We’ll Say it: Duffle Bags Are Better Than Backpacks (2024)

This duffel-bag-and-garment-bag hybrid is the most ingenious of the bunch, especially for those who like to carry a suit and a pair of dress shoes when they travel. It's to be laid out flat first like a garment bag for packing the fine business stuff (blazers, button-downs, and dress pants) then folded and zipped into the default duffel shape for the rest of your apparel.

Our tester found that even though it is a garment duffel bag for packing a suit, you actually don't have to worry about folding a suit. Secondly, we love that It packs way more than we thought it would—for a short trip, it definitely will give you space for some shoes.

The quality of the duffel’s 420-Denier poly shell also wowed us: our tester tossed it onto the conveyor belt in the airport, and when he got it back, not a scratch was detected, and no hardware was damaged. All in all, we love that it looks simple and inoffensive—the amazing design went into the functionality, not the form.

What Do Buyers Say? "Durable and convenient, it’s a must have for short trips. Keeps clothes organized and the pouches help in storing odds and ends," says one bespokepost.com customer.

This gym bag duffel is really the crème de la crème. It has a separate shoe compartment, so you can easily store your beaten training shoes. It also has two special treatment compartments—one insulated and one ventilated—for storing your pre/post-workout snacks, as well as keeping your fresh fits squeaky clean for a sleek post-workout flex.

If you get overwhelmed by the thought of a bottomless pit of a bag before you hit the racks, go for Mack Weldon's duffel, which is the best option for hitting the gym. It's roomy and has smart compartments that'll keep everything neat on the go—like shoes, gym clothes, and some pre/post-workout snacks. While it is not the most spacious and comes in only one color, the Atlas duffel does the job perfectly. It’s even got a rubber bottom (like a shoe’s outsole) that prevents slipping, and our testers found it super comfy to carry too.

What Do Buyers Say? "Nice all-around bag. The zippers work smoothly and easily, and it has useful compartments for all the various things I need to bring to the gym," says one mackweldon.com customer.

Yeti didn’t cut any corners when designing its fully-submersible duffel bag. For starters, the hydrolok zipper keeps water out and ensures your gear stays bone-dry, while forming an airtight seal. And get this: once the zipper is closed, everything inside is protected against water immersion for 30 minutes at a depth of one meter.

In terms of construction, it was produced with the brand’s ThickSkin outer shell, which is made of high-density nylon lamination with a puncture- and abrasion-resistant material. Another great design detail is the EVA molded bottom that provides a durable and waterproof landing pad. In other words, this bag is tough. Not to mention, the inside is super spacious with easy-to-access mesh pockets to keep your valuables tucked away.

During our testing, we carried the Panga during a rainy commute and our belongings didn’t get wet. In fact, the shell dried in seconds. Plus, the comfortable dry haul straps on the back can be worn as a backpack, and were easy on our shoulders. Another bonus: the duffel comes in three different sizes: 50, 70, and 100. For most guys, the 70 will probably be spacious enough to hold all of your daily essentials.

What Do Buyers Say? "Every detail screams toughness, quality and durably. I got this Panga 50 for weekend and 4-5 night trips, mostly to use in the winter and on snowboarding trips. It being waterproof and a Yeti duffel, I didn't want to have to worry about rain, mud, snow, cuts or rips," says one yeti.com customer.

Tumi bags are always a no-brainer for optimal traveling, and this is about as organized a duffel bag as you could find. There are slots, zips, and patches inside for keeping all of your small goods in place.

We especially love the 13-inch expanded depth of this duffel that helps us maximize packing volume for four days' worth of clothes and some more. The main compartment is huge, and there are several pockets for different uses, such as for your tablet or laptop, keys, snacks, books or magazines. There are plenty of smartly-placed compartments outside as well, such as a front pocket and a zip pocket for quick access.

Overall, we love taking this duffel bag on our trip that involves a flight. It even has an add-a-bag sleeve so you can easily pop it on top of your suitcase. Made from durable FXT ballistic nylon, it'll be sure to serve you well for years and years to come.

What Do Buyers Say? "Love my new bag! Perfect size for the gym, but great ability to expand to travel with this. Well made, great features," says one tumi.com customer.

If you've been in an airport or train station at any point over the past five years or so, odds are pretty high that you have seen one of Patagonia's hardy duffel bags aptly named the "Black Hole”—because it absolutely pulls through on that promise. With a capacity that runs up to 100 liters, you can fit an entire week's worth of goods into here and still have room for more.

Recognizable by the shine of its ripstop nylon, the Black Hole duffel has been lauded for its weather resistance and sturdiness as well as its subtle flair. The bags are versatile for a weekend getaway, a month-long excursion, or even just one night of visiting family.

One of its best features is that it can be sported as a duffel slung over the shoulder or as a backpack, which is really convenient for hurrying through crowded airports. It also packs down and folds in on itself for easy storage when you know you'll need extra luggage on the way back from a trip.

What Do Buyers Say? "The Black Hole duffle is the best travel bag I have ever used. We use them for every trip, whether it's diving, hiking, leisure travel, you name it: it holds everything, keeps it neat, organized and DRY. Excellent piece of gear," says one patagonia.com customer.

Lululemon knows you're probably using this bag for CrossFit, Boot Camps, studio fitnesses, and any sort of high-intensity workouts. Its spacious duffel bag came prepared to do just that, with a 40L capacity that can hold your boxing gloves, wraps, and some changes of clothes, footwear, and all kinds of gear. It's made for the gymgoer who's always got something to do and somewhere to be, and its job is thus to help them pack ready for all activities. So how does it do that job? With large open access, a big storage space, and so many pockets in or out.

Our testers love that Lululemon’s Wunderlust bag is big enough for us to basically haul our office essentials and workout clothes to the gym as soon as we get off work. Made with a water-repellent fabric, we were also able to trek through the rain and snow with this gym bag. With a shoe compartment, side pockets, and laptop sleeves, our tester sometimes just carries this gym bag to the office on its own after putting all his stuff in it.

What Do Buyers Say? "It’s perfect for the yoga studio. Enough room for a towel and clothing, and accessories. And the side pockets are great for separating wet clothes and shoes from your clean clothes. It’s a great size for a weekend get away bag as well," says one lululemon.com customer.

Don't let a duffel carry you! Bellroy's duffel option is lightweight and compact, but roomy enough for carrying around all of your bits and bobs deftly. Whether it's gear, clothes, or gadgets, the Lite duffel can handle them while letting you move free like a bird.

In our testing, we found that while the fabric is incredibly light, it’s super durable as well—ripstop, by the way—which makes the whole thing easy to fold, roll, or pack into our other bigger bags for travel. When carrying it, the only thing that feels hefty about it is the stuff inside, not the duffel bag itself. More importantly, we love the smart compartments inside that make our organization easier.

At its size and capacity and designed to have expandable storage, we found that the Lite Duffel is perfect for packing light, whether it’s for an office-to-gym day or for your overnight stay.

What Do Buyers Say? "This bag is perfect for the gym or a quick weekend trip. Very light, maternal feels high quality, right amount of pockets, and looks better in person," says one amazon.com customer.

Troubadour's bags are all about versatility, and this mid-size duffel is no different. There's a spacious main compartment for all the essentials and extra pockets all over for stashing last-minute stuff. Yet it's compact enough to fit in the overhead cabin as a carry-on when you fly. It's designed to be used on trips that can last a few days.

The Embark Duffle is for people who need to pack clothes, towels, snacks, grooming products, bottles, shoes, gadgets, and other daily essentials all in a stylish, premium carryall that lasts. We love that it has a separate shoe compartment made with waterproof, breathable, and antimicrobial lining to keep the rest of the stuff in the bag fresh. Our tester also found that it could easily fit into a locker or over your luggage handles even when full, and is super easy and comfy to carry anytime, anywhere (especially with the non-slip strap that really gives our hands a break).

In addition, we love that the shell of this duffel is waterproof, and that it has many outer compartments to let us access our gear easily.

What Do Buyers Say? "This is a great bag for an overnight or weekend trip. I love the sleek design and overall simplicity," says one troubadourgoods.com customer.

Traveling and commuting would be a little bit easier if all bags were waterproof. Rains is on the way to doing just that, starting with this simple, efficient, totally waterproof duffel. Never worry about your stuff even once. Better yet, it offers an alternative way of carrying it: A strap that lets you carry it like a crossbody.

It's only got one compartment—plus a front zip pocket and a side mesh pocket—for you to just stash stuff in and go. Our testers found that we had to be a bit creative and intentional when organizing our stuff with this duffel bag. The top handles and a detachable shoulder strap also make it very easy to carry.

What Do Buyers Say? "It is a bag and everything feels sturdy from the zippers to the attached straps to the shoulder strap with sturdy clasps which is included in the bag," says one customer.

It's nice to have a duffel that you can just throw a bunch of stuff in without thinking twice about keeping it neat. Everlane’s ReNew Transit Weekender duffel bag is good-looking enough to divert from any mess inside, and versatile enough to accompany you through long-distance excursions or daily commutes to another building.

Made as a travel duffel bag that you’ll carry as part of your overnight trip or long weekend journey, our tester also found that it is very everyday-friendly, especially for gym or for just carrying your stuff from point A to point B. It has a padded laptop sleeve, two water bottle holders, and exterior zip pockets. We also love that you can carry it crossbody, slung over your shoulder, or just in your hands. The outer material is also easy to clean and durable against wear and tear.

As for the volume, our tester was able to pack three to four days of clothes into this thing and put it under the seat or in the overhead bin with ease.

What Do Buyers Say? "More pocket space than the pictures dictate. Can fit a lot more inside as well. Just an all-around great bag that looks very nice," says one everlane.com customer.

Would you expect anything less than expert for The North Face's duffel bags? Yeah, us too. Of course, the brand delivered. This bag is made with heavy-duty recycled body and boot materials and a water-repellent finish. And for a bag made for overnight outdoors-ing, it looks stylish as hell.

The North Face Base Camp also works great as a convertible backpack. The straps on the Base Camp might have some of the best paddings you can get, making it that much more comfortable in terms of all-day carry. As far as the material used, the strong 1000D recycled PVC and water-resistant zippers help repel any and everything.

The only downside to this bag somewhat is how the interior storage is configured. It doesn't have any special laptop compartments or unique pocket designs: it's a duffel at the end of the day. Still, we love that this rugged duffel has only the most practical bells and whistles: interior zip pockets and the option to wear as a backpack or slung over the shoulder.

What Do Buyers Say? "The bag is very durable and has lots of space for a week's worth of clothing if you are vacationing. The backpack straps are very comfortable when carrying everything," says one thenorthface.com customer.

The Calpak Luka Duffle Bag is a sleek option with a bunch of pockets to help you stay organized. Plus, it’s lined with a water-resistant finish, which will keep your gear dry during rainy commutes. Our fitness editor, Talene Appleton has been carrying the matte-black version for the past year. She loves that it has the capacity to store everything including a work laptop, water bottle, gym clothes, a pair of sneakers, and so much more.

We appreciate that there's a compartment in the bottom to keep your smelly training shoes separate from clean clothes. It also makes for a great travel bag, especially for a quick weekend getaway. However, we don’t recommend packing to the brim because the zipper may give way.

What Do Buyers Say? "I needed a good weekend bag as I didn’t want to travel with a suitcase everywhere. This is honestly perfect! I’m a classic over-packer and I was shocked at how much it could fit and how flexible the material was," says one nordstrom.com customer.

This leather number might give off retro vibes, but it comes fully equipped with handy exterior pockets, sturdy handles, and a spacious main compartment for all of your modern-day travel needs. We found that the strap on the bag is so nice and the lining is also high quality.

Our tester says that the leather is soft, thick, and squishy. We love how durable the subtle hardware and the pebbled leather are. It is heavy when empty, but that is expected for this type of bag. The padded shoulder strap also feels comfortable to carry.

What Do Buyers Say? "This is a great piece of luggage. It's sturdy and attractive. When compared with other leather luggage, it's also affordable," says one quince.com customer.

Dagne Dover's Landon is, hands-down, the best duffel bag for everyday carry. The neoprene fabric is soft, stretchy, and easily washable. It takes a long time to get it smelling bad, but once it does, just hand-wash it in the sink and let it dry.

What Do Buyers Say? "This bag exceeded expectations in terms of functionality and capacity! It holds everything and more - perfect for work days, weekend trips...it's just always with me," says one dagnedover.com customer.

At this price, it’s a solid duffel bag you can carry to the gym or to travel in. The name says small, but the 40L-capacity is in no way small. Our tester also found that it’s incredibly lightweight despite the large capacity—at only 1 pound!

Made with the brand’s signature UA Storm technology, this duffel holds out well against the elements too with its water-resistance finish. We love that it is tough and its bottom is PU-coated and foam-lined to never tear or wear. Inside, it has a large vented pocket for dirty sweaty clothes and dirty shoes, as well as many slip pockets for smart organization.

What Do Buyers Say? "It is lightweight and durable. It is for everyday training. I do not like to carry much so I take this bag on those days with just essentials. It does have a water repellent finish, it has vents to keep odor out and a nice pocket inside to keep my things organized," says one customer.

Not just for dads or hubbies who carry too many screwdrivers and pliers in their pockets, Carhartt's Legacy duffel is for anyone who appreciates neat organization. Aside from several large compartments, it's got too many pockets in the front, back, and inside to count. Talk about organization.

What Do Buyers Say? "Just what I was looking for. Perfect for a weekend trip. I like the pockets which are great for meds and toiletries," says one amazon.com customer.

In a waxed canvas patina that'll get better with age, this duffel can withstand the ebb and flow of trends and still stand out a few decades later as the rugged one. Overall, we love that it has stood up to the rigors of our daily abuse for several months now. It is spacious too, but could be a bit heavy to carry when full.

To give it a full look, don a denim jacket and a pair of chinos with it.

What Do Buyers Say? "It is my go-to for all weekend to 5 day travels. It’s super roomy, looks great, and is very durable," says one buyer from Reddit.

Filson makes the waxed canvas even more durable with a heavy-duty waxed canvas that can handle harsh winter conditions. At 14 oz. per square yard, the Tin Cloth is twice the weight of imitators but not overly thick, thanks to its dense, tightly woven construction.

Filson's Tin Cloth duffle is one of the toughest bags across the board, being able to shed both rain and snow to keep the hidden gem inside intact. Made with waxed canvas, this piece is only going to look better with age—and lots of rough and tough wear. In a workwear-y, many-pockets design with quite a few hidden compartments, it’ll prove its value when it’s stuffed full.

What Do Buyers Say? "This one will take your gear anywhere! It’s the perfect size and has numerous options for storing larger and smaller items separately. I use nothing but this bag now for a wide variety of applications. Can’t say enough about its utility and of course quality is bar none," says one filson.com customer.

Size and capacity: It depends on where you'll bring your duffel bags and what you’ll use them for. Packing light with clothes to change into and out of along with some other small bits and bobs? Then 30 liters or below in capacity will do you just fine. If you're packing heavy with shoes, days' worth of clothes, as well as work stuff then a roomy duffel over 30 liters is what the doctor ordered. If you’re looking for duffel bags to carry on your long trips, then we suggest 40 liters and up.

It's also worth considering the dimensions of the duffel bag to ensure it meets airline size restrictions if you plan to use it as a carry-on.

Durability: Your duffel bag should be made with durable outer shell fabric that can handle the heaviest load or water-resistant/waterproof fabric for unpredictable weather. Look for duffel bags made from robust materials like nylon, enhanced polyester, waxed canvas, or leather. Reinforced stitching and sturdy zippers are essential for longevity in duffel bags as well. Either way, the fabric should be tough enough to protect all the gear within.

Compartments: Consider your organizational needs. In general, you’ll want to avoid duffel bags with only one single large compartment—while throwing everything in it and calling it a day sounds convenient, it is not smart for organizing your stuff in the bag. Duffel bags with multiple compartments and pockets (both inside and out) will help you keep things tidy and easily accessible. For instance, if you’re traveling long distances, your duffel bags should come with a shoe compartment, and duffel bags for everyday carry should come with external pockets for easy access,

Weight: The best duffel bags for men should be lightweight—especially if you're planning on carrying it for extended periods. Ideally, we consider anything at or below two pounds as lightweight when empty, but duffel bags made with leather and waxed canvas are inherently heavy. Also, the bigger your duffel bag is, the heavier it might be.

Versatility: The Best duffel bags for men should meet all kinds of carrying needs at a moment’s notice, whether it’s for the gym, weekend trips, daily commuting, or a long journey abroad. But the versatility of duffel bags shouldn’t stop there: the ability to convert into a backpack or crossbody bag is also something to consider.