Best Products Style Travel Bags The Best Carry-on Duffel Bags, According to Travelers By Rena Behar Rena Behar Instagram Twitter Website Rena Behar is a writer, editor, and researcher who specializes in travel, tech, gender, and intersections thereof. Rena began her career as a research and copy editor at Wirecutter and The Sweethome. She later went on to work as an itinerary editor at Kimkim and the editor at large for Inbound Logistics before going freelance. She has written and researched articles for outlets, including Travel + Leisure, Money Magazine, New York Magazine, The Kitchn, Apartment Therapy, Lifehacker, Reviewed.com, and Realtor.com. * 8+ years of experience working as a writer and editor * Traveled to 18 countries over eight months * Created an extensive luxury travel guide for Porter & Sail * Fiction copy editor for Macmillan Publishers/St. Martin's Press * Assisted author Allison Yarrow with supplemental research for nonfiction book "90s Bitch" * Received a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on March 25, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Photo: Getty Images Every trip has its own luggage needs. Sometimes you want an easy rollaboard; sometimes you want an elaborate system of supportive hiking straps. And sometimes you just want a simple, flexible duffel. Named for a town in Belgium where the coarse woolen cloth used for the original duffel bag was made, duffels are ideal for long weekend trips that don't merit a full suitcase, expeditions where your bags may get tossed around, or bumpy cobblestone and transit-packed cities where you prefer to carry your bag rather than wheel it. They also make for especially good carry-on bags, since you can use them on their own or slide them on top of a rolling luggage handle, and they easily squeeze into overhead bins without any wheel interference. Size restrictions vary by airline, but you'll most likely be safe if you stick to the international standard of around 21 x 14 x 9 inches. Duffel bag dimensions are a bit, well, squishier than hardside luggage, so you do have more wiggle room to shove your bag into a bin but also more potential to accidentally overstuff it to the point where it doesn't fit anymore. When you're shopping for a duffel, consider how many pockets you want, what kind of exterior material you prefer, and how you like to carry it. Since we're specifically focusing on carry-ons here, remember you will be carrying it through the airport and potentially onto a train or bus, so more strap options are better to help you find your best carrying posture. Some bags can get caught up in micro-organizations, with specific pockets designed for everything down to your sunglasses, while others are closer to the classic fabric tube style. Regardless of your aesthetic preferences, the most important thing is solid construction. You don't want to have to carry your bag through the airport in your arms like a child if you bust a strap, no matter how much you may love it. 01 of 28 Stylish Carry-on Duffel Bags Courtesy of Lo & Sons 02 of 28 Dagne Dover Landon Carry-all Courtesy of Dagne Dover The popular Landon series includes four different-sized bags to suit any carry-on mood that's struck you, and the neoprene fabric is flexible, durable, and easy to clean — and it comes in a range of fun colors. To buy: dagnedover.com, from $95 03 of 28 Filson Medium Rugged Twill Duffel Courtesy of eBags Filson's best-seller is a rugged twill duffel, complete with the brand's hallmark bridle leather accents and a flap to cover the main compartment zipper for extra water resistance. To buy: ebags.com, $395 04 of 28 Plambag Oversized Canvas Duffel Courtesy of Amazon Amazon's No. 2 best-selling duffel bag offers a canvas, multi-pocket aesthetic to travelers on a budget. To buy: amazon.com, $33 05 of 28 Lo & Sons Catalina Weekender Deluxe Courtesy of Lo & Sons Organizing expert Rachel Rosenthal votes for the lightweight but sturdy Catalina Deluxe. She's particularly fond of its shoe-specific bottom compartment and smaller interior zipper pockets. To buy: loandsons.com, from $143 06 of 28 Carry-on Duffels With Laptop Sleeves Courtesy of Tortuga 07 of 28 Tortuga Setout Duffel Bag Courtesy of Tortuga This bag has just the right level of organization, including an extra convenient padded side pocket for your laptop. To buy: tortugabackpacks.com, $149 08 of 28 Away The Everywhere Bag Courtesy of Away Travel The Everywhere Bag is designed to fit snugly under the seat in front of you, so it can qualify as a personal item rather than your full carry-on if you're averse to checked baggage and very into organizational pockets. To buy: awaytravel.com, $195 09 of 28 Adventure Carry-on Duffel Bags Courtesy of eBags 10 of 28 Overboard Adventure Duffel Bag Courtesy of Amazon This popular Overboard Adventure model is a gear-reviewer favorite. The water-resistant bag features compression straps, lockable zippers, removable backpack straps, and multiple pockets and compartments to keep your stuff organized. To buy: amazon.com, from $33 11 of 28 Yeti Panga 50 Courtesy of Dick's Sporting Goods If you're traveling during monsoon season or just carrying gear you need to keep dry at all costs, the waterproof Yeti Panga is fully submersible and overhead-bin-friendly. To buy: amazon.com, $300 12 of 28 Samsonite SXK Amped Duffel Courtesy of eBags If you expect your duffel to be enduring some damage, the SXK collection is reinforced with Kevlar fiber — but still manages to look sleek. To buy: ebags.com, $266 (originally $380) 13 of 28 Eddie Bauer Bygone 45L Courtesy of Eddie Bauer I've personally been beating up an Eddie Bauer duffel for years and it still looks the same as the day I bought it. The Bygone duffel adds a heritage twist to the company's duffel design. To buy: eddiebauer.com, $72 (originally $119) 14 of 28 Best Convertible and Packable Carry-on Duffel Bags Courtesy of eBags 15 of 28 Everlane Mover Pack Courtesy of Everlane We always enjoy Everlane's simple, responsibly sourced designs. The water-resistant Mover can be carried as a backpack or a duffel. To buy: everlane.com, $78 16 of 28 Hook & Albert Garment Weekender Courtesy of Amazon The ballistic nylon Garment Weekender opens up to a full-size garment bag, then folds to create a main pocket for the rest of your belongings, complete with interior shoe pockets and exterior zip pockets. It also comes in leather and a women's version with a sleeker design but without the exterior pockets. To buy: saksfifthavenue.com, $440 17 of 28 Briggs & Riley Suiter Duffel Courtesy of Ebags Briggs & Riley's solid reputation backs up the transforming Suiter duffel, which also morphs from garment bag to duffel with an interior compartment and special shoe pocket. To buy: bloomingdales.com, $329 18 of 28 Matador Transit30 Duffel 2.0 Courtesy of Matador If you want to have an extra bag on hand for a souvenir shopping spree, this recently updated packable duffel stuffs down into a small sack about the size of a pair of hiking socks and opens up into a minimalist 30-liter duffel that can also be carried as a backpack. To buy: amazon.com, $35 19 of 28 Paravel Fold-up Bag Courtesy of Paravel Paravel's fold-up duffel is compact but roomy, and it has an ever-convenient trolley sleeve for slipping over top of your suitcase handle. To buy: tourparavel.com, $65 20 of 28 Carry-on Duffel Bags With Wheels Courtesy of Tumi 21 of 28 Tumi Wheeled Duffel Carry-on Courtesy of Tumi Wheel your duffel in style with this Tumi option, with plenty of external pockets for easy access to anything you may need to grab in-flight. To buy: bloomingdales.com, $519 (originally $650) 22 of 28 Bric Life Carry-on Rolling Duffel Courtesy of Bloomingdale's Italian company Bric is a go-to brand for Karen Klopp of What2WearWhere. Check out their Firenze and Life luggage lines. To buy: bloomingdales.com, $790 23 of 28 L.L.Bean Rolling Adventure Duffel Courtesy of L.L.Bean Capitalize on L.L.Bean's durable construction with the rolling version of their popular Adventure bag. To buy: llbean.com, $119 24 of 28 Luxury Carry-on Duffel Bags Courtesy of Coach 25 of 28 Moore & Giles Cabin Duffel Courtesy of Nordstrom Moore & Giles makes leather for many uses — including private jet seating — so expect their Cabin duffel to feel just as luxurious. To buy: nordstrom.com, $630 26 of 28 Coach Metropolitan Duffel 52 Courtesy of Coach Keep it classic with Coach's Metropolitan 52.The smaller Metropolitanmakes for a matching companion, or you can just size down. To buy: coach.com, $895 27 of 28 Leatherology Kessler Medium Duffle Courtesy of Leatherology Go artisanal with this luxe Leatherology duffle. You can choose between six stylish colors, and the brand offers two different personalization options. To buy: leatherology.com, $315 28 of 28 Gucci Leather Convertible Duffel Bag Courtesy of Nordstrom It doesn't get more luxe than this Italian leather duffel bag by Gucci. Along with a spacious interior compartment, the versatile bag also has a shoulder strap that can easily convert into backpack straps. To buy: nordstrom.com, $2,100 Updated by Rebecca Carhart Rebecca Carhart Instagram Rebecca is a senior e-commerce writer and strategist on the news and deals travel team with more than 10 years of experience researching and writing about the best products in the fashion, beauty, home, and travel space. Her articles have covered everything from anti-aging skincare to comfortable clothing to travel essentials for your next getaway.Rebecca began writing for Travel + Leisure in 2019.Her writing has appeared on InStyle.com, Realsimple.com, People.com, Popsugar.com, Businessinsider.com, and more.She has spent years testing, researching, and writing about everything from luggage to comfortable walking shoes to travel pillows and more.Rebecca is an avid traveler and loves searching for the best travel products and making recommendations to readers of what to pack on their trips. She has a Bachelor Degree in Communications from the Fashion Institute of Technology. learn more Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit