Buyer’s Guide :: Duffels

Yep, time for another Buyer’s Guide. Did you see the Weekender Edition last week? This time it’s duffels – the more serious brother of the weekender. A good duffel hauls gear. That sounds kinda obvious, but it needs to ‘haul gear’ with some attitude.

Duffels are still not carry optimized (those things are called rucksacks), but some do cater for longer carry times. Some are simple shells, some are water-resistant, others are multi-compartmentalized fiends. All should haul gear, and look like that’s all they care about.

Check out our duffel selection below.

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Red Flag Heavy Duty Mark II Large Duffel

We really like the look of Red Flag. Serious ocean cred mixes with tech urban vibes in one of the most interesting brands we’ve seen. Can’t wait to play with one of these.

Interested? Buy Now.

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Crumpler Spring Peeper (R)

The Spring Peeper isn’t crazy sexy or crazy tough, but it is a solid performer for a variety of trips, with enough organizing that it won’t leave you frustrated.

Interested? Buy Now.

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Topo Duffel

Yeah, we needed at least one duffel with a heritage vibe, and the Topo seems to be the common sense one. Priced high enough to avoid quality issues, but low enough to not leave you feeling silly.

Interested? Buy Now.

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MEC Duffle (R)

Oh man, if my MEC duffel could talk. It’s been smashed by waves in Scotland, dragged through snow on three continents, and lost in red desert dust in central Oz, and it’s still kicking.

Interested? Buy Now.

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Patagonia Black Hole Duffel

We love Patagonia. Their Black Hole Duffel has the functionality of the ubiquitous North Face Base Camp Duffel, but with more eco credentials and a better brand story.

Interested? Buy Now.

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Nike NSW Duffel (R)

To have a good sized duffel that looks interesting, can fold up into its own tiny bag, and is tough enough to leave with baggage handlers makes this puppy super useful.

Interested? Buy Now.

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Simms Fishing Dry Creek Duffel

We’ve never tried it, but we’re constantly impressed by the look and price of Simms Fishing bags, and their Dry Creek Duffel appears to tick all the water-proof boxes.

Interested? Buy Now.

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Porter 2Way Boston

Ahh, Porter. We worship you. Made in Japan, for Japan, and hard to find outside of Japan. But worth the effort to track down, as Porter probably know carry better than any other brand in the world.

Interested? Buy Now.

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Maxpedition Fliegerduffel

If the look hasn’t scared you off, the name probably will. This is a serious-looking duffel from a pretty serious tactical bag company. The layout seems clever, and the functionality seems versatile, so it’s worth pushing past the intimidation factor.

Interested? Buy Now.

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SealLine Zip Duffle 75L

Another paddlers’ bag, the Zip duffel has some serious personality with its starkly minimal flat format. The shape looks easy to pack, and easy to slide under a seat or boat deck.

Interested? Buy Now.

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ando

Ando will write reviews that run for pages, he’ll never think a carry piece is fully resolved, and he’ll always call it out if it should be. Oh, and he’s a co-founder of Carryology.

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