Traveling is for all occasions; I learned that when I chose to go away on the weekend of my 18th birthday. Ever since, I have been diversifying my trips between longer, more adventure-packed ones, and certainly more compact trips. This is why I have chosen to talk about the importance of duffel bags for travel and some of the few I have been looking into!
There are a lot of high-quality duffel bags for travel, but today I will present to you five of these best duffel bags for travel!
You will be confronted with this before almost every trip you make, as they both have their personal pros and cons. The former provides versatility and a lightweight sturdiness, while the latter is easy to transport and can be used to carry more fragile objects. Whichever you choose, however, will hold a certain drawback, and I will talk about them here.
If you go the route of the suitcase, you are sacrificing a lot of mobility and flexibility. Duffels are much lighter than the small suitcases, and a lot less rigid, too. This makes the suitcase perfect for a holiday that does not require moving around a lot, for example leaving it behind in your accommodation.
On the other hand, the duffel bag means you have a constant weight on one side of your body at any given point in time. While yes, these days there are duffels that have wheels and a trolley handle, I personally feel these are much like a suitcase (as they are much more rigid). Duffels are more suited to a more active adventurer, which is why I am now in the market for a new one!
Single-point Entry?
One of the main gripes of the duffel bag for travel is the general one-compartment style. Many do prefer having multiple compartments for the many things they will store, which is understandable. This type of packing, however, does come with its perks.
The zipper usually goes from one end to the other, allowing you access to the entire bulk of your things at once. This does offset the inconvenience of having to rummage through your stuff like a standard backpack would have you doing. A wide opening and one main compartment do also come with the additional positive of being able to transport much larger items than traditionally possible.
Durability?
Being able to withstand much in the way of weathering and wear and tear is the duffel bag’s biggest strength. The bottoms of these bags should be reinforced for all its uses, and the zippers should be relatively big and bulky to ensure they zip well and stay on the bag. Make sure to check the stitch-work and seams on the bag before purchase, too, as they are a common weak point in any bag.
Materials are also important to check when choosing a duffel. If you are looking for a bag that will stay together through your hikes and through many storms, you may want to get one made from heavy-duty polyurethane. For the day-to-day duffel, however, the much lighter, but less resistant ballistic nylon can be used with no problems.
Want to see the different components of a good duffel bag come together? Check this out!
Speaking of storms…
Weather Resistance?
One of the perks of a duffel bag over a traditional suitcase is that many duffel manufacturers are now making them water-resistant (to varying degrees). Again, a water ‘resistant’ bag will be good enough for you to bring to and from work, with the ability to shelter your documents and laptop from a passing drizzle. For more heavy duty use, however, you will want to invest in one that is properly waterproof.
Ease of Transport?
The main drawback of a duffel bag over a traditional suitcase has always been that it provides form over comfort, which has made industry leaders branch out. Other than wheels and a carry handle on a duffel, some of the best bags now come with other features that allow for ease of transportation!
These days, many duffel bags come with either shoulder straps, backpack straps, or even both! Certain things to note, of course; just because the bag comes with these features does not mean that it is the best option for the bag. Check if the backpack straps are easy to hide away or remove when not in use, and if the strap is too thick and/or bulky to your liking.
Also, do keep in mind where the duffel will be going when going on a plane! While most are malleable enough to compress to be small enough to fit into the carry-on cabin, some are obviously too big and need to be checked in as a checked bag.
This perfectly talks about the importance of comfort for duffel bags.
All in all, I have to say that watching the humble duffel bag’s transformation over the years into the multi-purpose, all-conquering bag it is today has been largely satisfying. Carefully pick a bag that suits your purposes and you will not be disappointed!
Duffel Bag for Travel Reviews
I have had many duffel bags for years, and while they are mostly still in good condition, I have been in the market looking for one (while I was looking for a new hiking daypack). These are some of my favorites in no particular order.
Personally…
I would go for the Under Armour “Storm Undeniable II Medium”, and while it is not exactly what I am looking for, here is why:
Both the “Tote-A-Ton” and the “Diamond Ripstop” were amazing duffel bags for their sizes, but I mostly use duffel bags for shorter trips, meaning I don’t really need the extra space. I will say, however, if I ever go on a longer trip and stop wanting to use suitcases, I would definitely come back to these two.
Aidonger’s entry is stunning to look at and looks like it would last many treks up and down mountains, but the lack of waterproofing is what turns me off a little to it. That and the lack of padding on the shoulder strap turned me away from it. Simple fixes for the company, however!
