I'm a fan of TravelPro - although my largest case is my 21" spinner. I've had my current set for about 10-ish years, and while I'm almost always carry-on-only, my spinner has occasionally been checked. The only issue I've ever had was a zipper pull falling off (on one of the occasions it was checked). The luggage has made scores of trips - both domestic and international.

If you want a hardside, I love my large Monos, which is also similar to Away. I honestly have not used it very often but it came as a great price when I wanted to buy their carryon size.

I’m also a big fan of TravelPro bags in general. It never failed me in many years of work travel.

Eagle Creek is another worth looking at for soft side. I have a 24” (not a spinner) that we use often as a shared checked bag if needed. That bag seems to hold more than anything you could imagine for its size and is very lightweight empty.

Are you sure you want to wrangle a bag that large? I’d look for something lightweight for sure.

" Are you sure you want to wrangle a bag that large? "

I go away for a month at a time once or twice a year; while I've done 4 weeks with a carry-on only, I didn't really like it. I am rethinking the spinner vs. 2 wheel thing, though - I go back and forth at least once a week. Spinners are great for crowded airports and sidewalks, but lousy on carpet and cobbles/ribbed flooring.

TV, I hear you on that point! I was so used to the 2 wheeled bags I have had a hard time with spinners for the same reason. I’d rather have one I can manage vs one that takes more time and effort, no matter what size it is. And fwiw I think a 2-wheel bag is much easier on an escalator. Ymmv.

It’s another reason I favor my old Eagle Creek bag over some of the others I currently have. Plus it is not a clam shell, so you have this big empty well to stack stuff plus outside pockets. I don’t even know if they still make one like it. My old TravelPro’s were 22” and I had a 24” years ago that is gone now.

I've used Travel Pro for years and they have held up without any issues. Granted I'm not frequent traveler but it did go to Europe 3 times. I just bought a carry on size that I can lift for over nights in NYC.

A word about hardsided luggage: it's much more likely to be damaged by baggage handlers and baggage machines.

" A word about hardsided luggage: it's much more likely to be damaged by baggage handlers and baggage machines. "

That's always been my guess - I prefer soft-sided. I bought a hardsided case once because I needed an inexpensive replacement for a rolling duffel that broke while on vacation. I hated it. I donated it when I returned, and bought a new rolling duffel.

Actually, I'm going to try my next trip with that rolling duffel and see if I really need the larger 26" bag I started this thread about. I appreciate all the recommendations, and think a TravelPro will work well, if it turns out I do need the larger bag as well.

We switched from soft-sided to hard luggage after a flight delay in Paris on our way from Marseille to Amsterdam when we were living in NL. Our bags sat out in the pouring rain on the tarmac at CDG and when KLM delivered them to us the next day at home, everything in them was soaking wet. We were grateful to get our bags and that it was at the end of our trip and not the beginning.

My set of Samsonite hard-side luggages bought over 30 years ago still retain their shapes, no cracks, with lots of exterior scratches from many travels. I still use them when the needs arise. Though I doubt even Samsonite today makes the same high quality luggages as in years past.

@seagrass_gw Cape Cod - I've experienced the rained-on luggage, but my TravelPro kept my stuff dry. Sorry that happened to you!

@palisades_ - the luggage of 30 years ago is much heavier & thicker than today's. I travel light, and with weight limits on luggage (including carry-ons), I would rather have much lighter luggage so I can use the weight for my clothes and other items.