t just want to roll up and stuff in.

A good rolling garment bag needs to have a bracket for hanging clothes and a good folding system to keep garments wrinkle-free. You also want good zippered compartments for shoes, belts, and other accessories.

The Baseline Garment Bag has a fantastic design for carrying formal and business attire. It also goes above and beyond the basic function by providing an additional flat-pack compartment for more storage and tons of highly functional pockets for smaller items.

The hanging storage setup is superb, with a tri-fold compression system. This helps ensure your hanging clothes are protected and uncrumpled.

This carry-on garment bag is pretty unique in that it is vertical when you’re rolling it. This makes it easier to maneuver in crowded airports than traditional horizontal garment bags.

If you need to travel with a suit or dress, the Baseline is a fantastic choice.

Monos is a Canadian brand that puts their focus on building simple, streamlined cases with outstanding quality and longevity. I love their brand ethos of minimalist design and uncompromising quality.

There aren’t any two-wheel hardsided luggage options out there anymore, but if you are looking for a high-quality hard suitcase, I’d go with Monos. They build some of the best hardside luggage out there. 

With a beautiful streamlined design, a durable polycarbonate shell, and thoughtful features, the Monos Check-In Medium checks all the boxes for a fantastic hard shell bag.

This case has a sturdy aluminum handle, and the four spinner wheels are high-quality Japanese-made ones. Monos does extensive reliability testing to ensure their cases will stand up to the abuse of travel.

A combination lock is built into the polycarbonate shell. This makes for a highly-secure design that protects your belongings.

Rather than trying to stand out with bells and whistles, this hard case focuses on excelling at the basics.

Delsey is a Paris-based brand that aims to blend traditional elegance with modern innovation in their designs. They also place emphasis on having the best quality-to-price ratio in the luggage market.

Softside luggage can be more lightweight and versatile than hard shell luggage. The best soft shell luggage should maximize these benefits with lots of easy-access pockets and options for expanding the size.

While most of the options on this list are softshells, the Delsey SkyMax 2.0 stands out with its understated elegant design and functional features.

This bag has three external pockets including a side pocket that’s perfect for carrying a water bottle on the go. This easy-to-overlook feature is super convenient for staying hydrated while traveling.

At just 5.9 lbs, this bag is quite lightweight. For a carry-on this means it’s easier to lift into the overhead bin and drag through the airport.

It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty so you can count on getting your money’s worth.

The SkyMax is a simple, well-thought-out softshell bag that comes in at a surprisingly affordable price.

If you’re venturing far from cities and pavement, dragging a wheeled suitcase behind you makes a lot less sense than a backpack. In the airport, though, having wheels is much more convenient and comfortable.

The solution is to get a convertible backpack with wheels. This type of design gives you tons of versatility and options while you travel.

The Eagle Creek Gear Warrior stands out in this category with comfortable shoulder and hip straps that can comfortably carry weight and big wheels that can handle rough terrain.

The straps can be tucked away when you’re in the airport. This makes the bag easy to maneuver and toss into overhead bins.

The bag also has a small external compartment that can be detached to become a smaller backpack. This is super convenient for having a bag you can take on day trips.

For a versatile transformer-like backpack, this bag is ready to handle trips off the beaten path.

It’s only fitting to wrap up this list with one final Travelpro product. The original rollaboard suitcase was built specifically for flight crews, and Travelpro continues that heritage with well-built luggage that fits the needs of flight crews.

Pilots and flight attendants use their luggage every day, so above all they need carry-on suitcases that will last. This means durable wheels, rugged materials, and high-quality construction. 

The Travelpro Platinum Elite series is designed for frequent flyers and combines durable construction with premium materials and thoughtful design.

This bag is available in a variety of sizes to fit international, domestic, or personal item carry-on size limits. You can get one that’s perfectly sized to your needs.

It has an integrated USB port with a dedicated pocket for adding your own battery pack. This feature makes keeping devices charged simple and streamlined.

For professionals who are most demanding on their luggage, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is a fantastic, highly-durable option.

How to Choose the Best Rolling Luggage

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing new rolling luggage. Your choice will depend on your type of travel and personal style. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind as you do your research.

Size

The first important decision when shopping for new luggage is determining what size you need. The main factor will be whether you’re looking for a carry-on or checked bag.

Carry-on luggage is generally restricted to 22” max height for domestic flights or 21” for international flights. If you want one carry-on that can fulfill multiple uses, you’ll want a smaller one that can be used for all airlines.

Checked luggage is generally restricted to 62 total linear inches. You get the linear inches by adding the depth, width, and height together. For example, a bag that measures 30” x 18” x 9” would be a total of 57 linear inches.

It can be possible to check larger items, but they may require additional fees.

Durability

Above all, you want a roller bag that will withstand the abuse of travel and give you years of use.

Rolling luggage automatically has the advantage here. Two larger fixed-mount wheels are going to be much more durable than 360-degree spinner wheels.

Look for bags that feature heavy-duty materials, sturdy metal handles, and YKK-branded zippers.

Warranty

With enough use, any luggage will wear out with enough time and abuse. If a manufacturer offers a good warranty, it can give you some peace of mind that your investment will last.

Most good brands offer a limited lifetime warranty that cover defects and offer replacement for a limited time. Some brands stand out with

Rolling Luggage Accessories

A good travel setup involves more than just a suitcase. Here are some of the best accessories to improve your travel experience. 

Monos Compressible Packing Cubes

It can be challenging to keep the main compartment of your suitcase neat and organized. It seems that no matter what you try, it always turns into a jumbled mess.

These zippered packing cubes are fantastic for keeping your suitcase organized. They come in sets of four or six with an array of different sizes to hold everything from socks to shirts.

The mesh front panel makes it easy to see what is inside each packing cube.

If you want to up your organization game while traveling, these are a fantastic choice.

Away Small Toiletry Bag

This small zippered bag works well for keeping all your toiletries organized and in one place.

One external zippered pocket and a transparent internal divider make it easy to see and access all your toiletries. Though it’s definitely compact, you’ll be surprised at how much fits in this little bag.

The small size is perfect for light packers, but if you need a bit more space, you can check out Away’s Large Toiletry Bag.

July Tech Kit

It can be hard to keep track of small electronic items like cables, headphones, and chargers. I usually find myself stuffing them into my pockets or losing them deep in my luggage and having to dig them out.

This little case gives you a dedicated place for those small, easy-to-lose items. With room for earbuds, chargers, cables, a usb battery bank, and a pen/stylus, you won’t have to worry about losing anything.

The transparent plastic case protects your electronics while making it easy to see what’s inside, while elastic holders keep everything secure and organized.

Why Trust TravelFreak?

When it comes to gear recommendations, we are dedicated to finding the best options on the market. We never recommend products we don’t actually like ourselves. Our team is made of avid travelers and obsessive gearheads, with decades of combined travel experience.

All of our expert recommendations are based on our personal experience using the products while exploring the world. We’ve tested dozens of luggage brands and delved deep into the specs and features of each.

As a product engineer, I’ve personally learned a lot about what it takes to build something that can stand up to daily wear and tear. My travels around the world have shown me first-hand the abuse that luggage takes and what designs last the longest. The suitcases on this list are picked not only for their features and style, but for their build quality and durability.

We’ve done the homework for you. Our expert picks combine top-of-the-line build quality with convenient features that will make your travel experience that much more enjoyable.

Best Rolling Luggage FAQs