Author
Annie Klusendorf
Photo courtesy TNF x Smith Optics
Allow us to stake a potentially sweeping claim: the best bag for adventure travel is a duffel. Compared to their wheeled suitcase counterparts, duffels are known for better versatility and durability (if you get the right one). Plus, you don't have to fear cobblestone streets, icy sidewalks, or dirt roads with a duffel. You never know where you'll end up when you hit the road—that's kinda the point—so your best bet is to invest in a bag that can handle it all, and that's a duffel (or a duffle, if you prefer).
Our main criteria for judging the best travel duffel bags are durability, or how well they handle the toughest conditions; portability, because what's the point of investing in a high-quality bag if it doesn't transport well; and good design and quality materials, so that you're not left struggling with a poorly placed zipper, losing gear inside the bag, or longing for easy-acess exterior pockets on the move.
With these features in the bag, the primary factor to consider when choosing a duffel is its size, and its weight once it's fully loaded (you will be carrying it, after all). Here's one key tip: 50-60 liters is the biggest that will fit in an airplane's overhead bin as carry-on luggage. And probably the largest you can "comfortably" carry. Whether you're flying commercial, catching a heli, traveling by camel, or simply driving, you're gonna need the right bag.
The following six top picks have been thoroughly vetted and approved by a team of Field Mag editors and contributors, sure to keep your gear organized and protected throughout your next journey.
Best All-Around Adventure Duffel: Patagonia Black Hole
The 60L Black Hole Duffel has been my go-to travel bag for the past several years, for a variety of reasons. Likely the most well-known bag on the list, it's made from 100% recycled polyester ripstop with a TPU-film laminate, a fabric that's durable and abrasion-resistant but still pliable enough that the duffel can fold into its own small interior pocket.
A large zipper, tucked underneath the lid, gives full access to the main compartment of the bag, though there are also two small, zipped pockets on the inside of the lid, perfect for stashing small items like chargers, valuables, water bottles, cords, or toiletries. Two padded, removable shoulder straps help transform the duffel into a travel backpack during longer backcountry hauls, and a series of daisy chains on each corner provide ample access for lashing the bag down to, say, the top of a car, or a burro.
(This bag and the North Face Base Camp duffel both survived an 18-hour drive from Michigan to Colorado in my hitch basket cargo carrier, and arrived in better condition than I did after the drive.)
Empty weight: 2 lbs 9 oz (55 liters)
Available sizes: 40, 55, 70, and 100L
Price: $139+
Best Waterproof Duffel: Yeti Panga
At first glance (and handle), these dry bags seem a bit overbuilt—and pricey. But they do their job well. Built with a laminated, high-density nylon that Yeti calls Thickskin and a Hydrolok zipper, the Panga is for the toughest, wettest conditions (there's even an EVA-molded "landing pad" on the bottom of the bag). This duffel features carrying options aplenty, with six total lash points, grab handles on each end, and two removable backpack straps that double as the carrying handles (and allow for crossby wear, too).
All that tough hardware comes at a price, however—the Panga weighs 5.2 pounds when empty, which is heavy for a duffel, and rings up at $300 for the 50-liter version. But if you're heading out on a canoe, raft, or sailboat trip (or any other adventure where the water is nearby), a few extra pounds and dollars might be an easy price for the peace of mind this bag provides.
Empty weight: 5 lbs 3 oz (50 liters)
Available sizes: 50, 75, and 100L, plus a 28L backpack
Price: $300+
Best Rugged Duffel: The North Face Base Camp
There's a reason North Face athletes pile these onto airport landing strips when heading out on expeditions—or upcycle them into a working shelter—they're dang tough. Built similarly to the Black Hole, the Base Camp opens into one roomy main compartment with a zippered mesh pocket on the inside of the lid. Two detachable shoulder straps allow you to carry the bag as a travel backpack, and four exterior compression straps help cut down on size if you don't fill up the space.
The Base Camp's body is 1000D recycled PVC nylon with a non-PFC durable water-repellent finish, giving the bag a nice structure that also collapses into a small carrying case. Two sets of daisy chains running horizontally underneath the opening ensure that you can secure the bag to any surface, like the roof of a car or the back of a kayak.
The medium size (a 71-liter volume) weighs in at 3.9 pounds, offering 16 more liters of space for the same weight as the Patagonia Black Hole. The duffel comes in 50, 71, and 95-liter options, so whether you're headed on a weekend trip or an expedition, The North Face has you covered.
Empty weight: 3 lbs 9 oz (71 liters)
Available sizes: 50, 71, and 95L
Price: $129+
Best Carry-On Duffel: Thule Subterra
Best known for its bike racks and overlanding equipment, Thule's line of luggage and duffel bags is built for the same sort of rugged adventures. The collection includes the weather-resistant Thule Chasm as competition to the Patagonia Black Hole, but its Subterra line, which functions as a carryable bag, backpack, or over-the-shoulder sling, wins out for the best carry-on.
The Subterra's sleek exterior, made of rugged 800D nylon (not quite ballistic nylon but it'll def do the trick), hides numerous side pockets, a shoe compartment, a separate laptop sleeve for business travel, and gives the bag structure regardless of how full it is. The bag opens clamshell-style, like a regular suitcase, providing full access to interior pockets divided by mesh into separate compartments. But it carries like a backpack, when you want—a back panel conceals the stow-away shoulder straps when not in use. The 40-liter version is lightweight at 3.5 pounds considering the bag's many features and exterior shell. If the good design caught your eye but a carry-on bag won't cut it, Thule's Subterra line also includes a backpack and wheeled duffel version.
Empty weight: 3 lbs 8 oz
Available sizes: 40L
Price: $200
Best Ultralight Duffel: Zpacks 30L Duffel
The bulk of Zpacks' dedicated following comes from ultralight thru-hikers, who admire its minimalist hiking backpacks and shelters. The company makes its 30-liter duffel using the same material as many of those products, namely, Dyneema, an extremely lightweight and strong fiber prized for its strength-to-weight ratio, with a layer of protective 50 denier polyester on the outside.
At 8.1 ounces, Zpacks' duffel is easily the lightest on our list. The bag features a unique total-access envelope opening with zippered side pockets on each end for organizing smaller items. Black aluminum carabiners and hardware match the low-profile look of polyester/Dyneema combo, and all the seams and attachment points are taped, making the bag highly water-resistant. One thing to note: the duffel doesn't come with grab handles or backpack straps, so plan to sling this one over your shoulder during travel.
Empty weight: 8.1 oz
Available sizes: 30L
Price: $175
Best for Hauling Loads of Gear: Klättermusen Glitner 60L
This no-nonsense bag from Sweden's Klättermusen is perfect for transporting a lot of stuff from point A to point B. A large zip opening makes for easy access to the large main compartment, and inside there's an internal divider pocket that helps make separate storage areas in case you're hauling wet clothes from a weekend getaway surfing (or dirty clothes to and from the laundromat, or you just want to keep a water bottle seperate from your computer).
Klättermusen designed the Glitner to favor several carrying options, either by hand or over the shoulder with large adjustable shoulder straps attaching to the top and bottom. A line of looped webbing across the outside of the duffel offers endless options for attaching extras, like a Nalgene or pair of climbing shoes, or you can use it to secure the bag to other surfaces. The duffel itself is constructed from 60% recycled polyamide, a strong nylon material that's lightweight, quick-drying, and wind-resistant.
Empty weight: 1 lb 2 oz (60 liters)
Available sizes: 30, 40, and 60L
Price: $165
Honorable mentions: Marmot Long Hauler ($159) and the 120L Osprey Transporter ($190).
Published 01-18-2022
