Abstract: A soft-sided carrying case comprises a lower compartment having a plurality of sidewalls, a top wall and a bottom wall, at least one upper compartment having a plurality of sidewalls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, and at least one hinge pivotally joining a selected sidewall of the upper compartment to a selected sidewall of the lower compartment. The hinge permits the upper compartment to pivot about a hinge line between a folded position in which the bottom wall of the upper compartment is disposed in confronting relation with at least a portion of the top wall of the lower compartment, and an unfolded position. In at least one exemplary form, the hinge may be defined exclusively by first and second flexible layers, with each of the layers including a first longitudinal edge secured adjacent to a longitudinal edge of the lower compartment and a second longitudinal edge secured adjacent to a longitudinal edge of the upper compartment.