Duffel Bags – Five Plus One

Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.


While it can be satisfying to pack your suitcase with a bunch of premeditated outfits, sometimes you just don’t have the time. But even if your last minute packing job leaves much to be desired, that doesn’t mean you can’t look polished to your fellow travelers. On this list you’ll find some of the best duffel bags on the market — quick to pack, easy to carry, and great looking to boot.

1) Fjällräven: Duffel No. 4 in Dark Olive

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First up is Fjällräven’s No. 4 Dufflel in Dark Olive, which is a simple duffel constructed from a 65/35 poly/cotton canvas with a leather handle, two outer pockets, and 30L main zippered compartment. While slightly smaller than a standard carry-out suitcase, this duffel has more than enough room for all your weekend essentials. And with its fabric reinforcements and riveted leather handle, this bag is sure to be around for a good, long while.

Available for $150 from Zappos.

2) Filson: Large Duffel in Tan Twill

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Filson is well known for their bags so it should come as no surprise that they make a killer Large Duffel. It’s constructed from a 22oz. tan twill, comes outfitted with bridle leather straps that wrap under the bottom of the bag for added durability, and features a massive interior compartment with two internal pockets for smaller items. The bag is closed with a heavy-duty zipper, which can then be protected by folding the snap closure over top of it. If this duffel looks a bit big for your needs, don’t fret:  they have several other sizes for sale, and even some wheeled variants.

Available for $425 from Filson.

3) A.P.C.: Small Liam Duffle Bag in Black

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A.P.C.’s Small Liam Duffel is, as its name suggests, pretty small. But that doesn’t make it any less functional as a gym bag, overnight bag, or emergency bag for the trunk of your car. It features one main, cylindrical compartment with several small pockets on both the interior and exterior, and comes with both handles and a shoulder strap. The handles wrap around around the bottom of the bag—helping both with weight distribution and durability—while the shoulder strap connects on either end via D-rings.

Available for $315 from Ssense.

4) Barbour: Wax Holdall in Navy

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If there’s one company that loves waxed canvas as much as Filson, it’s Barbour, and that passion shines through in their Navy Wax Holdall. It has just about every detail you could hope for from a duffel:  a large main compartment, multiple inner pockets for incidentals, a two-way zipper, heavy duty leather handles, and a removable shoulder strap. And, like you’d expect from Barbour, the inside of this bag is lined with a soft, Tartan fabric.

Available for $185 from End Clothing.

5) Peg and Awl: Weekender in Slate

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Peg and Awls’ Weekender might not be a duffel by the strictest definitions, as the zipper comes partially down the side of the bag, but it certainly fills the same niche—a collapsible bag that can be quickly packed and tossed in the back of your car. It’s made in an array of different colors of 15oz. waxed duck canvas and features true vintage zippers and reclaimed leather handles from military gunslings. The handles are cut extra long to allow the bag to be both carried or flung over the shoulder, making it easy to carry no matter the load.

Available for $320 from Peg and Awl.

Plus One – Maison Margiela: 11 Fold-Up Leather Holdall

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Maison Margiela’s 11 Fold-Up Leather Holdall manages to be incredibly unique without sacrificing any functionality. In fact, its unique features add to its overall functionality. At first glance, this duffel appears to be nothing more than a really, really, really ridiculously good looking duffel bag, but when it’s all emptied, it folds and zips into a tiny leather parcel, perfect if your closet has minimal storage space or if you intend to bring more back from your trip than you brought in the first place. The cool design and high quality materials come at a price, but hey, so do all things.

Available for $1709 from End Clothing.