I use a cardboard one since it folds flat. But I really only need a carrier once a year for vet visit.

Not only do they make soft-sided carriers, they now make them on wheels, so you never have to carry them, just guide with the retractable handle. I got mine on Amazon, but I’m sure Chewy, etc. has them too.

I line it with a pee pad and stick an extra one in the pocket and haven’t had any leakage.

I like it better than the hard-sided carriers because the cat doesn’t shift around as much, plus I’m always paranoid about the front gate falling off mid-transit.

You mean a sack? Like the man coming from St. Ives?

I have one hard and one soft carrier. Other than ease of loading in the cat, I prefer the hard one. It's far easier to clean (one of my cats regularly vomits during travel) and provides better support for larger/heavier pets.

My overall preference would be a hard carrier with a top opening. They do make them; I volunteer at my local shelter and see them frequently. I just don't use my hard carrier often enough to justify buying a new one.

I have had cats for a long time but have only ever used hard shell carriers with the opening on the short side. I'm ready to make my life easier by getting a carrier with the opening on top, which you usually see on the soft carriers. I also suspect this would be more comfortable for the cat. Are there any down sides to using a soft carrier? I do know about the hard shells with the long opening.