- If you hate checking a bag or are going on a shorter trip, you need a good carry-on-sized duffle bag.
- The Allpa 35L Travel Pack is our favorite duffle bag because its generous size lets you safely store up to 35 liters of stuff while still being airline-friendly.
I’m the worst kind of packer – I save it until the last minute and am completely disorganized. At least the second part is at least partially to blame on my luggage. When your suitcase is just an empty square of space, you don’t have many options besides piling everything inside and hoping for the best.
I take a lot of weekend trips to visit family or escape the city for a few days, and I’ve often wished for a duffle bag that can fit all my stuff – I travel with a lot of stuff – and is actually comfortable to carry, unlike the collection of free tote bags I’ve collected at events that I typically use.
If this sounds familiar, well, you and I are both in luck. There are so many great duffle bags on the market, and I’ve tracked down the six best ones. They make packing for travel so much easier and a whole lot more fun. I’ve focused on duffle bags that look great and have storage features that keep your items neat and organized whether you’re traveling by plane, train, or automobile.
Here are the best duffle bags:
- Best overall: Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack
- Best for weekend trips: Everlane Twill Weekender
- Best for the gym: Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Duffle
- Best leather: KPL Vintage Leather Duffel
- Best waterproof: YETI Panga Duffel
Updated on 8/6/2020. We updated pricing and links and added a selection of relevant buying guides. We also removed the bago Foldable Travel Duffle and the Patagonia Black Hole Duffle as they are no longer available.
The best overall
If you want a duffle bag that can do it all, look no further than the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack – it holds 35 liters of stuff in durable, all-weather fabric.
I’m a carry-on only traveler as often as possible. If I can fit it all in a TSA-friendly piece of luggage, I’ll do it. But that typically means making some concessions about what I bring along with me, but that’s not the case if you invest in the Allpa 35L Travel Pack.
As the name suggests, it has a capacity to hold 35 liters within its carry-on friendly dimensions. The bag has so many different compartments it's hard to imagine not fitting everything you need for a long weekend inside.
There's also a wrap-around zipper, so the bag flips open completely and allows you to see what you're doing as you reach inside. Zippered mesh compartments protect your clothing, while a cushioned laptop sleeve keeps your important devices safe. It also comes with mesh bags to store dirty laundry, a shoe bag, and a water bottle sleeve.
My favorite part? You can wear it as a backpack or use the handles to carry it as a duffle. A rain cover protects the bag and your belongings from unexpected bad weather.
All these features combine earned the Allpa 35L Travel Pack a glowing review from Insider Reviews senior commerce reporter Mara Leighton.
"It's so good at fitting a never-ending amount of things that it has pretty much negated my tendency to overpack, simply because it fits surplus for a carry-on-sized weekend incredibly well," writes Leighton.
Pros: Holds a ton of items within carry-on measurements, comes with extra accessories and rain cover, pockets for organization, can be carried as backpack or duffle
Cons: Very sporty design might not appeal to everyone
Read our full review of the Allpa 35L Travel Pack
The best for weekend trips
Everlane's Twill Weekender holds everything you need for a quick getaway and doesn't skimp on style.
I don't consider myself a minimalist by any stretch of the imagination, but Everlane's thoughtful basics speak to me. Finding the perfect pair of flats or everyday bag that goes with everything frees me up to be creative with the rest of my outfit.
All of this to say that the Everlane Twill Weekender is one of the best duffle bags available for the style-conscious. The simple oval silhouette will ensure you look great in transit - even if you're wearing decade-old sweatpants and a college logo hoodie. It comes in several classic color combos, like army green with black straps or two-toned grey twill and black leather.
Designed to fit in overhead compartments on trains, airplanes, and more, you can use this as a carry-on or as your only source of luggage for shorter trips. Two pockets - one on the outside and one inside - give you easy access to essentials like cell phones and boarding passes. You won't be able to pack your entire wardrobe in the bag, but it's the ideal size for shorter trips.
Insider Reviews also did a thorough review of this duffle and gave it high praise.
"The bag's cotton-twill body is spacious enough for a three- or four-day weekend's worth of stuff," writes our executive editor Ellen Hoffman. "It's also, crucially, water-resistant, capable of protecting your stuff from wet grass, dirty floors, and sudden summer showers."
Pros: Stylish, roomy enough for several days of travel, water-resistant, made of quality materials, long leather straps
Cons: Only has two pockets
Read our full review of the Everlane Twill Weekender
The best for the gym
Searching for a gym-appropriate duffle that doesn't necessarily look like a gym bag? Check out the Landon Carryall from Dagne Dover.
Carrying everything you need to trek from the office to the gym (or vice versa) can really weigh you down. Many gym duffle bags are clunky and unattractive. The Landon Carryall by Dagne Dover is the exception.
Made of "performance neoprene," it's durable enough to withstand even the most annoying commute, but the shape is chic and wearable. In short, it won't ruin your outfit.
Though the Landon Carryall is marketed as an office-to-gym bag, the larger sizes (it comes in small, medium, large, and extra large) would be sizeable enough to pack for a short vacation. I recommend going with at least a medium to have enough packable room.
Each size comes with a laptop sleeve, two mesh pockets, exterior pockets, and a detachable crossbody strap. The three larger sizes include a separate shoe bag (ideal for sweaty gym sneaks!). The Landon Carryall is a popular choice among industry insiders, including us.
Pros: Made of sturdy neoprene, features like shoe bag and laptop sleeve for additional storage, comes in five sizes and multiple fun colors
Cons: Small size still might be a bit small for daily use
Read our full review of the Landon Carryall
The best leather
If you like the look of leather, the KPL Vintage Leather Duffle offers both functional and style.
There's nothing like a classic leather bag for travel - especially if that bag costs less than $100. The KPL Vintage Leather Duffle looks a lot more expensive than it is, but that's not the only reason you'll love it if you're a frequent traveler.
First of all, this bag is the ideal size for a carry-on, which is always a plus. Secondly, while it looks like something you might stumble across in a vintage store in, say, the Catskills, it's actually just $64.99 on Amazon. But you don't have to tell anyone that.
There's a main center compartment where you can store shoes, clothes, books, and bulkier items, two side pockets, and a smaller front pouch for items that need to be easily accessible. Canvas lining ensures the leather exterior won't be impacted if you store dirty gym clothes or a leaky shampoo bottle inside.
For the price especially, the bag is made of surprisingly high-quality materials and holds more than you expect.
Pros: High-quality leather, roomy, reasonable price tag, multiple pockets
Cons: Might wear faster than higher-quality leather
The best waterproof
If you're a traveler who's rough on your luggage, YETI's Panga line is completely air- and water-tight, and rugged as can be.
"A whole new category of waterproof" might sound a little gimmicky, but YETI isn't wrong in the introduction of the Panga dry duffel bag line. So far, I've taken it offshore, leaving it atop, beside, and on occasion beneath a carelessly-strewn array of anchors, chains, tools, and fishing tackle.
A friend's little brother even tossed a freshly-sharpened and heavily-weighted fishing hook atop it (as little brothers do). A hook that sharp, I was sure, would have quickly rendered this bag no longer waterproof. But it held up.
The EVA molded bottom is even tougher, which is key for anyone using this bag for more rugged, outdoorsy applications. The Panga is sleek enough to travel with, too, especially to destinations that require potentially wet boat rides.
Using technology reminiscent of what is used for a drysuit zipper, YETI has stepped up the waterproof bag game with its trademarked Hydrolok Zipper, which is exceptionally rugged, if simple. It puts most other waterproof zippers to shame. This zipper system is so airtight that I've actually been filling YETI's bags up with air and sitting on them, using them as cushions on boat rides, and I still haven't been able to break the seal it forms.
The zipper can be a little tough to operate and requires a little force to open, but that's the same issue that arises with most good, fully waterproof products, and precisely why it works. It's also corrosion-resistant, and so long as you pull the zipper shut, there's no room for human error like there is with a more traditional roll-top bag. - Owen Burke
Pros: Ultra-durable, probably the sturdiest duffel I've ever used, comes in three sizes
Cons: Expensive, not great compartmental storage, scuffs up quickly
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