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 seven 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.
