The Best Duffel Bags of 2020
You need a duffel bag. Minimalist packers and adventure travelers alike know to reach for this versatile and convenient piece of luggage. Nearly all duffel bags are sized to be a carry-on, and the soft-sided material is ideal for sailing trips or overland safaris where they will ultimately be squeezed in small cabins or strapped atop a Jeep. They also do double duty as gym or weekend bags, and all but the most opulent leather duffels can be rolled, folded, or otherwise compacted to take up minimal space in the closet when not on the road. These are the best duffel bags, pick your favorite.
Best Overall Duffel Bag
Lands’ End Waxed Canvas Duffel
A classic duffel that won’t let you down, Lands’ End Waxed Canvas bag can crossover from everyday gym tote to go-to travel bag. Its canvas is durable and stands up to frequent use, and the bag is spacious enough to hold multiple packing cubes, a toiletry bag, and one extra pair of shoes. There aren’t many pockets, but what it does offer is simplicity and carrying ease with sturdy handles and a removable shoulder strap. You can’t argue with a classic.
- Dimensions: 24” by 11”H by 11”D
- Weight: 3.1 lbs
- Available Colors: classic navy, brown
Best Duffel Bag for a Short Trip
North Face Berkeley Duffel, Medium
This athletic looking Berkeley Duffel from North Face is designed to hold everything you need for a short trip to the country or a long weekend in the city. Stash a few changes of clothes in the roomy, main compartment, accessible with top zipper flap, and store your shoes in the side compartment. Additional front pockets hold small items like phones, power cords, passport, or snacks. Padded handle straps make it easy to carry with one hand. There’s also removable backpack straps if you prefer to carry that way. Oh, and it’s stylish.
- Dimensions: 10.5″ X 23.5″ X 12″
- Weight: 2 lb
- Available Colors: black, heather gray, navy
Best Duffel Bag for an Extended Trip
Patagonia 90 L Black Hole Duffel
Sometimes you can’t pack light. For longer trips, especially where weather fluctuates and you need a bevy of basics for cold and moderate temperatures—we’re thinking about you, Iceland— the durable and spacious Patagonia Black Hole Duffel shines. It’s large without being absurdly big and boasts plenty of room for bulky sweaters, camera gear, mittens, shoes, souvenirs, and all the base layers needed to keep warm during a northern lights trek. The ripstop nylon holds up to the wear and tear of long-haul adventures, and the many pockets inside and out help organize gear and small items. There are three ways to carry: traditional handles, removable shoulder strap, or convertible backpack straps.
- Dimensions: 28″ x 17.5″ x 13″
- Weight: 3.2 lbs
- Available Colors: black, white, navy, plum, gold, green
Best Duffel Bag With a Laptop Sleeve
Tumi Voyageur
Tumi’s sleek bags merge pretty and practical, and the Voyageur duffel is no exception. If you’ve got a business presentation in New York, or need to lug your laptop with you for your week away in Nice this bag has you covered. The interior padded sleeve fits a 14″ laptop, and there’s still plenty of space in the main compartment for a change of clothes, book, snacks, and toiletries. There are several additional exterior pockets for phone or passport, and a larger pocket that will hold a Kindle or small tablet. Don’t you look smart?
- Dimensions: 11″ x 16.8″ x 5.8″
- Weight: 1.9 lbs
- Available colors: black
Best Duffel Bag for Adventure Travel
Yeti Panga
If you’re off on a sailing adventure or the kind of journey where you and a rugged crew share the inside of a small van while your luggage rides along on top, a durable waterproof bag is your best friend. The YETI Panga (made by the folks who produce the heavy duty coolers) is airtight and waterproof, even if it’s submerged in raging waters. Function wins out over form, as it’s simply one large compartment—and a small interior pocket—but the sturdy straps are adjustable and make it easy to carry as a cross-body bag or backpack. Staying dry? Priceless.
- Dimensions: 10″H x 23.5W x 14″ D
- Weight: 5.2 lbs
- Available Colors: gray
Most Stylish Duffel Bag
Away: The Weekender
The understated style and a plethora of pockets makes Away’s duffel a fashionable travel companion on short business trips or trans-Atlantic flights for bucket list destinations. The Weekender is equipped with a side laptop pocket and a second large pocket perfect for a Kindle or tablet. The roomy shoe compartment on the bottom means you don’t have to decide between hiking boots for your day trek and your favorite espadrilles for a night out—there’s enough room for both. But let’s be honest, it’s the roomy main compartment, big enough to hold a long weekend’s wardrobe while small enough to fit in a plane’s overhead compartment, that ups its glam value. Wear your best pair of sunglasses to shield you from the paparazzi confusing you with stylish A-listers.
- Dimensions: 21.7″ x 8.7″ x 12.6″
- Weight: 4.85 lbs
- Available Colors: black, olive, natural canvas
Best Duffel Bag for a Splurge
Filson Weatherproof Leather Duffle Bag
With treated leather to withstand the elements, the Filson leather duffel is an investment piece your grandchildren can use long after you’ve retired your elite status frequent flyer card. The traditionally designed bag, an ode to days of luxury train travel and overland adventures across wildlife-studded plains, has one main center zip compartment, and is accented with brass hardware closures. There’s enough room to hold clothing for several days, shoes, and a book. Carry by the soft handles, or use the removable shoulder strap. How your grandkids carry it will be up to them.
- Dimensions: 20″W x 13″H x 12″D
- Weight: 5.5 lbs
- Available Colors: sierra brown
Best Duffel Bag for a Budget Traveler
Herschel Sutton Duffel
Budget-friendly without looking cheap, the Herschel Sutton duffel is a solid piece for any normcore traveler. The barrel-shaped bag has one roomy interior compartment and a small exterior zippered pouch that fits a wallet, phone, and small accessories like earbuds. The handle straps are long enough to easily carry over the shoulder, or add the removable strap for crossbody action. No bells or whistles, just a lightweight bag that does its job. Now go book a budget flight.
- Dimensions: 2″ x 10.2″ x 20.2″
- Weight: 1.2 lbs
- Available Colors: black, gray, light gray, green, blue
Best Duffel Bag With Wheels
Eddie Bauer Expedition Drop-Bottom Rolling Duffel
With the size and versatility of a suitcase, along with handle straps and soft-sided features of a duffel, the Eddie Bauer Expedition Drop-Bottom Rolling Duffel is the best of both worlds. The main compartment features a top zipper opening and additional pockets inside. There are also several small exterior pockets which make organization easy. In addition, the top main compartment zips open from the bottom in a clamshell manner, revealing another packing area that’s ideal for heavy items or shoes. The telescoping handles and two wheels make it easy to maneuver in airports, while the side straps make it a breeze to lift in and out of a car trunk or train baggage compartment. Consider this duffel to be a two-for-one type of bag.
- Dimensions: 26″L x 16″W x 14″D
- Weight: 7.65 lbs
- Available Colors: Black, smoke, green, hazelnut, sapphire
Best Foldable Duffel Bag
L.L.Bean Stowaway
Are you likely to come back from vacation with far more than you started with? Maybe an entire tea set from the markets of Marrakesh will catch your eye or you’ll decide all your friends are getting wool sweaters from Dublin for the holidays. If that’s you (come on, admit it), plan ahead and stash a foldable duffel in the pocket of your main luggage. The L.L.Bean Stowaway is ultralight and compact, fitting inside its own petite 8″ x 7″ pouch. Expanded, the bag holds about 30 liters of stuff, features a lightly padded bottom, and is easy to carry with reinforced handles that fit snugly over the shoulder. There’s even a front mesh pocket. Go ahead, get your shop on.
- Dimensions: 19.5″L x 8″W x 10.5″D
- Weight: 8.3 oz
- Available Colors: black, navy, gulf blue
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