Updated August 2026.
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If you’re shopping for a hardshell suitcase, you’ve seen two materials listed everywhere: ABS and polycarbonate. Both are rigid plastics used in luggage shells, and both look similar on a store shelf. The difference is in how they handle abuse – specifically, what happens when a baggage handler tosses your bag onto a concrete tarmac.
The short version: polycarbonate is stronger, lighter, and more expensive. ABS is cheaper, heavier, and works fine for most travelers. Here’s the full breakdown.
What is ABS?
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is the most common plastic in budget luggage. It’s the same material used in LEGO bricks, motorcycle helmets, and keyboard keycaps. It’s rigid, holds shape well, and costs significantly less to manufacture than polycarbonate.
In luggage, ABS shells are molded into shape and typically range from 1-3mm thick. The thicker the shell, the stronger – but also heavier. Budget luggage makers often use thinner ABS to save weight and cost, which is why a $35 carry-on feels flimsy compared to a $100 one. Both are ABS; the difference is in how much material they used.
ABS is rigid but not flexible. When you press on an ABS shell, it resists until it reaches its breaking point, then cracks or shatters. It doesn’t bounce back. Think of dropping a LEGO brick from waist height – it might survive, but drop it from higher and it’ll crack at the corners.
What is Polycarbonate?
Polycarbonate is the material used in bulletproof windows, aircraft canopies, and high-end safety glasses. It’s significantly stronger than ABS per unit of weight, and its defining characteristic is flexibility – polycarbonate bends under pressure and springs back to its original shape.
Press on a polycarbonate suitcase shell and it dents inward. Release it and it pops back. This flex-and-recover behavior is why polycarbonate luggage survives baggage handling that would crack an ABS shell. The material absorbs impact energy by deforming temporarily, rather than resisting until it breaks.
Polycarbonate is also lighter than ABS at equivalent strength. A polycarbonate shell can be thinner while maintaining the same impact resistance, which is why premium luggage brands use it – the bag weighs less, which leaves more of your airline weight allowance for actual stuff.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Impact resistance. Polycarbonate wins decisively. It’s roughly 250 times more impact resistant than glass and significantly tougher than ABS. Drop a polycarbonate bag from a baggage carousel and it dents and bounces back. Drop an ABS bag and you might find a crack at the corner. For checked luggage that gets thrown, stacked, and dropped by handlers, polycarbonate is the safer choice.
Weight. Polycarbonate is lighter. A polycarbonate carry-on typically weighs 6-7 lbs, while an equivalent ABS carry-on weighs 7-8 lbs. The difference is about 1 lb – noticeable if you’re packing to an airline’s carry-on weight limit, less noticeable in daily handling.
Scratch resistance. ABS wins slightly here. ABS shells are harder on the surface and resist light scratches better than polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is more prone to surface scratching, though textured finishes (which most luggage uses) hide scratches on both materials. Neither material is scratch-proof.
Temperature tolerance. Both handle airport tarmac heat and cargo hold cold without issues. Polycarbonate has a wider temperature range before deforming. ABS can become brittle in extreme cold – relevant if your luggage sits on an outdoor tarmac in Scandinavian winter, but not a real concern for most travel.
Price. ABS is cheaper. Budget carry-ons (Rockland, Coolife, Wrangler) use ABS and cost $30-60. Polycarbonate carry-ons (Samsonite Freeform, Away, Calpak) start around $100 and go up from there. The material cost difference is real – polycarbonate costs 2-3x more than ABS to manufacture.
Longevity. Polycarbonate luggage lasts longer under regular use. The flex-and-recover behavior means the shell doesn’t accumulate stress fractures over time. ABS accumulates micro-cracks with each impact, weakening progressively. For travelers who fly 10+ times per year and check bags, polycarbonate is the investment that pays off. For 2-3 trips per year, ABS holds up fine.
ABS+PC Blends
Many mid-range suitcases use an ABS/polycarbonate blend (labeled “ABS+PC” or “PC/ABS”). This combines some of polycarbonate’s flexibility with ABS’s lower cost. Blends are typically 60-80% ABS and 20-40% polycarbonate.
The result is a shell that’s tougher than pure ABS but not as flexible as pure polycarbonate. It sits in the price middle ground too – bags like the Coolife hardshell carry-on use ABS+PC blends and cost $50-80.
ABS+PC blends are a legitimate middle option. They’re not a marketing gimmick – the polycarbonate content genuinely improves impact resistance. If you’re choosing between a pure ABS bag at $40 and an ABS+PC blend at $60, the blend is worth the extra $20.
What About Other Materials?
Polypropylene. Used by a few brands (notably Samsonite’s S’Cure line and some RIMOWA models). Lighter than both ABS and polycarbonate, extremely impact-resistant, but harder to mold into complex shapes. It’s a premium material that you’ll find on $200+ luggage.
Aluminum. RIMOWA’s signature material. Dents permanently (no flex-back), weighs more than any plastic, and costs significantly more. Aluminum luggage is a style choice, not a performance one. It looks incredible when new and develops a well-traveled patina over time – but functionally, polycarbonate outperforms it.
Curv/self-reinforced polypropylene. Used in Samsonite’s premium Cosmolite line. Extremely lightweight and strong. A Cosmolite carry-on weighs under 5 lbs, which is remarkable. The trade-off is price: Cosmolite bags cost several times what a comparable ABS carry-on does.
Hard Shell vs. Soft Side
Everything above assumes a molded shell. The other half of the aisle is soft-side luggage, built from nylon, polyester or ballistic fabric over a frame, and five things separate the two categories.
Price. Soft side is usually the cheaper buy. A molded shell, spinner hardware and reinforced corners all add cost, so like for like a hardside carry-on lists above its fabric equivalent.
Weight. Closer than it looks. Fabric is light, but modern ABS and polycarbonate shells are light too, and the wheels and handle assembly account for more of the total than the shell does. Compare listed weights bag by bag rather than by category.
Protection. A hard shell wins on water and on crush resistance, and polycarbonate in particular flexes and returns instead of cracking. Soft side absorbs a knock rather than transmitting it, and a scuffed fabric panel shows less than a gouged shell.
Packing. Soft side gives you exterior pockets and a little give when the bag is full, which is often the difference between closing it and repacking it. Hard shells split into two equal halves with compression straps, which is tidier but fixed.
Durability. Both hold up. Fabric bags fail at seams and zippers, hard shells fail at wheels and hinges. Whichever you buy, the failure point is almost never the material itself.
Which Should You Buy?
For occasional travel (1-5 trips per year) and primarily carry-on use: ABS is fine. Your bag isn’t getting checked often, so impact resistance matters less. Save the money and buy a well-reviewed ABS carry-on under $60. Our budget carry-on guide covers the best options.
A rigid ABS shell at a price no polycarbonate carry-on matches, which is the whole argument for a traveler who flies a few times a year and rarely checks a bag.
$50.99 on Amazon (price may vary)
For frequent travel (10+ trips per year) or regular checked bags: polycarbonate is worth the investment. The flex-recovery behavior protects your belongings through hundreds of baggage handling cycles. Something like the Samsonite Freeform gives you polycarbonate at a reasonable price point.
Polycarbonate's flex-and-recover shell with a ten year warranty behind it, which is the durability argument a frequent flyer is actually paying for.
$129.99 on Amazon (price may vary)
For a middle ground: ABS+PC blends offer genuine improvement over pure ABS at a modest price premium. Brands like Coolife and some Kenneth Cole models use this approach.
Soft-sided luggage is a different material question entirely, since those bags run on nylon, polyester or ballistic fabric rather than a molded shell. The section below covers how the two categories compare.
ABS and Polycarbonate Carry-Ons Side by Side
Two budget carry-ons built on ABS shells, and two polycarbonate carry-ons at different price levels. The shell material is the column that matters most here.
FAQ
Is polycarbonate luggage worth the extra money?
For frequent travelers who check bags regularly, yes. Polycarbonate’s flex-and-recover behavior means the shell doesn’t crack from repeated impacts. For occasional travelers who mostly carry on, ABS works fine and costs 50-70% less.
Can ABS luggage crack?
Yes. ABS is rigid and doesn’t flex, so it cracks under sufficient impact. The most vulnerable areas are corners and edges. Thicker ABS shells (found on better-quality bags) resist cracking better than thin budget shells. Polycarbonate flexes instead of cracking, which is its primary advantage.
What does ABS+PC mean on luggage?
It means the shell is a blend of ABS and polycarbonate plastics. The blend combines some of polycarbonate’s flexibility with ABS’s lower cost. It’s a legitimate improvement over pure ABS and sits in the mid-range price bracket. Most blends are 60-80% ABS and 20-40% polycarbonate.
Which material is lighter – ABS or polycarbonate?
Polycarbonate. At equivalent strength, polycarbonate shells can be made thinner and lighter than ABS. The typical difference is about 1 lb on a carry-on (6.5 lbs for polycarbonate vs 7.5 lbs for ABS). For checked luggage, the difference can be 1-2 lbs.
Is RIMOWA aluminum better than polycarbonate?
Not for performance. Polycarbonate is lighter, more impact-resistant, and cheaper. Aluminum dents permanently, weighs more, and costs significantly more. RIMOWA aluminum luggage is a premium style choice – it looks distinctive and develops a travel-worn patina. But functionally, polycarbonate outperforms it.
How long does ABS luggage last?
With careful use (primarily carry-on, 2-5 trips per year), an ABS suitcase lasts 3-5 years. With heavy use (frequent checking, 10+ trips), expect 1-3 years before the shell shows stress fractures or cracks. Polycarbonate luggage typically lasts 5-10 years under the same conditions.