Just wondering if there's anything in particular that would stand out as a red flag for potentially poor durability in a hard shell suitcase. I've only ever used fabric suitcases in the past, the most recent of which broke within the first use.

In general, are hard shell suitcases more durable than their fabric counterparts? Would it better to get one with snap closures, vs. a zipper? How flexible/thin should the plastic be? I picked up a $100 Samsonite hard shell zippered suitcase at Marshall's (likely a made-for-outlet model), but the plastic is a lot more flexible than I thought it would be; I'm not sure if I should be worried or not. I need it to survive two 6-hr flights, and later in the month a 30+ hr flight (incl. layover).