I believe that lightweight travel is all about the minimalist approach. The less you’re lugging around, the less stress that’s going to be involved when hopping from one destination to the next. Now, some trips require a little more than a backpack or lightweight travel courier, and this is where lightweight suitcases come in. A good lightweight suitcase should be light, obviously, but it should not compromise on quality just because it weighs less than a standard suitcase.
Lightweight suitcases can be either hardside of softside. You’re going to find that hardside lightweight luggage is made of high-tech materials like ABS coated polycarbonate. These materials are tough but flexible so they won’t break when stacked, thrown around, and crushed. The frames are made of aluminum and aluminum alloys. These alloys are very tough for their weight. Despite all of this toughness, these suitcases are still quite light, and can weight as little as 6 lbs when empty.
Softsided lightweight suitcases are equally tough, though slightly less crush resistant. This doesn’t mean they are easily crushed; they are actually quite rigid, but they’re obviously a little less strong than their hardsided cousin. Cheap lightweight suitcases will often be made of a thin, single-weave nylon, while the best lightweight suitcases are made from heavier materials like Cordura, or ballistic nylon combined with ripstp nylon, or leather. At the very least, even cheap luggage will use one of these tougher materials on the bottom to reduce wear-through due to their abrasion-resistant properties.
If you need a lightweight rolling suitcase, finding one shouldn’t be a problem. It is rare for these suitcases to not have wheels. As a matter of fact, their construction is all pretty similar in that they have wheels on one end, and a pull handle at the other, but also a handle on the side so it can be carried in the traditional manner. Similarly, if you’re looking for a lightweight carry on suitcase, pretty much any lightweight luggage is going to fit the bill because part of being lightweight is being compact.
As with anything, you’re going to get what you pay for here. If you spend a couple hundred bucks on a real quality luggage set, it’s going to last for quite sometime. If you don’t want to spend the cash right away, you may find yourself replacing your luggage often, unless you don’t travel frequently. On that note, there’s no point in spending a ton of money up front if you only travel once or twice a year. You can find a solid lightweight suitcase for under a hundred bucks and it will probably last you plenty of trips.