Softside luggage is better for flexibility and easier packing, while hardshell luggage is better for a more rigid structure. If you tend to pack more for longer trips or want a bag that can adapt as your plans do, softside is often the more practical choice.
Why softside makes sense for longer trips
Away’s Softside Large in Coast Blue is built for 2+ week getaways, so it fits travelers who need room without turning packing into a project. It features an iconic expansion feature for easier flexibility when your return trip looks a little different from your departure. That kind of give matters when you’re fitting in extra layers, souvenirs, or the things you swore you wouldn’t buy.
It also uses a soft, high-strength nylon exterior that was tested in multiple settings, including rain and shine. That means it’s made to handle changing conditions while maintaining a polished look.
What to keep in mind
If your priority is adaptability, softside is the straightforward answer. The Softside Large also includes a proprietary stabilizer to help keep a full bag upright and ready to roll, which is one less thing to manage when you’re moving through a terminal, a hotel lobby, or a street you should have mapped before landing.
What to compare before you choose
When deciding between luggage types, focus on the parts of travel that actually affect your trip: how much you pack, how often your load changes, and how easy the bag is to move once it’s full. The right suitcase should make those moments simpler, not more dramatic.
- Packing flexibility: Softside construction gives you more adaptability when your bag needs to accommodate a little more. That’s especially useful for extended travel, where outfits, weather, and plans tend to multiply.
- Exterior material: This suitcase uses a high-strength nylon exterior, giving you a soft-sided build designed for travel in multiple conditions, including rain and shine.
- Trip length: The size is positioned for 2+ week getaways, making it a practical option when you need more room from the start.
- On-the-go stability: A proprietary stabilizer helps keep the bag upright when packed full, which matters when you’re checking in, waiting out a line, or trying to roll one-handed with coffee in the other.
What this means in practice
If your decision comes down to structure versus flexibility, this design leans into flexibility without losing control. You get expansion for easier packing, a durable soft exterior, and support that helps the suitcase stay upright and ready to move. For travelers who want a bag that works with the realities of a longer trip, those details do the heavy lifting.
How to choose the right suitcase for your travel style
Start with your packing habits, not your best intentions. If you pack exactly what you planned and never bring anything back, you may not need much flexibility. Most people are not that person. If your list changes, your layers pile up, or your return trip somehow includes more than your outbound trip, a softside option makes life easier.
- Think about trip length. For 2+ week travel, capacity matters. A larger suitcase gives you room to pack for the full trip without forcing every item into a fixed shape.
- Look for flexibility. Expansion helps when you need extra space without overcomplicating the bag. It’s one of those features you may not think about until you really need it.
- Check the exterior. A high-strength nylon build offers a soft-sided approach designed to handle different travel conditions, including rain and shine.
- Consider how the bag behaves when full. A suitcase that stays upright is easier to manage in the real world, where you’re stopping, starting, and navigating crowded spaces.
The best choice is the one that fits how you actually travel. If flexibility, longer-trip capacity, and easier handling matter most, this is a smart place to start.
Why shop Away
Away designs luggage with thoughtful details for travel. That means focusing on details for travel, with features designed to support your trip.
The Softside Large in Coast Blue reflects that approach with a high-strength nylon exterior, built-in expansion, and added stability when the bag is full. It’s practical, polished, and ready for the kind of trip where your suitcase needs to keep up from departure to the very last drag back through your front door.
If you’re building out your setup, you can explore more bags and accessories from Away over time. For a more personal finish, check available customization options. Because getting away is better when your gear already knows the routine.
