The 6 Best Duffel Bags of 2025
Versatile/adventure duffels
Sea to Summit Duffle Bag: Although this heavy, water-resistant adventure duffel is good for the price, we were more impressed by the consistent performance and simplicity of the Patagonia Black Hole (our pick for a versatile duffel) and the sturdier construction of the Yeti Panga (our pick for a waterproof duffel).
The North Face Base Camp Duffel L: This duffel is similar to the Sea to Summit Duffel Bag, except it lacks that bag’s rigidity and attention to detail.
Cotopaxi Allpa Getaway Duffel and Cotopaxi Allpa Duffel Bag: Everything is great about these bags except the price. Patagonia, Cotopaxi, and Eagle Creek are, to most extents, locked in a dance together. We’re fans of Cotopaxi gear, and these bags are as good as anything that company makes, but they cost the same as Patagonia’s bags, and we still think Patagonia has the upper hand in terms of its reputation. We’ve also seen quite a lot of design churn at Cotopaxi beyond the flagship items, which makes it hard for us to consistently recommend its designs. Several Cotopaxi picks we’ve made for this guide have been discontinued over the years.
Weekenders
Lo & Sons Catalina Deluxe: We liked the separate compartment at the bottom of the bag, which allows you to pack a few pairs of shoes, say, or to separate out dirty laundry as you travel. But the materials of this duffel weren’t as good as those of other picks, and it didn’t carry as comfortably.
Lands’ End Waxed Canvas Travel Duffle Bag: Although this bag was a pick of ours for many years, we dropped it this year because of ongoing quality issues. After continued testing, the stitching in this bag was wearing out and weak. A cursory look at the buyer reviews on the Lands’ End site confirmed our testing.
Carl Friedrik Palissy Weekend: Occasionally we like to look at the upper end of any category to see what exists far beyond our usual recommended price range. The Palissy Weekend is a beautiful, expertly crafted leather bag. It makes an excellent potential high-end gift but remains outside the scope of this review.
Everyday duffel
Mission Workshop Transit Duffle: We aren’t sure who this laptop duffel is for. The bag was so divided up and over-organized that we had trouble carrying much of anything in it. In addition, the main zipper was too short, which made it hard for us to open the center of the bag all the way.
Bellroy Lite Duffel: We very nearly made this model one of our picks, but the odd design of its top zipper closure dissuaded us. That zipper extends out past the edges of the bag’s main compartment, which makes it easier to access the interior but also leaves two large openings on either end of the bag when it’s closed. Although the extra length of zipper folds down, the bag has neither buttons nor clasps to keep it shut. The gap seems like a large oversight, especially considering the duffel’s price. We do, however, recommend it for use as a gym bag.
Backpack duffels
Osprey Transporter Duffel 40: This duffel bag wasn’t great to pack or carry in our tests. The materials felt thin, and the straps didn’t sit well on our shoulders when the duffel was fully packed.
Piorama A10: An adjustable duffel bag that’s both a day bag and an extra-large backpack? Seems like it should be great, but in practice the design seemed fiddly, and the cinched, sphincter-like ends were unsettling.
Topo Designs Mountain Duffel: The one flaw of this Topo backpack duffel is that the shoulder straps are placed on the bottom of the bag, so as you’re wearing it, the zipper is worryingly exposed to the world.
