How to Pack a Hardside Carry-On
By Brandon Schultz Published
A hardside suitcase opens like a book into two equal halves. That clamshell layout is great for staying organized and awkward if you pack it like a duffel, piling everything into one side. Treat it as two separate compartments and it holds more and closes more easily.
The steps below use the ABS 3-Piece Set, Spinner + TSA as the example. Inside, it has a skirted divider and compression straps, which most Coolife hardside cases have in some form.
Before you start
- Lay the case flat and open it fully, with both halves on the floor.
- Put out everything you plan to take. Cut it once now, before it goes in.
- Decide which half is "heavy" and which is "light."
Half one: the heavy side, under the straps
This is the half with the compression straps.
- Shoes go first, against the hinge. That's the end that sits at the bottom when the case stands on its wheels, so the weight stays low. Put them in bags, soles facing the shell.
- Roll the bulky soft items. Jeans, knitwear and gym clothes. Rolled clothes fill the gaps between shoes and the wheel housings that stick into the case.
- Fill corners with small things. Socks, chargers in a pouch, a belt coiled around the edge.
- Strap it down. Clip the compression straps across and pull them snug. This keeps the half from shifting when the case is upright.
Half two: the light side, behind the divider
This is the half with the zip-up skirted divider.
- Fold, don't roll, anything that creases. Shirts, a dress, trousers you want flat. Lay them full-length, alternating collar direction so the stack stays level.
- Toiletry bag on top, near the hinge, where it's easy to pull out at security.
- Zip the divider closed. It keeps everything flat and in place when you open the case later.
Closing it
Stand over the case and check that both halves are about level. If one side is mounded up, move some items across. With both halves even, lower the lid and zip around slowly, keeping a hand on the lid as you go. If the zipper has to fight its way around a corner, take something out. Forcing a zipper is how teeth split.
If you've got an expandable case, unzip the expansion only once everything is in and the lid still won't close. In the ABS 3-piece set, only the 28 in (711 mm) case expands, by about 15%. Expanded, a carry-on may no longer fit the airline's sizer, so check our carry-on size guide if you're unzipping the 20 in.
A few habits that help
- Packing cubes turn each half into drawers. Use slim ones on the divider side.
- Wear the bulkiest shoes and jacket on the plane.
- Set the TSA lock before you leave home. Our TSA lock guide walks through setting it.
More hard and soft sets are in Luggage Sets, and single carry-ons in Carry-Ons.