From a weekend trip to a gym session, these options will be your go-tos for the long haul.
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THERE IS no bag option better than a duffel bag. Think about it: briefcases and messenger bags are good only for office work. Suitcases are clutch only when there’s room and need for them. Backpacks are foolproof, but they just don't hold enough stuff. Thus, in with the best duffel bags for men that will meet every one of your carrying demands.
Spacious but not oversized, the best duffel bags for men are functional for packing but also capable of staying organized on the inside. The best duffel bags for men should be able to fit shoes, clothes, travel gadgets, etc. More importantly, the best duffel bags for men will be versatile for all kinds of carrying needs—overnight trips, daily gym session, vacation, or just for stowing a bunch of stuff and calling it a day.
Ahead, our editors have done our testing as well as spoken to real-life buyers and users of duffel bags to find the the 20 best duffel bags for men. For long-distance traveling, Tumi’s Double Expansion Travel Satchel and Patagonia’s Black Hole are perennial favorites. For everyday carry, Everlane’s ReNew Transit Weekender and Bellroy’s Lite Duffel are the most versatile we’ve tested.
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This duffel-bag-and-garment-bag hybrid is the most ingenious of the bunch, especially for those who like to carry a suit and a pair of dress shoes when they travel. It's to be laid out flat first like a garment bag for packing the fine business stuff (blazers, button-downs, and dress pants) then folded and zipped into the default duffel shape for the rest of your apparel.
Our tester found that even though it is a garment duffel bag for packing a suit, you actually don't have to worry about folding a suit. Secondly, we love that It packs way more than we thought it would—for a short trip, it definitely will give you space for some shoes.
The quality of the duffel’s 420-Denier poly shell also wowed us: our tester tossed it onto the conveyor belt in the airport, and when he got it back, not a scratch was detected, and no hardware was damaged. All in all, we love that it looks simple and inoffensive—the amazing design went into the functionality, not the form.
What Do Buyers Say? "Durable and convenient, it’s a must have for short trips. Keeps clothes organized and the pouches help in storing odds and ends," says one bespokepost.com customer.
This gym bag duffel is really the crème de la crème. It has a separate shoe compartment, so you can easily store your beaten training shoes. It also has two special treatment compartments—one insulated and one ventilated—for storing your pre/post-workout snacks, as well as keeping your fresh fits squeaky clean for a sleek post-workout flex.
If you get overwhelmed by the thought of a bottomless pit of a bag before you hit the racks, go for Mack Weldon's duffel, which is the best option for hitting the gym. It's roomy and has smart compartments that'll keep everything neat on the go—like shoes, gym clothes, and some pre/post-workout snacks. While it is not the most spacious and comes in only one color, the Atlas duffel does the job perfectly. It’s even got a rubber bottom (like a shoe’s outsole) that prevents slipping, and our testers found it super comfy to carry too.
What Do Buyers Say? "Nice all-around bag. The zippers work smoothly and easily, and it has useful compartments for all the various things I need to bring to the gym," says one mackweldon.com customer.
Tumi bags are always a no-brainer for optimal traveling, and this is about as organized a duffel bag as you could find. There are slots, zips, and patches inside for keeping all of your small goods in place.
We especially love the 13-inch expanded depth of this duffel that helps us maximize packing volume for four days' worth of clothes and some more. The main compartment is huge, and there are several pockets for different uses, such as for your tablet or laptop, keys, snacks, books or magazines. There are plenty of smartly-placed compartments outside as well, such as a front pocket and a zip pocket for quick access.
Overall, we love taking this duffel bag on our trip that involves a flight. It even has an add-a-bag sleeve so you can easily pop it on top of your suitcase. Made from durable FXT ballistic nylon, it'll be sure to serve you well for years and years to come.
What Do Buyers Say? "Love my new bag! Perfect size for the gym, but great ability to expand to travel with this. Well made, great features," says one tumi.com customer.
If you've been in an airport or train station at any point over the past five years or so, odds are pretty high that you have seen one of Patagonia's hardy duffel bags aptly named the "Black Hole”—because it absolutely pulls through on that promise. With a capacity that runs up to 100 liters, you can fit an entire week's worth of goods into here and still have room for more.
Recognizable by the shine of its ripstop nylon, the Black Hole duffel has been lauded for its weather resistance and sturdiness as well as its subtle flair. The bags are versatile for a weekend getaway, a month-long excursion, or even just one night of visiting family.
One of its best features is that it can be sported as a duffel slung over the shoulder or as a backpack, which is really convenient for hurrying through crowded airports. It also packs down and folds in on itself for easy storage when you know you'll need extra luggage on the way back from a trip.
What Do Buyers Say? "The Black Hole duffle is the best travel bag I have ever used. We use them for every trip, whether it's diving, hiking, leisure travel, you name it: it holds everything, keeps it neat, organized and DRY. Excellent piece of gear," says one patagonia.com customer.
Lululemon knows you're probably using this bag for CrossFit, Boot Camps, studio fitnesses, and any sort of high-intensity workouts. Its spacious duffel bag came prepared to do just that, with a 40L capacity that can hold your boxing gloves, wraps, and some changes of clothes, footwear, and all kinds of gear. It's made for the gymgoer who's always got something to do and somewhere to be, and its job is thus to help them pack ready for all activities. So how does it do that job? With large open access, a big storage space, and so many pockets in or out.
Our testers love that Lululemon’s Wunderlust bag is big enough for us to basically haul our office essentials and workout clothes to the gym as soon as we get off work. Made with a water-repellent fabric, we were also able to trek through the rain and snow with this gym bag. With a shoe compartment, side pockets, and laptop sleeves, our tester sometimes just carries this gym bag to the office on its own after putting all his stuff in it.
What Do Buyers Say? "Great sturdy bag with a lot of internal pockets for little things. Also has a side pocket that easily fits two pairs of shoes, while still allowing for a lot of space inside the bag," says one lululemon.com customer.
Don't let a duffel carry you! Bellroy's duffel option is lightweight and compact, but roomy enough for carrying around all of your bits and bobs deftly. Whether it's gear, clothes, or gadgets, the Lite duffel can handle them while letting you move free like a bird.
In our testing, we found that while the fabric is incredibly light, it’s super durable as well—ripstop, by the way—which makes the whole thing easy to fold, roll, or pack into our other bigger bags for travel. When carrying it, the only thing that feels hefty about it is the stuff inside, not the duffel bag itself. More importantly, we love the smart compartments inside that make our organization easier.
At its size and capacity and designed to have expandable storage, we found that the Lite Duffel is perfect for packing light, whether it’s for an office-to-gym day or for your overnight stay.
What Do Buyers Say? "This bag is perfect for the gym or a quick weekend trip. Very light, maternal feels high quality, right amount of pockets, and looks better in person," says one amazon.com customer.
Troubadour's bags are all about versatility, and this mid-size duffel is no different. There's a spacious main compartment for all the essentials and extra pockets all over for stashing last-minute stuff. Yet it's compact enough to fit in the overhead cabin as a carry-on when you fly. It's designed to be used on trips that can last a few days.
The Embark Duffle is for people who need to pack clothes, towels, snacks, grooming products, bottles, shoes, gadgets, and other daily essentials all in a stylish, premium carryall that lasts. We love that it has a separate shoe compartment made with waterproof, breathable, and antimicrobial lining to keep the rest of the stuff in the bag fresh. Our tester also found that it could easily fit into a locker or over your luggage handles even when full, and is super easy and comfy to carry anytime, anywhere (especially with the non-slip strap that really gives our hands a break).
In addition, we love that the shell of this duffel is waterproof, and that it has many outer compartments to let us access our gear easily.
What Do Buyers Say? "This is a great bag for an overnight or weekend trip. I love the sleek design and overall simplicity," says one troubadourgoods.com customer.
Would you expect anything less than expert for The North Face's duffel bags? Yeah, us too. Of course, the brand delivered. This bag is made with heavy-duty recycled body and boot materials and a water-repellent finish. And for a bag made for overnight outdoors-ing, it looks stylish as hell.
The North Face Base Camp also works great as a convertible backpack. The straps on the Base Camp might have some of the best paddings you can get, making it that much more comfortable in terms of all-day carry. As far as the material used, the strong 1000D recycled PVC and water-resistant zippers help repel any and everything.
The only downside to this bag somewhat is how the interior storage is configured. It doesn't have any special laptop compartments or unique pocket designs: it's a duffel at the end of the day. Still, we love that this rugged duffel has only the most practical bells and whistles: interior zip pockets and the option to wear as a backpack or slung over the shoulder.
What Do Buyers Say? "The bag is very durable and has lots of space for a week's worth of clothing if you are vacationing. The backpack straps are very comfortable when carrying everything," says one thenorthface.com customer.
It's nice to have a duffel that you can just throw a bunch of stuff in without thinking twice about keeping it neat. Everlane’s ReNew Transit Weekender duffel bag is good-looking enough to divert from any mess inside, and versatile enough to accompany you through long-distance excursions or daily commutes to another building.
Made as a travel duffel bag that you’ll carry as part of your overnight trip or long weekend journey, our tester also found that it is very everyday-friendly, especially for gym or for just carrying your stuff from point A to point B. It has a padded laptop sleeve, two water bottle holders, and exterior zip pockets. We also love that you can carry it crossbody, slung over your shoulder, or just in your hands. The outer material is also easy to clean and durable against wear and tear.
As for the volume, our tester was able to pack three to four days of clothes into this thing and put it under the seat or in the overhead bin with ease.
What Do Buyers Say? "More pocket space than the pictures dictate. Can fit a lot more inside as well. Just an all-around great bag that looks very nice," says one everlane.com customer.
Herschel makes a lot of great duffels, and you can't go wrong with any of them. We're partial to this one, made out of a durable high-tech fabric that can take a bit of rough use.
The best-selling Novel from Herschel is a mixed-use gym bag, not that it can do many things beyond holding your odds and ends, but because of its versatile styling. It might not have a ton of features to it, sure, but its friendly appearance doesn't scream "Look at me! I'm a gym bag!" Rest assured, it does work as a gym bag, given its functional side-access shoe compartment and main storage space.
If you don’t need the extra toughness or too complex of an interior organization, the Novel is fit for a casual gym goer, with one main compartment, a classic look, two top handles, and a removable shoulder strap. Our tester also found that since its capacity is perfect for a full option of attire for the whole weekend.
What Do Buyers Say? "This bag has a lot of storage. I was able to pack a week and a half worth of stuff along with toiletries in the bag when traveling," says one amazon.com customer.
This leather number might give off retro vibes, but it comes fully equipped with handy exterior pockets, sturdy handles, and a spacious main compartment for all of your modern-day travel needs. We found that the strap on the bag is so nice and the lining is also high quality.
Our tester says that the leather is soft, thick, and squishy. We love how durable the subtle hardware and the pebbled leather are. It is heavy when empty, but that is expected for this type of bag. The padded shoulder strap also feels comfortable to carry.
What Do Buyers Say? "This is a great piece of luggage. It's sturdy and attractive. When compared with other leather luggage, it's also affordable," says one quince.com customer.
This outdoor- and travel-friendly duffel bag is the most utilitarian. With a large main compartment coupled with mesh interior pockets, it can store a lot while letting you organize. On the outside, it has zippered pockets as well as padded sides and base to keep all the gear safe and sound. We love that it can handle hiking, climbing, as well as skiing gear. Our favorite part is that it can be carried like a backpack or a crossbody bag too.
What Do Buyers Say? "Super roomy for everything I pack. I like having the inside and outside pockets for extra little storage to organize my things... Super convenient to be able to use the small handles, sling, and backpack straps as modes to carry it," says one topodesigns.com customer.
Traveling and commuting would be a little bit easier if all bags were waterproof. Rains is on the way to doing just that, starting with this simple, efficient, totally waterproof duffel. Never worry about your stuff even once. Better yet, it offers an alternative way of carrying it: A strap that lets you carry it like a crossbody.
It's only got one compartment—plus a front zip pocket and a side mesh pocket—for you to just stash stuff in and go. Our testers found that we had to be a bit creative and intentional when organizing our stuff with this duffel bag. The top handles and a detachable shoulder strap also make it very easy to carry.
What Do Buyers Say? "It is a bag and everything feels sturdy from the zippers to the attached straps to the shoulder strap with sturdy clasps which is included in the bag," says one customer.
At this price, it’s a solid duffel bag you can carry to the gym or to travel in. The name says small, but the 40L-capacity is in no way small. Our tester also found that it’s incredibly lightweight despite the large capacity—at only 1 pound!
Made with the brand’s signature UA Storm technology, this duffel holds out well against the elements too with its water-resistance finish. We love that it is tough and its bottom is PU-coated and foam-lined to never tear or wear. Inside, it has a large vented pocket for dirty sweaty clothes and dirty shoes, as well as many slip pockets for smart organization.
What Do Buyers Say? "It is lightweight and durable. It is for everyday training. I do not like to carry much so I take this bag on those days with just essentials. It does have a water repellent finish, it has vents to keep odor out and a nice pocket inside to keep my things organized," says one customer.
In a waxed canvas patina that'll get better with age, this duffel can withstand the ebb and flow of trends and still stand out a few decades later as the rugged one. Overall, we love that it has stood up to the rigors of our daily abuse for several months now. It is spacious too, but could be a bit heavy to carry when full.
To give it a full look, don a denim jacket and a pair of chinos with it.
What Do Buyers Say? "It is my go-to for all weekend to 5 day travels. It’s super roomy, looks great, and is very durable," says one buyer from Reddit.
Filson makes the waxed canvas even more durable with a heavy-duty waxed canvas that can handle harsh winter conditions. At 14 oz. per square yard, the Tin Cloth is twice the weight of imitators but not overly thick, thanks to its dense, tightly woven construction.
Filson's Tin Cloth duffle is one of the toughest bags across the board, being able to shed both rain and snow to keep the hidden gem inside intact. Made with waxed canvas, this piece is only going to look better with age—and lots of rough and tough wear. In a workwear-y, many-pockets design with quite a few hidden compartments, it’ll prove its value when it’s stuffed full.
What Do Buyers Say? "This one will take your gear anywhere! It’s the perfect size and has numerous options for storing larger and smaller items separately. I use nothing but this bag now for a wide variety of applications. Can’t say enough about its utility and of course quality is bar none," says one filson.com customer.
OK, this Yeti duffel is just plain fun. Sure, it's one of the priciest of the bunch, but it's also tough as hell. Bring it camping, kayaking, or just out drinking in the wilderness. Everyone needs a good bag for that, like Yeti's Crossroads backed with waterproof zippers and high-intensity nylon that's practically impenetrable. For all the wild adventures you'll take on.
What Do Buyers Say? "I travel a lot for work. Just needed a durable bag I can throw in the back of my truck & hit the road. Does great for about a 5-day hitch," says one amazon.com customer.
Not just for dads or hubbies who carry too many screwdrivers and pliers in their pockets, Carhartt's Legacy duffel is for anyone who appreciates neat organization. Aside from several large compartments, it's got too many pockets in the front, back, and inside to count. Talk about organization.
What Do Buyers Say? "Just what I was looking for. Perfect for a weekend trip. I like the pockets which are great for meds and toiletries," says one amazon.com customer.
Dagne Dover's Landon is, hands-down, the best duffel bag for everyday carry. The neoprene fabric is soft, stretchy, and easily washable. It takes a long time to get it smelling bad, but once it does, just hand-wash it in the sink and let it dry.
What Do Buyers Say? "This bag exceeded expectations in terms of functionality and capacity! It holds everything and more - perfect for work days, weekend trips...it's just always with me," says one dagnedover.com customer.
Maverick Li is a former Style & Commerce Editor of Men’s Health, where he covered clothing, footwear, watches, and grooming. He was previously the Assistant Commerce Editor at Esquire.
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