Introduction to Luggage: Materials, Sizes, and What Actually Matters
Three questions decide almost every suitcase purchase: what is it made of, how big is it, and are the wheels and handle any good? Most buyers stop at the first two. In our sample room, we've watched buyers pick the case up before they read a single spec line — weight tells them more than any brochure. This is the part of the buying guide nobody skips if they want the suitcase to survive year two — starting with the material, because it drives everything else.
Material: PC vs ABS vs Full Aluminum
The material of the suitcase directly determines its weight, toughness, and protective ability. Three families dominate the market, and they're not interchangeable.
1. PC (polycarbonate)
Features: currently the mainstream choice for high-end soft and hard luggage.
- Excellent toughness: the greatest advantage of PC is its flexibility. Under heavy pressure or impact, it won't break — it undergoes elastic deformation and returns to its original shape.
- Light weight: at the same size, PC cases are usually about 1.5–2 kilograms lighter than all-aluminum ones.
Disadvantages: the surface of pure PC is relatively prone to scratches. Then again, some travelers say scratches are just travel marks — the case has stories to tell.
2. ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer)
Features: the common material for entry-level hard cases. It's extremely hard, has good rigidity, feels solid when touched, and is usually much cheaper than PC.
Disadvantages: lack of toughness. Because ABS is brittle, violent transportation or heavy pressure can crack it — or even punch a direct hole through the shell. For long-term, frequent business trips, the lifespan of ABS is often shorter than that of pure PC.
3. Full aluminum-magnesium alloy
Features: the representative of industrial aesthetics and ultimate protection.
- Sturdiness and appearance: full-aluminum luggage boasts an unparalleled metallic texture and minimalist industrial design, with extremely high recognizability. It has the strongest compressive strength — you could jump on it a few times and it would basically not deform.
Disadvantages: heavy weight — even the empty box is much heavier than a PC box. It also marks easily: severe impact leaves indelible depressions that cannot be repaired. And it's poor value on paper — the manufacturing process is complex, and the price is usually 2 to 4 times that of a standard PC case of the same size.
So which one?
- If you want ultimate durability, portability, and a reasonable budget, pure PC is the best choice.
- If the budget is limited and the case gets used once or twice a year — say, the Spring Festival trip home — ABS or a PC/ABS mix will be sufficient.
- If you have no financial constraints, value a business-like appearance, and prefer point-to-point, chauffeur-driven transportation, the all-aluminum box can serve as a symbol of your status and taste.
How to Choose the Size
Size selection mainly depends on the number of travel days and whether the bag gets checked in.
20 inch
Specification: 34cm × 50cm × 20cm. Best for: short business trips or travels lasting 1 to 3 days. Feature: no luggage check-in needed — bring it straight onto the plane.
24 inch (and the 24–26 inch range)
Specification: 42cm × 68cm × 26cm. Best for: 3–7 day domestic tours or seasonal trips. Feature: the most common size for household use — it fits enough laundry for a week without being too large to move easily.
26–30 inch
Specification: 47cm × 78cm × 30cm. Best for: long-distance trips lasting more than 7 days, studying abroad, overseas shopping, or family outings.
Two honest warnings on the big sizes: once fully packed, a 26–30 inch case is very likely to exceed the airline's 20–23 kilogram free checked baggage allowance, and the overweight fee is relatively high. And portability — once filled, it is extremely heavy and may not fit in the trunk of some older cars.
Final Tip: Don't Forget the Wheels and Handle
Apart from material and size, pay attention to the wheels and the handlebars when you buy. Try to choose double-row universal silent wheels — smooth and quiet — and all-aluminum handlebars, which have low wobble and are less prone to breakage. Those two details are what you feel on every single trip, long after the shell finish has stopped mattering.
I hope this article helps you find the ideal travel companion.
About the Author
Written by the CLK Manufacturing Team — custom luggage OEM/ODM experience since 2009 from our factory in Ji'an, Jiangxi, China. Updated: 2026-08-15.
Related Products & Sourcing
CLK Luggage (Jiangxi Chengleke Leather Co., Ltd.) manufactures custom hard-shell luggage, aluminum-magnesium cases and luggage sets for brands, retailers and corporate clients. Relevant resources:
- Browse our luggage sets and custom OEM/ODM luggage manufacturing
- Why choose CLK — factory profile, quality control and certifications
- Get a quote: contact our team or email clkbusiness@clkluggage.com
PC vs ABS vs full aluminum-magnesium at a glance
| Material | Toughness and behaviour | Weight | Relative price | Where it wins | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC (polycarbonate) | PC's greatest advantage is its flexibility: under heavy pressure or impact it does not break, it undergoes elastic deformation and returns to its original shape | at the same size, PC cases are usually about 1.5–2 kilograms lighter than all-aluminum ones | reference point | the mainstream choice for high-end soft and hard luggage | the surface of pure PC is relatively prone to scratches |
| ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) | extremely hard with good rigidity, and it feels solid when touched, but it lacks toughness: violent transportation or heavy pressure can crack it or even punch a direct hole through the shell | not lighter than pure PC once service life is counted | usually much cheaper than PC | entry-level hard cases — sufficient if the case is used once or twice a year | for long-term, frequent business trips the lifespan of ABS is often shorter than that of pure PC |
| Full aluminum-magnesium alloy | the strongest compressive strength: you could jump on it a few times and it would basically not deform | much heavier than a PC box even when empty | usually 2 to 4 times that of a standard PC case of the same size | industrial aesthetics and ultimate protection — a symbol of status and taste | severe impact leaves indelible depressions that cannot be repaired |
Which size for which trip
| Size | External specification | Best for | Check-in needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 inch | 34cm × 50cm × 20cm | short business trips or travels lasting 1 to 3 days | no luggage check-in needed — bring it straight onto the plane |
| 24 inch (and the 24–26 inch range) | 42cm × 68cm × 26cm | 3–7 day domestic tours or seasonal trips | the most common size for household use — it fits enough laundry for a week without being too large to move easily |
| 26–30 inch | 47cm × 78cm × 30cm | long-distance trips lasting more than 7 days, studying abroad, overseas shopping, or family outings | once fully packed it is very likely to exceed the airline's 20–23 kilogram free checked baggage allowance, and the overweight fee is relatively high |
Frequently asked questions
So which material should a buyer actually pick?
If you want ultimate durability, portability and a reasonable budget, pure PC is the best choice. If the budget is limited and the case gets used once or twice a year — say the Spring Festival trip home — ABS or a PC/ABS mix will be sufficient. If you have no financial constraints, value a business-like appearance and prefer point-to-point, chauffeur-driven transportation, the all-aluminum box can serve as a symbol of your status and taste.
What else matters besides the shell material and the size?
The wheels and the handlebars. Try to choose double-row universal silent wheels, which are smooth and quiet, and all-aluminum handlebars, which have low wobble and are less prone to breakage. Those two details are what you feel on every single trip, long after the shell finish has stopped mattering.
What is the practical trap with the biggest sizes?
Portability. Once a 26–30 inch case is filled it is extremely heavy and may not fit in the trunk of some older cars — and it is very likely to exceed the airline's 20–23 kilogram free checked baggage allowance.
Related comparisons on this topic
Where to go next on materials
- luggage materials master guide — every shell material in one framework
- abs vs pc luggage which material is better — the most common material decision, head to head
- luggage definition history and buying guide — the buying factors that outrank material