duffle bags....which ones?

[ProudGrandma]

A while back I started a thread about duffle bags vs soft sided suitcases for car travel, and overwhelmingly the opinion was duffle bags.   

SO, now my next question is which ones?  I think I would like them to have wheels and we would get one for each of us....5 total....2 parents and 3 teen age kids.   So any ideas.....good, bad...or indifferent...I am open to all thoughts.   If you could send a link (preferrable Amazon) that would even better.   thanks. 

 

 

[Emba]

No ideas but I’m going to be paying attention because my boys need some good duffles.

[Katy]

Check out Land’s End & LL Bean. 

[skimomma]

We love our Eagle Creek duffles.  Others we know have had good luck with Patagonia and North Face.  However, in all cases the non-wheeled versions win out, both for durability and ease of use.  The Eagle Creek ones we have come in 4 different sizes and the straps convert to backpack style. They are also on the lower cost end, which is nice.

 https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Creek-Unisex-Adults-Arctic-Blue/dp/B07SZM1N2P/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3NLNKTI9U98AW&dchild=1&keywords=eagle+creek+duffle+bag&qid=1605034165&sprefix=eagle+creek%2Caps%2C209&sr=8-8

We find the large size to be perfect for car trips and plane travel.  The XL was great for a single really big trip dd had to take a couple of years ago but was almost too big/floppy to work well in the backpack mode for a smaller framed woman.  The thing I like about the Eagle Creek over the other brands is the end pockets.  I have no idea why these are such a game changer for everyone in my family but they are.

I like wheeled suitcases but we converted to these back in the olden days when we traveled a lot. The wheels on everything we have ever bought eventually get destroyed during air travel.  It is harder to haul the duffles on your back, versus pulling a wheeled bag, but the ability to get around in places where wheels don't work well (European cobblestone streets, campgrounds, stairs, SNOW, etc.....) far outweighs it.  We often will have a smaller carry-on backpack each that we strap on the front when having to walk more than short distances, which seems to happen to us a lot.  It looks funny but gets the job done.  I love that they pack down into a small square when not in use.  

[Denise in IN]

We like these Adidas duffel bags:  https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B073JTWVNW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1.  Reasonable cost, they hold a lot, and seem to be holding up well.

I don't like duffels with wheels because the frame takes away one of the big advantages of the duffel bag - packing compactly together in a vehicle.  

 

[Bootsie]

We have had some large, wheeled duffle bags that we have gotten at Walmart or Target that we used when we needed wheels, lots of packing space, and knew that there was a good chance that the luggage might get torn up so didn't want to spend a lot of money.  We did find that it could be difficult to fit them in some rental cars because of the size of the frame necessary for the wheels.

DH and I recently purchased Osprey wheeled duffle bags--they are more expensive but GREAT.  If you are going to be maneuvering the bags a lot, the wheel roll so much more smoothly and the bags are incredibly lightweight which makes flying with them easier.  We also got Osprey backpacks that are so much more comfortable than anything we have had before.

My kids like REI duffles, they have preferred the ones without wheels but with the backpack straps.

[Bambam]

I got my kids ones from LL Bean. They came in a selection of sizes and colors. They seem very sturdy, but they aren't very old, so I cannot tell you how long they will last. I also took advantage of their sale and got several for graduation presents as well. 

[ScoutTN]

Mine from LL Bean have held up well. Not wheeled, though.