Best Duffel Bags

KEY CONSIDERATIONS for the best Duffel Bag for Adventure Travel

What is an “Adventure Duffel”?

Most of us are familiar with the basic premise of the classic duffel. It’s a soft-sided travel bag that often comes with handles and a shoulder sling and has a capacity of 30 to 60+ liters. The overall shape is also noticeably more rounded than that of the classic suitcase, making duffels easier to squeeze into tight places like airplanes, cars, and trains. But when we add the word “adventure” to the mix, it gives this workhorse of a travel bag a whole new complexion.

First off, adventure travel duffels typically take their material choices to a whole new level with extra durability and – typically – some type of water repellency. But the most important difference is that a good adventure duffel typically includes shoulder straps so that the bag can be worn as a backpack. In some cases, these straps are removable, but they’re the fixture of the best travel duffels – in our opinion – as they open the door to more adventures and mobility with your luggage. Therefore, every recommendation we’re going to cover in this guide will include some form of backpack straps.

Capacity and Dimensions

Your duffel’s overall capacity will depend very much on what you’re looking for. However, we typically see options ranging anywhere from 30 to 90+ liters of storage – giving us flexibility for anything from a weekend trip to months of travel.

So think about the length of your travels, along with what type of packer you tend to be. Minimalists can err on the smaller side in order to travel light, while folks who know they want more should perhaps opt for a larger capacity bag. Generally speaking, duffel bags in the 40 to 70-liter range tend to be the most common sight. Any smaller and you may run out of room for longer trips, and any larger is heading towards an intense piece of luggage that may be a pain to lug around.

Internal Storage

This is an important point for most travelers! Do you want built-in storage pockets/compartments, or do you prefer a vast, untarnished space for your packing?

All duffel bags have the main packing compartment, but some also include several smaller pockets, sleeves, and compartments where you can organize your gear and keep things separated. This may be especially useful for folks who tend to travel with a computer or multiple electronics or simply enjoy keeping everything in their own space.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are duffels that forgo this extra organization and simply provide a single, large open space for you to pack any way you like. This variation can be especially attractive for travelers who like to use packing cubes to do their own organization. Conversely, folks who scoff at the idea of over-separating their clothes and gear may love this stuff-it approach where they can just put all their stuff in a single compartment.

For our part, we tend to like a balance between these two options: a nice large space for packing the primary clothes combined with one or two additional pockets that, for example, can be used for shoes, electronics, or toiletries. But think about what you need out of your luggage and packing style, and you’re sure to find the best adventure travel duffel for you.

Weatherproofing and Durability

Solid weatherproofing is a common feature on the best duffel bags. These bags are designed to withstand more elements than regular luggage and should protect your gear as you travel to more remote, adventurous, and wild places. However, if this feature matters to you, it’s very important to note whether your perspective bag is entirely waterproof or just water resistant.

Water-resistant bags often include heavy-duty fabric combined with a DWR treatment that helps the bag shed water. However, prolonged exposure to rain or moisture may allow some water intrusion. But for many travel scenarios, a solid weather-resistant coating should serve you well—unless you plan on using your adventure travel duffel as a dual-purpose hiking bag or you anticipate encountering a lot of rain on your travels. If the latter scenarios sound more like you or you simply prefer to be on the safe side, then look for 100% waterproof bags.

Manufacturers will often deploy their own proprietary waterproofing technology for their bags, but TPU coatings are often a key layer of protection as they do an excellent job of blocking out moisture. Additionally, for complete protection, it’s worth checking for waterproof zippers to provide all-encompassing protection from water.

Collapsible/Stuffable

A hallmark trait of the duffel is the soft-sided construction that makes it easy to pack and store. However, some adventure travel duffels take this a step further by adopting a minimalist approach combined with lightweight materials to make an extra collapsible duffel that can be stashed in other luggage until you need it. This can be handy if you plan on coming home with more items than you left with – souvenirs galore! – or if having a second, deployable bag for your travels will help you stay organized or perhaps keep dirty gear separate from the clean.

Common Features

In addition to what we’ve talked about already, a few common features to be on the lookout for on the best adventure travel duffels are:

• Removable Backpack Straps–Being able to remove the backpack straps completely from the bag can be incredibly useful if you need to check your duffel on a plane. Alternatively, look for straps that can be tucked in a sleeve to keep them out of the way when you’re not using them.
• Compression Straps—These allow you to cinch down your gear within the duffel to keep everything tight, organized, and compressed for easy transport. Additionally, some duffels may include external compression straps that allow you to cinch down the entire bag, also allowing for more space-efficient transport.
• Removable Divider—Often zippered into place, a divider can help keep dirty clothes, a shower towel, or camp shoes separate from clean and pristine clothes. But also making it removable gives you the option to include it or not, adding versatility to the duffel design.

Price

Ah, yes, the pivotal question: “How much?” In the arena of duffel bags, we can see a vast range from $100 all the way up to almost $300. Of course, this depends heavily on the duffel capacity you choose, along with the amount of features and weatherproofing. So the takeaway here is that there’s wiggle room. If you’re looking for a basic travel duffel and don’t want to spend an arm and a leg for it, then there are options out there that will work well if you’re willing to forgo some higher-end features or materials. Conversely, if you know you travel often and want a bombproof duffel that will stay with you for years and years, then there are many options out there that will fit the bill if you’re open to a larger investment.

Outdoor Research CarryOut

Runner Up: Best Duffel Bag

• CAPACITY: 40 liters – 80 liters 
• MSRP:
  • 40 L – $135.00
  • 80 L – $175.00
• WEATHER PROOFING: VERY Water Resistant – PU Coating
• MATERIAL: 420 Denier Ripstop Nylon
• WEIGHT:
  • 40 L – 1 lbs 14.5 oz
  • 80 L – 2 lbs 6.4 oz

PROS: External compression straps – Internal dirty clothes pocket – Competitive pricing – Highly water resistant

CONS: Minimal internal organization – No middle capacity size

LOOKING CLOSER: Outdoor Research provides a very compelling adventure-focused duffel with their CarryOut line. First off, we love the exterior compression straps – allowing you to cinch down loads for trim and space-efficient travel. This can be particularly useful if you’re trying to bring the 40L version on a plane as a carry-on bag. Zooming out, the PU-coated ripstop nylon is durable and does an excellent job of shedding rain and moisture to protect your belongings. Our only wish here is that Outdoor Research went one step further and included waterproof zippers to complete this protection from moisture. Regardless, an intuitive layout – complete with an internal dirty clothes pocket and external convenience pocket – combined with removable backpack straps, along with a competitive price and relatively low weight, make the Outdoor Research CarryOut a phenomenal option and definitely one of the best duffel bags out there.

We’re a little bummed Outdoor Research decided to drop the 65L-capacity version of this bag, but the 40L and 80L versions are still extremely compelling and offer phenomenal packing opportunities while traveling.

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REI Big Haul

Best Duffel Bag for Overall Value

• 
• CAPACITY: 40 liters – 60 liters – 90 liters 
• MSRP:
  • 40 L – $119.00
  • 60 L – $139.00
  • 90 L – $159.00
• WEATHER PROOFING: PU Coating + DWR Treatment
• MATERIAL: 400 Denier Ripstop Nylon
• WEIGHT:
  • 40 L – 2 lbs 2.5 oz
  • 60 L – 2 lbs 9 oz
  • 90 L – 2 lbs 15 oz

PROS: Competitively priced – External compression straps – Vast and uncluttered internal compartment for packing

CONS: Few pockets – Minimal Organization

LOOKING CLOSER: Sneaking in slightly cheaper than comparable competitors, the REI Big Haul offers excellent value for a well-rounded product that can hold its own wherever your adventures take you. Specifically, the Big Haul includes handy compression straps to cinch down your packing, along with a tough ripstop nylon build and removable duffel handles. Inside, we have a minimalist approach with a vast space in the main compartment for your packing – no dividers or additional compartments – combined with a mesh pocket on the underside of the lid. The uncluttered approach may be a benefit or drawback depending on your packing style, but overall, the Big Haul is a very solid performer and, of course, includes backpack straps that can be stashed into a sleeve if you’re not using them.

The most recent version of the Big Haul addresses one of our main drawbacks from previous years. Specifically, the Big Haul finally has solid weatherproofing in the form of a Polyurethane (PU) coating to help keep rain from seeping into the pack. This coating, combined with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatment, significantly boosts the Big Haul’s overall value in our eyes, especially since REI managed to keep the price the same after this upgrade.

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Black Diamond Stonehauler Pro

• CAPACITY: 30 liter (pro) – 45 liters (pro) – 60 liters 
• MSRP:
  • 30 L – $179.95 (Stonehauler Pro)
  • 45 L – $199.95 (Stonehauler Pro)
  • 60 L – $189.95
• WEATHER PROOFING: Minimal
• MATERIAL: 600 Denier Recycled Polyester
• WEIGHT:
  • 30 L – 2 lbs 5 oz
  • 45 L – 2 lbs 8 oz
  • 60 L – 2 lbs 10 oz

PROS: Burly design – Removable backpack straps – Exterior pocket for quick access – Expandable and cinchable divider

CONS: Expensive – Features may be overkill for some

LOOKING CLOSER: If you want a duffel that can seamlessly blend technical outdoor adventures with travel, then the StoneHauler from Black Diamond may be the perfect option. Black Diamond designed this duffel with rock climbing in mind; So we have bombproof materials, accessible gear loops, and a large internal skirt that can be cinched closed to separate dirty gear. This skirt – called the DirtBag – works well for climbing ropes, chalk bags, and other technical gear, but it also works perfectly for dirty clothes and shoes that need to be separated from your clean clothes. Additionally, Black Diamond gave another nod to general travel by including a fully-padded laptop sleeve in the design. So, as far as bombproof and feature-rich duffel bags go, the StoneHauler is a phenomenal choice. However, be aware that the high price reflects these premium features, but the extra investment may be worth it for one of the best duffel bags for adventuring.

Also, please note that the 60L version of the Stonehauler currently does not have a “Pro” version. Therefore, the 60L duffel does not have a laptop sleeve or the dirtbag system and is instead more of a classic duffel. While we’re on the subject, the standard version of the Stonehauler – available in both 45L and 60L versions – can be an excellent choice for travelers looking for a more traditional duffel who don’t need the extra features provided by the “pro” version.

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30 Liter Version (Pro)45 Liter Version (Pro)60 Liter Version

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30 Liter Version (Pro)45 Liter Version (Pro)60 Liter Version

Thule Chasm

• CAPACITY: 30 liters – 40 liters – 70 liters 
• MSRP:
  • 30 L – $129.95
  • 40 L – $149.95
  • 70 L – $169.95
• WEATHER PROOFING:  Phthalate-free laminate
• MATERIAL: 900-denier, 100% recycled polyester
• WEIGHT:
  • 30 L – 2 lbs 9.6 oz
  • 40 L – 3 lbs 1.4 oz
  • 70 L – 3 lbs 13.2 oz

PROS: Easy to convert from duffel to backpack – Sleek design – Reasonable pricing – External compression straps

CONS: Slightly heavy for the size

LOOKING CLOSER: Thule has come up with a truly excellent design in the Chasm duffel. The exterior is sleek and includes a small zippered pocket for common travel items, plus compression straps to help keep your gear snug and secure (this feature is particularly useful in backpack mode). Speaking of backpack mode, the backpack straps are comfortable and very easily stashable when they need to disappear. The overall material is also super thick, exceptionally durable, and should hold up to years and years of travel adventures. Like most duffels, the Chasm isn’t fully waterproof, but it does have a laminate to help limit water intrusion. Zooming in, the interior is fairly open, with only a couple of mesh pockets to help with organization. This open design can be a pro or con, depending on your packing style, but we love the straightforward and easy-to-use design that makes the Thule Chasm one of the best duffel bags on the market.

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