Sustainable Duffel Bags: Your Guide to 5 of Our Fave Travel Bags

If there’s one piece of gear we’ve come to appreciate most in the last couple of years, it’s the not-so-humble duffel bag. Versatile, durable, and endlessly useful, duffels have become essential companions for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at four rad, more sustainable duffel bags that are designed for travel and adventure.

Eagle Creek No Matter What Duffel: Packable Simplicity

This is the simplest, most easily storable, standard, no-frills duffel on this list. The No Matter What Duffel packs into its own pocket easily–no wrestling or aggressive jamming in corners required–is made of flexible materials, and still has all the features you want in a duffel bag.

What it doesn’t have is backpack straps, so if that’s how you prefer to carry your duffel, this one may not be for you. If that’s not a dealbreaker, this is a solid standard duffel. It’s roomy, has external attachment points, even a key clip in the zipper pocket. 

The one we tested is 60L (there’s also a 90L and 40L version), which means this specific one isn’t sized to be a carry on–it’s just a smidge too big unless you don’t pack it full and can really compress it to fit in an overhead bin–but where it does excel is as a bag you can pretty easily stuff and stash in your luggage on the way to someplace, then fill it with gear or souvenirs and check it on your way back.

It’s also an easy way to stash bike or outdoor gear in your backseat on a road trip. Because again, when it’s empty, it takes up the least space of any of the bags on this list. It’s also the least expensive.

How it’s sustainable: It’s designed to create almost zero fabric waste. As in, not only is it made of 100% recycled materials, but the designers crafted the pattern to use almost every inch of material available to them. And that takes some engineering-level skill right there. Which matters because textile waste is a huge problem in the outdoor industry. And this bag helps address that and offers a solution. Eagle Creek calls it their “Chasing Zero” philosophy. Meaning zero waste. The No Matter What Duffel is a simple, packable option that doesn’t result in a lot of material waste. It’s not currently PFAS-free, but it will be starting fall 2024.

Features

• Packable design, easily folds into its own pocket
• Carry handles on top that snap together
• Grab handles on both ends
• Zippered exterior accessory pocket
• Compression straps on top
• Luggage pass-through for easy attachment to rolling carry-ons
• Shoulder strap
• Sizes Available: 60L, 90L, 110L
• Price: $109

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The North Face Voyager Duffel: The Compact Carry-On

If there’s one duffel bag I’m surprised to find myself turning to time and time again, it’s the compact, portable, packable Voyager Duffel from The North Face. Turns out, 42L is just about the perfect size for just about everything.

It’s perfectly sized to act as a carry-on and has one expandable end pocket that keeps shoes or dirty clothes separate from clean (one of my favorite features) plus a slimmer pocket on the other end. There’s a zipper mesh pocket underneath the lid to organize small items like gloves or gaiters, a sleeve in the lid that fits a 16″ laptop, and easily removable shoulder straps that stow in their own sleeves in the lid.

But one of my favorite features may be the removable and reposition-able interior divider. I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to be able to deploy or remove it in order to keep shoes or gear separate from clothing. It makes keeping contents organized so easy, with or without packing cubes. And you can position it in the middle to divide the main compartment in half or to the side to separate about 1/3 of the compartment.

The bag is also weather resistant, has durable and comfortable handles and tons of exterior lash points. Basically, I use this thing for everything from wrangling mountain bike gear in the back of my car to weekend hiking trips to gym sessions when I have to change in the locker room.

How it’s sustainable: This bag is made of recycled polyester and nylon and is PFAS-free.

Features

• Top grab handle and stowable backpack straps
• Multiple grab handles on every side
• Two exterior zipper pockets and easily accessible opening
• Laptop sleeve
• Weather-resistant materials
• Sizes Available: 42L, 32L, 62L
• Price: $135

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Nemo Double Haul Duffel and Tote: The Gear Hauler

Speaking of a gear hauler, this is the Nemo Double Haul Duffel and Tote, the 55L version. But that capacity is for when the bag is all closed up. When it’s open, because of how it’s designed, it can hold so much more. That comes in handy if you’re using it to stash bike or camping gear in the back of your car instead of traveling by air.

That’s because it’s designed sort of like a doctor bag, with rigid trusses around the opening and down the sides so it stays open better–with a super wide, square mouth–when you’re packing or searching for that one pair of hiking shoes.

It does stay open better when it has stuff in it than when it’s empty–it’s not THAT rigid–but we did love how easily accessible everything inside was. I mean, the opening is as large as the base, so you’re talking major real estate, here. Plus there are nice long rigid grab handles on the top, compression buckles on the ends, and stabilizing straps on the inside to help compress packing cubes or what have you.

Those are permanently attached, but they never felt like they were in the way when traveling or unpacking. AND there are longer handles (that also can function as over-the-shoulder straps) tucked away in a hidden snap compartment located underneath the stiff grab handles. This bag has it all.

And it has definitely become our go-to for gear storage on road trips, ‘cause that doctor bag opening is legit. And as long as you don’t overstuff it, the 55L can count as a carry on, plus it’s water resistant.

How it’s sustainable: It’s Bluesign approved, PFAS-free, comes with a lifetime warranty, the shell is made of 100% recycled nylon and super durable.

Features

• Doctor bag-style opening for easy access to contents
• Rigid trusses around the opening and down the sides for stability and easy access
• External and internal zippered pockets
• Padded backpack shoulder straps
• Comes with a storage pouch that could double as dirty shoe or clothing storage
• Sizes Available: 30L, 70L, 100L
• Price: $180

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Gregory Alpaca Wide Mouth Duffel: The Rigid Gear Tote

If you’re looking for a duffel that can haul gear, but that Ofers a bit more structure and protection than the NEMO Double Haul, look no further than the Gregory Alpaca Wide Mouth Duffel (the 50L, specifically). This bag has become irreplaceable in our house: we use it to store and organize bike gear in our laundry room, then we grab the whole bag and toss it in our car on ride days. It’s plenty big enough for helmets, bike shoes, tool kits and more. PLUS! It has semi-rigid sides and a robust doctor bag-style opening for easy accesses. Love.

If you’re flying with the bag, it’s right on the edge of too big to count as a carry-on, but you may be able to get away with it on some airlines. But thanks to those stiff sides and base, it’s more protective than pretty much every other duffel we’ve ever used (in case you have to check it).

Inside are multiple zipper and mesh drop pockets for organizing small items, there is a slim zipper pocket on the exterior, and two comfortable grab handles on top plus two on the ends, so it’s easy to transport. A removable shoulder strap offers a second carry option, though that’s the feature we liked least: because of where the attachment points are located, the bag is a little tippy and moves from side to side when carrying via the shoulder strap.

How it’s sustainable: It’s ultra durable, plus comes with Gregory’s limited lifetime warranty. It’s also made of partially recycled materials and PFAS-free.

Features

• Wide doctor bag-style opening
• Lighter interior for visibility
• Interior organization pockets
• Padded and structured sides for protection
• Removable shoulder strap
• Grab handles on both ends and top
• Water resistant
• Sizes Available: 25L, 50L
• Price: $150

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Patagonia Black Hole Duffel: The Fan Fave

If there’s one duffel bag built for travel and adventure that tops many a “best duffel bag” list, it’s the Patagonia Black Hole. This bag has been around for years with few tweaks and upgrades (because it’s that good). That said, the brand did update the material a year or two ago and it’s now made of not only recycled materials, but also recycled TPU coating that offers a sleek matte finish. But don’t worry: it still comes in a crazy slew of colors. We tested the 55L.

It’s a simple but effective duffel with one large main compartment, one extra mesh zipper pocket on the underside of the lid and a zipper pocket that can be accessed from inside or outside (the duffel also packs into this pocket for self-storage). So it may not appeal to those who appreciate tons of built-n organization. But the the bag is built to last, is water resistant, the zipper is burly and glides smooth, and plenty of daisy chain webbing around the exterior Ofers places to lash additional gear or secure the bag in the back of a truck. The base is even minimally padded for extra protection.

There are two duffel handles on the top, grab handles on the ends, and easily removable backpack straps that double as an over-the-shoulder shoulder strap in a pinch. The lid opens wide for full and easy access to the interior. Overall, it’s a dependable, durable, no-fuss bag that’s available in four sizes, from compact carry-on to massive gear hauler.

How it’s sustainable: It’s durable, some materials are Bluesign approved, the bag is PFAS-free and made of 100% recycled materials in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory.

Features

• Wide opening
• Exterior daisy chains
• Interior organization
• Padded bottom for protection
• Removable backpack straps
• Grab handles
• Duffel handles
• Sizes Available: 40L, 55L, 70L, 100L
• Price: $180

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Bottom Line

Obviously which bag is right for you will depend on your travel and packing style, but hopefully we’ve helped to pick out the perfect duffel so you don’t waste, time, energy, money, or emissions trying out a whole bunch of different options.

That’s why we’re here, after all. To help you find more sustainable gear options. Specifically the right sustainable gear options. So you know, less gear goes to waste.

So if your old duffel bag is beyond repair or it’s time you added your first to your gear closet, then grab one of these–we’ll share all the links below–then get out there and wander on. And don’t try to carry on a dozen six packs. You’ll never make it through TSA.

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See these bags in action on YouTube.

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