Need To Choose A Weekender Duffel

[atcq123]

I'm going to study abroad in Italy for 4 months, and I'm trying to pick a weekender out of the three:


J.Crew Abingdon in the Khaki color:

http://www.jcrew.com/mens_category/accessories/bags/PRDOVR~52430/52430.jsp


Frost River Flight Bag:

http://www.primermagazine.com/2010/spend/weekend-bag


Wood & Faulk Northwesterner 20'' Gray:

http://woodandfaulk.bigcartel.com/product/wood-faulk-northwesterner-16-grey


OR should I just buy one in Italy?

[guiltybystander]

http://factory413.com/shop/sale/acce...us-trip/004853. Marcus Trip bag, for half off normal price. They're not made in the States, but in Europe I believe where Property Of is based.

[greg_s]

I think you need to pick what size you want. The ones you posted are all over the board. 4200 cu inches on the JCrew (I've never heard great things about JCrew bags). 6800 cu inches on the Frost River if you go with the large like that Primer article. And only about 1800 for the Wood and Faulk.


So that ranges in size from large duffel to small weekend bag/large man purse. The one guiltybystander linked to is nice but also on the small/medium (about 2200 cu inches) side. If you are willing to spend a few dollars, which I'm assuming you are based on your links, I would stick to a high quality canvas bag that was made in the US.


An alternative that is somewhere in the middle is this from Duluth Pack. I have the large version that I am completely enamored with:


http://duluthpack.com/luggage/luggage-bags/duffels-bags/sportsmans-duffels.html


I am a big fan of the khaki color. It is around 2550 cu inches.

[atcq123]

Hey thanks for the feedback guys.

I probably should've mentioned that I'm looking for a medium/carry-on size bag. (about 2000-3000 cu inches)


@greg_s, aesthetically, the JCrew bag is what I'm looking for... Have you heard a lot of negative reviews on JCrew bags?

And also, yeah the Wood and Faulk is a little on the smaller side, but I'm really feeling the throwback steel frame they have.


For the Frost River, I would be going for the Medium.

[Margotron]

Frost river explorer duffle in carry on size. I prefer this over the flight bag, personally

[Beantown12]

Beckel canvas bags seem to get pretty good reviews -


http://beckelcanvas.com/products_type.php?products_type_id=2


http://www.primermagazine.com/2011/spend/duffel-bag


http://www.doobybrain.com/2011/05/14...anvas-war-bag/

[zerostyle]

Why are weekenders so damn expensive?


Any nice looking budget options for ~ $50?

[rob2]

Your other alternative is to go with a cheap bag from the US, and pick up a beautiful, soft-as-butter leather bag in Italy!

[hilltopper]

I've been looking for my own weekender as well, here are a few of the ones I'm looking at. I haven't purchased any as of yet.


check these links out


http://www.primermagazine.com/2010/spend/weekend-bag

http://www.primermagazine.com/2011/spend/duffel-bag

http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/pr...sembleId=40218

http://www.filson.com/products/tin-c...metaProduct=10

http://putthison.com/tagged/Beckel-Canvas-Products - if put this on plugs it you know its good


This would make for a good bargain bag since it's only 60 dollars, quality could be iffy


http://www.tillys.com/tillys/variant...liates=2178999

[yuuki]

Maybe you can try one from Imperial Exports. I buy messenger bag and wallet from them and I think their weekender and duffle is pretty good too.

This is one of ther duffle collection
http://www.imperialexports.net/men/7...uffle-bag.html

And this is for weekender
http://www.imperialexports.net/men/4...ernighter.html

[DerekH]

In lieu of a price range, this is the one I'm currently coveting and wish I could afford: http://us.suitsupply.com/en_US/bags/...rt=2&cgid=Bags

My girlfriend has an Everlane one she likes, but I'm not a big fan when I'm forced to lug it around since it lacks an over the shoulder strap. I got the Steel Canvas duffel JCrew carries on final sale for about $50 a few months ago and that's done me pretty well, but it's more gym-bag-chic than hardy heritage-brand masculine like a Filson.

[drocpsu]

dont know how I just noticed this thread, but to the OP: if you havent purchased one already, I have some comments on the Abingdon bag. I've been intending to post a mini-review of it, but havent gotten around to it. It looks excellent online and on paper, but after getting one for myself I found that I wasnt a big fan of it. Capacity wise it is excellent. Very spacious. Plus, it looks great. The biggest pet peeve for me was that it is essentially completely unstructured. Like, if there's nothing in it, it just falls flat on itself. It made it very annoying to pack it (in my packing tests) because I'd have to like re-open it up every time I let go of it. Some people may not care, but I found that I was used to and wanted something a bit more structured. The bottom also wasn't super reinforced, so that contributes to the sagginess. I ended up returning it and getting a Herschel Novel canvas duffel instead and like it a lot.

The Frost River bags look nice. I considered getting one of those as well.

[Brent k]

Big fan of the Gustin duffle bag. Olive, brown or green. Good price and really a great sturdy bag with awesome bras hardware.

[idvsego]

Big fan of the Gustin duffle bag. Olive, brown or green. Good price and really a great sturdy bag with awesome bras hardware.

ummm

[drocpsu]

ummm

it helps because if you're really good, you can pop it open in the dark with one hand.