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Luhxe Travel Bag

NEW : 🏆 2024 TOP-RATED SPACIOUS CARRY-ON

👜 Fits 10+ days of clothes plus 3 dresses

✈️ Save $65 on extra luggage fees every flight

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The Ultimate Traveler's Guide (Instant Download)

100+ insider secrets on maximizing your vacations while saving money (Free copy included with every order)

Luhxe Shoe Bag

Prevent your shoes from getting the rest of your bag dirty! Free shoe bag included with every Luhxe Bag Purchased

  • sell No More Check-In Fees
  • laundry Prevents Wrinkles
  • travel Carry-On Size

What's Included

For every Luhxe Travel Bag ordered, you'll receive...

  • 1x Adjustable Shoulder Strap
  • 1x Toiletry/Shoe Bag
  • 1x Travel Guide (82 Pages)
  • 90-Day Return Guarantee
  • 24/7 Customer Support

All for free!

  • TSA Carry-On Approved Size
  • Premium PU Leather Material
  • Water-Resistant Coating
  • Non-Slip Zippers

90-Day Returns

If there is any issues at all with your order, don't hesitate to reach out to our customer support team at [email protected]

We're happy to offer you an immediate solution, including a 100% Full Refund with no questions asked , and ensure you are satisfied with your experience!

Shipping Info

All Luhxe Orders are fulfilled and then shipped to anywhere in the United States in 4-6 working days on average.

Worldwide shipping (other than US) takes 5-10 working days depending on location:

  • Europe: 5-10 days
  • Australia: 5-10 days
  • United Kingdom: 5-10 days
  • Canada: 5-10 days
  • Rest of world: 5-10 days

All orders come with tracking information once shipped.

Weight & Dimensions

  • Weight: 2.2 lbs (1.1 kgs)
  • Dimensions: 20" x 9" x 12.5" (Approved by Airlines as Carry-On)
  • Materials: High-fiber PU leather and Nylon (Waterproof)
  • Guarantee: Free hassle-free refunds for 90 days

Carry-On Approved By 150+ Airlines...

Goodbye suitcases., get detachable rollers with your bag.

Choose the Roller Edition for a smooth, effortless journey. Perfect for longer trips and avoiding shoulder pain. Attach and detach your roller in just seconds!

More Packing, Less Fees

Say goodbye to your suitcase. The Luhxe Travel Bag's foldable design allows you to fit 3x the clothes/accessories in the same amount of space. No more waiting in line to check your suitcase in and save $$$ on checked bag fees!

Maximize Every Inch

Hang up to 10 shirts, dresses, sweaters, or coats and keep them wrinkle-free with our built-in hanger design.

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Water-Resistant

Crafted from durable 290D water and tear-resistant PU leather, your Luhxe® Travel Bag is designed to withstand the test of time.

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Stronger Materials

Unlike traditional leather which can crack and fade over time, our specially selected PU Leather is resistant to wear and tear and can maintain it's appearance for up to 3x the duration of traditional leather.

Our "You've Gotta Be Crazy" Guarantee

We're so confident that you'll love it that we offer a  90-DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE .

If you're not completely satisfied, simply return it for a full refund. That's right, just email us and we'll give you back your money!

Travel More, Wrinkle Less

With our patented Wrinkle-Free Packing Design and 7 different storage compartments, the Luhxe Travel Bag is perfect for the weekend Airbnb trip or your 3-week tour in Europe

Got Questions?

How do returns work.

We're so confident that you'll love your Luhxe Travel Bag that we have a 90-Day Money Back Guarantee!

Simply email [email protected] and we'll have a 100% refund processed for you within 24 hours.

Does it Fit as a Carry-On?

Yes! We've specifically designed the bag to fit as a carry-on on all airlines.

Here's a list of some common airlines that we've verified the bag works for as a carry-on

  • Spirit Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • Frontier Airlines
  • American Airlines
  • Delta Airlines
  • Southwest Airlines
  • Alaska Airlines
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • Skywest Airlines
  • British Airways
  • Allegiant Air
  • Norwegian Airlines
  • Qatar Airways
  • Japan Airlines

There's too many airlines to list them all, but if you'd like to check if the Luhxe Travel Bag works for your specific airline, email us at [email protected]

How Much Clothing Can I Pack?

You can comfortably pack up to 10 days' worth of everyday clothing, along with 2 to 3 wrinkle-free dresses, ensuring you're prepared for extended stays or varied occasions.

Is It Waterproof?

Yes, it's crafted with waterproof Nylon-surfaced material, ensuring your belongings stay dry and protected against rain or accidental spills.

What Is The Bag Made Of?

Our Travel Bags are made out of super high-fiber PU leather. This is a form of vegan leather that is both sustainable and climate friendly.

Can this Bag Really Save me Money?

According to CNBC, the average cost of a check-in bag for a round-trip flight ranges between $85-125 in 2024.

That means by using the Luhxe travel bag (which classifies as a carry-on), you essentially get it for free on the first trip you use it on!

The bag is designed to last for 15-20 years, so if you take 2 trips a year with an average checked bag cost of $100, that's between $3000 to $4000 saved!

Why Isn't My Tracking Number Working?

Our tracking numbers typically become active within 3-5 working days after purchase. This delay occurs because the tracking link is activated at the first checkpoint - "the airline center" when your product is processed for its flight. if your tracking number doesn't work after 5 days, please contact us at [email protected] and we will personally track down your order for you, or you can track your order shipping status by going to our "track order" page (see menu).

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What’s the Best Personal-Item Bag for Flying?

Portrait of Katherine Gillespie

Between finding a carry-on that will fit in most overhead compartments, a toiletry bag or Dopp kit for your tiny bottles of shampoo, and an under-the-seat personal item to hold everything you’ll need for in-flight comfort and entertainment, solving the packing equation isn’t easy. To make things even more complicated, there aren’t even standard regulations for what counts as a “personal item” — as my fellow writer Rachael Griffiths explains here , each airline has its own particular requirements. If you’ve purchased a basic fare on a no-frills carrier like Frontier or Spirit, you’ll generally want to stick with a bag measuring 8 x 18 x 14 inches or smaller (and if you’ve purchased a personal-item-only fare, I’ve written a minimalist packing guide to help you figure out how to travel with just one small bag). On most other airlines, there’s a lot more you can get away with. Below, find advice from stylish frequent fliers (and Strategist staffers) about the totes, duffels, and backpacks they slip over the handles of their suitcases.

Update on September 12, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.

The best personal-item tote bags

Parker Thatch Medium Mimi - Suede Caramel

Yolo Journal ’s Yolanda Edwards likes travel bags that don’t look like travel bags and can therefore be used for everyday sightseeing and shopping upon reaching your destination. Parker Thatch’s roomy totes fit the bill, and while they don’t have a luggage sleeve, Edwards has no problem slipping the handles of this one over her Rimowa suitcase. “And it’s great for going to the farmers’ market once I arrive where I’m going,” she adds.

Longchamp Large Le Pliage Tote

“I look for a bag that can sit on top of my carry-on, fit a lot of items, and be easily stored when not in use,” says Daniela Velasco, the creative director of Drift magazine. That bag, for her, is Longchamp’s forever classic Le Pliage tote, which flattens and folds up for storage. Strategist senior editor Hilary Reid owns one in orange and is also “always surprised by how much fits inside.”

L.L. Bean Boat and Tote, Zip-Top

Is there a more quintessential carry-all than the L.L.Bean Boat and Tote? Writer and influencer Harry Hill doesn’t think so. “As someone who is usually drawn to more uppity travel bags, this trusty tote is a delight because of how unfussy it is,” Hill tells us. “It fits a ton, it’s super-lightweight, and I don’t have to worry about spilling coffee on the vachetta or putting it on the ground.” Hill suggests monogramming your name — or a crude joke, depending on personal preference. For additional customization, “the colorways are constantly changing, so keep an eye out if you have a specific vision for your tote.” While Hill adds that it’s impossible to go wrong, because any L.L.Bean “will make you look like a Kennedy skipping town,” the zip-up version of the bag will give more peace of mind at the airport.

Cuyana Easy Travel Tote

Strategist contributing writer Mya Gelber spent a day asking stylish strangers on the subway about their work bags, and Cuyana’s Classic Easy Zipper Tote was the one she ended up purchasing for herself. So when the brand announced this larger travel-friendly version of the popular bag, I immediately ordered one to test out. Made from soft and slouchy leather, it’s a big bag that can definitely fit an outfit or two alongside your laptop, passport, and other essentials. While it can’t be worn as a cross-body, the tote’s shoulder straps are long and thick enough to be comfortable for long periods of time. There’s no luggage sleeve, either, but this means that the bag can be used more seamlessly in everyday life — it would be an excellent investment for anyone who is commuting gym-to-office.

Pacific Tote Company “International Orange” Catalina Beach Tote - Large

Sewn in California from leftover sailing canvas, Pacific Tote Company’s bags are similar to L.L. Bean boat totes, except more brightly colored. The company is co-owned by director Roman Coppola (brother to Sofia, who carries Pacific Tote bags on set ) and beloved by bi-coastal film industry insiders. If you work in film and fly between L.A. and New York every other week, you carry your laptop in this pleasingly sturdy bag . Strategist style columnist Chris Black is also a fan .

Kule The Over the Shoulder Tote

When she’s not traveling with her Parker Thatch bag, Edwards also likes to use Kule’s roomy totes as personal items. Saturday Night Live ’s Chloe Fineman travels with one of these too, and says it fits both a laptop and extra outfit inside. She adds that the New York brand’s designs are “a little cheeky and a little funny,” as well as a nice reminder of home when she’s on the road.

MZ Wallace Medium Metro Tote Deluxe

Here’s another professional-looking, multi-purpose travel tote, as recommended by Strategist writer Lauren Ro. She says it makes a great carry-on personal item because it’s lightweight and custom-designed for air travel, with a luggage sleeve and exterior pockets for stashing chargers and tidbits, as well as a removable crossbody strap.

Baggu Cloud Carry On

At least two friends that I know of ended up immediately purchasing a Baggu Cloud Carry-on after I flaunted mine at a destination wedding last year. Made from weightless but durable nylon, the airplane-friendly version of the brand’s original Cloud Bag can hold a lot of stuff, and the bright colorways stand out in a sea of boring navy duffels at the airport. Puffy shoulder straps make standing in line at security a bit more tolerable, and generous external pockets are handy for stashing a book or water bottle. The original bag’s dimensions are actually rather large (14 × 20 × 8 inches) for a personal item, although its bulkiness really depends on how much stuff you pack inside. I’ve taken mine on a personal-item-only Spirit flight with no issues at all, and on longer trips I have also slipped it over the handle of a Samsonite carry-on suitcase using the attached luggage sleeve. If you’re looking for something more compact that’ll definitely squish under the seat in front of you, Baggu recently launched a smaller size (16.5 by 12.5 by 6.5 inches) with the same comfortable padded straps and removable zipper pouch inside.

The best personal-item duffel bags

Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC

Former Strategist associate editor Louis Cheslaw calls this Patagonia duffel his “ secret second suitcase ,” because its unassuming-yet-roomy interior lets him pack heavy without checking a bag. The Black Hole’s 30-liter capacity is about as large as a bag can be while still qualifying as the “personal item” you can bring onboard with your main carry-on suitcase and slide under the seat in front of you, Cheslaw notes. “Within that capacity, I can easily fit two pairs of shoes as well as a week’s worth of underwear, socks, and thin shirts, relieving a ton of pressure on my suitcase.”

Halfday The Garment Duffel

This new-school garment bag, which made our Travel 100 list of the best products to take on the road, can keep a suit or gown unwrinkled while also cleverly storing several other outfits. My fellow Strategist writer Rachael Griffiths loves taking hers on weekend trips with friends, especially when packing satin dresses and pleated shirts for nights out. It’s ideal for destination weddings, and Moonflower wine bar co-owner Rebecca Johnson even took one all the way to Tasmania for a romantic antipodean getaway with her husband. Going ’s travel spokesperson, Katy Nastro, told me that it’s very popular among her exceedingly well-traveled colleagues.

Dagne Dover Landon Neoprene Carryall - Medium

For both carry-on backpacks and duffels, former Paper fashion editor Mario Abad turns to Dagne Dover’s neoprene travel bags. “They’re the best,” he says. “They’re really lightweight, and they’re made of this scuba material that looks sleek and modern and is nice to the touch.” The bags aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, though. “You can fit a lot of stuff inside — it’s a minimal aesthetic, no busy details or anything, just all the compartments you need.” Jessica Morrobel of  Traveling With Jessica agrees that the Landon is an “absolute lifesaver,” and  Going ’s travel spokesperson, Katy Nastro, is also a fan, especially for quick overnights. The duffel comes in five sizes, but medium is the best option if you know you’ll be flying on budget carriers with strict rules.

The best personal-item backpacks

Lo & Sons Hanover Deluxe 2 Travel Backpack

This is my current personal item backpack of choice. It is designed to slip over the handles of a carry-on suitcase, but over Christmas I took it as my only luggage on a weeklong train trip across Turkey and Georgia and it fit everything I needed, including an extra pair of shoes. The neutral design is as appropriate for day hiking and office commuting as it is flying. But the capacity is the biggest drawcard. Creator Jessica Wright of Bon Traveler is a longtime user and says she is “shocked” by how much it can hold. Great for packers who like to compartmentalize, the interior is separated into various sleeves and sections for a laptop, clothing, and tech items. But you can also remove these compartments and just use it as a black hole bag if needed.

Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

My fellow Strategist travel writer Rachael Griffiths prefers this sleek Timbuk2 backpack with even more sleeves and compartments for organizing items on the move. It, too, can store “a week away’s worth of clothes and a fat beach read if you’re strategic,” she says. Which is ideal if you’re traveling personal-item-only .

Gregory Rhune 25

The “clown car of personal items” is what writer and film wrangler Maggie Slepian calls this top-loading backpack from hiker-beloved brand Gregory. When she used it as her only luggage item for a four-day trip to the East Coast last fall, it fit a laptop, notebook, sandals, running shoes, rain jacket, jumpsuit, two pairs of leggings, two pairs of shorts, several shirts, toiletries, socks, undergarments, five pairs of headphones (over-ear, noise-canceling earbuds, white-noise only, corded for the plane, and AirPods for Zoom calls), and snacks. Her water bottle was stashed in the stretchy side pocket. I’ll also note that the brand has recently updated this bag with new (and to my eyes more attractive) colorways; the “techno granite” is very sleek.

Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Tote Pack

Patagonia’s Ultralight Black Hole Tote Pack is “a really good bag,” as Strategist contributing writer Molly Dektar observes . Popular among globe-trotting art world types, it can be carried as either a tote or a backpack, depending on the situation, and it folds into its own internal pocket, for easy storage. It is practical without sacrificing style: “Though it is crafted of black ripstop, it does not scream, ‘I hike!’ and though it has a large number of pockets and adjustable straps, it does not scream, ‘I code!’”

Patagonia Black Hole 25L Daypack

Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens is a fan of Patagonia’s Black Hole bags too — but she uses this more traditional-looking one. “ There are one zillion separate little pockets and perfectly sized compartments for things like chargers and night guards and passports and AirPods,” she explains, “as well as slim sleeves for a laptop and magazines.” The bag opens at the top, which means things won’t come tumbling out when you need to grab something. And while there’s a high level of organization happening on the inside, the bag has a smooth exterior: “ I quite like that the outside doesn’t look all that tricked out. ”

Fjallraven Kanken Mini - Navy

Despite fears of looking like a Scandinavian school child or 2012-era hipster, Strategist writer Dominique Pariso is loyal to her Kanken — and she’s not alone among our staff . “This backpack is so light, so compact, and so durable it really is ideal for stuffing under tiny airplane seats,” she explains. “Plus, you can fit way more stuff inside than seems humanly possible given its petite size.”

The best personal-item cross-bodies and fanny packs

Baggu Medium Nylon Crescent Bag

Baggu’s take on the crescent trend is excellent for travel. I’ve had mine for a couple of years now and would be lost without it at the airport. It’s comfortable to wear, with a highly adjustable strap and two zippered internal pockets for securing your phone, passport, and wallet. The capacity is huge: I can fit a book and water bottle inside and still have room left over for other items. I’ve machine washed it several times with no issue. And while the bag looks smart, especially in the black colorway, it’s also low-key enough to avoid the attention of pickpockets. Hairstylist Teddi Cranford, who has visited Marrakech five times , says that it’s “essential for the souk,” because you can “just easily grab stuff out and zip it back up.”

Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack

Less sporty-looking than the ubiquitous Lululemon belt bag, and constructed from stretchy neoprene fabric that lets you stuff it full if you need to, our favorite fanny pack is perfect for the plane. I’ve got one of these in white and appreciate how minimal it looks. The size also makes it easy to hide under a jacket or sweater.

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The 12 Best Travel Bags to Walk the Airplane Runway With, Tested & Reviewed

Pack everything you want and leave nothing behind.

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In This Article

  • Our Top Picks

What to Keep in Mind

  • Your Questions, Answered

Why Shop With Us

InStyle / Alli Waataja

Let me start this article by saying I’m on a plane roughly eight to 10 times yearly. I absolutely adore travel and even made it around the world backpacking by myself for a year. Needless to say, I know a thing or two about smart packing. After loading my valuables into travel purses , weekender bags , carry-ons, and even hiking backpacks, I quickly learned that not all bags are created equal—at least not for every type of travel.

It’s not just me who thinks so. Our editors have found their favorite travel bags through press trips and vacations, so we brought our heads together to compile a list of our ultimate favorites. To take it an additional step further, we pulled the best-performing products from our lab as well, where we tested a variety of bags in real life, doing so much as throwing suitcases onto the floor and seeing how they endured. As we boarded planes, we observed how quickly we could reach for our passports and whether there was a safe space for our laptops to snuggle into. We noted how smoothly wheels rolled over the French cobblestone streets or how heavy a duffel bag felt on our shoulders. The result? This foolproof list of best travel bags, including laptop bags and backpacks , that ensure the smoothest commute to the next closest Aperol Spritz.

Best Overall

Dagne dover landon carryall bag.

Why We Love It: We’re big fans of Dagne Dover’s neoprene collection, having tested the belt bag and backpack already. We weren’t surprised, therefore, when this Carryall Bag impressed us, too. With inside pockets (both slip and zip), we were able to place a laptop into the sleeve in addition to a water bottle and a passport into their dedicated slots. Still, there was plenty of room in the main compartment for all our clothes. Included in the bundle are two removable pouches as well as a shoe bag and a mesh zip pouch. Most notably, the top zip extends out an extra few inches, maximizing the space to stuff our cute weekend outfits. If we didn’t need the extra space, we could clip the sides down to keep everything looking compact. Lastly, there’s an outer slip intended to be used over a suitcase handle, so the bag could stay safe and flush against our carry-on. “We use high-performance 900 Denier polyester when designing travel bags because it’s incredibly durable,” says Cofounder and Chief Creative Officer at Dagne Dover, Jessy Dover . “It's also super lightweight, water-resistant, and is created to withstand life on the go, so it won't tear or snag during your adventures,” she explains. 

Who It’s For: Someone looking for a minimalist, stylish, and functional bag. With tons of smart compartments and a generously spacious interior, the Carryall Bag does truly that: carry all.

Dimensions: 20.5 (W) x 10.5 (H) x 10 (D) inches | Materials: Premium neoprene | Colors: 12

Best Budget

L.l. bean boat and tote, zip-top.

Why We Love It: The L.L. Bean Boat and Tote bag is famous for a reason. After owning this bag for just six months, InStyle’s Senior Commerce Editor Hayley Prokos came to learn just how sturdy the canvas tote is. Not only that, but it’s become her go-to for basically all occasions, be it a personal item on a plane, a carryall for the beach, or an overnight tote to hold a change of clothes, shoes, and toiletry bag (she uses the large size). “Since the canvas maintains its shape when open, it’s extremely easy to pack. The only drawback is that it doesn't have any built-in compartments, but that hasn’t really bothered me, as I tend to keep small things in removable pouches that I can shuffle around in the bag,” she says. The fact that it’s monogrammable is just the icing on the cake. Choose between four different sizes and even two different top handle lengths—Prokos owns both the long and the short, swapping between them based on her needs.

Who It’s For: You like an aesthetic that is reminiscent of beachside holidays. Personalized touches make things feel special to you, and you don’t care too much about compartments. With tons of valuables to pack, however, you definitely require something sturdy enough to hold everything without tearing.

Dimensions: 10.5 (W) x 9.5 (H) x 5 (D) inches | Materials: Polyester | Colors: 13

Best Splurge

Paravel aviator carry-on.

Why We Love It: Anyone looking to book a luxurious trip should have an equally luxurious suitcase to match. Owning the Paravel Aviator Carry-On felt like a beautiful travel experience in itself. Dare we say we actually enjoyed packing for once? That’s because it comes with multiple interior pockets, a separate laundry bag, and an interior compression board, which helps to press down clothing and allow for more space. Packing cubes made compartmentalizing shoes away from clothing a breeze as well. All of the details are beautifully designed, with vegan leather finishes and buttery smooth zippers—which by the way, could be locked and sealed for anti-theft. Much like the Muji option below, the wheels on this suitcase glided so smoothly it was as though it were floating. Yes, it’s a little pricier than other options, but it does come with a 10-year warranty that allows you to get manufacturing defects fixed, free of cost. 

Who It’s For: A suitcase is more than just a storage compartment for you, it’s part of the beautiful travel experience. You want something aesthetically pleasing and the mere sight of your suitcase should get your heart all giddy. 

Dimensions: 13.7 (W) x 21.7 (H) x 9 (D) inches | Materials: Recycled polycarbonate, recycled aluminum handles, recycled zippers, vegan leather | Colors: 5

Best Leather

Polène cyme bag.

Why We Love It: This is my personal favorite travel bag. I use it for absolutely everything—from commutes to work to weekends away and big trips to Europe. In terms of design, texture, and quality, it competes with designer bags that usually sell for thousands, thanks to its calf leather exterior and suede interior. There are top handle straps as well as longer shoulder straps, which I use interchangeably. A magnetic closure keeps things quite secure, and a removable pouch holds essentials like passports, pens, and some tickets. Although it doesn’t have any compartments, as a fashion girly I really love it for its high-end appearance. Stacked on my Muji carry-on bag, I have all I could possibly need to travel while looking sleek.  

Who It’s For: While the lack of compartments and zippers might not be for everyone, those who love a design-forward bag that looks chic with absolutely anything will adore this tote. 

Dimensions: 15 (W) x 12.6 (H) x 6 (D) inches | Materials: Calf leather | Colors:  8

Cuyana System Tote

Why We Love It: This sleek, all-leather tote bag is as minimalist or as maximalist as you want it to be, at least where organization is concerned. When I received mine, I realized the tote itself comes quite bare, with a big open space and one single slit pocket on the side. However, there’s the option to purchase add-ons, such as pouches, dividers, and laptop sleeves, to customize the interior to your needs. A number of adjustable straps are also available to add on. Of course, these all come with an additional price tag, but considering you get your own personalized tote, we think it’s a fair deal. 

Who It’s For: Someone who is very clear and specific about what they want in their tote. You know exactly what you need and what you don’t, and want a sleek, beautiful, custom tote bag to fit into your life perfectly. 

Dimensions: 13.25 (W) x 10 (H) x 5 (D) inches | Materials: Leather | Colors:  6

Best Compartmentalized

Lipault lost in berlin 24h bag.

Why We Love It: We’ve been using this bag not just on our travels, but to the gym as well, giving it a bigger bang for its buck. It’s got two generously sized and zipped pockets on the exterior, making items like passports, phones, and ChapSticks easy to grab and safe from theft. Thanks to the cushiony and soft exterior, valuables on the inside always remain safe. There are even more compartments on the inside that are either zipped or meshed. And of course, a laptop sleeve can be found as well for anyone looking to use it on a business trip. As a little extra bonus, we love how the bag folds flat when not in use—it’s easy to store it away without taking up too much closet space. 

Who It’s For: Frequent travelers and anyone going on business trips—this bag will ensure everything is safely tucked in, in its right compartment, and unlikely to get lost. 

Dimensions: 17.3 (W) x 11.4 (H) x 9.8 (D) inches | Materials: Polyester | Colors: 4

Best Convertible

Caraa studio large leather tote.

Why We Love It: At first glance, this black leather tote looks like any standard bag. But upon further inspection, we fell deeper and deeper in love with all the smart benefits it offers. There are removable straps that turn the tote into a backpack (!!), so we could move around with our hands free. Because they are removable, they don’t dangle around and get in the way when we simply want to use it as a tote either. We found a side zip that we used as a shoe compartment, although it only fits flat sandals or smaller shoes (i.e. no high heels). The interior is extremely spacious, too, which allowed us to roll multiple shirts and sweaters in. And so nothing goes missing, there is a laptop compartment, a water bottle cinched pocket, and two larger slip pockets for passports, wallets, and phones. All in all, we could organize, bring a ton of items, and still look chic—a true win-win situation. 

Who It’s For: Anyone looking for a multipurpose bag, as the sleek leather exterior makes it appropriate for work, a shoe compartment makes it useful at the gym, and the backpack feature allows you to go hands-free at the airport. 

Dimensions: 13 (H) x 18 (W) x 7.5 (D) inches | Materials: Leather | Colors: 1

  • PHOTO: InStyle / Joy Kim

Best Carry-On

Muji adjustable handle hard shell suitcase.

Why We Love It: We didn’t know how smooth wheels could roll until pushing this carry-on suitcase through rough pebbled European streets. No matter how heavy the case was packed, it would still roll as though it only carried a feather. Muji has an extensive travel collection which we all adore, but this simple yet elegant suitcase has to take the cake. We could easily fit enough items for a weeklong getaway. The two interior compartments are divided by a zippered mesh flap, where we keep miscellaneous items like notebooks. When the suitcase is closed, we could clip the zipper handles into its designated clasp on the side and lock it with a key, giving it an extra layer of anti-theft protection. And the best part? We could lock the wheels from rolling, allowing us to leave it standing on a moving train without it skedaddling down the aisle. 

Who It’s For: The unisex appeal and thoughtful (but not overwhelming) design details makes this suitcase a great purchase for absolutely everyone. 

Dimensions: 14.6 (W) x 21.3 (H) x 9.4 (D) inches | Materials: Recycled polycarbonate, recycled polyester, polyester | Colors: 7

Best Weekender

Calpak hue laptop duffel.

Why We Love It: Duffel bags are a favorite go-to for little weekend getaways, and this option from Calpak offered far more than just a big empty space for clothes. Most notably, a padded laptop sleeve protected our laptop during transportation. A discreet phone slit made answering phone calls easy, and various pockets in and around the bag offered more ways to organize our valuables. A little slot fit for suitcase handles allowed us to keep everything together and our hands free. When we’re not traveling, the bag doubles as a great gym bag as well, giving us more chances to use it in everyday life. 

Who It’s For: Anyone going on frequent weekend getaways (like those who have family in another state) will get tons of usage out of this smart, laptop-friendly duffel bag. 

Dimensions: 18 (W) x 10 (H) x 9.5 (D) inches | Materials: Polyester, polyurethane | Colors: 4

Best for Business

Away the everywhere bag.

Why We Love It: Going somewhere for business? This bag from Away looks like a large briefcase and functions partly as one as well. With a separate compartment for laptops, pouches for notebooks and pens, a zippered section for wallets and passports, and a mesh socket for a water bottle, it's a sleek way to organize all our business essentials. The center compartment is large enough to pack enough clothes for a two-day trip, we found, but not more. With how sleek and minimalist the bag looks, we could easily carry it from the plane to the meeting without stopping by a hotel. After accidentally spilling some water onto the bag while being served by a flight attendant, we were happy to find the exterior was completely water-resistant.

Who It’s For: Frequent business travelers who find themselves on two to three-day trips will find all they need in this bag: a laptop compartment, notebook slots, and enough space for a few night's stay. 

Dimensions: 16.3 (W) x 10.2 (H) x 7.3 (D) inches | Materials: Nylon, leather | Colors:  5

Best Duffel

Baggu cloud carry-on.

Why We Love It: Three things you can expect from Baggu? Lightweightness, practicality, and fun prints. At least those are the key points that made Associate Photo Director Kelly Chiello fall in love with the Cloud Carry-On. “It’s lightweight and can collapse into a tiny pouch when I’m not using it,” she says. “It’s also large enough to store a ton of pouches inside to grab and while traveling.” There are two large side pockets as well as a trolley sleeve to keep it flush against your suitcase. A big zipper on top ensures all of the valuables are safe inside, so you can even check the bag in if need be. And of course, who can resist the quirky prints! 

Who It’s For: Anyone tired of the same old black and white suitcases, the print options from Baggu are a delight. A zipped bag such as this can function both as a checked luggage and a carry-on as well. 

Dimensions: 19.3 (W) × 13.8 (H) x 7.5 (D) inches | Materials: Recycled nylon | Colors: 6

Best Backpack

Open story 35l travel backpack.

Why We Love It: While this backpack may look like your regular rucksack from the outside, once you open it you’ll see it functions like a mini carry-on suitcase. Allow me to elaborate—with it folded flat open, you’ll see one large compartment big enough to hold multiple outfits separated by a mesh zipper. On the other side there are several mesh zipped pockets for toiletries and other essentials. There’s even an outer pocket big enough to fit a laptop, passports, notebooks, wallets, and more. The entire backpack is made of water-resistant recycled polyester, with multiple ways to hold the sack (top handle, trolley sleeve, backpack). “It has good padding on the back and the straps are really supportive. And nobody ever measures or weighs it as a carry-on which helps you get away with things at the airport,” says Associate Director of Growth & Content Strategy, Giovanna Angulo . 

Who It’s For: Over-packers who want to discreetly carry an extra mini suitcase as a carry-on. Anyone who prefers having their hands free while traveling will also find this backpack useful.

Dimensions: 13 (W) × 19.25 (H) x 8.25 (D) x inches | Materials: Recycled polyester | Colors: 4

  • Size: Did you know there isn’t one universal carry-on size requirement that all airlines adhere to? It’s actually up to individual airlines to determine carry-on and checked luggage size requirements, as opposed to TSA. This means that different restrictions may apply from flight to flight (though a commonly accepted maximum carry-on size is 22 x 14 x 9 inches). If you don’t mind checking a bag, then no need to worry, but if you, like us, dread the baggage claim carousel, be mindful of dimensions when selecting your next bag.
  • Features: Travel bags come equipped with many different features like dirty-laundry dividers, specific pockets for tech devices, weight indicators, and more. “I do believe that form follows function,” says travel expert and influencer Thithi Nteta . “When it comes to functionality, I always look for my carry-on to be expandable and have organizational features so that I can separate things out properly and easily access must-haves like my laptop and wallet.” 
  • Ease: When shopping for luggage, really try to imagine yourself carrying this bag throughout various lifestyle scenarios. Can you schlepp the thing through an airport, onto a train, then onto a subway, and then up the four flights of stairs to your Airbnb? If it’s lightweight, you should be just fine. Meanwhile, a non-wheeled duffel might be better suited for car travel like road trips or packing for that pet-sitting gig you have several towns over.

Your Questions, Answered 

What type of bag is good for international travel .

If you’re making the trek outside of the country, you’re likely staying for more than a weekend, requiring a larger checked bag. For international travel, we recommend looking for a suitcase with TSA-approved locking capabilities, weight indicators (weight restrictions for checked luggage can vary from airline to airline—research ahead of time), and smooth 360 wheels (international airports require a lot of walking). “I love a bag that can flex to fit any situation when I’m traveling because I always try to pack light,” says Dover. “I look for something that’s really versatile and durable, but it also has to be chic enough that it can take me from a hike to dinner effortlessly.” A bag that expands isn’t a bad idea either, just in case you come home with souvenirs. We’ve seen plenty of options where the tote or duffel bag actually attaches itself onto a suitcase. The feature makes them great travel bags for international travel as well.

How do you pack a carry-on-sized bag for a multi-night trip?

Most carry-on sized bags can accommodate three to four days worth of clothes… if you know how to stretch your base layers, shoes, and accessories. “I do my best to keep to one suitcase by packing versatile clothing pieces that I can pair and style differently,” explains Nteta. Though she notes it does take a bit of planning, it creates for a more stress-free travel experience overall. “For example, I select a pair of trousers and work out all the different tops and looks I can create with that one pair of trousers,” she says. “The key is to consider how you can layer foundational items and then elevate with accessories.” Dover seconds this sentiment, saying that she “packs by outfit and brings less than I need. I find that planning at least a week ahead of time helps me feel organized and avoids procrasti-packing .” 

How do you safely transport makeup and other liquid toiletries?

“When I travel, I don't compromise on my skincare routine, so I need a lot of pockets to organize things like cotton pads, Q-Tips, tweezers, and more,” says world-traveling content creator Kristina Rodulfo . (Check out our favorite makeup bags ).) “When you have liquid makeup like foundation, you want to ensure none of your clothes or other valuables get messy.” As an additional suggestion, she recommends the Ries Essential Travel Bottles as they come with an airless pump. “I have my Ries bottles filled and always ready to go for my next trip,” she says.

Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer with over three years of experience covering fashion and beauty. She’s an avid traveler and has explored the world solo for a year. In order to write this article, she interviewed Cofounder and Chief Creative Officer of Dagne Dover, Jessy Dover, for further insights on travel bags. She also leaned on previous reporting done by Linne Halpern , a freelance fashion, beauty, and lifestyle writer, who had interviewed the following experts: 

  • Thithi Nteta, Travel Expert and Influencer
  • Kristina Rodulfo, Travel Expert and Content Creator

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15 of the Best Travel Bags You Need for Your Next Vacay

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PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here .

Whether you’re a first-time or frequent flyer, the right bags can mean all the difference. Is your carry-on too big? Is your dop kit leak-proof? Is there enough room in your purse for all-day adventure? To help you get ready to take off—and thereafter—we went ahead and compiled a list of 15 of the best travel bags around, from hard-shell and soft-shell suitcases to weekend duffles and toiletry bags . So get those passports ready and read on to find your next favorite travel bag. Bon voyage!

How To Choose The Best Travel Bag

Domestic vs. International Travel Carry-Ons

We know that you’ve probably gotten away with taking a suitcase that definitely was not regulation carry-on size. Typically, domestic flights are a bit more lenient with your luggage dimensions, but a good rule of thumb for domestic flights is to make sure your carry-on bag fits within 22-inches by 14-inches by 9-inches. This size ensures that your bag—along with everyone else’s—is going to fit in the bins overhead on your flight. If you’re flying internationally however, these airlines are more likely than not going to be stricter. We suggest finding a carry-on that is 20 inches or shorter to take on your international flights. And always check with your airlines.

Soft Shell vs. Hard Shell Luggage

If you’re a no-fuss kind of traveler, a soft-shell suitcase is for you. They’re able to withstand a bit more wear and tear whether you’re taking it glamping or stuffing it in the overhead compartment. On the other hand, if you are packing items that need some added protection (think: a pair of heels you don’t want to break or a beloved designer bag), we suggest going with a hard-shell suitcase so that none of your valuables sustain any damage.

Two-Wheel Luggage vs. Four-Wheel Luggage

If you have ever been down-to-the-last-second late for a flight and almost missed it because you had to drag your heavy suitcase behind you, we suggest you get a spinner suitcase. A spinner has four wheels, which tend to be multidirectional, helping you not only have full control over your bag, but also allowing you to comfortably glide your luggage alongside of you as you maneuver through security to your gate. On the other hand, two-wheeled suitcases typically have wheels that are inside of the main compartment and required being tilted on their side to drag through the terminal.

Best Travel Bags At A Glance:

  • Best Overall: Calpak Hue Luggage
  • Best Checked Travel Bag: Béis Check-In Roller
  • Best Carry-On Travel Bag: Away The Carry-On
  • Best Backpack Travel Bag: Rains Waterproof Backpack
  • Best Duffle Travel Bag: Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag
  • Best Laptop Travel Bag : Lo & Sons The Seville Aire Tote
  • Best Purse Travel Bag: Longchamp Le Pliage Travel Bag
  • Best Eco-Friendly Travel Bag: Paravel Aviator
  • Best Soft Shell Travel Bag: Yeti Crossroad Luggage
  • Best Travel Bag Set: Samsonite 3-Piece Luggage Set
  • Best Budget-Friendly Travel Bag: Amazon Basics Spinner Suitcase
  • Best Splurge-Worthy Travel Bag: Rimowa Cabin Suitcase
  • Best Toiletry Travel Bag: Everlane The ReNew Catch-All Case
  • Best Weekend Travel Bag: Baboon to the Moon Small Go-Bag
  • Best Customizable Travel Bag: Roam the Jaunt

9 Best Travel Pants (Tested by Our Comfort-Obsessed Staff)

calpak suitcase

1. Calpak Hue Luggage

Best Overall

She’s sleek, she’s stylish and she has a little bit of everything: A TSA-approved lock that keeps your valuables safe in transit, multi-directional wheels for back-ache-free transportation, interior compartments for peak organization, a large front pocket to stow any essentials you need in close reach and a price tag that won’t make too big a dent on your checking account.

beis suitcase

2. Béis Check-in Roller

Best Checked Travel Bag

You get to the airport, lift your suitcase onto the scale, stare in horror as the red numbers flash “58 lbs” and proceed to spend the next five minutes on the floor, suitcase open, stuffing as much as you can into a spare bag. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. So while this bag has all of your usual perks, the red light that turns on to indicate it's over the 50-pound weight limit makes this guy unbeatable as a checked suitcase.

away carry on hard shell suitcase

3. Away The Carry-on

Best Hard Shell Suitcase

This is one of our tried-and-tested favorites. We love how protective its sleek styled shell is and it earns extra points for having a security lock for extra safety. Plus, it has a USB charging port so no more desperately searching for an outlet that’s close to your gate.

rains waterproof backpack

4. Rains Waterproof Backpack

Best Travel Backpack

This is made of durable, waterproof neoprene and has enough room to fit all your gadgets and gizmos. Bonus points for its hidden back pocket to help keep your valuables safe and secure.

dagne dover duffle

5. Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag

Best Duffle Travel Bag

Whether you’re taking this by bus, train or plane, this duffle’s expandable design offers ample room so you’ll have a spot for literally everything. Case in point: the pocket specifically made for holding your phone and interior compartments for storing water bottles, shoes and everything else in between.

lo and sons laptop bag

6. Lo & Sons The Seville Aire Tote

Best Laptop Travel Bag

Cushioned padding protects the thing most precious to you: your laptop. Plus, the thoughtful pockets keep things organized while you're on the go—no more franticly digging through your bag for your AirPods for a Zoom you have to join in two minutes.

longchamp purse

7. Longchamp Le Pliage Travel Bag

Best Purse Travel Bag

This cutie is going to keep you looking stylish whether you’re grabbing after-work drinks or jet-setting to Europe. It’s the ideal size if you’re searching for a style-savvy carry-on that can easily stow your laptop alongside other daily essentials and makes for a roomy tote even when you’re not using it for travel.

paravel suitcase

8. Paravel Aviator

Best Eco-Friendly Travel Bag

Looking to get your hands on a sustainably sourced option? This fashion-forward carry-on may be easy on the eyes, but it's entirely made up of recycled material—from the interior lining and exterior polycarbonate shell to the zippers.

yeti suitcase

9. Yeti Crossroad Luggage

Best Soft Shell Travel Bag

Yes, Yeti delivers some of the best on-the-go travel mugs, but did you know Yeti produces some stellar luggage, too? This one in particular is especially worth the investment, thanks to its durable hard-shell exterior, 70/30 split dividers for keeping all your things secure, packing cubes for added organization and front pocket for stashing all the things you need to keep within close reach.

samsonite suitcase set

10. Samsonite 3-piece Luggage Set

Best Travel Bag Set

Durable hard shell? Check. Spinner wheels? Check. Three different sizes? Also check. This set comes in three different sizes, with one carry-on and two checked size suitcases.

amazon basics suitcase

11. Amazon Basics Spinner Suitcase

Best Budget-Friendly Travel Bag

Luggage is notoriously expensive, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t budget-friendly options out there to help you glob trot and save some money. Case in point: Amazon Basics’ travel bag line. This one in particular caught our eye, thanks to the durable hard shell, multiple packing compartments, TSA-approved lock and array of pretty colors.

rimowa suitcase

12. Rimowa Cabin Suitcase

Best Splurge-Worthy Travel Bag

Before luggage brands started producing aluminum suitcases by the dozen, there was this one. The first of its kind, the Rimowa Cabin Suitcase’s iconic silver exterior is made from anodized aluminum and built with ball-bearing mounted wheels. Translation: this durable workhorse is going to last you for years to come.

BUY IT ($1,200)

everlane toiletry bag

13. Everlane The Renew Catch-all Case

Best Toiletry Travel Bag

Don’t be fooled, this toiletry bag might not be massive, but it can fit way more than you think. It’s got interior pockets to keep products nice and tidy, low maintenance fabric that’s easily cleaned and an expandable design that can handle being packed to the max with your skincare and beauty goodies.

baboon to the moon small go bag

14. Baboon To The Moon Small Go-bag

Best Weekend Bag

We love this guy for more reasons than we can list. Not only is it TSA-approved for carry-on size, but its water-proof shell has backpack straps, different sized handles, an over-the-shoulder strap, a lockable zipper, comes with four different pockets and easily stashes three-to-five day’s worth of your gear.

roam the juant suitcase

15. Roam The Jaunt

Best Customizable Travel Bag

If your goal is to avoid mixing up your suitcase with someone else's, having a personalized travel bag is where it’s at. From the option to monogram the exterior shell down to custom colors you can select from, you can personalize this puppy in a myriad of ways for luggage that matches your vibe perfectly.

The 17 Best Luggage Brands For Your Long-Overdue Trip

purewow author

Commerce Editor

The 8 Best Travel Bags for Men to Take on Any Type of Trip This Year

From duffels and backpacks to hard- and soft-sided luggage, these will complete your travel plans.

best travel bags

Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?

TRAVEL LOOKS a lot different today than it did before 2020, but that doesn't mean it's come to a full stop. With air travel and road-tripping mostly returning to normal, people are more eager to get out and explore than ever—especially after spending so much time (for the most part) grounded. If you're among the set that's preparing to travel, whether it's a flight, a road trip, or something else you have planned on your calendar, there's no doubt you'll want the best travel bags to help get you there and back.

So we found the best bags—from backpacks , duffel bags , to carry-on luggage —for every traveler. Maybe you need a backpack and a duffel bag for those weekend trips or a quick cross-country, in-person business meetup. Or, if you have a longer trip to look forward to (or you need extra room to bring back any souvenirs), you're looking to upgrade that old worn-out suitcase or briefcase to some newer, larger luggage.

Logistics Flap Lid Backpack

Best Backpack for Travel

Tumi logistics flap lid backpack.

Aviator Carry-On Plus

Best Hard-Sided Suitcase

Paravel aviator carry-on plus.

Maxlite 5 Soft-sided Suitcase

Best Soft-Sided Suitcase

Travelpro maxlite 5 soft-sided suitcase.

The best travel bags keep everything—and we mean everything —organized. From essential travel documents like your passport and itinerary to your clothes and toiletries, you need a bag that can properly wrangle all your belongings. And, of course, you'll want to make sure they're roomy enough to fit everything you bring (heavy packers, we see you). Whether you opt for a budget-friendly bag that'll suit your travel style or you go big with a luxury option, you can bet these are an investment. After all, these bags will accommodate you for many miles and many years to come. These are the best travel bags for men in 2022. Read More: Best Luggage Brands

About the Expert : I’ve spent most of my life hiking, kayaking, camping, and exploring the great outdoors. For more than a decade, I’ve traveled the world, including all seven continents, and covered outdoor and adventure travel, sharing my advice on Forbes, Travel + Leisure, CNET, and National Geographic. These days, I personally evaluate adventure travel gear (like the best travel bags) and tech gadgets for Men’s Health from my home base south of Boston. So, you might say I’m a little gear-obsessed.

This isn’t your elementary-school rucksack. It has dedicated space to fit a 15" PC or 16" MacBook as well as a padded tablet pocket and two side-zip pockets (one of which has a water-resistant lining). And, the durability and functionality make the price seriously worth it. Plus, it can take the place of smaller, stow-away luggage or duffle bags. And if you're bringing a carry-on bag with you, it'll slip right onto the handle.

Like all things Tumi, it's hard to find much to dislike. But, also like all things Tumi, it is quite pricey. Almost $400 for a backpack—even a premium one—might be a little too rich for some travelers. Still, if you have the money to spend and only the best will do, we think this is the best backpack for travel this year. Bonus: optional monogramming make this an especially gift-worthy travel bag for the holidays.

What do buyers say? "Best backpack, practical and stylish. I truly love the design, now wishing it lasts as long as my last Tumi," said one Tumi.com reviewer.

Read More: Best Backpacks for Men

Without a doubt, this hardshell suitcase is small but mighty. The recycled polycarbonate exterior shell is handsome and built tough—making it a great option to get through nearly everything. Every design aspect has been thoughtfully considered, including the recycled aluminum and recycled vegan leather accents. On the inside, it's surprisingly roomy (even with the interior pockets) with space for up to a week's worth of clothing, 2-4 pairs of shoes, and other essentials.

Finally, the 360-wheels with carbon steel bearings let this bag move smoothly across the ground, so you won't have to worry about lugging your things through the airport. We suggest this carry-on case for weeklong trips or shorter ones. Bonus: Paravel offsets all carbon emissions that result from making and shipping their bags, so you can rest assured that your purchase is 100% carbon neutral.

What do buyers say? "Great carry on! Perfect roller for vacations! My kids love them too. Feels lightweight, love the design," said one reviewer on TourParavel.com.

When a hard-shell suitcase seems like overkill, you want the best soft-sided option you can find. Travelpro's Maxlite 5 Soft-sided Suitcase is just the trick. The brand has been a trusted luggage staple among airline employees for years, and we like to think they know a thing or two about travel. The Carry-on 22-inch model, in particular, starts at under $150, making it one of the best bang-for-your-buck luggage values available right now.

It's not only affordable but has everything we look for in a great travel bag too, including a durable, water-resistant shell, two exterior compartments for extra organization, and a side accessory pocket that can be used for chargers and other small essentials. The exterior is simple (to the point of being almost boring), but we like that it's available in a dozen colors so you can coordinate your personal travel aesthetic. If your main concerns are budget and functionality over flash, this might be the best travel bag for you.

What do buyers say? Out of more than 3,500 Amazon reviews, 88% recommend the Travelpro Maxlite 5 Soft-sided Suitcase with at least a 4-star rating.

Away The Bigger Carry-On

The Bigger Carry-On

You've likely seen Away's best carry-on luggage bags at the airport. It's hard to miss them. They've become one of the most popular choices among today's savvy traveler—and with good reason. The hard-shell Bigger Carry-On, in particular, offers all the same features of the brand's best-selling Carry-On, but with 20% more capacity. That means all the most essential features, including whisper-quiet 360-degree wheels, an interior compression system so you can get even more in there for your next getaway, and an optional ejectable USB charger for keeping your tech topped up on the go.

We especially love the sleek, modern aesthetic that would feel right at home either on a cross-country getaway or if you're packing for a stay at the world's first space hotel. The nearly $300 price tag might seem a little steep, but this is easily one of the best, most feature-rich carry-on bags available right now. So, yeah, we think it's worth it.

What do buyers say? "This suitcase is so worth the money! If you are hesitating because of the price tag, JUST do it! I promise this was my best purchase and I usually have buyer’s regret but not with this," said one AwayTravel.com reviewer.

Read More: Best Carry-On Luggage

Parker Clay Montecito Weekender

Montecito Weekender

There's something about a leather travel bag that just feels, well, suave. The handsome, full-grain Ethiopian leather in Parker Clay's Montecito Weekender is accented with brass hardware for a look that's timeless with a dash of rugged. It's designed to develop a natural patina over time, so it'll look better with every trip. With roughly the dimensions of a max-size carry-on bag, it's got room for a weekend away; even more, if you pack right. Several storage pockets—including one on the outside and one in—plus a dedicated laptop sleeve help keep all your essentials in order.

We love everything about this bag. But, there's no getting around the $600 premium price tag that might be a little too steep for some travelers. We'd argue, though, that this is an heirloom-quality travel bag that you're sure to have for a decade or more. So why not splurge a little?

What do buyers say? "I gave this weekender travel bag to my husband for his birthday & he loves it! The leather is soft and a beautiful color & the bag is very well crafted," said one ParkerClay.com reviewer.

Filson Extra Large Rugged Twill Rolling Duffle Bag

Extra Large Rugged Twill Rolling Duffle Bag

Filson has made a helluva brand out of adventure travel gear that's equal parts rugged, timeless, and handsome. This heavy-duty, super-capacity duffle is no exception. At more than 36" x 16 x 14", it's beefy enough to stash all your adventure gear for a week away in the bush. The abrasion- and water-resistant fabric is built to take a serious beating (think tossing in and out of seaplanes in the Alaskan wilderness). Yet, it rolls on wide, heavy-duty wheels that move easily over virtually any terrain.

On the downside, it can get heavy when fully packed. But, that's to be expected of such a massive duffel. The biggest negative to this travel bag is the price. Like most Filson gear, it comes with a premium price tag north of $700. But, if you're seriously into adventure travel and exploring way off grid with one bag to rule them all, this is your man.

Yeti Crossroads 22" Luggage

Crossroads 22" Luggage

If you think Yeti's coolers are good, wait until you try out the brand's latest luggage line. The Crossroads collection boasts the same rough-and-tumble appeal of the Yeti brand you know and love. That includes a thoughtful design with a spacious main compartment, an organizer pocket, and compression straps. The maximum-carry-on size travel bag offers a 50-liter capacity—that's plenty of room for a smartly packed week away or even a long road trip.

True to Yeti's roots, the rugged, proprietary TuffSkin nylon shell is more durable than most "ordinary" soft-sided luggage. That makes it a great hard-shell alternative too. It rolls on sturdy, all-terrain wheels (though they're not 360-degree spinners), making easy work of moving between airport gates or running to catch your next train. It's a little pricey at $350. But, given the legendary Yeti name and quality, it's still our pick for the best travel bag for road trips (and plenty of vacations with air travel too!).

What do buyers say? "The modern and sleek design of the Yeti Crossroads 22” impressed us, but most important to us is the durability, the internal pocket divider panel, the wide opening, multiple handles, molded base and rugged wheels," said one Yeti.com reviewer.

Victorinox Swiss Army Spectra 3.0 Expandable Large Case

Spectra 3.0 Expandable Large Case

Victorinox Swiss Army has been a staple brand of outdoorsmen for more than a century. But, they also happen to make some pretty sweet luggage and travel bags too. If you're a heavy packer or like taking extended trips, the Spectra 3.0 Expandable Large Case is an ideal checked bag solution. With more than 100L of storage space, it's roomy enough for even the longest trips. Plus it expands up to 40% for even more room. It's wrapped in a tough polycarbonate hard shell that protects your possessions from turbulence, thieves, and less-than-gentle airport baggage handlers. And it all rolls on smooth, 360-degree spinners.

If premium good looks and massive capacity are your two most important considerations when shopping for luggage, this is your man. It has plenty of both. On the downside, it's pricey at an even $700. For that price, you can score two comparably equipped travel bags from Away. Plus, it's heavy at 15 pounds, although that's to be expected of a 100-plus-liter checked bag.

How to Find the Best Travel Bags for Men (and for You)

breaker

Finding the right luggage is a matter of what works for your budget and particular travel style. But those aren’t the only considerations. Here’s what to look for when shopping for the best travel bags for men (and for you ).

We’re not talking about just good looks here, but rather what was the bag designed for . You’ll want a bag that fits your travel style. Weekend warriors and casual jetsetters may prefer smaller, minimalist carry-ons that are lightweight, offer plenty of storage, and are compact enough to stash in an overhead bin or under a seat. Hardcore digital nomads might do well with a versatile backpack, duffel bag, or hybrid (that converts from duffel to backpack on the fly) that’s easy to transport in any conditions, over any terrain. Vacationers (most folks who travel a few times a year for a week or more) will probably want larger bags—perhaps checked size—with maximum storage capacity and plenty of organization features.

Good looks may or may not matter to you. If you value function over flash, it makes finding the right travel bag that much easier. Just look for a model that fits your budget and storage capacity, and you should be good to go. If, however, you want a travel bag that stands out and that fits your personal style, you might have to pay a premium.

Travel bags are available in a wide range of prices. The cheapest budget carry-ons can be had for around $50, while the most premium brand-name checked bags run north of $1,200. Just know that, as with most things, you don’t have to spend a fortune. In our experience, you can find a decent hard-sided carry-on for around $300, and a larger, hard-sided rollaboard might be closer to $400. Spending any more than $500 on a single bag usually just means you’re paying for a luxury nameplate.

Other Features

These days, the best travel bags are packed with clever design features. For rolling luggage, quiet, 360-degree “spinner” wheels are almost required, as they allow you to effortlessly move your luggage through airport terminals. For hardsided luggage, look for a polycarbonate or aluminum shell as these are two of the most durable materials. Soft-sided luggage should be some form of durable nylon.

On the inside, some bags feature compression straps to wrangle all your clothes and maximize the bag’s capacity. Others include additional storage options like dedicated shoes bags, flexible dividers, or laundry bags to keep your clean and dirty clothes separate on the return trip home. Ejectable USB battery chargers are also an option on some bags, allowing you to keep your small electronics topped up on the go without having to fight with strangers over precious public power outlets.

How We Selected the Best Travel Bags for Men

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There are hundreds, maybe thousands , of luggage options available right now. Shopping for the right one can seem daunting. That's why, over the last year, we researched and personally tested dozens of top-selling travel bags, including hard-sided suitcases, soft-sided rollaboards, backpacks, duffels, weekender bags, and more. We carefully considered every feature, including durability, aesthetics, capacity, storage pockets, price, and other design elements. The list above includes our honest picks of the best travel bags for men in 2022.

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DURABILITY AND MOBILTY AT ITS FINEST

INTRODUCING: THE RAPTOR

Apache Plus Carry-On: Perfect carry on by Andrea H.

I did a lot of research as I haven’t bought a hard case before and wanted to make sure it would fit on all airlines that I would typically fly. This adheres to the size I needed and it honestly feels large. I was able to pack more than I needed for a quick out of country vacation, multiple pairs of shoes, outfits and a full makeup/vanity kit. It seems well made and had no issues with dents or any defects. It features a hidden pocket for easy access to a laptop or tablet. Good price point as well, couldn’t be more satisfied with the purchase. Oh and the maneuverability was great!

Denmark Collection: Well thought designed luggage! by Samuel

 travel almost 1/4 of the year due to the nature of my career, and I’ve been through so many suitcases (expensive to inexpensive). As a frequent traveler, I try to pack light and efficient. The reason I’m writing my first review on luggage is because this luggage has made my travel experience much easier and lighter! And so far the best I’ve tried. Expandable hidden pocket: This is the key feature of this bag. In the picture seemed like a laptop compartment, and couldn’t tell how it works but I decided to give it a try. And guess what! this pocket made me get rid of my backpack that I travel with all times.

Rolling Duffel: Great for week long trip by Kimber

Pros: carry on perfect, great for week long trips, has wheels for easy maneuvering around an airport, has handles for carrying, handle retracts and has its on zipper compartment, 2 small zipped pockets on each side plus a zipper pocket on the topside near retractable handle. And it has a handle on the end to aid you when you pick it up. Cons: I’ll update when I encounter a problem.

Rolling Tote: My New Favorite Teacher Bag! by MST

I am a teacher, and I purchased this to replace my plastic box-type roller cart. I am SO happy with this bag. I love the big zippered top, the spacious front pocket (where I store my personal items, like my wallet and keys), and the flexibility of the "shell". The bag also has an inner laptop pocket to protect and secure my laptop, plus ample interior space for my iPad and many folders and textbooks. I can fit my travel mug in the side pocket to go from the car to my classroom, and I tuck my lunch bag under the strappy handles, which have a velcro tab to secure them together at the top of the bag.

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Home » Gear » best travel duffel bags

Best Travel Duffel Bags – Discover the Art of the Duffel Carry

Most people tend to travel with a suitcase or backpack, but we’re here to review the best duffel bags and highlight their many advantages.

Now that big outdoor brands like Marmot, The North Face, and Patagonia have put their know-how and years of experience into this marketplace, the duffel bag has been revolutionized, no longer just an oversized bag to get from point A to point B.

Even the simplest travel duffel, however, have their advantages. For one, they’re the best option if you are traveling with bulkier items such as snow boots, life jackets, or camping gear.

All of that being said, not all duffel bags are created equal. Whether you need a bag for your next adventure or simply a sleek bag to travel for work, we’ve reviewed dozens and dozens of duffels and compiled a list of the top ones on the market.

So if you think your luggage is due for an upgrade, check out our comprehensive reviews of the  best travel duffel bags around, and get yourself a duffel worthy of broke backpackers, adventurers, vacationers alike! We’ve got everything from duffel bags with compartments, those with backpack straps and weather resistant numbers too!

So, ya’ll want to find out what THE best travel duffel bag is, you’re in the right place! Let’s go!

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Quick Answer: The Best Travel Duffel Bags on the Market

Top picks of the best travel duffel bags, how to choose a travel duffel bag, how we tested these duffel bags, the best travel duffel bags – comparison table, faq about the best travel duffel bags, what is the best travel duffel bag – final thoughts.

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  • Osprey Transporter Expedition Duffel – The Overall Best Duffel Bag
  • Nomatic Travel Bag – High-Utility Backpack Meets Duffel Bag
  • Monarc Settra Duffel Backpack – Best Eco Duffel/Backpack
  • REI Co-op Big Haul Recycled Rolling Duffel – Best Travel Duffel Bag with Wheels
  • Patagonia Black Hole – Best Carry on Travel Duffel Bag
  • Kodiak Leather 60l Weekender – Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag
  • Under Armour Women’s UA Motivator Duffle Sport Bag – Best Women’s Travel Duffel Bag
  • UNIQUEBELLA Suit Travel Duffel – Best Business Travel Duffel Bag
  • The North Face Base Camp Duffel – Best Duffel Bag for Expeditions
  • The Classic Duffle by Mahi Best Small Travel Duffel Bag
  • Nemo Double Haul Convertible – Best Packable Duffel

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Osprey Transporter Expedition Duffel

  • Price: > $160
  • > Stowable padded backpack straps
  • > Rain flaps

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Nomatic Travel Bag

  • Price: > $289.99
  • > Highly-functional backpack with a duffel mode
  • > Durable and modern traveler equipped

Monarc Backpack

Monarc Setra Duffel Backpack

  • Price: > $175
  • > Carry on Compliant
  • > Made from recycled bottles

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REI Co-op Big Haul Recycled Rolling Duffel – 30

  • Price: > $279
  • > Integrated wheels
  • > Large for longer trips

Patagonia Black Hole 40L

Patagonia Black Hole Duffle

  • Price: > $159
  • > Backpack handles and grab handles
  • > Nice and light

Kodiak Weekender 60L

Kodiak 60l Weekender

  • Price: > $459
  • > High quality leather
  • > Roomy and spacious

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Under Armour Women’s UA Motivator Duffle Sport Bag

  • Price: > $42
  • > Lightweight
  • > Water Resistant

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UNIQUEBELLA Suit Travel Duffel

  • Price: > $65.99
  • > Rolls out flat to take suits
  • > Wrinkle-free clothes storage

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The North Face Base Camp Duffel

  • > Just 4 lbs in weight
  • > Come with backpack straps

Mahi duffle

MAHI Leather Duffle

  • Price: > $194.25
  • > Compact and 28L
  • > Tons of organizational pockets

NEMO Double Haul

NEMO Double Haul Convertible

  • Price: > $180
  • > Comes with Tote Back!
  • > Durable and Packable

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Overall Best Duffel Bag – Osprey Transporter Expedition Duffel

The Osprey Transporter

The Osprey Transporter Expedition Duffel offers its users the best of both worlds. It has all the features that drew you to a travel duffel bag in the first place, along with a comfortable set of stowable, padded shoulder straps if you have to carry it for a longer period.

This duffel’s zippers are lockable, giving added peace of mind if and when you need to let it out of your eye line – such as on an aircraft or in a hostel room – and also has the bonus of a padded internal compartment to keep your delicate tech safe while on the move.

What’s more, the quickest of touches will convince you of the long-lasting durability of the materials used, together with a rain flap to keep precipitation from ruining your time away!

  • Stowable padded backpack straps
  • Zips can be locked
  • Padded compartment for tech
  • Not fully waterproof
  • 40 liter might be too small for some
  • Not guaranteed to be carry-on compliant
  • Rigid construction

How The Osprey Transporter Tested

I have personally tested dozens of Osprey travel packs now and its rare I encounter one that I don’t love. We took the transporter on a road trip across the Atlantique region of France and packed it full of enough gear for 2 people. It felt very strong, rigid and weatherproof and I have no doubt that it would withstand a goos few years of abuse. The organisational layout is highly intuitive and we found it easy to pack, and retrieve our gear when we needed it.

In terms of downsides, I am just not all that sure about how much I like backpack /duffel hybrids and this one does feel slightly awkward to me when I wore it as a backpack. Sure, the backpack straps do pack away but this adds to the weight and I did feel it.

Is the Osprey Transporter Expedition Duffel for me?

If you love the idea of a travel duffel bag but worry about how you’re going to transport it further distances, then the Osprey Transporter Expedition Duffel has it all figured out thanks to the incorporated backpack straps! It’s one of the reasons it stands out amongst the other duffel bags.

The padded tech compartment is a great addition, as is the ability to lock the zips!

Our team rated this as their “best travel duffel backpack”, which means kinda what it says, a duffel that works just as well as a backpack and they love that versatility. They felt it had most of the features of some of the best Osprey backpacks whilst having the ability to be used as a duffel.

They really love that it opens up more like a clamshell backpack into a super roomy interior. As an added bonus the skate rats on the team loved that it came in well as a travel skateboard bag even if it wasn’t explicitly designed that way.

Duffel Bag Meets High-Utility Backpack – Nomatic Travel Bag

A man carrying the Nomatic Travel Bag as a duffel bag

This duffel bag is not purely a duffel bag. In fact, it’s not even primarily a duffel bag. And that’s why we like it so damn much!

The Nomatic Travel Bag is a backpack for the modern-day traveller. It’s loaded on the organization without an excess of empty space for unnecessary packing. Tech gear gets sleeves, shoes and dirty laundry get dedicated compartments, and everything else gets a space too!

But the best part is that if you flip this bad boy over and modify the straps, you have a completely functional duffel bag! Could we say it’s like a transformer. Yes, it most certainly is.

It functions as a very structured duffel bag with a lot of interior organisation, however, to be totally honest, that’s kinda rad!

  • 40 L of pure organizational storage
  • Qualifies for carry-on luggage
  • Incredibly durable design
  • Doubles as a backpack!
  • Not a traditional duffel bag
  • Kind of cube-like in duffel-mode
  • Premium pricing
  • Not the right choice for everyone

How The Nomatic Travel Bag Tested

We’re pretty intimate with the Nomatic travel bag now and it has accompanied various team members all over the world. We love its high quality materials and the fact it looks and feels new even after a year of use. We always make the most of its packing and organisational capabilities where everything has its right place. In fact, the Nomatic travel bag performed so well during a recent trip to Barcelona that a street thug could not help but steal it from us…is there any higher accolade that can be bestowed upon a bag?!

Is the Nomatic Travel Bag for me?

For people seeking a traditional duffel bag, no. However, for those that dig the option to wear it as a backpack and travel for work and with a certain selection of gear they need to keep protected (eg. a laptop and tablet), it’s perfect.

Our team are really massive fans of this bag and for a few different reasons. Firstly, the actual functionality between using it as a duffel and a backpack is second to none and it really means this bag can be used in so many different situations. On top of that its organisational features were a real selling point for our team.

If you’re on the fence, we’d recommend checking out the Nomatic Travel Bag review .

Best Eco Duffel/Backpack – Monarc Settra Duffel Backpack

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The realities of travel can really take their toll on the planet. It’s no surprise that Ecological and Sustainable travel initiatives are now really gaining momentum. The Monarc 2-in-1 Duffle-Backpack is the world’s first backpack made from 100% recycled bottles and the producers have been awarded a highly coveted “plastic negative” rating.

But here this, not only is this backpack totally eco-friendly but it’s also a bloody great pack. Firstly, its 2-1 concept design means it can be worn as a backpack or carried as a duffel using the comfortable handle/ shoulder strap. If you do wear it on your bag, there are adjustable straps to help carry the weight. I really love this pack, even though I am not a HUGE duffel fan I have now had this bag for years and tested it extensively.

  • Made from recycled plastic bottles
  • TSA Carry-on compliant
  • 2 in 1 Duffel and Backpack!
  • Kinda heavy
  • No compression straps

How The Monarc Settra Tested

Monarc Settra

I have had this pack for over a year now and so Ive tested it extensively. It performs really well for weekend break type trips by public transport where you can need to pack a change of shoes. It slots into over-head compartments on planes/trains/buses nicely and the organisational layout makes it really easy to find your gear when you need it. I have been rained on quite heavily with this pack and it stayed perfectly dry.

In terms of downsides, it does feel quite heavy after carrying it for a while and I am not a fan of how it feels when worn as a backpack at all.

Is the Monarc Settra Duffel for me?

Then there are the organisational possibilities. Its’ 40L of storage can go pretty far and the pack offers a shoe compartment and a 17” laptop sleeve. Coming in at $149.00, it’s well worth the bucks although if you have the budget we also recommend picking up the full set including camera cube, compression cubes and laundry bags.

Anything else? Oh yeah, it’s also water-resistant, TSA Carry-on compliant and comes with a lifetime guarantee!

Our team are a real environmentally conscious lot and any product that offers features such as being made out of recycled ocean plastic is a winner for them! On top of the sustainable side of the bag, they feel it packs some great features too and they particularly love having the security of both the dedicated laptop pocket as well as the lockable zippered sections.

Best Duffel Bag with Wheels – REI Co-op Big Haul Recycled Rolling Duffel – 30″

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While we love The North Face’s Maleta, we also tested the REI Co-op Big Haul and can confirm it is equally as great. This wheeled duffel provides traction in all conditions, but the Sherpa strap lets you carry your duffel when you need to.

Its handle and back-panel structure add durability to the rolling duffel bag. You also have internal compression straps, external zippered pockets, and a small zippered pocket on top for organisation.

  • Integrated wheels
  • Large for longer trips
  • Good Capacity
  • High quality
  • Wheels can’t be hidden
  • No added backpack straps
  • Might be too big for some

How The REI Co-op Big Haul Tested

Ok, so we found the REI Co-op Big Haul was easy to neatly pack and unpack, and it slotted easily into the overhead compartments. However, the wheels do make it heavy to carry , (and you will have to carry some of the time) and my arm was aching by the end of the day.

In terms of the materials, the main materials feel strong and the weatherproofing stood up to a bit of rain very well. However, I have felt better quality zippers and wonder if the ones on the Big Haul may start to wear and break after a bit of abuse.

Is the REI Co-op Big Haul for me?

Perfect for a month abroad, The REI Co-op Big Haul wheeled duffel bag has 87 litres of interior space and ample organisation to take you (and your gear) around the world. However, there are no removable backpack straps so you’re stuck to wheeling it around!

For those of our team who need to travel with heavy gear, like the climbers and filmmakers in the gang, the REI Co-op Big Haul really works perfectly for their needs. They feel it offers them much more versatility and durability over a traditional wheeled suitcase with both the carry options and the additional compartments and pockets.

Best Carry on Travel Duffel Bag – Patagonia Black Hole 40

Patagonia Black Hole 40L

This mid-length machine can store everything you need for weekend trips or even entire vacations for light packers. We tested it out on a weekend trip across Europe that took in planes, buses and trains so the old Black Hole got a good and proper trial.

Store your goods in a bag that just barely sneaks under strict carry-on regulations while staying light as a feather. Once you’ve unpacked, you can neatly store this Patagonia bag inside of itself, using its own pockets to compact. 

If you are specifically looking for more carry-on options, check out our best carry on duffel bags post if this is what you’re specifically looking for.

Travelling in cattle class? Have a look at our Ryanair carry-on bags for more specific packs.

How The Patagonia Black Hole Tested

Firstly, even though I have said I am not a fan of wearing duffels as backpacks, this one actually feels ok so big hurrah! When we tested this out we were impressed by its versatility and it performed as well for business trips as it did for weekend expeditions. It isn’t a thick as some other duffels on this list which makes it lighter to carry but may mean it doesn’t last as long although we hasten to point out it felt solid and rugged enough to our testers touch.

Is the Patagonia for me?

Carry the Patagonia Black Hole pack as a duffel or a backpack. This all-purpose travel bag is made with lightweight, tear-resistant matte nylon and has protective padding so you can carry everything all day.

Our team have been big fans of this bag for a while and feel the Black Hole is a classic duffel that does what it sets out to do really well without any bells and whistles. Where the back is lacking slightly on organisational features it makes up for with its incredible durability, weather resistance and all-around versatility. The fact it can be folded down into it’s own little bag and thrown into larger packs as an overflow is also something our team is a big fan of.

Want something more? Well, check this out, Patagonia now also make a rolling duffel version of the Black Hole too!

Best Carry On Travel Duffel Bag (#2) –  BAOSHA Canvas Duffel

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Although you could easily use the North Face Maleta as your carry on travel duffel bag, our top pick in this category is the BAOSHA Canvas Duffel! It’s one of the most stylish bags on the market .

So, why’s that? This bag belongs in the ‘weekend away in a fancy hotel’ class of duffel bags; this duffel oozes class with its classic look of canvas and faux leather. Durable thanks to its tough materials, it will survive the knocks, dust, and dirt of travel while weighing just 2.8 Pounds. This might just be the most stylish carry on duffel bag on the market!

It has the potential capacity of 55 litres while still being suitable as an airline carry on. Inside you’ll find two zip-close security pockets and a further two open pockets for smaller items, while the outside of the duffel has a further couple of small compartments and external pockets. It also features a removable shoulder strap for great wearability.

  • Excellent style
  • Durable canvas construction
  • Weighs just 2.8 Pounds
  • 55 liters may be a little large for some
  • No dedicated laptop sleeve
  • Faux rather than real leather
  • Zips can’t be locked

How The Tileman Canvas Duffel Tested

So, this is not a duffel for serious travelers or outdoor heads. When we tested it we soon came to lament the lower quality material and its lack of special features. While it performed adequately for our testers weekend retreat, he commented that he felt like it may begin to fray in the face of heavier usage.

Is the Tileman Canvas Duffel for me?

If you’re looking for a travel duffel bag that will set the scene for a luxurious or romantic couple of days away, you’ve found it with the Tileman Canvas Duffel!

But more than simply a pretty face, its durability and relative lightness of weight make it a duffel bag you’ll want to reach for again and again!

For those on our team who aren’t always living the dirtbag lifestyle, this duffel finds the perfect balance between cost, functionality and business style. Here at TBB we feel it’s the perfect duffel for commuting with large amounts of gear or people who need space for their gym kid as well as business travellers wanting to look swish on the go.

Best Men’s Leather Duffel – Kodiak Leather 60L Weekender

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If you need a bag for a weekend getaway, for everyday use, for business, the  Kodiak 60L is definitely the best all-around men’s leather duffel bag. This stylish choice won’t look out of place anywhere: on a high-end weekend getaway, or just running some errands around town.

Made from all thick  top-grain leather  by the folks at  Kodiak 60l Weekender which is sturdy hardwearing and bloody beautiful.

Not a typical chuck-it-all-in duffel, the Kodiak weekend bag has a few organisation options. The bag includes three exterior pockets that use YKK zips, as well as a zipped  shoe compartment and a  dedicated laptop sleeve  at the bottom of the bag. This external pocket means you can easily take your laptop out, and put it in again when it comes to airport security.

Looking specifically for a men’s bag for the weekend , check out our post for more option

How The Kodiak 60L Weekender Tested

When our tester got his hands on this duffel it wasn’t so much love at first sight as love at first scent – the finished leather smelt just lovely! Anyway the bag is not the lightest duffel on this list and our tester did feel the weight of the leather after long periods of carrying. The zips and fittings all felt solid and the pack generally feels built to last.

All in all this is a super simple, stylish pack well and truly earned its place on this list.

Is The Kodiak 60L Weekender For Me?

Speaking of which, this bag is  carry-on compliant,  so you’ll be able to throw it over your shoulder and breeze right past the luggage carousel on your next trip, which makes this high-quality bag all the more convenient.

This is a stylish, hardwearing and uber-masculine duffel option. Oh, and there’s also a removable shoulder strap for a variety of carrying options.

For the ultimate in style and durability, our team felt this Kodiak leather duffel was a real winner. In fact, they felt if you were looking for a bag you’d have for decades to some, this would be a real sound investment. They just loved how high quality the materials and construction felt alongside the sleek and timeless style.

Best 50 Litre Travel Duffel Bag – Kuhl Escape 50

Kuhl Escape Duffel 50l

The KUHL Eskape 50 is a high versatile and durable duffel, custom designed for outdoor travel, and everyday use. 

Here are key features of the KUHL Eskape:

The KUHL Eskape 50 offers litres of storage which provides enough space for a few works worth of travel gear. It has one large main compartment with a U-shaped opening, and then  several external pockets for easy access to essentials.

Its is made from tough and weather-resistant materials, including a 1680D ballistic nylon bottom and a 500D Poly-TPU coated body. This ensures that the Eskape can withstand a bit of battering and is suitable for outdoor use, protecting your gear from the elements.

  • Stylish design – looks great in both urban and outdoor settings
  • Quality materials that both durable yet comfy to wear
  • Loads of storage space.
  • Can be a tad heavy – especially when loaded
  • Not be as breathable as some other packs and can get sweaty
  • It ain’t cheap

Is The Kuhl Eskape 50 For Me?

The KUHL Eskape boasts padded, adjustable shoulder straps as well as a removable padded shoulder strap. This allows users to carry it comfortably as either a backpack or over a shoulder like a classic duffel. It also has reinforced grab handles on each end for easy lifting and carrying.

The KUHL Eskape  50 has several internal and external pockets. These include a zippered mesh pocket inside the lid, a side pocket with a water-resistant zipper, and a front pocket with a key clip and organizational compartments.

Best Women’s Travel Duffel Bag –  Under Armour Women’s UA Motivator Duffle Sport Bag

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Its smaller size compared to some of the travel duffel bags on our list makes it great for throwing in some clothes for a last-minute night away from home, or as an everyday duffel for carrying your gym kit.

Its softshell construction means it also folds down incredibly small and can be used as a spare bag without adding much weight to your other luggage! This duffel has a good degree of water resistance, which will keep your kit safe from light rain showers, with other features including a hanging internal pocket to keep small items safe.

  • Specifically designed for women
  • Lightweight
  • Water-resistant
  • Hanging internal pocket
  • Softshell construction
  • No backpack straps
  • Not suitable for business travel

How The Under Armour Tested

The tester brought this duffel bag along to a weekend athletic meet. She commented that the colour scheme was a bit too bland for taste, but did appreciate the way in which the bag can be packed down and minimised for day and gym use. In summary, we found this to be a perfectly serviceable day duffel but do question how well it would perform on longer trips in testing weather conditions.

Is the Under Armour Women’s UA Motivator Duffle Sport Bag for me?

Women looking for a simple, lightweight duffel to get their kit from A to B without spending hours packing to fill every nook and cranny of a backpack will be very happy to buy the Under Armour Women’s UA Motivator Duffle Sport Bag. A great everyday travel duffel bag, it also has a great price!

Our team felt this was the best small duffel bag because it just got the job done without being heavy or cumbersome. They felt it was a great affordable and lightweight duffel to use for everyday trips like heading to the beach or the gym and it’s light enough to fold up and throw into your backpack to use whenever you need on your trip.

Best Waterproof Duffel Bag –  YETI Panga 50 Dry Duffel

waterproof travel duffel bag YETI panga

Considering YETI makes the most durable coolers, insulated tumblers, and packs, expect the same emphasis of quality and durability from their dry duffel. You could probably throw this duffel over a waterfall and your stuff would still stay dry!

This is the best travel duffel bag if you are doing any type of water activity – rafting down a river; living on a boat; travelling in monsoon season; you name it, YETI’s got you.

You could simply attach this to the side or a river tube and it would hold up! It has 6 lash points and 2 long straps so you can haul your bag in multiple ways. 2 easy-to-access mesh pockets keep your valuables safely tucked away. We think 50 litres is a perfect size, but if you need something bigger, this bag also comes in a 75 litre and 100-litre size.

  • Most durable duffel bag ever
  • Fully Waterproof
  • Heavy (price you pay for durability)
  • Might be overkill for basic trips

How The Yeti Panga Dry Duffel Tested

We’ll confess now, we did not test this duffel by taking it white river rafting. However, we did fill it up with clothes and drop it in a bath tub to test the water proofing and are pleased to report that the inside stayed perfectly dry.

Of course, the waterproofing may begin to wear off after extended periods of use but based on what we have seen the Yeti Panga feels pretty solid.

Is the YETI Panga 50 Dry Duffel for me?

Keep your gear dry on your next trip with the YETI Panga 50 dry duffel. This fully waterproof bag is designed to handle total water submersion while remaining 100% dry on the inside.

Need a seat? Grab your Panga. Need a backpack? Grab your Panga. Need a personal floatation device? Grab your Panga. This is the most durable travel duffel bag on this list. Use it for your craziest adventures!

Our team are big fans of how well-made this duffel is and how much confidence it gave them when it came to protecting their gear. They really put it to the test and our team were super impressed. In fact, one member ended up capsizing on a fishing trip and this bag held tight full of clothing, gear and phones for over an hour as well as keeping our team member afloat too. Pretty impressive!

Best Business Travel Duffel Bag –  UNIQUEBELLA Suit Travel Duffel

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Thanks to the UNIQUEBELLA Suit Travel Duffel, you can still use a duffel bag and travel with the smarter clothes of a business trip. This duffel cleverly opens out flat to create a dedicated compartment for laying suits and shirts flat without folding them tightly; you’ll find them as wrinkle-free when you arrive at your destination as when you packed them away.

There’s also another dedicated compartment for your business shoes, and four internal zip pockets and a small zip-close external pocket. Lastly, at 55 litres, this duffel both has enough volume for a few days away, and is generally airline carry on compliant.

  • Rolls out flat to take suits
  • Wrinkle-free clothes storage
  • Dedicated shoe compartment
  • Internal zip-close pockets
  • Made from synthetic materials
  • No dedicated tech sleeve
  • Not for adventure travel!

How The UNIQUEBELLA Suit Travel Duffel Tested

When we tested this duffel travel bag we were quite taken by the novel design and by the dedicated suit compartment. Whether it truly keeps clothes “wrinkle free” does seem like a bit of an exaggeration although none of us owns a business suit so we could not actually test this out.

Is the UNIQUEBELLA Suit Travel Duffel for me?

Need to keep a suit and shirt crease-free while travelling? Here’s the answer, the UNIQUEBELLA Suit Travel Duffel! Its fold-out design makes it super-easy to transport business wear without the need to iron at your destination and takes care of all those little extras with its shoe compartment and necktie pocket to name just two.

Even us vagabonds need to don a suit from time to time and though our team did feel this bag was a little niche, they felt it cornered position perfectly. They were unsure if the bag would be a little gimmicky but in practice they felt the design actually worked well in practical use and kept their gear wrinkle-free and ready to rock!

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Best Duffel Bag for Expedition –  The North Face Base Camp Duffel

best travel duffel bags

When you are hitting the mountains for days on end, you’ll need a duffel bag that is up to the challenge. The North Face Base Camp duffel has been an essential piece of kit for explorers, mountaineers, and adventurers for decades.

  • Comes in multiple sizes
  • Just 4 lbs in weight
  • Ultra Durable
  • Come with backpack straps
  • Lacks a little rigidity
  • Not  fully  waterproof
  • Not all versions carry on compliant
  • The big sizes are awkward to carry when packed full

How Did the North Face Base Camp Duffel Test?

We tested this bag in the depths of the Karakoram range in Pakistan. It has been snagged against a barbed wire fence, stepped on by pack mules, dropped in the mud, and snowed on for hours. Whenever I head to the mountains for an extended adventure, you better believe that this bag is coming with. 10 stars.

Is the The North Face Base Camp duffel bag for me?

Are you going on a serious adventure and needing to haul all of your gear along for the ride? This is the bag for you. Our team really loved the simple but high-quality nature of this duffel and generally North Face bags as a whole. They liked that this duffel added a bit more in the way of organisational pockets than the Black Hole and also offered a matt style rather than the shiny exterior of the black hole, which some of the team really preferred.

Best Travel Duffel Bag for the Trails –  The North Face Base Camp Voyager Duffel

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Well, never thought I would take a duffel bag on hikes and bike rides, but North Face has done it again! This is one of the best all-around travel bags, no question!

You can toss this on top of your car or stow it away on a flight. This bag can easily be used for ANY type of adventure.

The bag unzips for easy access to the main compartment. There is a top padded pocket for delicate items, side pockets for a water bottle and small items, and internal zipper pockets for organization.

The straps and back support are not as padded as The North Face’s hiking backpacks, but it will do the trick for shorter hikes and rides!

  • Ripstop weather resistant Nylon material
  • Versatile backpack/duffel
  • Plenty of organizational compartments
  • Not as comfortable as hiking backpacks
  • 32 liters might be too small for some

How The North Face Base Camp Voyager Duffel Tested

To test this pack out we brought it along on a multi day camping trip into the wild mountains of Northern Spain. Of course, it did not feel quite as comfortable as a proper hiking backpack would and I did miss the additional support from a dedicated backpack. Still, the straps felt OK and the pack had plenty of room to fit our gear.

Is The North Face Base Camp Voyager Duffel for me?

The North Face Base Camp Voyager Duffel is a mobile base camp for all your mountain-biking, trail-running and skiing escapades. It has all the organizational bells and whistles you need to organize your gear, and multiple uses mean it is a functional bag for a wide array of trips.

Our team felt this was the perfect duffel for those who love adventure travel and outdoor sports. They were particularly impressed by how comfortable it was to carry heavy gear like climbing equipment, especially when the hike in itself is pretty challenging. They also felt it offered a level of organisation for their gear that is pretty rare with these types of large gear bags.

  The Classic Duffle by Mahi  – Best Small Duffel Bag

Mahi duffle

Looking for the great men’s leather duffel bag days out and short trips? If so, the Classic Duffle by Mahi may be just for you.

Combining traditional elegance with rugged practicality, the MAHI Classic Duffle in Vintage Brown is a lovely luggage piece for those looking for a stylish gym bag , weekend or overnight bag.

It’s made with beautifully supple full-grain leather on the main body and complimented with a fawn cotton lining. Other features include four brass studs on the base, a front zipped pocket for easy access to your essential items, a smaller zipped pocket on the inside and a detachable and extendable shoulder strap with additional padding for comfort.

  • Designed for low-cost carrier use
  • Soft Leather
  • Multiple zippered pockets
  • Heavy for size
  • Not big enough for many trips
  • Not waterproof

How The MAHI Leather Duffel Tested

I’ve tested quite a few pieces from the MAHI leather range. The leather on all of them isn’t exactly high grade, but feels very good for the price point.

Is the MAHI Leather duffel for me?

Being a small bag, this one is approved for carry-on by most airlines either the super strict budget ones. When it comes to packing, this thing thankfully stands up on its own, not falling in on itself as some duffel bags tend to.

Our team felt this was a great compact duffel that still offered good space optimisation. They felt for the minimalist traveller or commuter that doesn’t need a whole heap of gear, it’s the perfect option. They also felt the bag offered decent quality in terms of materials for the money.

Best Large Travel Duffel –  REI Co-op Big Haul Recycled Duffel

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Looking to travel with a lot of kits? You’re going to need a large travel duffel! The REI Co-op Big Haul Recycled Duffel comes in a variety of sizes, much like Patagonia’s Black Hole duffel series , and runs up to the 90-litre XL version. It is available at a very reasonable price tag for the volume size of the bag.

What else do you get for the price? You get a duffel specifically intended for rougher travel, made from 600 Dernier waterproof materials with a large D-zip opening for easy access. You also get two removable shoulder straps and a side zip-close pocket for smaller items.

  • Made for tougher travel assignments
  • 40-90 litres
  • Large opening
  • No major internal divisions
  • Not for business travel
  • Has to go in the aircraft hold
  • Weight of 1.6kg

How The REI Co-op Big Haul Recycled Duffel Tested

We tested this REI Co-op Big Haul Duffel by adding it to our Pakistan expedition arsenal which means that it gets used to carry packed tents and camping equipment up and down mountain sides. Of course, carting a duffel up a mountain side never easy but this one felt relatively light. It was able to withstand classes with jagged rocks and stayed dry despite drizzle. Result!

Is the REI Co-op Big Haul Duffel for me?

This unisex travel duffel bag by REI certainly fits the definition of a large travel duffel with a capacity of 90 litres. Is it the best? Well, we think it is! Tough and ready for anything, simply throw your kit in, and start your adventure!

Our team just loved how rugged this bag felt and many of them described it as pretty much bulletproof when it came to throwing anything at it! In fact, a few of the team have owned this bag for years on end and it’s been abused in all corners of the world and stood up admirably. They also loved the large zippered compartments that were big enough to use for their shoes or bigger items.

Best Large Travel Duffel (#2) –  Thule RoundTrip Snowsports Duffel

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The Thule RoundTrip Snowsports Duffel is a travel duffel bag for anyone who needs to transport larger amounts of baggage since it has a volume capacity of 80 litres.

Rather than having an external compartment at one end of the bag, it has one at either end helping with the organization of large amounts of kit.

The main compartment has a wide D-shaped zip-close opening that makes it simple to load and unload, while the large tags on the zips make them easy to shift even with cold fingers! Water-resistant all around, it has a waterproof bottom so there are no worries about lowering the bag onto the wet ground.

  • Large capacity
  • The external compartment at both ends
  • Wide D-shaped opening
  • Large zip tags
  • Water-resistant but not fully waterproof
  • Too large a capacity for many
  • Weight of 3 lbs. 5.9 oz
  • Not ideal for business travel

How The Thule RoundTrip Snowsports Duffel Tested

When compared to other duffels on this list the 80-litre Thule RoundTrip Snowsports Duffel is a giant and our tested had no issues in fitting all of his camping gear in. Of course, big bags are heavier and bulkier and our tested did remark that a full packed 80-litre duffel isn’t the easiest carry. The waterproof base was kind of put to the test when the bag was laid on wet ground and we’re pleased to confirm that the pack remained nice and dry.

Is the Thule RoundTrip Snowsports Duffel for me?

If you need a travel duffel bag with a large capacity, the Thule RoundTrip Snowsports Duffel could well be the duffel bag for you! Its 80-litre capacity is divided between the main compartment at two end compartments, while the waterproof base is another fine addition.

Our team are big fans of the Thule brand and expected big things from these duffels. They were of course suitably impressed by the durability and high quality of the bag but mostly their feedback featured high praise for the larger end compartments as well as loving the range of sizes available.

Best Travel Duffel Bag for the Mountains (DURABLE) –  North Face Base Camp

North Face Base Camp

The cylindrically-shaped Base Camp duffel by North Face is a 50-litre capacity bag with an empty weight of just over 1.23 kg. They do carry sizes up to 90-liters as well!

As you would expect from North Face, the Base Camp Duffel is made from durable materials of 80% polyester with 20% polyamide. There’s a separate compartment at one end, and a zipped mesh pocket within the main compartment for easy access to smaller items.

The duffel comes with wide, adjustable, shoulder straps designed to avoid twisting, and padded grab handles. External compression straps around the circumference of the main compartment and at either end of the bag help reduce down and secure your contents.

  • Good empty weight
  • Made from durable materials
  • Pockets for smaller items
  • Ergonomically-designed shoulder straps
  • Softshell duffel
  • Synthetic rather than natural materials

How The North Face Camp Tested

Our first impressions upon taking out the North Face camp were that it very much looks and feels like an expedition piece – as such we are not sure how well it would translate to more “normal” travel usage. As a heavy duty camping and expedition piece its certainly rugged although the fact that its not fully water proof does cost it some points.

Is the North Face Base Camp for me?

This is an iconic, super-tough expedition duffel from The North Face. The separate end compartment means you can keep clean and dirty items divided without endless periods of repacking, while the durable materials used will ensure the Base Camp can be used for more than just the one adventure!

Another fine North Face duffel! Our team once again had high expectations but also wanted to know what made this stand out against the brand’s other offerings. Firstly they felt the Base Camp offered the most durable and weather-resistant materials, meaning they could really push where they could take this thing. With it’s larger size they also appreciated the additional of compression straps to keep everything compact and maximise space.

Best Travel Duffel Bag on a Budget –  Sweetbriar Vintage Canvas Duffel

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This stylish bag is one of the best travel duffel backpacks if you’re on a budget! The Sweetbriar Vintage Canvas Duffel is listed under $40 and is perfect for a weekend in the city versus a few days of camping in the wild.

It comes in a very attractive tan canvas and leather-coloured webbing styling. It incorporates zipped compartments on the front of the bag as well as plenty of internal zippers and organisational features. Expansion zips give a total overall volume of 39 litres, plenty for that weekend away, while there are also lock-together carry handles and an adjustable shoulder strap.

  • Lovely design
  • Comprises zipped compartments
  • Expansion zips give 39-liter capacity
  • Adjustable shoulder strap
  • Not very durable
  • Capacity may be too small for some
  • Hand wash only

How The Sweetbriar Vintage Canvas Duffel Tested

What we really loved about this travel duffel bag was that in the flesh, it looks and feels like it cost a lot more than $40. If you are looking for a hardcore travel duffel that will survive all weather and last for years then this may not be the one for you. However, if you are after a budget travel bag for an upcoming trip, then perhaps you have found what you need?

Is the Sweetbriar Vintage Canvas Duffel for me?

Any man or woman about town will readily fall in love with this unisex vintage canvas duffel. The ideal size for a weekend away, it consists of smaller compartments and pockets as well as the main compartment and also boasts an adjustable shoulder strap.

Our team felt that for a pretty run-of-the-mill duffel, this thing doesn’t look cheap and with the canvas material it’s also really durable too. They also loved that it was packed full of features like interior pockets, side shoe compartments and hidden valuable pockets.

Best Packable Duffel Pack – Nemo Double Haul Convertible

NEMO Double Haul

The quite possibly bomb-proof Double Haul is a highly versatile combination of a packable duffel bag and tote bag, designed to meet an adventurer’s changing needs. Its huge opening remains wide for easy packing and folds into a duffel for long journeys, complete with self-contained backpack straps. For  some extra capacity and organisation, you can deploy the tucked-away tote bag handles when you need to haul more.

Certified as a bluesign product, the badass Double Haul is fully made from recycled materials. The bag features side release buckles for easy transformation from duffel to tote, stiffened trusses for structure, and internal and external zippered mesh pockets for organisation. A matching carrying case, doubling as a packing cube, is also included.

  • Trusted brand
  • Comes with a tote bag
  • Shiny exterior
  • Doesn’t have a rigid structure

How The Gregory Alpaca Duffel Tested

I got my hands on the 70 Litre version (30L and 55L are also available). It feels rugged and resilient, packs down into a neat cube with no trouble and holds a nice amount of gear.

My only real criticisms are the bright colours (too much for me) and the question of how much I really need a packable duffel and whether one would ever get enough use out of it to justify the price tag.

So first of all, Duffel Bags are awesome. They’re physically tough, your belongings are easy to access and kept safe by the waterproof fabric – even the worst baggage handler can’t do much harm! Below are the most important features to pay attention to when you are deciding on your purchase because there are so many bags on the market!

However, not all Duffels are the same. Choosing the right one requires looking at different factors. Our list of factors below will give you a rough idea of what you should be looking out for when being on the hunt for a new Duffel Bag.

From detachable backpack straps to a rolling duffel, there are more options than you might first think when it comes to the best travel duffel.

How to Choose a Travel Duffel Bag

What do you plan to carry in your duffel bag? And where are you travelling to? You may need an ultra-durable duffel backpack that can handle the abuse of long-term and international travel, or you may only need a simple bag to get you to/from the airport.

Perhaps you’re going on a boat or river adventure or travelling around Europe in winter. Either way, a waterproof or weatherproof bag is the ticket! Pay attention to the bags’ materials because the best traveling duffel bags are tough enough to deal with your adventures!

When deciding which travel duffel bag for you, you need to first think about your style of packing. Are you looking for a duffel bag that consists of a single large main compartment, or one with several compartments and an internal mesh pocket in addition to the main one?

If you’re travelling for business, you should consider a bag that protects tech gear, such as a laptop, as well as allows you to pack your clothes without creases. You might also want to look at features such as compression straps that keep everything neat and in place.

If you’ve got heaps of gear to organise and need things easy to access you might also want to consider exterior pockets.

Kodiak Weekender 30L

Ask yourself: what are you using your travel duffel bag for? There are some excellent duffel bags with incredible style if you’re looking for a bag to take your belonging to a hotel for a weekend of relaxation. Likewise, there are a great number of travel duffels more suited to the great outdoors – offering different levels of weather protection, and weighing more or less too.

Also, consider how comfortable the bag is going to be compared to other duffel bags. Does it offer a padded shoulder strap or even two removable backpack straps? If you’re going to be wearing it for a long time and it’s packed full of all your travel gear, padded straps are a lifesaver!

Finally, you may want the classic duffel bag functionality or one with wheels and/or backpack straps. Whether detachable or integrated, padded shoulder straps don’t add a lot of weight, but can make a bag a lot more comfortable in the long term.

If you’re planning to carry your travel duffel bag for long periods, such as on a camping trip or up and down cobblestone streets in search of your hotel room, weight is going to be a hugely important factor in your decision-making. The best travel duffel bags are those that maximise their space and minimise their weight.

Duffel bags with wheels can weigh significantly more, but if you’re planning to get a rolling duffel and use the wheels versus carrying it on your shoulder, this won’t be a major concern!

Duffel bag

In order to compare these duffle bags against one another, we threw them into a gladiatorial pit and forced them to fight to the death…OK so no that did not happen. Instead, various members of Team Broke Backpacker tested these duffels over a period of a number of years taking them on trips. That means that some duffels got put through the gauntlet of a month long vacation whereas got off lightly with a weekend trips. As such, the science isn’t exactly exact here.

Still, we stand by our findings. With each duffel we paid close attention to capacity and packing functionality, we compared how comfortable each duffel felt to carry, assessed how rugged and resilient each one felt and awarded bonus points for style.

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Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

Still have some questions about the best travel duffels? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

Why should you get a duffel bag?

Duffel bags might not be as handy as backpacks, but they’re just as spacious. If you’re not planning on backpacking, duffel bags are the next best option to store all of your gear safely.

Which duffel bag is the best?

We love the Osprey Transporter Expedition Duffel as it can be carried as a duffel bag and backpack at the same time. It’s the best of both worlds.

What’s a good size duffel bag?

A duffel bag can range from 35 to 65 liters. Most of them have an average of 40L which makes them perfect for carry-on.

What should I look for in a duffel bag?

Look for these key features: 1. Quality of the material and price 2. The design 3. Packability, size and weight

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Our GREATEST Travel Secrets…

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In this guide, we’ve covered the 17 best travel duffel bags on the market. From the big players to smaller brands, we’ve reviewed the ones fit for the great outdoors, your next business meeting, or a short hotel stay.

Nowadays, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to travel gear. Do you want a duffel bag with wheels? One that is lightweight? How about a fully waterproof duffel backpack? All you need to do is pick out the best travel duffel bag for you!

  • Should You Buy a Duffel or a Carry-On For Your Next Trip?
  • Calling All Backpackers: Discover Your Perfect Carry-on backpacks with Us!
  • Check out our rundown of the best travel bags and see what works best for you.
  • Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list .

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the broke backpacker team at the water temple in bali

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Is it possible to travel with a duffle around the world, or you recommed a backpack fot that? Cheers

Sure, but if you travel long term consider that a duffel will mean carrying the weight of your bag with just one side of your body. It also means you won’t always have the option of two free hands, which you can get from a backpack.

where would u place the wandrd hexad all access?

Hi John, thanks for reaching out. The Wandrd Hexad All Access is a great pack, and one I will be adding to this list shortly. I have been traveling with a Wandrd PRVKE 31 for about a year as my primary daypack/camera bag and I absolutely love it – Wandrd makes great stuff. I have had a bit of first hand experience with the Hexad All Access as well – here are my first impressions: The Hexad All Access is a great pack/duffel for 4-5 days of travel, is tough as nails, and has plenty of interesting features and storage options whether you are a photographer or not. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Long story short – this duffle is solid and you can’t really go wrong.

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The Best Gear for Travel

By Wirecutter Staff

Traveling well can be one of life’s great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends.

But what does it mean to travel well? We’d say that along with traveling safely (of course), traveling well involves avoiding hassle, carrying a single bag (if possible), and bringing only the necessities.

“Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something,” said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. “Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it’s just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag.”

Over the past 10 years, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items that will help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, author and creator of OneBag—a traveling businessman and public speaker, he has logged millions of miles over the past few decades—as well as travel-gear reviewer Eytan Levy, the Snarky Nomad.

And we relied heavily on the experiences of Wirecutter staff, an especially mobile group of individuals. Our staffers have worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica—the five most frequent flyers among us travel about half a million miles in any given (normal) year.

The research

Flying/riding, just in case, travel tips.

A person walking through an airport with the Travelpro Platinum Elite carry-on bag.

A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. If possible, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking a bag or two. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don’t go according to plan. While carry-on-only isn’t feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended business trips or weddings where you need multiple outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it’s better to cut.

Carry-on backpack (non-roller)

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Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

The Allpa’s clamshell design makes organizing your things simple. The strap design lets you easily wear this durable bag on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

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Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind, but most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts depending on how much you’ve packed. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

We spent six months testing 22 bags, and in the end we chose two as our top picks for travelers determined to never check luggage again: the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (for most trips) and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization.

A person standing outside in a light blue short sleeve shirt wears the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L backpack, in black with a gray llama-head logo and aqua accents.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa’s straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away. (In August of 2024, Cotopaxi released a slightly redesigned version of the Allpa 35L; we’re comparing it to the previous version and will report back as soon as we’re able.)

The bag is protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Its front panel is made of a waterproof, TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester (a strong fabric covered in a flexible plastic coating), which means you can lay it on its back in a wet field or in gravel without worrying about moisture soaking through or jagged edges ripping the fabric. The rest of the paneling is made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon, which feels similar to a strong canvas but with a more prominent weave. After four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item to store under the seat) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage that Kit Dillon, Wirecutter’s senior staff writer who covers luggage, uses.

One caveat: The Allpa has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth—which is where the personal item comes in handy (see below).

A tester from behind, wearing the uniformly black, sporty Peak Design bag

The larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. Not so with the Peak Design: It looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack. You can access the bag through a back panel, which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch, as well as through a front one, if you unzip the pass-through divider. You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps that run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters.

If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. It still feels larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for the ability to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400D nylon and polyester fabrics—it feels tough, but not as tough as the Cotopaxi Allpa. As for flaws, it is expensive, especially if you commit to the entire system of packing cubes and camera cubes . The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses, though Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty.

Finding the right bag is a personal choice, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we have picks in our full review of carry-on travel bags that can double as traveling offices , and bags that are easy to carry while you’re walking long distances .

Carry-on bag (rolling)

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Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Great features, great value.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, with high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Since 2015, we’ve researched several dozen suitcases and gone hands-on with the 67 most promising candidates in a variety of tests—including having active flight attendants test bags for us in a fake plane fuselage in their training facility. We determined that for most people the  Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner  offers the best balance of features, durability, and price for most flyers who log less than 25,000 miles annually.

A person sitting in an airport chair with our pick for best carry-on luggage in front of them.

It features smooth-rolling, user-replaceable wheels; solid and comfortable, telescoping handles; and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. The Elite only improves on past iterations in the Platinum line by reducing the size of the stowed handle (which used to jut out about an inch) and adding a second zippered, exterior pocket for easy access on the go and a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And at 7.8 pounds when empty, this carry-on bag is about half a pound lighter than its predecessor. Compared with other bags in this price range, you also get surprisingly high-end components and a warranty that covers anything, even airline damage, for the life of the bag (as long as you register the suitcase within 120 days of purchase, which is easy to do on any smartphone).

Upgrade pick

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Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

For frequent flyers.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles a year, invest in a bag with unique features, superior details, and plenty of expandable room. This manufacturer guarantees your satisfaction.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles annually and you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality product, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-Inch Carry-On Expandable Spinner. It can fit more clothing than any bag we tested, thanks to a cavernous interior and clever expansion and compression system that can adjust to variable levels beyond open and shut. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter’s founder, Brian Lam, put more than 150,000 miles on his. His only complaint was that longer pants will need an extra fold, or to be rolled. In taller bags, pants will only need to be folded over once.

Personal item (otherwise known as underseat luggage)

As the name suggests, “personal items” are very, well, personal, and no one bag will work for all travelers. Our favorites include the Waterfield Air Porter Carry-On Bag , which shines as a tech organizer that still has enough room to also hold a change of clothes. And it’s still good-looking enough to carry from the plane to the office without raising an eyebrow.

If the Air Porter is too businessy for your taste, you may like the Monos Metro Duffel , a luxuriant shoulder bag with detailed organization and add-ons made specifically for simplifying travel. Should you prefer to roll your personal item aboard the plane, we suggest the remarkably maneuverable Travelpro Crew VersaPack Carry-On Rolling Tote —it’s large enough to carry everything you need for an overnight trip, but it still falls within the average US airline underseat dimensions. See our full guide to underseat luggage for still more options.

Checked luggage

If you need to pack more stuff than a carry-on and a personal item can hold, our first piece of advice would be to reconsider whether you need that extra outfit “just in case.” But you’ll have times when you need to travel with several pairs of shoes, formalwear, a winter coat, special equipment (like diving or camping gear), or all of the above. In these cases, there’s no way to avoid checking a bag.

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Osprey Farpoint 55 Men’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with taller torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

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Osprey Fairview 55 Women’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with shorter torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Fairview has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

If you’re going somewhere where you’ll need to walk a lot (particularly if there’s dirt or cobblestone roads), we recommend a travel backpack. We like the Farpoint 55 and the sized-for-smaller-torsos Fairview 55 because they’re comfortable and have plenty of room to store, and separate, our essentials. The front of the main pack unzips like a suitcase, so you can easily fit and access a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries. The daypack, which attaches to the front of the larger pack, has room for camera gear, daily essentials, and a small laptop (via a built-in sleeve). It’s also easy to stow. The main pack’s straps can tuck behind a zippered flap, so they won’t catch on anything if you check your luggage.

These bags are made of a heavy-duty recycled polyester that stands up even to long trips–one of our testers has traveled with a Farpoint 55 for years, across dozens of countries for months at a time, without damaging it. If something does happen, though, Osprey has a lifetime warranty.

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Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner

The best checked bag for most travelers.

The bag provides a luxury feel at a reasonable price, with a capacity, warranty, and reliability that should suit most travelers. The 25-inch model should offer plenty of room for most people without going over airline weight limits.

If you don’t plan on walking around while carrying all your stuff, the  25-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner Suiter is our favorite piece of checked luggage for all of the same reasons we loved the carry-on size: It has excellent organizational features, it’s especially durable, and it has a better warranty than anything in its price range.

Luggage tags

The Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag, our pick for the best luggage tag, shown on a wooden background

Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag

Strong and easy to see.

Rugged silicone and a metal cable mean this tag (which comes two to a pack) may well outlive your luggage. The brightly colored case displays its owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

A good luggage tag should be durable, simple to use, and discreet. Ultimately, a tag should allow someone to get your luggage back to you quickly and easily, and it should withstand the wear and tear of being thrown onto conveyor belts time and again. After researching the top-rated and best-selling models, reading existing luggage-tag reviews, and comparing fourteen tags , we recommend the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag for most travelers because it’s the only one we’d trust to survive being smashed by other bags, jammed into walls, and generally abused by baggage handlers. It’s the most durable tag we tested, and it comes in a wide selection of colors to help any bag stand out from the rest.

The Ovener tag’s silicone body seems nearly indestructible and is available in a rotating selection of colors (you get two tags per pack). Whereas other tags also feature metal cables, this tag has a metal grommet to keep the cable from eventually wearing through the silicone case.

Should you lose your bag, the Ovener makes it easy for a Good Samaritan to find your contact information. To fully access the info card, you have to unscrew and remove the metal strap; this lets the card slide out of the case. Most luggage tags we tested secure their info card in this way. It isn’t a difficult or time-consuming process, but it is an extra step compared with using a tag that displays all of your information openly. Still, for anyone who wants to keep their contact information out of view, the extra step is worth it.

Another approach to increasing privacy is to hide information in a QR code, as the Dynotag Smart Deluxe Steel Luggage Tag  does, or to provide a user ID number, as the Okoban UID Luggage Tags do. But these seem like overly complex solutions to a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Compression sacks

Originally designed for reducing the bulk of lofty sleeping bags, compression sacks are stuff sacks modified with additional nylon end caps that can be pulled together by strings or straps to remove air and create a smaller, denser package that’s easier to pack. Most travelers use compression sacks to condense socks, underwear, and other stuff you don’t mind getting wrinkled into a package with half as much overall volume. For example, an 8- to 12-liter sack can compress a fleece jacket and a long-weekend’s worth of socks and underwear into something that fits in one hand. They also make a decent pillow in a pinch.

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Osprey StraightJacket (8L)

Easier access, less compression.

It has a full-length zipper on its side that allows access to the bag’s entire contents. However, it doesn’t compress as tightly as traditional designs.

Most compression sacks require you to empty out the stuff at the top to get to the stuff below it, but the side-zipper design on the Osprey StraightJacket allows access to the entire contents of the bag at once. The compression straps attach sideways, and are less likely to get tangled and twisted like on most compression sacks with lengthwise straps. It can also sit up on its own, and the handle design lets you break it out as a last minute carry-on to avoid an overweight-baggage fee. However, it doesn’t compress down as compactly as the traditional designs we tested so it’s not the best option if compression is your top priority.

GobiGear’s SegSac takes a different approach to solving the same access issue: It has four inner dividers that run the length of the sack in order to keep your socks separate from your underwear, winter accessories, towel, what have you. This means you don’t have to take out your T-shirts to get to your socks. Unlike the Osprey, it compresses just as much as a normal compression sack, but it loses points for versatility because the segmentation prevents it from handling large items like a down jacket or sleeping bag.

Packing cubes

Packing cubes could change your life. (Okay, maybe just your traveling life.) Packing cubes are basically bags to hold your clothes that you organize within your luggage. Though seemingly superfluous, they’re brilliant in action. If you imagine your suitcase as a dresser, you can think of these cubes as individual drawers: Put all your underwear and socks in one container, all your shirts in another, and your workout clothes in yet another. Then pull out only the cube you want. They make packing and repacking wonderfully simple.

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Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set

Well built with easy access.

Simple and solidly constructed, these packing cubes keep your bag organized while you’re traveling.

The three-piece Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set keeps a week’s worth of clothes organized and moves easily from suitcase to hotel dresser.

The full-size cube is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. The half-cube and quarter-cube are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics such as stockings or sleepwear. These cubes are made of 300-denier polyester (a strong fabric) and stay upright when empty, so they’re easy to pack. The Pack-It cubes’ windows are made of the tightest mesh link we tested—better for resisting snags—and the smooth zippers close easily around all corners, even when a cube is overstuffed.

The Eagle Creek cubes have the ability to unzip fully to allow full access to their contents while sitting in a dresser drawer. That means your clean clothes stay protected against some potentially dicey motel dressers. In 2022, Eagle Creek updated the design of these cubes, and now the company no longer uses YKK zippers, which are widely accepted as the best around . That said, we couldn’t tell any difference between Eagle Creek’s zippers and other brands’ YKK zippers, even with a magnifying glass, and their performance was indistinguishable. For what it’s worth, an Eagle Creek product manager assured us that the proportion of zipper-related warranty claims hasn’t changed since the company made the switch from YKK. (In 2024, Eagle Creek redesigned the Reveal cubes yet again; we’re currently assessing the new version.)

Most travelers are likely to be well served by the Reveal set. But if you value lightness above all, the more expensive Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set is about 50% lighter than similar-size competitors (just over 1 ounce for a medium cube, whereas the Eagle Creek classic style weighs about 4 ounces). Unlike the Reveal set, this set is water resistant. However, the Isolate design’s thin sides—which don’t allow the cubes to stand up on their own—make those cubes a bit more challenging to pack than the Reveal cubes. (The Isolate too has been redesigned in 2024; again, we’re taking a look and will report back.)

Buying the right gear can help organize your existing travel kit, but it’s a red herring if your goal is better portability. “It’s mostly the clothing that allows you to reduce what you need to carry,” explains veteran traveller Eytan Levy, better known as the Snarky Nomad . That’s because clothing, which is very voluminous, makes up the bulk of what’s in your bag. He recommends traveling with basic-looking clothes because you can always buy or rent something nice in a pinch, whereas lugging around formalwear just in case will always be a pain. It also helps if you can avoid cotton and stick to merino and synthetic fabrics, which dry faster. This allows you to do laundry by hand in the sink as needed to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry.

Travel underwear

Men and women's underwear laid out on top of each other.

Good travel underwear keeps you feeling fresh and clean, even when your destination is gritty.  To find the best , we researched an array of underwear designed for men and women to find 37 pairs meeting our criteria: moisture-wicking and breathable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, stretchy, stylish, and cut to fit a variety of body types.

We then conducted rigorous pretesting (wearing the underwear for two days at a time, machine-washing them repeatedly, and tracking their drying speed when hung on a clothesline) before taking them out into the real world. Our testers went backpacking 215 miles throughout Portland, Oregon; hiking in the Canadian Rockies, including walking from the lowest point in the Continental US to the highest; and road-tripping to the national parks of the West. Testers who flew to their destinations wore the underwear on the plane, too.

Afterward, we checked for signs of wear, such as seam breakage and pilling on the fabric. As we continued to test the finalists, we repeatedly checked for durability problems. In addition to comfort and fit, we noted whether each pair seemed lightweight and packable.

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ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief

Best for most men.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio’s time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief is the best men’s underwear for travel because it balances fit, comfort, odor-proofing, and value better than anything else we’ve tested. The Sport Mesh fabric excels at breathing and wicking and has better odor-resistance than other fabrics. It feels soft on the inside and smooth on the outside so it slides against your pants instead of creating friction, reducing potential for chafing. It also features a sculpted crotch area that gives wearers some much-appreciated support, without feeling stifling. These boxer briefs dry quickly, pack compactly, and weigh less than almost all the other boxer briefs we tried—basically they’re everything you’d want from a pair of excellent travel underwear.

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Patagonia Women's Active Hipster

Best for most women.

These light, stylish, quick-drying hipsters stay in place whether you’re walking, flying, or hanging upside down.

The Patagonia Active Hipster doesn’t appear special upon first glance. Only after trying everything else and living through their failures to stay put did we remember what “special” really means in a pair of underwear: Feeling as if you’re wearing nothing at all. The Patagonias have the best fit, comfort, and style out of all the panties we tested. The nylon material is fast-wicking and better than most synthetics for odor-proofing, making it well suited for athletic activities. The Active Hipster is lightweight and packable, and is the fastest-drying underwear we tested—making them perfect for minimalist travelers who go weeks at a time with just one or two pairs. But these same characteristics make them great for any traveler looking for comfortable, packable panties, regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing.

Budget pick

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Uniqlo Men Airism Boxer Brief

Comfortable, compact, and fast-drying, these are a great value but don’t fit quite as nicely and aren’t as supportive in the crotch.

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Uniqlo Women Airism Ultra Seamless HipHugger

Similar fabric to the Men’s Airism, with a no-ride cut for women, these underwear are the least expensive of any we tested and among the best performing.

If you want to spend as little as possible without sacrificing performance, the Uniqlo Airism line has long been a great choice for men and women who can wear sizes small and medium. In recent years, both lines have expanded their size range somewhat (men to 3XL, and women to XL). If these fit, you can replace an entire underwear drawer on a tight budget, as long as you can deal with the slightly odd cut and less-effective odor-control treatment.

If you’ve never traveled with merino wool socks, you’re missing out. These aren’t the scratchy wool socks your grandpa wore in the army; they are soft and stretchy ones that have natural sweat-wicking and odor-resisting properties that keep your toes comfortable under all conditions—even when wet. This combination of odor, moisture, and temperature regulations makes them ideal for traveling. "Because of its natural anti-bacterial properties, washing merino wool on a daily basis isn’t absolutely necessary,” explains Snarky Nomad , "after letting it air dry overnight while you sleep, it’ll seem brand new.” The only major downside is that merino tends to be a bit pricier than synthetic counterparts. But it’s a worthy trade-off, since you can go for longer with fewer pairs.

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Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (women’s)

The best quality for women.

The best mix of comfort, durability, and cushioning in a versatile height.

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Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (men’s)

For the best quality.

The same great versatile sock as the women’s model, but in different color options and more sizes.

Darn Tough’s Light Hiker Micro Crew socks (both the men’s and women’s versions) have been our favorite hiking socks for years. Darn Tough made its name through its quality guarantee : “We knit a longer lasting sock that stays comfortable season after season. We’re able to guarantee them for life because we knit them ourselves. If yours ever rip or tear, we'll replace them free of charge.” Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (hardcore backpackers who walk from Mexico to Canada in one continuous trip) praise them for their durability, comfort, and blister resistance. When you hold a pair of Darn Toughs next to a pair of Smartwools (which only have a two-year guarantee ), the difference is clear. The Darn Toughs are more tightly knit, the yarns are finer and feel sturdier, and the stitching is tighter.

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Darn Tough Women’s Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool women’s hiking sock.

This midlevel cushioned sock for women is the best synthetic option for most climates and terrains.

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Darn Tough Men’s Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool men’s hiking sock.

This synthetic men’s sock is perfect for day hiking in most weather.

If you are sensitive to wool, prefer a vegan product, or want a cooler option for the summer, we also like the Darn Tough Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock, which comes in women's and men’s sizes.

We appreciated how breathable this sock felt. While wearing the Coolmax Micro Crew in hot summer weather, our testers’ feet stayed dry and sweat-free. The shorter micro-crew height makes the Coolmax Micro Crew suitable for both boots and shoes, too. And like all Darn Tough socks, this model comes with a lifetime warranty.

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Indosole Flip Flops (women’s)

A quality flip flop in women’s sizes.

These stylish beach sandals come in a wide range of colors. Be careful, though: Indosole sizes tend to run a little small.

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Indosole Flip Flops (men’s)

A quality flip flop in men’s sizes.

These beach sandals are the same as the women’s version but cut a bit wider; we still think they run a little smaller than regular shoe sizes.

A good pair of travel flip-flops should be lightweight, comfortable, and waterproof. The men’s and women’s Indosole Flip Flops offer the best combination of quality, comfort, and easy packability. Unlike many flip flops, which slap against the ground with every step, the subtle arch support of this flip flop kept it secure against our feet. Plus they’re made from waterproof, recycled materials. Keep in mind, though, that our testers found these shoes to run a bit small, so we suggest sizing up for the best fit.

Clothesline

While doing laundry at home can be a large weekly event, OneBag author Doug Dyment recommends approaching travel laundry as a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re trying to pack as little as possible: “The laundry should be more like cleaning your teeth—something you do everyday. It only takes about five minutes to do it. Every night, do your socks and underwear and you’ll have clean socks and underwear everyday.”

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A secure, hassle-free option

The Flexo-Line attaches easily to a door handle or faucet and grips garments securely between its loops.

Check out OneBag’s laundry packing list if you want specific tips on how to do it and what you’ll need, but it’s a pretty simple setup: All you need is a toiletry bottle of powdered detergent, a towel to help expedite drying, and a travel clothesline to finish the drying process while you sleep at night.

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Specifically, you want a braided—not twisted—surgical latex clothesline with looped ends, which means you want a Flexo-Line . The Flexo-Line can stretch up to 7 feet long, which is enough to span most hotel bathtubs, and it has loops that you can attach easily to a door handle, bath spigot, or faucet. The braided construction is superior to twisted designs made from other materials because the latex does a better job of gripping garments securely between the loops, which means you don’t need any additional clothespins.

Dyment has tried them all, but the Flexo-Line is the one he comes back to. As he explained to me in an interview, “There are others that are fine, but there are far more that are not fine.” More specifically, Dyment says to avoid anything that’s not made of latex , because clothes will inevitably slip out of them. He also says to never, ever trust a suction cup: “They don’t work, period.” If the Flexo-Line is unavailable, Dyment says that the Rick Steves collection from Kiva Designs also makes a nice braided line that is a bit more expensive. If you have a latex allergy, Dyment recommends going with a length of cord ( paracord is nice because it’s durable and you can use it for other things as well) and stainless steel safety pins meant for cloth diapers , because they take up far less space than a clothespin and won’t rust. In fact, it’s worthwhile to get these items even if you can use a latex line because they’re great for making luggage repairs and performing other MacGyver-ish tasks in a pinch. To hang up the clothesline, we recommend using a bowline knot on one end and a taut line hitch on the other. These knots work well together because the bowline creates a simple, slip-proof loop to anchor one end while the taut line hitch allows you to adjust for tension and locks tightly in place. If you could commit any two knots to memory forever, these are the ones to learn.

Laundry detergent

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Minisoak Travel Packs

A travel size version of the best delicates detergent.

Perfect for traveling because you don’t even need to rinse it out.

When you’re washing your underwear in a hotel sink, you want a fast and easy experience. For this, we recommend the no-rinse detergent Soak . That’s right, we said no rinse . You just add a drop to the sink, fill with water, and leave your garments to soak. Then press out the water and hang. Done.

In our tests of delicates detergents , Soak cleaned almost as well as our top laundry detergent, Tide; plus, it comes in individual packets of powder  that are great for traveling, as well as in  travel-size bottles of the liquid version . In addition to unscented, it's available in a variety of scents, although Lacey and Celebration are not the most descriptive of scent names. They all smell nice, not overpowering. Soak also comes in an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each scent, if you want to test-drive one or two before you buy. In that mini size, you get eight packets for $11 currently, but you really need only a squeeze, not the the whole packet, to wash a couple of pairs of socks and underwear.

One downside to Soak is that you won’t find it in a grocery store or big-box store. But it is available online at Soak’s site . And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores.

Don’t feel like buying Soak or bringing along a bit of your own detergent? Shampoo also works pretty well for cleaning garments in a pinch, so make use of that free bottle from the hotel. But a caveat: Neither Soak nor shampoo contains enzymes , which are biological molecules in laundry detergent that break down certain stains. If you have especially stinky or stained clothes, you might need to break out the Tide .

When we first published this guide, this section addressed only toiletry kits and bottles, razors, and packable towels. The times, and traveling, became more complicated. One thing we've learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick and don’t want to share your misery. Fortunately, compared with early 2020, medical-style N95s and KN95s (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. 

Toiletry kit

We’ve researched dozens of travel toiletry bags and dopp kits over the past several years, and we tested 23 of the top-rated contenders in our most recent round of tests. After packing and unpacking a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries, conducting spill tests, and living out of the top performers on the road, we have a few different picks that stand out thanks to their style, packability, and quality of construction.

The Sea to Summit bag hanging open from a shower shelf.

Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small)

A space-saving hanging bag.

This lightweight, well-organized bag fits a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries into a compact package. It’s meant to be hung, which makes it good for tight spaces, but it doesn’t have much in the way of internal structure.

The Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) is compact and durable. It’s small enough to stash in a backpack or laptop bag, but it holds enough travel-size toiletries to keep us supplied for a week. You can open it and hang it from a shower curtain or towel rod to easily see and grab your items. It comes with a shatterproof mirror, two micro-mesh zip pockets and an open pocket for toothbrushes, lip balm, and tweezers, and a large compartment for bulky lotions and hair-care items.

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L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag

For more stuff and longer trips.

With a 6.4-liter capacity and over a dozen compartments, this toiletry bag has a place for everything—and everything will stay put during transit, too. It can also accommodate non-travel-size bottles.

The L.L.Bean Personal Organizer (medium) is a great option for longer trips and people who travel with full-size bottles. Its 6.4 liters of storage spread across a dozen compartments means there’s a dedicated place for pretty much everything you could want to bring on a trip—it even has a removable mesh shower caddy for shampoo and body wash. This level of organization is crucial for larger toiletry bags because, as we discovered after years of traveling with our picks, contents that aren’t securely fastened can shift around in transit, which increases the chance of spilling. The downside of all this organization is that the L.L.Bean weighs 14 ounces when empty, so it’s not ideal for carry-on travel.

If neither of these bags seems right for you, read our full review of the best toiletry bags and dopp kits to learn more about our picks and everything we tested.

Toiletry bottles

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Sea to Summit TL Clear Zip Pouch with Bottles

These six TSA-friendly bottles are sturdy and smartly designed, dispensing liquids more precisely than any of the other bottles we tested.

For traveling with liquids in your carry-on, the Sea to Summit set is your best bet. All six bottles conform to TSA size limitations; three of them can hold 3 ounces of liquid each, and three can hold 1.5 ounces each, for a total of 13.5 ounces. Despite the set’s name, the bottles themselves are made not of thermoplastic polyurethane—“TPU" refers to the zip pouch—but a high-density polyethylene material, much like what you’d see used in most plastic milk jugs. It has an almost-smooth, semi-transparent surface just textured enough that it’s not slippery when wet. The plastic is also flexible enough that you don’t have to squeeze very hard to get your shampoo or liquid soap or whatever going. An insert at the mouth of each bottle helps regulate the flow, and the screw tops prevent liquids from leaking in transit.

Razor (faces)

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Gillette Mach3

The best manual razor for most faces.

This classic razor’s three widely spaced blades provide the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. Its handle is comfortable and well designed, and replacement blades can be had for a fair price.

We researched more than 100 and tested 11 manual razors for our full razor guide , concluding that the Gillette Mach3 is our top pick for manual razors. Although the three blades require a little extra time for a closer shave, it performs comparably to the latest and greatest offerings for as little as half the price.

The Gillette Mach3 provides the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. The Mach3’s simple, round handle is easy to grip and maneuver, and its three blades offer a close shave without over-irritating the skin or getting clogged with hair. And the price of Mach3 blades—$2 per cartridge or less, whether you buy them online or in a store—came close to, or even beat, the pricing of shave-club rivals, and the Mach3 shaved better than those competitors.

Razor (legs/body)

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Gillette Venus Smooth

The best body razor.

This classic Venus is one of the easiest razors to grip and maneuver and its three-blade design keeps the blades remarkably free of hair.

Disposable razors (both the completely disposable and replaceable-cartridge variety) are fine to take through airport security , and among them we like the Gillette Venus Original best for traveling. Although it’s now the runner-up pick in our guide to body razors —it was formerly the top pick—we believe that its simple aloe lubricating strips, which don’t become tacky when wet, make the Venus more travel friendly than our new top pick . Plus, as with any Venus, the Original’s body is compatible with any other Venus head and many heads from Gillette’s facial razors, making replacement heads easier to find when you’re on the road.

The Original’s head has three blades separated by considerable slats of space, making it far easier to clean the head between strokes. The Original is intuitive to hold and secure to maneuver, thanks to a contoured handle with corrugated chevrons of rubber. Though our testers have a wide range of hand sizes, no one found the Original difficult to grasp. Despite the significant ribbing, it doesn’t feel too bulky. Gillette claims its razors have lasted for five weeks; we think one razor for a weeklong trip should be fine.

(Know that, confusingly, the Venus appears for sale on some retail sites under the name Venus Close and Clean or Venus Smooth. It’s the same razor. If you’re unsure which Venus model you’re looking at, check for the Original’s three blades and trademark sea-foam blue color.)

Towel (packable)

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PackTowl Personal

The best all-around packable towel.

The PackTowl Personal Towel is lightweight, soft, absorbent, quick to dry, and odor-resistant.

We put 20 top-rated towels through a battery of tests including regular shower use, a trip to the beach, camping, and a 48-hour stay in a ziplock bag under the hot Hawaiian sun. After all was said and done, the Packtowl Personal Towel is still the best all-around travel towel for most people. In addition to being the softest lightweight towel we tested, it was more absorbent than competitors made of similar materials. It had the best odor-resisting abilities and comes with a convenient mesh carrying pouch. We also have alternate picks for ultralight and all-natural towels below.

The Personal Towel’s suede-like material was the softest of the thinner towels. The Personal Towel also had superior absorption when compared with other similarly constructed towels such as the Sea to Summit DryLite —in our tests, it absorbed 2.8 times its weight in water, while the others absorbed between 2.3 times and 2.7 times.

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One of just two we tested that featured an added antimicrobial treatment, the Personal Towel was only a little musty smelling after 24 hours in a sealed ziplock bag, and remained unchanged at 48 hours.

If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel , which is a tad smaller than our other picks and is made from a seemingly lighter-feeling fabric. Unlike most budget options, it has an antibacterial coating and still managed to carry a pleasant smell after being testing in different environments.

Regardless of how you get to your final destination, it’s likely you’ll be stuck in a seat that’s less than ideal. Travel gadgets that claim to reduce this misery, such as compression socks, are popular. But when they take up precious luggage space for the duration of your trip—not just the flight or train ride–they need to be worth every cubic inch of space. The less you can make do with, the better off you’ll be.

Neck pillow

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Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

More support for most necks.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It’s also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows we tested because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow’s spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow’s cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn’t pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case. Our only complaint is that the Travelrest’s high walls, though supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks.

Noise-cancelling headphones

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Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

The Bose 700 headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation in a comfortable, lightweight design that’s traveler friendly—but they carry a high price.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ear set has the most versatile active noise cancellation we’ve ever tested. With 10 levels of noise reduction to choose from, everyone should be able to find a setting that meets their needs. We also enjoyed the lightweight and comfortable design and the easy-to-use controls. What distinguishes the Bose 700’s ANC is the amount of adjustability it gives you: Most noise-cancelling headphones offer controls for only on/off or maybe high/low/off, but with the Bose 700 pair you can set the ANC level from 0 to 10, so you have more flexibility to dial in the ideal setting for your comfort. The 20-hour battery life, while not the best we’ve seen, is more than sufficient to get you to most destinations. We have additional options—including earbuds and surprisingly good budget options for  over-ear headphones and earbuds —in our full guide to noise-cancelling headphones .

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Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs

For blocking out the most noise.

These blocked the most noise in our controlled testing and got the most votes from our subjective sleep panel.

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to fall asleep to unfamiliar noises. That’s why we spent several hours researching new contenders and tested four top-rated models while sleeping in a house that was next to an airport in order to determine that Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam earplugs are the best earplugs  for sleeping.

The Mack’s 37.1 dB noise reduction rating was the highest among the models we tested. According to Cooper Safety , that’s enough to reduce the volume of a gas lawnmower to that of a normal conversation. What made the Mack’s earplugs so effective is the fact that we could insert them and rest assured that they would stay in the whole night. Meanwhile, the Howard Leight MAX1 might be a favorite from crowdsourced sleep-aid review site Sleep Like the Dead , but the earplugs would inevitably fall out in the middle of the night. Thus, they failed to block out the noise of planes landing and taking off throughout the night, despite the MAX1’s 33 dB noise reduction rating. The Howard Leights also made our ears ache on occasion, whereas the Mack’s has a tapered shape that was consistently comfortable night after night.

The Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs cost about 20¢-35¢ per pair when purchased in a 50-pair pack. They come in a plastic case is about the size of a large coffee mug, which is small enough to toss in a large bag or suitcase. Many other ear plugs like our runner-up, the 3M’s E-A-Rsoft OCS1135 , can only be ordered in industrial-size lots that, while perhaps appealing to those who travel constantly (or run a hostel), are annoying to store and often lack a reusable container of any sort.

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Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

For air travelers and back-sleepers.

The lightweight and contoured Nidra mask is a light-blocking win for most face shapes, with deep eye cups that allow the wearer to blink freely and arrive feeling refreshed.

When bright lights hamper peaceful shut-eye, we recommend the light-blocking, contoured Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask. Of the 14 masks we tested , the Nidra blocked the most light on the most faces. It’s contoured to rest on your face like a pair of soft goggles, with fabric lenses that sit around your eyes (instead of directly over them). This design provides more space for your eyes to flutter during REM sleep, ensuring that you come through red-eye flights with less redness in your eyes. Makeup wearers will also appreciate that, with the Nidra’s elevated eye cups, there’s a smaller chance of smudging.

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Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

A flat, silk mask.

A silken exterior material, a flat design, and an adjustable strap make this mask a fit for almost any face, but it puts pressure on the eyes.

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Mzoo Sleep Mask

A smooth, contoured eye mask.

Soft, structured, and contoured, this mask stays on all night and prevents any light from seeping through

If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn’t fit your face quite right, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask and the Mzoo Sleep Mask . The Alaska Bear mask lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning.

The Mzoo mask’s eyecups have a convex gap so your eyes can open and close. That gap is surrounded by a memory foam padding that rests on the perimeter of your eye sockets. The effect is such that you don’t feel like your eyes are being forced closed, but there is a bit of compression near your temples, eyebrows, and cheekbones. Most—though not all—of our testers found this sensation soothing. One liked how the contour of the eyecup kept the mask from brushing against their eyelashes, which makes it a good choice for people who wear eyelash extensions.

Few things are better than landing at an airport, turning on your phone, and having it just work. No hassles, no stress, no worries about brutal roaming fees. You can check in with loved ones, scope out the route to your lodgings, and maybe post an Instagram story or two—because your phone works just like it does at home. This is especially freeing, and it makes travel so much easier. (Of course, phones aren’t the only useful tech to bring: Check out our accessories reviews for guides to the best cables ( USB-C , Lightning , and Micro-USB ), Wi-Fi hotspots , Bluetooth speakers , and more.)

Unlocked mobile phone

One of the most useful gadgets for international travel is an unlocked smartphone that’s compatible with cheap, prepaid phone plans you can sign up for at your destination. Unless your carrier offers plans including high-speed data that you can access internationally (i.e., you’re with T-Mobile or Google Fi), traveling with a phone under contract with a major carrier means paying an arm and a leg for data. Being able to access data-guzzling apps like Google Maps or Google Translate on the fly is worth the hassle to unlock a phone. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are free, easy ways to communicate with people you meet on your trip and people from home. Plus there’s checking email, TripAdvisor, banking, social media, and so on.

travel gear, cell phone

An “unlocked” phone means you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you’re visiting, letting you access their local network for significantly less money than the roaming fees incurred by your home carrier. With a prepaid SIM, your phone effectively becomes a new phone with a new (now local) phone number. Instead of seeing “Verizon,” “AT&T,” or “Sprint” at the top of your phone, you might see “Vodafone,” “Yes Optus,” “M1,” or whatever provider you choose in the country you’re visiting. The first thing to check is if your phone will work where you’re going. If you’re unsure if your phone will work where you’re going, check the Wikipedia page for your phone or contact your provider.

Your phone will also require a removable SIM. (If your phone has an eSIM, as all new iPhones do, check out our blog post about those.) Most countries require a passport or other ID to buy a prepaid SIM without a contract, but switching the SIMs is easy. Most stores will do it for you while you’re there. Depending on the country/provider, this could take as long as 10 minutes but is often faster. The next question is easily the most complicated: Can you unlock your phone? Each carrier has different rules and criteria. Generally, if you have a brand new, expensive phone, they may not let you unlock it (there’s usually a waiting period after the purchase date). But if it’s a little older, or if you’ve paid it off, they probably will. The thing to remember is that a provider can deny an unlock request without giving a reason. You might be lucky, though; certain phones on certain providers are unlocked by default. Here are Verizon and AT&T’s pages on unlocking. Alternately, you can buy a pre-unlocked phone just for travel. Amazon and Best Buy, for example, sell unlocked phones. This is also a good option if you think you might lose your expensive phone and a cheaper one will suffice while you travel.

Plug adapter

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Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

You save $4 (17%)

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we look for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it charged more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with an extra USB cable and a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), a plug adapter could be what you need.

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Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

The tiny plug adapters from Ceptics are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics set will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter. These charts should help you find the shape you need before you order.

However, getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland a few years back. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on those charts, and the plug adapters she had used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) The world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

Whether two-prong or three-prong, an adapter just changes the shape of your plug, not anything about the electricity coming through the wires. However, this usually isn’t a problem because almost every power brick that comes with modern electronic gear is capable of accepting both the 110-volt standard used in the US and the 240-volt commonly used abroad. If your device has a power block on the cord, it likely says something like  “100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz”—that’s the all-clear to use it without a voltage converter so long as the range covers the voltage of the country you’re visiting . This includes the vast majority of modern laptop and USB chargers.

Products without some sort of power block at the end or with a non-detachable cord—in particular, things with heating elements like hair dryers and curling irons—are more likely to need a voltage converter. Putting 220 V through a US 110 V device would be like attaching a firehose to a drinking fountain—you’re likely to blow your face off. But voltage converters are tricky devices, and most of the inexpensive ones have awful (or dishonest) reviews. Since hotels and hostels will often have hair dryers and most newer gear can do the full range of voltages, we strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you only bring items that work with a much simpler (and more reliable) adapter.

Wire/gadget organization system

Now that every device has a battery, every battery has a charger, and every charger has a cable—never mind power-plug adapters if you’re traveling abroad—the sheer quantity of accessories needed just to keep your gadgets running can take up more space than the devices themselves. And unless you organize them, you can bet on having to blindly fish them out of the least convenient spot at the bottom of your bag. Recently, our pick for carrying tech necessities, the Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer, which had been out of stock for a few years, returned to the Incase website and was briefly in stock. (It’s now out of stock again, alas.) If you prefer mesh to easily see your contents, we also like the Container Store Micro Mesh Pouches .

The Incase cable organizer is a poly-nylon blend, so it’s durable. It is a soft-shell bag, however, so its contents can distort the bag’s shape when it’s full. But the bag’s edges remain rigid—so the seams don’t pucker—its contents don’t fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy. We have other picks in our full guide to bag and cable organizers , including a roll-up bag and a stylish duo of cosmetics travel pouches ; we’ll also start testing other options.

USB battery packs

usb-battery-packs-group

A USB battery pack (also called a power bank) can keep your small electronics—from phones and cameras to tablets and more—going while you’re on the road. Although the length of your trip will determine exactly how much extra juice you’ll need to have on hand, whatever your requirements, we have a great USB battery recommendation for you. The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K weighs about half a pound, and its rounded edges make it easy to hold or slip into a pocket. Its USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port can charge most handheld devices and recharge itself at top speed (with the right USB-C cable and wall charger), and it can pass power to another device while being recharged from a wall outlet. It only comes in one color, but it has enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones up to three times, as well as built-in USB-C and Lightning cables that are easy to slide in and out of their holsters.

If you’re traveling for leisure, try not to get too wrapped up in technology because you might miss what you’re actually there to do: experience a new place. OneBag’s Doug Dyment said in an interview, “Wearing headphones and staring at a screen is like putting a digital wall around yourself when you’re traveling. It makes you seem unapproachable and uninterested in what’s around you.” That may be a good thing if you do truly want to be left alone, but Dyment went on to say that some of his most memorable traveling experiences were the result of just looking lost and getting help from the locals. “One minute, you’re a lost foreigner in an unfamiliar village, then someone asks if you need directions. Before you know it, you’re eating dinner with his family.”

Travel binoculars

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Athlon Optics Midas ED

The overall best binoculars.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars have performance comparable with that of many models that cost thousands more.

Our top pick for binoculars is durable and great for near-home hikes. In hot or dusty environments that may call for a clearer optical boost, the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8×42 binoculars deliver top quality. Its focus dial offers a wide range of depths that makes it easier to see whatever it is you desire—birds, grass or darkened areas of the forest. Our recommendation comes with the assistance of a professional ornithologist who spent over 100 hours putting 17 pairs of binoculars to the test in the mountains of Southern California and the rain forests of southern Mexico.

Although the Celestron TrailSeeker ED binoculars don’t offer a clear edge-to-edge view to the same degree of the Athlon Optics Midas EDs , they’re a comparable runner-up model that’ll be lighter on your wallet if having binoculars while traveling is a must. The TrailSeekers are equipped with great light-gathering qualities, close focus, and impressive optical resolution. Or, if you’re concerned about saving space, we liked the Pentax AD 8x25 WP binoculars. While not quite as powerful as our other picks, this compact pair of binoculars is well made and easy to fit into a carry-on while traveling via plane.

Ebook reader

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Amazon Kindle (2022)

The best e-reader for most people.

Amazon’s most affordable Kindle is also its most portable, and it’s finally been upgraded with sharper text on its 6-inch screen and support for USB-C charging. Those features bring it in line with much-pricier e-readers.

The entry-level Amazon Kindle finally got an upgrade and is now our favorite e-reader , with the same crisp display and USB-C charging as the pricier Kindle Paperwhite has (and with double the storage space of the previous entry-level model). Amazon’s well-stocked ebooks store remains its biggest selling point, along with the ease of checking out library books via Libby and sending them directly to a Kindle.

Even if you don’t have time for pleasure reading on your trip, it’s worth investing in a Kindle because many major travel guides are available in fully searchable ebook formats now. Furthermore, e-texts will also work on your phone, tablet, and computer, thanks to the Kindle ecosystem.

Packable daypack

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Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that fits in your palm.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your luggage or coat pocket, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, we think you’ll prefer one of our more-structured picks.

Packing a stowable daypack, one that stuffs down to fit in your luggage when not in use, is a relatively small investment of space in exchange for a high return of function and flexibility. After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack we recommend. Packed up, it is very discreet: nearly the size of a keychain accessory.

The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, which means it’s very light and water-resistant. It has reinforced stitching at stress points, allowing the Ultra-Sil to carry more weight than you would expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially when compared with our more structured picks.

If comfort or waterproofing is important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

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Field Notes Memo Books

For ultimate portability.

Field Notes are cheap but contain high-quality paper that earns praise from pen and stationery geeks across the web.

For writing your adventures as you travel, you can’t beat the portability, practicality, and romanticism of a pocket notebook. There’s nothing better in that category than Field Notes (three-packs available in a variety of styles and types ). These pocket-sized notebooks are widely praised for their excellent paper quality, and the Pen Addict’s Brad Dowdy tells me “Field Notes is pretty much the runaway pocket notebook champ.” Dowdy has praised it for the lack of feathering or bleedthrough with almost any pen, as well as for the light brown ruled lines, which are easier to write over than solid black. Austin Smith of Art Supply Critic told us in an email that his recommendation is “Field Notes has it, no question.” The Well-Appointed Desk has reviewed a slew of different Field Notes variants for those looking for something a bit more interesting.

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Field Notes Expedition

A weather-resistant option.

Weather-resistant Expedition Field Notes are great if you’re writing in wet conditions, but don’t get them if you don’t need them. The synthetic paper feels weird and can cause some inks to smear.

If you think you’re going to be writing in foul weather, Field Notes also has the waterproof Expedition version with pages made from a synthetic water-and-tear resistant paper. You should only get these if you really need them, because otherwise, they just feel unnaturally slick and are more prone to smearing ink. At least one user has said that the paper shows less soaking through when wet than the similar Rite in the Rain books . The one caveat is that the synthetic paper will only work with pencils and certain inks ; thankfully, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT , our pick for best pen , definitely makes the grade.

Things can go wrong while you’re traveling, both where you are and where you’re not. Though you can’t prepare for every worst-case scenario, the peace of mind that a little bit of preparation grants will allow you to focus on what’s in front of you, instead of having to worry about what could go wrong. But preparation doesn’t simply mean buying more stuff just in case; it also means making efficient use of what you already have.

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Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit

For the best combination of sewing tools.

The Merchant & Mills Rapid Repair Kit is the only travel kit we found that had objectively high-quality thread and scissors.

There’s nothing quite like a wardrobe malfunction to put a damper on vacation, especially when traveling with limited clothing. A good travel-size sewing kit allows you to mend a popped button or ripped seam on the fly—or even tackle more pressing issues like fixing a tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. After 15 hours of research, interviews with sewing teachers and avid home sewers, and tests of six travel and full-size kits, we found the Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit had by far the best tools and was the easiest to keep organized. Standard travel sewing kits usually contain mediocre thread and plastic-handled scissors that break easily. They can also be hard to keep organized (a truth we confirmed when testing six top-rated travel and full-sized kits). The Merchant & Mills set was the only one that had high-quality thread, all-metal mini scissors (don’t worry, the TSA shouldn’t stop you ), and a durable tin case (about the size of a deck of cards) to keep everything well organized.

travel gear, sewing kit

Because the sewing pins are neatly stuck into paper inside a slim envelope and the three needles are housed in a mini glass vial, this kit also limits the risk of losing a sharp object in your bags. We found the Merchant & Mills needles easier to thread than others (no need for a fussy needle threader!) and we also like the vintage-looking safety pins that come clipped together along with two small white buttons. Although this kit only comes with black and white thread, the thread is strong and there’s more of it than you’d get in a flimsier set with shorter strands of multiple colors. We do think it would be nice if the kit included a more durable measuring tape than the paper one included, but overall everything about this kit is leagues ahead of anything else we considered. We didn’t find editorial reviews for any of the kits we tested, but the Merchant & Mills rapid repair kit was recommended by several sewing bloggers and is sold in many reputable indie fabric shops.

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Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The best umbrella for most people.

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

price may vary by color or style

An umbrella you take traveling should be small, light, sturdy, and affordable. After putting in 66 hours of research and evaluating a total of 48 umbrellas across five rounds of testing (including one thunder-snowstorm), we found that the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is the best umbrella for most people. Its durable, nine-rib construction held up admirably against gale-force winds, and it’s as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice as much.

The Repel folds up to an 11½-inch long, 14-ounce package that fits easily into most bags and glove boxes. And it forcefully expands at a touch of a button to reveal an ample 37-inch-diameter canopy that protects your head and torso from precipitation in all but the windiest of conditions. Its lengthy, textured handle is easy to grip for hands of all sizes. We also appreciate that the Repel comes in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easier to pick yours out of a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, despite its affordable price, it’s backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee, but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under the company’s warranty.

A person holding a red Repel Easy Touch umbrella in the rain.

Packing method for clothes

While packing cubes and other organization tools are helpful for maximizing your bag’s usable space, efficient packing is also achievable without the aid of tools and compartments. One Bag’s Doug Dyment tried all manners of folding aids and compression products but was unsatisfied with their claims of compression and wrinkle prevention. Frustrated, he developed his own method of packing clothes compactly called the Bundle Method, which he’s used and perfected over several decades of traveling.

The Bundle Method involves layering your shirts and pants at opposing angles on a flat surface, then wrapping them around a small “core” parcel (e.g. a packing cube full of underwear and socks). We won’t get into details, but Dyment does on his website ; you can watch this easy-to-follow video from NBC . The resulting bundle is compact and has no sharp creases that will require ironing out later on. Additionally, Dyment explains that “the slight tension created in the fabric by the wrapping process, along with the anchoring of the resulting bundle, greatly reduces the chances of wrinkling.” You then put it in your bag and use the tie-down straps to provide just enough pressure to keep it together.

While simple to perform, this packing method isn’t something you can master in one go. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it, it’s like riding a bike. The downside is that you can’t just leave your clothing packed and expect to be able to access your underwear without fully unpacking your clothes first. But unpacking is a good habit to get into anyway, as it allows your clothes to breathe and avoid wrinkles or mildew. Wirecutter founder and frequent traveler Brian Lam says that unpacking the moment he enters a room has a grounding effect that allows him to feel a bit more at home in a new environment.

travel gear, travel tips

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you can do what we did before we found out about bundling: roll up your socks and underwear tightly and place them in packing cubes, then put your wrinkle-prone items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets) in a garment folder—we used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Garment Folder . This is also travel guru Rob King’s preferred method of packing. Though the garment folder is not quite as space-efficient as the bundle method due to the added bulk of the folder and folding board, the plastic backboard does go a long way towards preventing wrinkles. Just be aware that if you leave your clothes in there for longer than a day, they’ll begin to develop unsightly creases that require an iron to get rid of.

travel gear

A big thank-you to the Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, Oregon, for lending us a suite to use for the photos in this guide.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guide

Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

  • The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L is our backpack pick for most travelers. We also have picks for other travelers, including those who want to carry a bit more. The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks  
  • After 10 years of airport dashes and overhead-compartment stashes, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is still the suitcase we want to carry. The Best Carry-On Luggage  
  • The Waterfield Air Porter Carry-On Bag is a great bag for tech-carrying travelers to slide under an airplane seat. We also have options for other travelers. The Best Underseat Luggage and Personal-Item Bags  
  • After researching 30 models, we found that Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner is the best suitcase for most travelers who check bags. The Best Suitcases for Checking  
  • We chose five luggage tags that will help you identify your belongings in a sea of similar suitcases. The Best Luggage Tags  
  • After researching and traveling with packing cubes for more than five years, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set is what we keep in our luggage. The Best Packing Cubes  

Further reading

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The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

Hundreds of people waiting in a congested airport security check area.

Air Travel Is Chaos. This Gear Will Help Get You Through the Exasperating Delays.

These things don’t make your flight take off any faster, but they can make the wait a little more tolerable.

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The Best Gear for Your Road Trips

After hundreds of hours of research and 1,500 miles behind the wheel, we’ve singled out the gear that’s absolutely essential for your next journey on the open road.

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The Best Travel Pillow

After testing eight travel pillows on four red-eye flights in window, aisle, and middle seats, we think the Travelrest Ultimate is the best for most travelers.

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Travelfornoobs

The Complete Packing List for Moscow

Moscow packing list – what you need to bring, how to pack for moscow.

You’ve booked your plane ticket and the time of departure is fast approaching? After the joys of such a decision, comes the question of knowing what to put in your suitcase to go to Moscow. No need to panic, we have prepared a very complete list of the essential things to bring to make sure you don’t miss anything once you are there.

In order to leave no room for unforeseen events, it’s of course preferable to go through this list a few days before leaving rather than the day before departure, as you might miss some items.

Take the time to read and download it in order to identify the things that you absolutely must pack and that you might miss and that could make you lose time and money if you forget them.

You will also need to think about packing according to the type of accommodation you will be staying in, the different modes of transportation you will use during your trip, the climate and the season, as well as the activities you plan to do.

In order to help you prepare your suitcase, this checklist of the essential things to bring in Moscow gathers several categories: clothes, accessories, various objects… It will allow you to have a concrete vision of a typical suitcase for Moscow.

An advice, think of keeping some space in your luggage if you wish to bring back souvenirs or to make some clothing shopping on the spot.

Thanks to this travel list, preparing your bag for Moscow will be a real child’s play and you will just have to enjoy your adventure!

Note : This article contains affiliate links to Amazon.

  • Important hings to do before you go
  • Essential documents
  • Transport essentials
  • Backpack & luggage
  • Clothing and shoes
  • Hygiene & Toiletries
  • Photo, Video & High Tech
  • Useful accessories
  • Medication and first aid kit
  • Activities and Useful Links (+ Printable checklist PDF)

1/ Important things to do before you go

 Prepare your travel itinerary  Apply for a visa (if necessary)  Make your vaccinations (if necessary)  Check-up at the doctor / dentist  Take out a travel insurance  Photocopy or scan important documents (passport)  Write down e-mail and useful phone numbers in your address book  Warn your bank about your trip abroad (if necessary)  Book accomodation for your first night ( Do it now before everything is fully booked! Check the best hotels on Booking )  Download offline applications and maps for Maps.me  Download movies offline   Prepare your favorite music playlist  Turn off or turn down the heat of your house  Empty garbage cans  Water the plants   Give a copy of your house/car keys to a family member or friend  Close doors and windows

2/ Essential documents

Even before you buy your plane ticket, remember to check the validity of your passport : it must be valid for at least six months after your return date (for some countries) and have a blank page. Another tip: send your important documents to a secondary email in case you lose them.

   Passport   ID card    Plane or train ticket (have a paper copy just in case)   Reservation documents (e-ticket, train ticket, hotel reservation)   Visa (if necessary)   International driver’s license, if you wish to rent a car   Health insurance card   Travel insurance   Credit card   Cash   Useful numbers in case of emergency   Itinerary and address of your accommodation (hotel / AirBnB / camping)   Vaccination certificate   Diving license, sailing license, etc.   Some business cards with your contact information, email, blog, website

3/ Transport essentials

The little things to have with you at all times during the flight or the trip by train or bus:

 Phone and charger  Book / Magazine / Kindle / Travel Guide  MP3 player   Chewing gum   Pen + notepad  Travel pillow ( my favorite )  Sleep mask ( my favorite )   Earplugs   Snacks / sandwich   Small water bottle  Nasal ointment for dry nose  Sunglasses   Glasses case   Watch   Hand sanitizer   Disposable face mask   Tissues   Motion sickness medication

4/ Backpack & luggage

 Waterproof dry bag ( my favorite )  Handbag   Travel laundry bag ( my favorite )  Carry-on suitcase ( my favorite )  Travel bag ( my favorite )   Luggage tag ( my favorite )   Travel Packing Organizers ( my favorite )   Rain cover for backpack ( my favorite )   Zippered carry-on bag   Shoe bag ( my favorite )   Fanny pack   Lightweight foldable backpack ( my favorite )

5/ Clothing and shoes

  Socks  Underwear (panties, thongs, bras, briefs, boxers…)  Tank tops  Skirt ♀  Dress ♀  Pajamas  T-shirts  Long sleeve shirt ( for her , for him )  Short sleeve shirt ( for her , for him )  Polo shirt ( for her , for him )   Sweatshirt / pullover ( for her , for him )   Jeans   Lightweight pants ( for her , for him )   Money belt ( my favorite )   Shorts   Jogging suit   Jacket / coat   K-way ( for her , for him )   Windbreaker ( for her , for him )  Hat / cap / beanie   Scarf / bandana   Swimsuit   Buff scarf ( my favorite )

For shoes, you will have to choose according to the activities you plan to do:

 Comfortable walking shoes   Shoes for going out (restaurants, bars, clubs…)  Flip-flops (for the beach, showers…) ( for her , for him )  Hiking shoes ( for her , for him )  Sandals ( for her , for him )   Water shoes for walking in water (beaches, waterfalls, rivers…) ( for her , for him )  Light trekking shoes ( for her , for him )  Crocs

6/ Hygiene & Toiletries

 Microfiber towel ( my favorite )   Toilet bag   Portable Travel Bottles ( my favorite )  Toothbrush & toothpaste  Dental floss  Soap   Shampoo   Facial cleanser   Nail clippers   Cotton buds (biodegradable)   Tweezers   Make-up   Deodorant   Comb / Hairbrush   Razor & shaving foam ♂   Biodegradable wipes ( my favorite )   Toilet paper roll   Perfume   Makeup ♀   Contact Lenses   Contact lens product   Pocket mirror

7/ Photo, Video & High Tech

For photographers and videographers:

 Camera  Lens  Memory card  Polarizing filters   ND filter   Extra battery   Charger + cable + plug adapter   Cleaning kit   External hard drive   USB key   Stabilizer   Drone ( my favorite )    Waterproof phone case   Flash   Solar charger ( my favorite )    Gopro ( my favorite )   Waterproof case   Selfie Pole  External battery / Powerbank ( my favorite ) 

Don’t forget:

 Portable speaker  Ipad / Tablet  Laptop PC  External battery  Headphones or noise cancelling headphones ( my favorite )

Useful apps to download before you go to Moscow:

 AirBnB  Booking  Couchsurfing  Flush – Public Toilet Finder (Useful for finding toilets!)  Google Maps  Google Translator  Google Trips  Lonely Planet Guide  LoungeBuddy  Maps.me  Meetup  Tripadvisor  Uber  Whatsapp  XE Currency

8/ Useful accessories

The accessories you will take in your bag for Moscow will depend on your travel style:

  TSA lock ( my favorite )  Headlamp ( my favorite )  Sleeping bag ( my favorite )  Sheets ( my favorite )  Swiss Army knife (not in the hand luggage!) ( my favorite )  Travel clothesline ( my favorite )  Powdered or liquid detergent  Clothes pegs  Spork ( my favorite )  Ziploc bags  Lighter  Folding umbrella ( my favorite )  Toilet paper  Mosquito repellent ( my favorite )   Mosquito net ( my favorite )   Sunscreen cream  Aloe vera gel   Waterproof pouch for smartphone    For hikers : GPS, map, compass, water bottle   Walking stick ( my favorite )   Anti-sweat talcum powder ( my favorite )   Beach towel ( my favorite )   Sawyer water filter ( must-have !)  Pills to purify non-drinking water   Mask, snorkel, fins   Diving accessories (gloves, dive computer, lamp, knife…)

9/ Medication and first aid kit

I suggest that you consult your doctor and dentist before leaving. Beware of unauthorized medication and remember to keep your vaccinations up to date!

If you have a treatment don’t forget to take your personal medication and your prescription if necessary (or medical certificate).

You can buy a first aid kit already prepared ( my favorite ).

  Cotton buds   Tweezers   Round-tipped scissors   Pairs of single-use latex gloves  Bandages   Paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain   Sterile compresses   Disinfectant spray for wounds   Physiological saline solution in pods (wound cleaning)   Condoms and other contraceptives

For longer trips and higher risk locations, we can also add:

  Sterile adhesive skin sutures (steristrips)   Rehydration solutions (in case of dehydration)   Water purification tablets   Water decontamination tablets (Aquatabs or Micropur)   Medication for altitude   Medication for sore throat    Anti-malarial medication   Survival blanket   Tick tweezers   Ointment against itching (antihistamine)   Probiotics for the stomach   Corticosteroid pills and cream   Analgesics (painkillers)   Survival blanket   Cold medicine (decongestant)   Biafine (in case of burns or sunburns)   Broad-spectrum antibiotics without a prescription   Anti-diarrhea tablets (immodium, smecta)

10/ Activities and Useful Links + Printable checklist

You can download the complete travel list in PDF format and print it by clicking here.

Book your hotel in Moscow now on Booking.com

AirBnb : Get a discount for your first booking!

Book now your activities in Moscow on Getyourguide:

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The 13 Best Affordable Luggage Pieces of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

From suitcases to backpacks, these are our budget-friendly favorites.

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In This Article

  • Our Top Picks
  • Others We Liked

Our Testing Process

  • Tips for Buying
  • Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Tamara Staples

Whether you’re planning a domestic city break or the long-haul adventure of a lifetime, travel is expensive enough without spending a fortune on your luggage. By saving on wallet-friendly suitcases, backpacks, and more, you’ll have more room in the budget for unforgettable experiences when you reach your destination. Opt for luggage from reliable brands that focus on durable materials and hardware rather than aesthetic frills and unnecessary extras. And remember that even when you’re shopping on a budget, buying well-made pieces the first time around beats having to fork out cash a second time a little further down the line. 

Our Travel + Leisure editors have tested more than 500 pieces of luggage (from carry-ons and checked suitcases to weekenders and backpacks) in our New York City lab, constantly testing new suitcases to find the best of the best. For this article, we chose the most affordable pieces under $150 that performed well both in our lab tests and during our long-term travels. We paid special attention to capacity, design, value, durability, and maneuverability, resulting in the category winners listed below.

Best Overall

Amazon basics expandable hardside 21-inch spinner.

This carry-on offers amazing durability and maneuverability at an unbeatable price point. 

There are no external pockets, and the handle is a bit wobbly.

Since the Amazon Basics 20-inch Hardside Spinner exceeded our expectations at every turn when we first tested it two years ago, we recently tested another to make sure the suitcase still meets our standards — and it does. Designed to meet the carry-on restrictions of most major airlines, it’s constructed of extra-thick ABS plastic with a textured, scratch-resistant finish. We were amazed that it survived our durability tests unscathed in a show of function and form that suggests excellent value for money. "Even after whacking it pretty aggressively with a baseball bat, this bag stood up to scuffs and scratches beautifully," says T+L senior editor Jasmine Grant . "The few imperfections that I did notice after the bat test were easily buffed out by rubbing them gently with my finger."

Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim

The suitcase’s fully lined interior features cross-straps on one side and a divider panel on the other. This panel includes three zippered pockets perfect for stashing smaller items. We were able to fit everything on our packing list inside with ease, even without employing the expansion feature, but you can also expand it for 25 percent more space, providing plenty of room for any souvenirs you might pick up on your trip. 

We were also impressed by the carry-on’s maneuverability. With four double spinner wheels and a telescoping handle, it was easy to push and pull over rough and smooth surfaces, turned nicely through our obstacle course, and handled bumps well — though the handle was wobbly at times. Color choices are fairly limited, but include navy blue, light blue, black, and orange.

The Details: Carry-on | 21.7 x 14.8 x 10 inches | 6.83 pounds | 41-liter capacity | Expandable | ABS, polyester

  • PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim
  • PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson
  • PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Vicky Wasik

Best Softside Checked

Swisstech softside luggage.

This suitcase is incredibly spacious yet smartly organized, with multiple interior and exterior pockets. 

It prioritizes practicality over style and is not particularly fashionable.

While the SwissTech Executive 29-inch Softside suitcase may not win any particular style points, we thought it far out-performed many of the more expensive suitcases we tested. It’s made of a high-denier softside fabric that stood up to our durability tests well, emerging with just one small dent after we dropped it off a counter and hit it with a baseball bat. The zippers run smoothly, and there are multiple zippered pockets on the inside and outside to suit even the most organized packer.  

We loved that the zippered expansion feature meant we had plenty of space leftover after packing everything on our list. Cross-straps keep everything in place, while the integrated TSA lock means security agents can open the suitcase without breaking it if necessary. The 360-degree spinner wheels and telescoping handle afforded smooth maneuverability on concrete and carpet, and we felt the suitcase fared well on gravel given its size.

The Details: Checked suitcase | 29 x 19 x 10.5 inches | 9.1 pounds | Expandable | Denier

Best Hardside Checked

Kenneth cole reaction out of bounds suitcase.

This suitcase is cavernous yet easy to maneuver despite its large size.

As is to be expected in a suitcase of this size, it handled better on smooth surfaces than when hauled over gravel.

If you’re looking for a sturdy hardside option for your next family trip or extended international vacation, we love the Kenneth Cole Reaction Out of Bounds 28-inch Checked Spinner. It’s made of durable yet lightweight ABS plastic, with molded corner guards for extra impact resistance. We found that it stood up well to our durability tests, despite sustaining a few scuffs around the edges. The interior is fully lined, with cross-straps on one side and a zippered divider that essentially creates two separate packing spaces. 

We found it deceptively spacious and could easily have fit enough clothes and extras for a month-long trip. Organization was good thanks to a hanging accessory pocket, and the multidirectional spinner wheels and retractable handle made for easy, 360-degree mobility even around tight corners. The lightweight trolley system also gives you a little extra leeway before exceeding airline weight restrictions. We loved the suitcase’s modern, sleek look. Choose from a range of colors including black and rose gold.

The Details: Checked suitcase | 29.5 x 20.5 x 11.8 inches | 9.6 pounds | ABS, PC, polyester | Limited lifetime warranty

Best Softside Carry-on

American tourister 4 kix 2.0 carry-on spinner.

The soft polyester is both durable and expandable.

While it's extremely easy to pull, it's more cumbersome to push.

Prefer traveling light? This compact carry-on fits just the right amount for a short trip (or up to 10 days, if you're a light packer like us). As we tested it in our lab, though, we were extremely impressed with the stretchy interior compression belt and expander, which efficiently packed down our clothing and accessories — freeing up space to add a bit more if needed. It also has quite a few pockets, ranging from internal mesh pockets to external zip pocket perfect for items you'd need to easily access in transit.

This suitcase shines when it comes to maneuverability, which we quickly realized while rolling it through our lab obstacle course. It's very lightweight and easy to move, and you can adjust the telescoping handle to several different heights. All four 360-degree spinner wheels glided so smoothly, we can't imagine ever having an issue pulling this bag.

The Details: Carry-on | 23.5 x 14.5 x 9.5 inches | 7.5 pounds | 64-liter capacity | Expandable | Polyester, carbon fiber

  • PHOTO: Travel & Leisure / Joy Kim

Best Hardside Carry-on

Delsey paris x united colors of bennetton carry-on spinner.

It's so much more spacious than it looks, and it has a durable hardside shell.

The handle wobbles slightly when in use.

Don't let this Delsey carry-on's small stature fool you — it's built to haul plenty of items from points A to B. We were able to fit everything on our packing list (including multiple outfits, toiletries, and shoes) with ease. While this bag doesn't have an expander, it does have quite a bit of give, which allows for a few extra items. It's also equipped with compression straps and an internal pocket for added space and organization.

At right around 6 pounds, this bag is incredibly lightweight , which is ideal for overpackers whose luggage tends to exceed weight limits at the airport. And despite its weight, it actually performed beautifully through all our lab tests — from rolling seamlessly over multiple surfaces to getting tossed around and whacked with a baseball bat without a scratch or dent. While the handle seemed to wobble a bit as we wheeled the bag around, it remained intact through our tests and fully supported the weight of the bag. This limited-edition collab between Delsey and the United Colors of Benetton is almost sold out, so get it while you can.

The Details: Carry-on | 21.75 x 13.75 x 9.75 inches | 6.2 pounds | 48-liter capacity | ABS/polycarbonate blend

  • PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao

Best Underseater

Samsonite spinner underseater.

This underseater stood out for its exceptional organization features, quality construction, and flawless maneuverability.

It was a tight squeeze to fit the suitcase into our simulated underseat area, so it could be too large for smaller planes.

Designed to fit under most airline seats and small enough to qualify as a personal item, the Samsonite Spinner Underseater impressed us with its good looks and quality materials. We liked the smart color choices, too, which range from jet black to ocean or purple. Organization is a highlight, with front and side pockets for storing items you want to keep within easy reach and a spacious main compartment with a padded laptop sleeve. We were able to fit everything on our list for a two-day trip, even without compression straps. 

The front pocket includes an organizer panel with slots for your credit cards and pens. And there’s a USB port for on-the-go charging (although you’ll need to purchase a power bank separately ). We found the underseater amazingly easy to maneuver through our obstacle course thanks to its multidirectional spinner wheels and retractable, locking handle. It rolled smoothly and was light enough to pick up by the top handle for seamless transitions between stairs, escalators, and rougher terrains.

The Details: Personal item | 16.5 x 13.8 x 9 inches | 7 pounds | 2.89-liter capacity | USB port | Polyester

  • PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph

Best Garment Bag

Misslo 43-inch gusseted travel garment bag.

This garment bag is easy to operate and comfortable to carry using the heavy-duty handles.

The length is a little too short for longer dresses, and we would have liked a few more pockets.

The Misslo Gusseted Travel Garment Bag is made from a breathable, nonwoven fabric that feels somewhat flimsy but is actually thicker than similar budget options we’ve seen. It’s best suited to light travel and is not water resistant. We loved the bag’s straightforwardness, though. It took less than a minute to pack, folds in half easily, and boasts sturdy carry handles that are comfortable even after an extended period of time. You can also pack the folded garment bag into your checked luggage. 

There’s a hole in the top for up to five clothes hangers for easy storage at your destination. We were able to fit two dresses, a dress shirt, dress pants, a suit jacket, and a belt with space leftover, although we had to fold long dresses awkwardly to fit them in (but there are longer versions available). There is a single clear plastic, zippered accessory pocket; ideally, we’d add a few more. We liked the clear window for viewing contents, though.

The Details: Personal item | 43 x 22.6 x 3.5 inches | 7.8 ounces

Best Duffel

Gonex canvas duffel bag.

This duffel offers two comfortable carrying methods and ample pockets for easy organization.

The main compartment is a little small, and we found the relatively narrow opening made packing somewhat tricky.

Made from high-density cotton canvas with plastic feet to keep it off the ground, the Gonex Canvas Duffel Bag impressed us during our durability tests. We felt the material was likely to last and easy to keep clean. The interior has one small, zippered pocket. We found the main compartment a little tight and had to use the exterior pockets to fit everything in. However, we loved the lengthways expansion feature and the fact that the side pockets are spacious enough to accommodate a pair of low profile shoes. 

The duffel also stands out for its easy portability, offering two comfortable carrying methods. We liked that you can fasten the top grab handles with a Velcro strap for added security and cushioning. And the adjustable, removable shoulder strap is padded enough to make lengthy cross-terminal walks a breeze. We found that the bag’s overall aesthetic does not look particularly high-quality, but we like that it comes in classic shades of gray, army green, and blue.

The Details: Carry-on | 20.8 x 11.8 x 9.8 inches | 2.9 pounds | 50-liter capacity | Expandable | Cotton canvas, nylon

Travel + Leisure / Nick Kova

Best Weekender

Hyc00 travel duffel bag.

This weekender offers great style and durability for a very reasonable price.

Don’t expect to be able to fit enough for more than a couple of nights away.

Constructed of high-density, water-resistant nylon, the HYC00 Travel Duffel Bag survived our durability tests without a mark. This weekender is designed to adhere to airline carry-on restrictions and offers multiple carrying methods. We found the top handles and the removable, adjustable shoulder strap soft and comfortable. We also appreciated the integrated trolley sleeve, which allows you to attach the bag seamlessly to your other luggage. 

The bag offers abundant organization with six internal pockets and two external ones. We liked the open pocket on the outside of the bag for keeping quick-grab items handy. On the inside, our favorite feature was the waterproof pocket for separating toiletries or damp clothes. We were able to fit everything on our packing list; however, there wasn’t much space leftover (don’t expect to pack for longer than a weekend away). The bag comes in colors to suit all tastes, from coral red to olive green.

The Details: Carry-on | 21.7 x 10.6 x 7.1 inches | 1.3 pounds | 30-liter capacity | Nylon | Water resistant

Best Laptop Backpack

Tzowla travel laptop backpack.

This backpack is lightweight, impressively water resistant, and offers pockets for every purpose.

You will need to purchase a separate power bank if you want to use the integrated USB port.

The Tzowla Travel Laptop Backpack is made from durable 300-denier nylon, which held up impressively in the pouring rain. It’s much more spacious than similar backpacks we own yet lighter and less bulky when fully loaded. We loved its many pockets, including a padded section for laptops of up to 15.6 inches and double-sided pockets for your water bottle and umbrella. There’s even an organizer in the zippered front pocket with slots for your pens and a dedicated key fob. 

Our favorite features include the integrated USB and headphone ports, and the combination zipper lock. We felt the lock was a particularly thoughtful touch considering the backpack is designed for carrying valuable tech . There’s even a small zippered compartment on the back of the bag for keeping valuables safely against your body when you’re in an area prone to pickpocketing . Finally, we found the backpack extremely comfortable thanks to wide, padded shoulder straps with a breathable mesh lining.

The Details: Personal item | 20 x 11.8 x 5.5 inches | 1.8 pounds | USB and headphone ports | Polyester

Best Packable Backpack

Osprey ultralight stuff pack.

This backpack folds up into a tiny square so you can easily pack it into a larger suitcase if you need an extra bag.

There is no padding or structure to this backpack because of how lightweight it is.

You never know when you may need an extra bag on your travels, and this Osprey backpack folds into a compact square that you can pack inside a suitcase or weekender. "This backpack takes up no room at all inside another bag, and you'd be able to pack this anywhere — even in your pocket," says T+L testing editor Jackie Cucco , who tested this bag during a packable backpack test .

It's on the smaller size for a backpack, though it did hold most of our packing list, including a pair of shoes and a fleece pullover. Though it's not padded or structured at all, it is outfitted with several pockets, including a small interior slip pocket with a key leash and two stretchy exterior slip pockets. Other features include adjustable shoulder straps and smooth zippers. We think it's a great choice for a foldable bag from a trusted outdoor gear brand.

The Details: Personal item | 7.48 x 8.66 x 16.54 inches | 5.3 ounces | 18-liter capacity | Nylon

Best Rolling Duffel

Travelers club upright rolling duffel bag.

This rolling duffel offers space for days and enough pockets to satisfy even the most strategic packer.

Some effort is required to maneuver the duffel over rough or uneven surfaces.

The Travelers Club Xpedition 30-inch Upright Rolling Duffel is made from adventure-ready 600-denier polyester, which stood up to our durability tests without a single dent or tear. Two in-line blade wheels make it easy to transport heavy loads, although we felt that the retractable handle could benefit from a smoother, longer extension. The duffel rolled smoothly over concrete and paver gaps but was a little trickier to maneuver over carpet and gravel. 

We loved the deceptive spaciousness of the main compartment, which easily accommodated 10 to 14 days’ worth of winter clothing with room leftover. It’s completely unstructured to suit the “chuck it all in” packer but complemented by a slew of external zippered pockets for the more organized traveler. Other perks include two hard plastic feet so that the duffel can stand upright on its own and a trifold bottom board for compact storage. Choose yours in plain black or with colored accents ranging from burnt orange to forest green.

The Details: Checked suitcase | 30 x 13 x 12 inches | 6.7 pounds | 77-liter capacity | 600D polyester

Best Briefcase

Vankean laptop briefcase.

The quantity and sizing of the various interior pockets make this an organizer's dream.

The bag looks a bit clunky.

For any professional looking for a well-organized personal item or commuter bag , this strong and durable briefcase is the perfect choice. While it may not be the most lightweight option, nearing 3 pounds when empty, this bag features so many organizational components that even the less neat travelers will be able to keep all of their items in place. The well-sized bag fit every item on our packing list without becoming too cumbersome to carry for long periods of time thanks to padded, wide straps that grip the shoulder and help distribute weight. We also love the amount of padding along the lining of the bag itself, so items — including laptops and tablets — will stay protected even after dropping the bag. The exterior is also resistant to water for an added layer of durability against rain or spills.

The Details: Personal item | 18 x 12.8 x 7.5 inches | 2.88 pounds | Canvas polyester | Water resistant

  • PHOTO: Travel + Leisure / Leticia Almeida

Other Affordable Luggage Pieces We Liked

Here are some other luggage pieces worth mentioning. Though we found some minor issues during testing, they could still be a fit for certain travelers.

Coolife Carry-on With Pocket : We loved this bag’s attractive aesthetic, roomy interior, and butter-smooth zippers. It survived our durability tests without a mark but lost points for a lack of maneuverability and interior compartments that were a little too tight. 

Travelpro Maxlite Air Carry-on Expandable Hardside Spinner : Although we were able to fit everything on our packing list inside, it was a squeeze even with the expansion feature. The suitcase was also much easier to maneuver on two wheels than four; however, we were impressed by its durability and clever organization features. 

Seyfocnia Convertible Carry-on Travel Garment Bag : We loved this bag’s intuitive design, which includes convenient straps, spacious pockets, and sturdy zippers. It was comfortable to carry, and if we had to change anything, we'd addwe wish it had a padded laptop sleeve. 

Traveler’s Choice Lares Carry-on Spinner : We love that this expandable carry-on is easy to pack and is large enough to hold all of the essentials, but we thought the wheels felt flimsy, and we wish they were more durable.

We are constantly testing luggage in our New York City lab, and for this article we put together a list of the more affordable pieces that also performed well. First, we weighed each bag, then examined it to determine the quality of its materials and hardware. Next, we packed each bag with a prescribed list of items designed to imitate a real-life trip, taking note of capacity and organization features. 

If the suitcase had wheels, we rolled it around on concrete, carpet, and gravel to see how smooth they felt. We also took each suitcase through an obstacle course meant to mimic a busy station or airport to check how well it handled tight turns. If the bag had straps, we carried it around for at least 5 minutes to see if they were comfortable. We placed carry-ons and underseaters into overhead bins and underneath airplane seats on our mock airplane set.

Finally, all bags were subjected to a durability test. We pushed each fully packed bag off a counter or from the top of a stepladder multiple times, then beat them repeatedly with a baseball bat to see how well the exterior, interior, and contents withstood rough handling. We took notes on the capacity, design, durability, maneuverability, and value of each bag, choosing the lowest cost bags with the highest results for this article. We will continue testing each bag on our travels over the course of six months, and we are constantly testing new bags to update our articles with the latest results.

Tips for Buying Affordable Luggage

Decide if you want hardside or softside .

Luggage falls into two main categories: hardside and softside . There are pros and cons to each, and you must decide which best suits your needs. Hardside luggage is made from strong, lightweight materials such as polycarbonate or ABS plastic. The rigidity affords an extra level of protection for fragile items, while these materials’ natural water-resistance is great in inclement weather. They are easier to wipe clean and may look new for longer, although some styles are prone to scuffs, scratches, and dents. Hardside luggage is also not particularly flexible, making it harder to close when you stuff it full.

Softside luggage is typically made from durable nylon, polyester, or canvas. It’s often lower in cost, making it a good bet for those on a budget (although this is obviously brand dependent). The added flexibility is a pro for overpackers or those who need to fit irregularly shaped objects into their backpack or duffel bag . Adventure travelers often prefer softside luggage, because it’s easier to throw into small spaces (like the back of a safari jeep or the hold of a cross-country bus), and it's usually more lightweight than hardside bags. These are less prone to scratches; however, the fabric may stain or fade and is harder to clean. 

Prioritize well-made items

When it comes to affordability, it’s important to consider cost per use and not just the initial layout. Sure, you can find a suitcase for $20, but if it only lasts for two trips before the wheels and zipper break, it could be more expensive in the long run than a pricier option that lasts for several years. Quality is key if you’re looking for good value. We recommend choosing luggage that prioritizes durable materials (including sturdy hardware), while keeping costs down by forgoing luxury extras.

No matter where you're going or how long you're staying, you don't want to be lugging around some poorly made suitcase that falls apart on the first leg of your journey. A good way to make sure you’re buying a reliable product is to stick with a trusted midrange brand like Travelpro or Samsonite and to diligently check industry and customer reviews. Just remember: you don't have to spend a ton of cash to get something that's sturdy and reliable. The key is knowing what you want and doing your homework beforehand.

Look at special features

Although you wouldn't want to pay more for unnecessary frills, it may help you decide between two suitcases if they're around the same price point and one has some extra features, like an expandable zipper to add extra space or USB ports to charge your phone on the go. It's helpful to explore the features ahead of time so that you're aware of what you're buying because some bags have more to offer than others. Smart features can mean many different things — even if the bag has a charging port, the power bank might not be included. If you're looking at suitcases, look at photos or descriptions of the interior to see what types of pockets there are (or if there are no pockets at all). For weekenders and duffel bags, see how many different handles there are — some have removable straps so you can carry them multiple ways. Read the descriptions thoroughly to avoid surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you really only need a single suitcase, then of course you’ll spend less buying it separately. But if you’re in the market for a whole new set (whether that’s for different types of trips, for that coordinated look at the luggage carousel, or to divide between family members), then buying luggage as a set is typically — but not always — a lower cost than buying each piece individually. Sets most commonly come with two or three pieces: a carry-on and one or two checked bags of varying sizes. You can also find sets with many more pieces, from underseaters to totes. Make sure to buy only what you’ll actually use if you’re trying to stick to a budget. 

Often, buying luggage online is significantly cheaper than buying in-store. This is especially true if you use a retailer like Amazon, Target, or Walmart that offers many reliable luggage brands and the option to filter results by price for a side-by-side comparison on what’s available at your chosen price point. The ability to view unbiased customer reviews also helps ensure what you see is what you get and that the luggage is of the kind of quality you can live with. Don’t forget “own-brand” luggage from Amazon Basics and Walmart’s Protégé line — they may not have many bells and whistles, but they offer reliable products at a very reasonable rate. If you're not in a rush to buy, you can wait for big shopping events to find some suitcases on sale.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

T+L contributor Jessica Macdonald has been writing about the travel industry, with a particular focus on luggage, for more than a decade. For this article, she drew inspiration from her own research and the results of laboratory tests carried out on nearly 500 different luggage pieces by T+L’s team of travel experts. 

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.

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