Last Updated on January 13, 2026 by Rebecca
I love the brand Quince. I love their cozy sweaters. I love their linen pants. But I had no idea that they also make luggage! As soon as I found out, I knew that I had to give one of the Quince suitcases a try.
This is not a sponsored post, but it does contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission, at no cost to the reader. All opinions are my own.
I’m quite particular about my suitcases. I tend to spend at least two or three total months on the road each year. In that time, I’m either living directly out of a suitcase or fully packing and unpacking at each destination. Either way, it’s important to me that my suitcase is durable, easy to organize, and generally user-friendly.
I decided to try the Quince Check-In Suitcase in the medium size in Navy. I thought the size would be perfect for my checked luggage, and the navy color is gorgeous! The suitcase also comes in a large check-in size and in two carry-on sizes, small or standard, and there are a bunch of colors to choose from.
The suitcase arrived within a few days. Here is my honest Quince suitcase review, now updated after a year and a half of traveling with this piece of luggage!
Testing summary & quick verdict
- Testing duration: Summer 2024 through winter 2026, so about 1.5 years.
- Testing conditions: I’ve brought the suitcase to Rome, Greece, the US Midwest, west coast, New England, and more. This suitcase has experienced air travel, rental car travel, taxi travel, airports, sidewalks, cobblestones, and dirt roads.
- Pros: Light and easy to maneuver. Durable. A perfect size for the way I travel (more details below). Easy to organize.
- Cons: The hard shell can make it less flexible if you really need to squeeze it in somewhere. The four-wheel design can be a little harder to drag along cobblestones or other bumpy terrain compared to a traditional two-wheel suitcase.
- This suitcase is for you if: You need a durable, stylish, and organized suitcase for air travel or road trips.
- This suitcase might not be for you if: You prefer soft-sided suitcases for their flexibility, or if you’re attached to a traditional two-wheel suitcase design.
My first impression: a super-light suitcase
As I unboxed this suitcase, the first thing that struck me was its light weight. I try to pack light, but have there been times when I’ve had to remove items at the airport luggage scale to get my suitcase under 50 pounds? Embarrasingly, yes. It’s nice that now my suitcase itself won’t be adding much weight.
According to the Quince website, the medium suitcase clocks in at 9.3 pounds. For comparison, competitor brand Away has a hardside suitcase with a similar capacity that weighs 10.8 pounds. Sometimes when you’re packing, that extra pound and a half is the difference between fitting everything you want and leaving something behind.
(I’ll also note that the Away suitcase is almost $200 more expensive, which is another factor worth considering).
Zipper, wheels, and shell
I love the fact that the Quince Check-In Suitcase has a YKK zipper. (If you aren’t familiar with YKK zippers, they’re the best in the business by a long shot). In my experience, zippers are often the first thing to go on suitcases, and I know I won’t have to worry about this one. A year and a half after purchasing, it hasn’t caught or snagged once.
The other materials also seem sturdy and high-quality. The wheels in particular stand out. The suitcase rolls along very easily in airports and on city sidewalks, and it’s very maneuverable with its 360-degree wheels. The wheels are sturdy, and they’ve held up very well, even through some rough treatment. (Cobblestones, I’m looking at you).
The shell itself also feels strong while still being extremely light. Plus, I really like the look of it!
Organization and compartments
The interior of the suitcase contains several pockets and compartments. One half of the suitcase is closed off with a zipper and a mesh barrier. The other half is open, but contains a thin removable compartment. I love packing cubes, but when I travel with a lot of them, it can still be tricky to quickly find what I need. Having a suitcase that’s divided into two distinct halves makes it easier to stay organized.
I tend to put my own belongings on one side of the suitcase and my toddler’s things on the other. So, one side of the suitcase holds my clothes and toiletry bags, and the other side holds my toddler’s clothes, sleep sacks, toiletries, toys, and books. Amazingly, it all fits beautifully! When arriving at our destination, it’s wonderful to be able to quickly open the suitcase up and pull out my toddler’s pajamas and sleep sack without digging around, and then to unpack everything else once he’s asleep.
I will say that I tend to not use the removable compartment because there is a little more space and flexibility without it. But, it’s easy enough to simply pop it off and leave it at home!
Extra little features
A suitcase is a suitcase. It really only needs to have storage space, wheels, and a handle. But this one does have a couple other nice touches that make a difference!
For one thing, there is a cute little built-in laundry bag. It has its own little pocket in the suitcase, and doesn’t take up much room, but it’s removable and holds about a week’s worth of dirty laundry. I love not having to think about packing a separate laundry bag. It’s already built right into the suitcase! One less thing to remember when packing for a long trip!
The suitcase also includes a TSA-approved lock. That means you can lock the suitcase when you check your bag, but TSA agents will be able to unlock it to inspect the contents as needed without damaging the suitcase or the lock. I did set the code when I got the suitcase, which was easy to do, but beyond that, I haven’t actually used this feature.
Which size of Quince suitcase is best?
I love my medium check-in suitcase. It fits easily into my small sedan’s trunk for road trips, and I don’t have to worry about it fitting alongside other luggage in teeny cabs or rental cars abroad. I haven’t had any trouble fitting it into Uber trunks in Europe, for example. It has plenty of space for me to bring everything I need for a long vacation, especially given that I like to do laundry weekly when traveling.
That said, if you tend to be a heavy packer (you know who you are), you might want to consider the large check-in suitcase, just to make sure you can fit every last item in there.
Both of Quince’s carry-on suitcases, at the small and the standard size, fit inside both of the checked bag sizes, so no matter which sizes you choose, you can nest them together for easy storage.
Drawbacks
The drawbacks of any hard-shell suitcase, including this one, are the flip side of its strengths. The walls keep your belongings safe, but the suitcase is less flexible than a soft-shell would be. That can make it harder to squeeze into a packed car trunk or to store in a closet, especially when it’s not full. A soft-shell suitcase just has a little more squishability! This has not been an issue for me with the medium size, but it may be more noticeable with a larger suitcase.
Similarly, while I generally prefer four wheels for smooth and easy rolling, I feel that a traditional two-wheel suitcase can sometimes be easier to maneuver over cobblestones and other uneven surfaces. Even so, I find the four-wheel design works best for airports, sidewalks, and most everyday use.
Does this suitcase hold up over time?
I’ve had this suitcase now for about a year and a half, and I’m happy to say that it’s really held up! Any well-used suitcase will end up with a couple of scuffs and marks from being checked by airlines, but this one still looks great overall. I’ve brought this suitcase on international and domestic trips, plane trips, and road trips, and it’s still in excellent condition. The wheels, the zipper, everything is tip-top!
The wheels show very little sign of wear. They’ve bumped along over cobblestones and even a dirt road, but they work just as well as they did on day one. The zipper is equally sturdy. It hasn’t caught or snagged once.
The suitcase does have some small marks and scuffs on it, as seen below. Quince included an eraser tool with the suitcase when it arrived, but I’ve long since thrown it out. I admit that I never tried to use it. Scuffs don’t really bother me; they’re the sign of a suitcase that has been on many great tips!
Overall thoughts on Quince Hard Shell Expandable Suitcase
I’m very happy with my suitcase, and I would definitely recommend it to friends. It’s just as functional and stylish as some of the more expensive brands out there, and it definitely looks and feels high-quality. BUT the price is great, and it’s awesome to have the easy free returns and the lifetime warranty, just in case!
Thinking the Quince Check-In Suitcase might be just the luggage for you? Check it out!
You might also be interested in:
Ultimate Packing List (for anywhere in the world!)
Quince Responsible Down Puffer Coat Review
How do you set the lock?
The suitcase comes with directions for how to do it. I did set it up, and it was easy, but unfortunately I don’t really remember what the process was!