There is a way to judge a suitcase standing next to it, and it takes about thirty seconds. It works on any case in any shop, which is the point of writing it down.
Tip it and push it sideways
Wheels are the first thing people ask about and the first thing to fail. Don't roll the case forward in a straight line — anything rolls forward. Push it sideways, the way you move down an aircraft aisle, and watch whether it tracks or fights you. Then look underneath. On a four-wheel case, see how the wheel housing meets the shell: whether it is fixed to the shell alone, or carries through into the frame.
Extend the handle and feel for wobble
Pull the handle all the way out and move it side to side. A small amount of play is normal. A handle that rattles at full extension has a long trip ahead of it, and the handle mechanism is the second thing that goes. Push it back down and see whether it locks where you leave it or creeps under load.
Press the shell with your thumb
A polycarbonate or polypropylene shell gives under your thumb and springs back. A cheap ABS shell feels harder and more brittle, and it is the material that splits rather than flexes. Cracking is the second most common complaint in luggage after wheels, and it is almost entirely a material problem. We do not sell ABS at all, which is a decision that only shows up years later.
Open it and look at the lining
Look where the lining meets the zip, and whether the seams are finished or raw. It tells you what the case is like in the places nobody photographs.
Run all four on a Fantana case. We would rather you bought a case that passes than a case with our name on it.