8 best wheeled suitcases UK 2021: make travel a breeze with one of these easily transportable travel bags
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Out of office on, holiday mode engaged. Pack all your essentials for your next trip away in some roomy wheeled luggage: we’ve rounded up eight of the best larger travel bags with wheels to take with you on your journeys, whether they’re for work or play, long weekends or big adventures.
Hard-cased suitcase, or soft?
We’ve reviewed both soft and hard cases for our round-up – the former are easier to store and to pack, and often have handy external pockets, but the latter are tougher and will protect fragile belongings.
What should I look for in a suitcase?
Whichever kind of bag you pick, we recommend choosing a design with zippable pockets and compartments inside, for easy packing and unpacking. If you want to be able to lock your bag, make sure the zips are compatible with small padlocks. Look for a sturdy telescopic handle, for easy rolling.
How many wheels?
Four wheels are better than two, for rolling your bag with ease. We recommend picking a bag in a darker colourway, so it doesn’t show scuffs and stains, and while good quality materials tend to be heavier than flimsy bags, do check the weight of your new bag – many airlines only allow checked-in luggage to weigh up to around 23kg, so any extra gram there means one less for your belongings.
What should I pay?
Wheeled luggage is one area where we recommend investing in something of good quality. Very cheap wheeled bags can be a bit of a false economy, and break quickly – if you want something durable and that will last you for many trips to come, look for a design priced at around the £100 mark.
Key specs – Weight: 3.9kg; Capacity: 79-83 litres; Colour options: 10
Antler’s Clifton doesn’t break the mould – this is a classic suitcase, done beautifully.
The hard shell is sturdy and knockproof, and the four swivelling wheels make moving with this bag effortless - you’ll barely know you’re pulling it along, even when it’s chock-full.
The Clifton sports a solid retractable handle with a swivelling grip, a built-in lock, an internal divider and zipped pockets, plus nice extra touches included a name tag and a storage bag.
A wide range of colours and three sizes are available, ideal for anyone who dreams of matchy-matchy luggage - we reviewed the medium and reckon it’s the perfect size, holding a few weeks’ worth of belongings.
Stylish, solid and well worth the spend.
Key specs – Weight: 4.2kg; Capacity: 104 litres; Colour options: 5
If you’re trying to make more eco-conscious shopping decisions, even your luggage can get in on the action – Samsonite’s new Magnum Eco Spinner bag is made in Europe using recycled materials (everything from yoghurt cups to ice cream tubs go in to make your shiny new luggage), and is packed in recycled packaging.
The Magnum comes in four different sizes, from the cabin bag-friendly 55cm to the roomy 81cm version – we recommend the 75cm incarnation, which offers masses of space for long-haul journeys inside a tough-as-nails hard case, and has four solid and spinnable wheels that make trundling along with it a dream.
Key specs – Weight: 3.03kg; Capacity: 78 litres; Colour options: 4
If you need a bag that can go further than the pavement or the airport departure hall, pick a wheelie bag that doubles up as a rucksack when needed.
Eastpak’s Strapverz stands out for its two comfortable padded and adjustable straps on the back – wheel it along on flat surfaces, then stick it on your shoulders when you hit more rugged ground.
Ideal for backpackers who like to head a little further off the beaten track, this pack will also hold 78 litres of kit and clothing – enough for most adventures.
We recommend picking the darker colourways, to avoid your Strapverz looking dirty.
Key specs – Weight: 3.6kg; Capacity: 64 litres; Colour options: 3
Why choose boring luggage when you could go for something bright and beautiful?
Radley’s popular trolley bags come in cheerful florals, polka dots or scotty dog designs, and they aren’t just a pretty face – we reviewed the medium-size hard suitcase, which sports an integrated lock, four sturdy wheels and a tough, knock-proof shell that will put up with getting popped in car boots and plane cargo holds without a fuss.
There are plenty of handy compartments and pockets inside, too – perfect when you’re packing for a long weekend.
Key specs – Weight: N/A; Capacity: 76 litres; Colour options: 6
Match your suitcase to your wheels with Mini’s smart new luggage collection.
We love the bright primary colours and solid design of Mini’s cabin and trolley bags, and our pick of the different sizes on offer is the larger Trolley.
A hard outer shell that will take knocks and scrapes, a sturdy extendable handle and four solid wheels make this bag ideal for frequent fliers and commuters who need something that’ll last. Inside, mesh compartments and compression straps make it easy to square all your belongings away.
There’s also an integrated lock, which saves remembering to bring your own.
Key specs – Weight: 3.2kg; Capacity: 100 litres; Colour options: 2
If you don’t like the looks of boxy, boring wheeled bags you may like Quiksilver’s take – a soft, rucksack style to the front of the Reach and a solid wheeled suitcase side on the back mean belongings are protected but it’s also easy to pack to the brim, and to store when empty.
The skate-style wheels are fun and functional and there are plenty of pockets and compression straps.
We like the comfy padded carrying strap, which makes it easy to pick up the Horizon on airport dashes, plus the roomy mesh zipped compartments and the sturdy handle.
Currently reduced to £50, this is a bargain.
Key specs – Weight: 4.1kg; Capacity: 100 litres; Colour options: 1
Do you like a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to bags? We think the Drake offers impressive quality considering it’s priced at well under £100.
We liked the front pocket for organising travel documents or small essentials, which make it easy to grab what you need on the go, and how easy the Drake was to transport, with a sturdy handle and a wide padded top strap.
This bag looks smart, too, in a soft grey fabric that is fully waterproof. Any downsides?
This is one of the heavier bags in our top eight, but it’s still a lovely all-rounder for under £100.
Key specs – Weight: 2.7kg; Capacity: 40 litres; Colour options: 3
A ‘duffel on wheels’, Osprey’s Transporter has all the brand’s rucksack know-how packed into its design, and we reckon it’s the perfect size for short trips and long weekends.
The Transporter stands out as one of the most durable and rugged designs on the market, with a sturdy handle and two large wheels that are able to take on rougher ground.
Inside, there’s a surprising amount of space, plus a wide mesh pocket in the lid that’s perfect for stashing toiletries or tech.
Away for more than a few days? Other sizes of the Transporter are available, up to a cavernous 90 litre version.