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The 25 Best Travel Bags for Every Kind of Trip

It's all about the right luggage.

Whether it’s a two-day business trip to Boston or a boys’ weekend in Miami, there are a lot of different ways your bag can support you. Along with handy features, looks play a part, too; you should be proud of the bag you are toting along. Get yourself that snazzy weekender with hidden pockets and a built-in cooling compartment. Treat yourself to that sleek Rimowa roller you’ve been eyeing since last year. Splurge on that monogrammed duffel to replace the one your investment bank gave you when you signed on. Don’t go on another trip without your new bag, and take some action now.

Best Travel Duffle Bag

Herschel supply co. novel duffel.

Most Versatile Travel Bag

Longchamp le pliage energy.

Best Hard Shell Carry-On Travel Bag

Rimowa cabin s carry-on suitcase.

Our favorite luggage brands make it easy to elevate your travel style . If you need help narrowing down your choices, we have our 25 favorites that our editors have tested and reviewed. Out with the old, in with a new travel bag.

When it comes to quick trips that last a day or two, a duffel is what you need. And Herschel’s Novel bag is, in so many words, the best bang for your buck. Not only is it incredibly durable and spacious enough for several fits (there’s also a separate compartment for your shoes), but it’s also less than $100. That’s what we call a win-win.

Drawing its inspiration from origami, Longchamp’s convertible travel bag is one of the most versatile out there. Wear it as a backpack or carry it around as a weekender, this bag is going to get you from point A to point B with ease. It’s sporty and practical and effortlessly in fashion.

From Karl Lagerfeld to David Fincher to Martha Stewart, all the high rollers can be seen toting this suitcase. It’s got distinctive grooves and an ergonomic design, and it just screams class. Plus, the TSA-approved locks are keeping your belongings extra secure.

It’s also Esquire approved and worthy of an investment.

Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack

For train travel, bus voyages ( ooof, we feel your pain ), or even a trip involving a connecting flight, there’s nothing like a good backpack to keep you hands-free and moving at a quick pace. Made of water-resistant nylon, Away’s backpack is a durable choice with padded shoulder straps and a laptop pocket.

Métier Vagabond Duffel

Surprisingly lightweight, Métier’s duffel is a luxe option for frequent travelers. It’s thoughtfully designed with specific places for toiletries, sunglasses, a laptop, and the rest of your valuables. A secret card slot in the exterior pocket makes for easier travel at the airport.

Samsonite Pro Travel Softside Expandable Carry-On Luggage

In the luggage realm, there are very few that hold a candle to Samsonite. For more than a century (yes, that long), the brand has been churning out travel accessories, always offering quality styles for the day. It doesn’t get bogged down by its history. This soft-shell spinner, for example, features wireless charging pockets and a compartment for toiletries, and it’s made of 100 percent ballistic nylon. It’s also less than $250, which makes is a virtual steal.

TUMI Garment Bag Tri-Fold Carry-On

Business executives know the importance of a garment bag. When you just hopped off the plane and are running late to that meeting, never stress trying to find a steamer again. TUMI is saving you from wrinkle embarrassment, keeping you put together everywhere and anytime.

Halfday The Garment Duffel

We love our garment bags in duffel form. They are practical for traveling with suits or other formal clothes, but you can also use them for quick casual trips. Need more convincing? Check out our endorsement of this one.

Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag

In a flexible neoprene, Dagne Dover's carryall is one of the lightest duffels out there. It's got a laptop sleeve, and it also comes with a shoe bag and a dust bag. It also makes for a great gym bag, if you want something that's multipurpose.

Lucchese Cosimo Garment Duffel

We love this duffel so much, it was even one of the travel products our editors can't live without . Converting from a garment sleeve to a duffel bag, its versatility meets a luxurious style for a bag you will have for decades.

July Carry All Weekender Plus

Much like it's name denotes, this truly is a carry-all at its 50L capacity. A large padded pocket fits your laptop, and hidden pockets with magnetic closures keep your smaller belongings tucked away safely. If you are going somewhere for the long-haul, it also easily attaches onto your luggage.

Paravel Aviator Grand Suitcase

Paravel is new-ish to the luggage game, but in just a short time it is succeeding in the competitive market by focusing entirely on sustainability. The brand's collection is not only beautifully designed, but they are also made of recycled plastic water bottles. It also plants trees through Eden Reforestation Projects to offset the carbon emissions it produces via shipping.

Meisterstück Meisterstück Document Case

From the finest writing instruments to regal timepieces, Montblanc offers the kind of items beloved by jet-setters, C-suite executives, and anyone else of that sort. Naturally, this means that its briefcase is one of the best around, and will surely induce envy from the rest of the folks in first class.

Zero Halliburton Large Travel Case

When it comes to luxury, you can't ignore Zero Halliburton. This label is, after all, the maker of the iconic damage-resistant aluminum briefcases, so rest assured that its large spinner will stay looking good while its be tossed and turned from the check-in booth to baggage claim.

Victorinox Spectra 3.0 Frequent Flyer Carry-On

This Swiss brand makes luggage that lasts. Constructed in a high performance recycled polycarbonate, this suitcase is durable and eco-conscious. It expands by 20 percent and has multiple compartments for smart storage. We also love this piece from Victorinox because you can personalize it for no added cost.

Coofay Travel Backpack

Now you can pack for a weekend trip in a backpack. There's a laptop compartment, separate shoe storage, and a USB charging port. Travel compactly and with rest assured that everything you need it right on your back.

Lululemon Command the Day Duffel Bag

Aptly named, this bag is going to be your 24/7 savior. A water-repellent fabric protects against spills and weather. You can stay organized with the allocated pockets for shoes, laptop, and gear.

Yeti Crossroads Duffel Bag

You know Yeti for its coolers and bottles, but you're about to love it for its luggage. A water and abrasion-resistant exterior coupled with reinforced stitching makes this one of the most durable duffels on the market.

Mark & Graham 2-in-1 Garment Bag

This bag is literally a transformer. Going from garment bag to duffel, it helps to protect your clothing with its folding design. The smart silhouette even leaves room for two pairs of shoes to store at the side.

Mack Weldon Atlas Duffle

This reinforced canvas duffle will pass any test you put it through—from the gym to the plane. It has multiple pockets, one that's designated for shoes and the other for drinks and snacks ( remember to throw those out before you get to TSA ), and a slip-resistant bottom.

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The 10 Best Weekend Travel Bags for Men

Tyler Schoeber

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Whether it be an overnight trip or a long weekend getaway, a cool, casual overnight bag is key when a short stay is on the horizon. A good men’s travel bag looks good but is functional, too. From a classic leather number to a bag that adjusts to a variety of sizes, these shipshape options will outperform on your next trip.

Carl Friedrick Palissy Weekend Bag

Crafted to be the most dapper and sophisticated of the bunch, this handcrafted leather bag is one of the sleekest men’s weekend bags on the market. Yes, it’s a bit of a splurge, but its classic design makes it particularly versatile; it’s equally at home on a business trip and on a casual weekend away. The bag can fit several outfits plus shoes , so it works as a weekend bag or personal item on a plane.

Would You Go on a Trip Without Your Phone?

Lands’ End Weekender Duffel

With a max capacity of 200 lbs, this bag offers great organization even when packed to the brim. A zippered side pocket keeps important items easily accessible while multiple internal pockets keep things neatly sorted. Carry this bag two ways, by the 9″ handles or the detachable shoulder strap.

Etsy Personalized Weekend Bag

A quality, personalized weekend bag that ships fast and won’t break the bank sounds like it would never exist, right? Wrong—GiftsForGuysCo on Etsy offers exactly that. Featuring numerous stylish options and thousands of top reviews, this bag is a solid self-buy or gift for a good buddy.

London Fog Brentwood III Drop Bottom Duffel

For something clean and classic, the London Fog Brentwood has you covered. While it may have an old-school look, its design is anything but, with a padded laptop sleeve, adjustable shoulder strap, and an extra wide opening. At just three pounds, this bag will elevate your look without weighing down your luggage.

The Ultimate Weekend Packing List

The North Face Base Camp Large Duffle Bag

Anyone that’s experienced a brutal winter in the Northeast knows that The North Face builds some quality items, meant for wear and tear—and this duffel is no exception. No matter the weather conditions, this bag will get you through it with a water-resistant and sturdy PVC-coated exterior.

Herschel Supply Co. Bennett Duffle

From backpacks to totes to messenger bags, Herschel Supply Company has been getting people’s stuff where it needs to be since 2009. Its Bennett Duffle in light grey merges the brand’s grade-A design (complete with a shoe compartment and removable shoulder strap) with its recognizable look and logo, creating a classic weekend duffel bag for men.

S-Zone Canvas Weekend Bag

The perfect weekend bag comes oversized in six classic colors from S-Zone. Because this has the most spacious design of the bunch, you can literally carry anything you need for a night or even a week if you have to.

Luggage Locks: Should I Lock My Suitcase When I Fly?

Samsonite Foldaway Duffel

A spacious bag is a lifesaver during a weekend away, but between-trip storage can be a nightmare. The Foldaway Duffel from Samonsite is made to be as convenient at home as it is on the road, collapsing down into a self-contained carrying pouch when not in use. At full size, this bag features a zippered external pocket, extra wide opening, and adjustable shoulder strap.

Peak Design 35L Travel Duffel

Considering the world feels like it’s ending these days, you may think it’s a bit late to get in on the sustainability game—but I can assure you, it isn’t. Peak Design’s 100 percent recycled, waterproof travel duffel is a timeless tote that’ll make you feel as good as you look carrying it. Whether you’re an all-black kind of guy or willing to spice it up with a bit of sage, this bag looks great no matter the choice.

Filson’s Medium Duffle Bag

An abrasion-resistant exterior is key when it comes to getting your wardrobe to and fro in one piece—especially when it looks this good. Filson’s well-designed Medium Duffle has top-carry handles, an adjustable shoulder strap, leather trimmings, and rust-proof zipper.

All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Tyler Schoeber is a production specialist, photographer, occasional writer, travel style guru, and general Renaissance man. Follow his adventures on Instagram at @tylerschoeber .

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We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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The Best Carry-On Luggage

By Kit Dillon

Kit Dillon is a writer focused on bags and travel gear. He has worked for Wirecutter for a decade and lost count of the number of bags he has tested.

Traveling well is not always easy. Keeping your suitcase with you when you fly not only protects your belongings from loss or damage but may help you avoid extra fees as well.

If you decide to do so, you need a good carry-on bag.

Over the past 10 years, we’ve handled, tested, and traveled with 67 bags from more than 35 brands, and we remain convinced that the Travelpro Platinum Elite offers the best balance of value and quality for most travelers.

It packs five days’ worth of clothes into standard US carry-on dimensions 1 and has premium touches you might expect from a $600 bag at about half the price.

It’s a bag that you can rely on for life, even if it’s damaged by airlines —a rarity at any price.

Everything we recommend

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

The best soft-sided carry-on.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, plus high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Buying Options

Travelpro Platinum Elite 22″ Carry-On Rollaboard

A bit more capacity and extra wheel durability.

This two-wheeled carry-on bag isn’t as maneuverable, but it offers slightly more space, a garment folder, and larger, more durable wheels.

Away The Carry-On

The best hard-sided carry-on.

This great-looking and relatively resilient piece of hard-sided luggage has top-of-the-line components—including wheels as smooth-rolling as any we’ve tested.

Away The Bigger Carry-On

Slightly more room, but you might get checked.

With more capacity than Away’s standard carry-on, this suitcase is sized appropriately for most flights. On smaller planes, though, you may get gate-checked.

Budget pick

Travelpro Maxlite 5 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Lightweight and appealingly inexpensive.

Remarkably well priced for a reputable brand, this is an ideal lightweight pick and provides many features of luggage costing nearly twice as much.

Upgrade pick

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

A soft-sided carry-on that fits more in less.

This carry-on bag offers superlative build quality, plenty of expandable room, and a uniquely effective compression system. It’s a buy-it-for-life suitcase.

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ 2-Wheel Expandable Carry-On

More room, bigger wheels, less maneuverability.

If you’re willing to give up maneuverability for more space and bigger wheels, this is also a great option.

Carl Friedrik The Carry-On

A more luxe hard-sided carry-on.

Luxury touches and a strong polycarbonate and aluminum design give this bag a standout look with exceptional feel and performance. It does cost nearly $200 more than the comparably sized Away bag, though.

Yeti Crossroads 22″/35L Wheeled Luggage

A bag built for tough conditions.

A polycarbonate back and rugged wheels make this design suited for rougher travel over difficult surfaces. However, it has a limited warranty, and it’s somewhat unwieldy to handle.

What to consider

Four-wheel bags, aka spinners, are easier to maneuver down tight airplane aisles, but two-wheel bags will always be more durable .

Hard-sided looks better to most people, but soft-sided luggage withstands the bumps and knocks of travel for longer .

Plenty of reputable brands offer lifetime warranties; it’s generally worth paying a little extra for the peace of mind .

Depending on where you travel, you might need to look for specialty luggage sizes .

We’ve also included picks that stood out for their form and individual functionality: an upgrade with best-in-class compression, a pick made of polycarbonate , an upgraded hard-sided case with latch closures and an aluminum frame, a rolling soft-top hybrid , and a budget pick that’s also the best ultra-light suitcase we can find.

Travelpro’s Platinum Elite line of luggage is still our top pick after 10 years of testing. It addresses the concerns of most travelers for an affordable price while offering the best warranty against potential airline damage in the industry (as long as you register the luggage within 120 days of purchase, which you can do in minutes).

The Platinum Elite features smooth-rolling, replaceable wheels, as well as solid and comfortable telescoping handles and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. Travelpro also provides a full catalog of other replaceable parts . Instead of chasing the smart-bag moment, Travelpro added an exterior pocket with a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And weighing less than 8 pounds when empty, the Platinum Elite is dead in the center of average weight for bags this size.

In our view, soft-sided luggage lasts longer and shows less wear, but if you prefer the look of a hard-sided bag, Away’s The Carry-On is our choice. Like our other picks, this bag stands out for its high-end components: YKK zippers, smooth-running wheels, and a well-braced handle. Its strong but flexible polycarbonate shell shows scratches—however, after seven years of using the Away Carry-On, our testers have found that it is capable of enduring most of the trials of travel with fewer knocks than other similar models we’ve tested.

Away also makes a slightly larger version of the same model: The Bigger Carry-On . It conforms to carry-on size for most major airliners, but you might be asked to gate-check it on smaller planes.

Similar to our soft-sided picks, this Away bag is backed by a limited lifetime warranty. And though the coverage doesn’t explicitly protect against airline damage, it does apply to any damage that an airline could possibly dish out—specifically, but not limited to, the shell cracking or wheels breaking off.

Some companies have tried to shave off a few pounds from their standard luggage designs to make so-called ultra-light luggage. The Travelpro Maxlite 5 21″ Carry-On Spinner is the best of these bags we’ve seen, and it comes with the pedigree of our top pick but not quite as strong a warranty.

The Maxlite 5 is just over 2 pounds lighter than our top pick—that’s the weight of two or three pairs of jeans. It’s not a huge difference, but if you have trouble lifting luggage over your head and prefer an easier-to-manage suitcase, the Maxlite 5 may be your choice. This bag is also the best one we’ve found under $200, with almost all the benefits of luggage nearly twice the price.

For the more frequent flyer who is willing to invest in a higher-quality bag, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On . Every detail of this bag, from the zippers to the wheels to the wrinkle-resistant suit compartment, is made to the highest standards, and it has a higher proportion of usable space than any other spinner bag we tested.

Briggs & Riley boosts this extra capacity with a ratcheting compression system that easily presses an entire extra outfit (if not more) into the same external dimensions as most other carry-ons. It’s simple, impressive, and unmatched by any other brand’s compression system.

The Expandable Spinner version is also the only spinner luggage model we tested with a built-in garment folder, which helps shirts and pants stay wrinkle-free if you pack them well. If things go awry, Briggs & Riley has a catalog of replaceable parts and a global network of repair centers , as well as a reliable lifetime warranty covering repairs for airline damage.

For some people, Carl Friedrik’s The Carry-On may be worth the extra cost. Behind the maturity of Italian leather accents and polish of higher-end Hinomoto wheels, the Carl Friedrik Carry-On bypasses the biggest compromise in most polycarbonate designs: the stitched-in zipper. Incorporating an aluminum frame around the center of the case and two latch locks, it feels comfortingly secure and well structured where other luggage tends to sag or bend away.

There’s a potential catch, however: The flex in a polycarbonate design (and most luggage, incidentally) is its strength. The more robust a piece of luggage becomes—by replacing, for instance, a zipper with an aluminum frame—the greater the chance that if something hits the case hard enough, the frame can bend or break. That said, you need to hit a frame like this with an extreme amount of focused force for that to happen. And Carl Friedrik provides a lifetime warranty that appears to cover airline damage in the event that an airline doesn’t compensate you within 14 days.

The Yeti Crossroads 22”/35L Wheeled Luggage represents the best of a relatively niche type of luggage design. Call it a hybrid model—a blend of a soft-sided luggage on top and hard-sided luggage on the back—that lends itself to fairly specific circumstances. It’s ideal for tough roads, broken streets, and slamming your luggage into uneven curbs with abandon. Do most people need this kind of luggage for their day-to-day travel? Absolutely not, and it can feel heavier than it really is. But if you do, this is the best there is—at least for the moment.

The Yeti Crossroads has everything you might expect from a brand that has built its reputation for over-the-top toughness and durability. The two heavy-duty wheels are among the largest and broadest that we’ve seen. Externally, Yeti blends a polycarbonate shell back with a water-resistant 700-denier nylon front and waterproof zippers. However, Yeti backs its luggage with only a three-year warranty and no mention of airline damage. That’s very limited protection, especially for the conditions this bag was designed for and definitely in comparison with the standards that our other picks set.

The research

Why you should trust us, how we picked and tested, our pick for the best carry-on luggage: travelpro platinum elite, our pick for the best hard-sided carry-on luggage: away the carry-on, budget pick: travelpro maxlite 5 carry-on spinner, upgrade pick for the best carry-on: briggs & riley baseline essential, upgrade pick for the best hard-sided carry-on: carl friedrik the carry-on, also great for tough conditions: yeti crossroads 35l wheeled luggage, other good carry-on luggage, what to look forward to, the competition.

I’ve been covering luggage and travel bag design for Wirecutter for nearly a decade and have personally researched, tested, and compared hundreds of bags in that time. Over the years we’ve also spoken with plenty of experts: flight attendants for major airlines, product designers and creative directors for luggage and gear companies, and travel and gear writers. My conversations with these people have helped shape our coverage, and we owe much to their collective knowledge.

In the 10 years we’ve been covering this category, luggage has evolved, and so has our thinking about what makes the best carry-on for most people. After spending well over 200 hours doing research and interviews and easily twice that time conducting hands-on testing, we’ve seen a few truths become clear. First, at a certain threshold—roughly over $200—most luggage is fine. It will more than likely get you from point A to point B without incident many times a year for many years. What distinguishes great luggage from everything else is mostly an attention to detail—the quality of a bag’s handle, its wheels, the frame, and stitching—and a company’s guarantee that it will stand behind its product.

Every year we try to refine our testing and find new ways to consider what it means to be the best luggage. We’ve weighed and measured suitcases, comparing our results with company claims. We’ve calculated true internal capacity with hundreds of Ping-Pong balls 2 and some decently complex math for a writer to scratch out. We’ve packed and unpacked more bags than I care to remember. We’ve studied and compared wheel bearings, wheel sizes, pocket counts, pocket quality, the curious subtleties of garment bags that will (or more often won’t) keep your clothes wrinkle-free, the strength of warranties, and repairability.

We believe that any maximally sized carry-on should be capable of holding enough clothes to last you five days with room to spare for miscellaneous necessities. Most years we aim to have two testers, one male and one female, pack two bags individually as if headed to the same wedding. 3 What we included isn’t representative of a family traveling or a couple splitting a bag, but we erred on the side of bulky, and we hope it gives you a clear idea of how much of your own stuff these bags will hold.

We looked at how each bag loaded. Was there an easy way to keep smaller items (such as socks and underwear) organized? Did it have compression straps to keep things in place? Were the straps thick enough to avoid creasing the clothes? Just how much would the bag compress? How much room was left over? Once packed, was the bag prone to tipping over?

Over the years I’ve torn bags apart to see how the frames were put together, taken apart wheels, dismantled handles, and more or less treated luggage as poorly as one person could. I’ve wheeled loaded bags around many neighborhoods, looking at how well each bag rolled and how well it handled broken sidewalks, uneven pavement, grass, bricks, dirt, and curbs. I’ve dragged bags up and down two flights of concrete stairs, noting how easy this task was and how much damage the bags sustained. For our finalists, I’ve repeated the torture test along a second, even rougher route because I like the sound that polycarbonate luggage makes when it bounces down cavernous stairwells.

In fall 2023, we asked a panel of paid testers with a wide range of body types, dexterities, and mobilities to examine our picks and share their perspectives. We’ve incorporated their feedback in this review.

The Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner is our pick for a soft-sided carry-on; if you need a little more room, we also recommend the Travelpro Platinum Elite 22″ Carry-On Rollaboard .

It has a history of great performance. Travelpro’s Platinum Elite line has been our top pick for almost every iteration of this guide because it addresses the concerns of most travelers for an affordable price: In addition to smooth-rolling, replaceable wheels, it features solid and comfortable telescoping handles and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid 7.8-pound internal chassis. Travelpro backs it all with a lifetime warranty that covers airline damage and shipping to the repair facility (as long as you register the luggage within 120 days of purchase). Additionally, Travelpro supplies a full catalog of other replaceable parts .

It moves well across most surfaces and through most situations. The spinner bag’s configuration stands out in particular because of its MagnaTrac wheels, which magnetically snap into a forward position when the bag is moving. The small tracking assistance makes a large difference when you’re navigating the Platinum Elite through a crowded airport or down a busy street. It also has an easy-to-use, removable garment bag. After years of testing, we think the superior maneuverability of spinner luggage, along with improvements in manufacturing processes, makes four-wheel bags a better choice for most people. However, if you prefer slightly more packing capacity (the equivalent of squeezing in two more sweatshirts), larger wheels that run more smoothly over rough terrain, and a more protective built-in garment folder, 4 you may appreciate the two-wheeled 22-inch version of the Platinum Elite. One of our paid testers, who’s 6-foot-6, told us that although he could see the appeal of a spinner, “I would still choose the two-wheeler. It has a little more space, and when you’re my size, packing is just so horrible.”

It’s sized to maximize your space, but you have options. Measuring 23 by 13.5 by 9 inches, the Platinum Elite carry-on bag (in either wheel configuration) hits the upper margins of actual carry-on size limits and could get you gate-checked by an overzealous agent. However, it fits into most standard-size baggage caddies at check-in, including that of American Airlines and United Airlines. I’ve personally traveled with Travelpro carry-ons this size for more than 45,000 miles spread across 50 flights, from regional to long-haul to international routes, and I’ve never had an issue fitting within gate-side luggage sizers. If you’re nervous about getting caught at the gate or often fly in very small regional planes, Travelpro makes a 20-inch Platinum Elite as well as a slimmer international size, but they hold less (naturally) and lack a suiter insert.

It keeps clothes compacted but not creased. Inside, the Platinum Elite has a pair of tie-down straps and two broad panels with pockets that cinch down, similar in design and function to what you’d find in much more expensive Briggs & Riley luggage . Compared with the simple tie-down straps you often find in cheaper luggage, the panels do a great job of keeping things compacted without creasing clothes—a problem we’ve encountered in numerous other bags we’ve tested. Beyond that, the Platinum Elite’s internal organization system is about average. It will be familiar to anyone who has used a suitcase before, which means there’s no learning curve for optimizing the storage capacity. One long mesh pocket sits on one of the bag’s sides, and a smaller removable transparent plastic bag sits on the other side for easy TSA inspection of toiletries.

It’s tough yet flexible. The exterior is made of a hard-wearing nylon fabric, a key feature of all the bags we’ve tested. It hides scuffs and scratches, and it’s much more versatile than hard-sided bags. An expansion zipper lets you increase storage by about 30% in a pinch—although the bag is no longer carry-on compliant at that point. We prefer to use the expansion zipper as something of an ad-hoc compression system: We unzip the expansion zipper while packing the bag and then zip it at the end, tamping everything down tight. The Platinum Elite carry-on also has a variety of convenient exterior pockets, including two in the front, suitable for a sleep mask and other small miscellaneous items, and one on the side for a battery, though it can fit a bit more if necessary. It also has an accordion pocket on the front for magazines and electronic tablets.

It’s well balanced and spacious. This luggage has an 1,856-cubic-inch interior, which we measured using hundreds of Ping-Pong balls . In real-world terms (the needs of Ping-Pong champions notwithstanding), the Platinum Elite swallowed up five days’ worth of clothes with no problem and had a good deal of room to spare—and that’s without our resorting to the expansion zipper.

It has an excellent warranty. Should anything go wrong, you can take advantage of Travelpro’s generous lifetime warranty, which covers airline damage . The sole other company we’ve seen offering this extensive a warranty is Briggs & Riley, whose carry-on suitcases start at about $500. Travelpro bags have owner-serviceable parts and multiple repair centers . To get repair service, you can either drop the bag off at a repair center or ship the bag to Travelpro, the cost of which the company will cover. Keep in mind that the warranty doesn’t cover cosmetic wear.

Travelpro has a history of fixing production errors remarkably quickly. In 2019, we noticed a small uptick in Wirecutter reader complaints about zipper tabs breaking. We reached out to Travelpro, and a representative told us that a production error expanded the capacity of the front pocket of the Platinum Elite; this allowed travelers to overpack the pocket, which put excessive strain on the zipper. Travelpro identified and fixed the issue before it had reached the threshold of more than a few comments online.

Dimensions: 23.5 by 14.5 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 7.8 pounds Volume: 46 liters

How the Platinum Elite has held up

After nearly a decade of testing the Platinum Elite line of bags from Travelpro, we have yet to encounter a single serious issue. The fabric exterior brushes off scrapes and is easy enough to clean. Simply, it is a remarkably built bag that continues to travel well, year after year.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Though the Platinum Elite rolled well in general, we are still concerned when dragging the bag up stairs. Some of the other bags we tested had long plastic bumper strips running most of the way up the length of the bag; this Travelpro model’s skid plate isn’t as big or as protective. I haven’t had an issue, but if you’re particularly rough on your luggage or uncomfortable lifting the bag over curbs or up stairs, it’s something to be aware of.

• In 2018, Travelpro added a USB-A pass-through cable to the Platinum Elite as a way to compete with so-called smart bags. We like the battery pocket, but the built-in cable itself, which routes from the pocket to a USB port less than 6 inches away, is an unnecessary item, which at best adds a potential point of failure to the bag—USB cables do not last forever. Does it ruin the bag? No. Is it a feature? Not really.

If you prefer the look of hard-sided luggage or the security of knowing that you can’t overpack your suitcase, Away’s The Carry-On is the carry-on we recommend. If you want to maximize your available carry-on space, it also comes in a slightly larger size: The Bigger Carry-On .

It can take wear and tear. Most travelers are still better off with one of our soft-sided picks than a hard-sided carry-on; soft-sided luggage shows less wear and typically lasts longer than hard-sided luggage. But the Away Carry-On’s wheels and zipper are as well made as those of our soft-sided picks, and its polycarbonate showed fewer scratches than that of hard-sided competitors.

We’ve tested the Away Carry-On for six years, traveling with it ourselves across the country and lending several units to testers and frequent travelers to see how they enjoyed using the bag. Its polycarbonate feels similar to that used on more high-end (and significantly pricier) suitcases such as the Rimowa Essential Cabin , which is more than three times as expensive.

You have options if you need extra space. Away makes a similar model of suitcase with an expandable zipper, The Carry-On Flex . The Flex is the same bag as the standard Carry-On except for the expanding center zipper and the price (it’s about $50 more). Personally, I’m not a fan of expanding zippers on suitcases. It feels like just one more thing to break. But some people may prefer having the extra flexibility.

It feels great to use. The bag itself feels good in the hands, and the wheels are noticeably better than those on any of the hard-sided competitors we tried. Away also uses YKK zippers, outclassing our top pick in that regard (Travelpro moved to Supra zippers in 2015). At this point, we’re pretty comfortable saying that years of debate over the best zipper are largely redundant, but YKK still sets the standard.

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Away has sparked more imitators and outright duplicates than any other brand in the past decade, in part due to its appeal with younger travelers. I’ve thought about why, and as best as I can guess, a simple polycarbonate cube dripped in limited-edition soft hues does exude a certain calm; the fact that some of those same colors also coat the exteriors of pills ending in suffixes -ax and -il is not, one assumes, accidental.

It has a great warranty. The Away Carry-On is backed by a limited lifetime warranty that protects against defects and parts breaking. Though the warranty doesn’t specifically mention airline damage, the damages it does list—cracks or breaks in the shell, wheels or handles becoming unusable, zippers that don’t work, fabric tears that render any pocket unusable—basically outline anything an airline could possibly dish out.

Dimensions (for The Carry-On): 21.7 by 14.4 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 7.5 pounds Volume: 40 liters

• The Carry-On’s sleek style comes at a cost: Its polycarbonate shell is ultimately more likely to break than the nylon fabric of our other picks.
• It lacks certain amenities, such as external pockets and a suiter, that our top picks have.
• The clamshell design, which splits down the middle and opens into two parts, can make the bag frustrating to pack and unpack. Packing cubes help, but after years of packing and unpacking soft-sided luggage with a single lid, I personally find a clamshell design to be more finicky when packing.

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 21″ Carry-On Spinner is one of the lightest pieces of luggage we’ve tested, at a great price.

It’s lightweight. We have a hard time imagining how anyone could make a suitcase much lighter than this without breaking certain laws of physics. A few years ago, I took apart a Maxlite suitcase to see how the internal frame was built. What I found beneath the fabric was a clever lattice of plastic supporting the frame, which offered the best balance between weight-saving and structure.

For some people, especially those with limited upper-body strength, a lighter bag—even by just a few pounds—may be easier to lift or manage. That said, most people don’t need extremely light luggage, but just to pack less. For all the innovative design, the Maxlite 5 shaves only 2.4 pounds off the weight of our top pick. That’s the equivalent of a couple of pairs of jeans.

It’s inexpensive. My general advice to friends is to spend more than $200 but less than $500 to get good, if not great, luggage. The Maxlite 5 is the one piece of luggage I’ve found that breaks that rule. You can usually find it for about $150 or less, which is a remarkable price considering the bag’s quality.

Simple is good. This model doesn’t have any real bells or whistles—no battery pass-throughs or magnetically tracked wheels, as with our other Travelpro picks. Instead you’ll find two simple front pockets, a few well-placed handles, and a cavernous main compartment with a couple of pockets and two light straps to hold your stuff in place.

It comes from a trusted brand. We haven’t covered, examined, and interrogated a single luggage brand at Wirecutter for as long as we have Travelpro. For a decade, Travelpro has done a premier job of maintaining trust with its customers and with us—we’ve watched the company make small changes in design, catch flaws quickly, and address warranty concerns promptly. This is not something we say lightly: Travelpro is a name you can trust.

Dimensions: 23 by 14.5 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 5.4 pounds Volume: 46 liters

• The Maxlite 5’s warranty isn’t as robust as that of our top pick: Manufacturing defects in the wheels, zippers, and handles are covered for as long as you own the bag, but airline damage and shipping to a Travelpro repair center are covered only for the first year. (And you do need to register the bag.) Considering that this bag costs half the price of the Platinum Elite, this makes sense, but it’s something to be aware of.

If you’re a frequent flyer and willing to invest in higher-quality gear, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner (also available in a two-wheeled version with more capacity).

It’s the best of the best. Every detail of this top-rated bag, from the zippers to the wheels to the wrinkle-resistant suit compartment, is made to the highest standards, and we found that it had a higher proportion of usable space than any other spinner bag we tested. Briggs & Riley keeps its design consistent, adding, at most, small improvements such as this year’s upgraded lifting handle. Our 6-foot-6 paid tester pointed out that the Baseline Essential’s handle extended an inch and a half farther than that of the Travelpro Platinum Elite, which made it less likely to hit his heels as he pulled it.

Although the wheels don’t snap into alignment, they are exceptionally smooth-rolling and easy to maneuver. If you fly more than 25,000 miles per year, it’s worthwhile to invest in luggage that goes beyond merely being sturdy and actually improves your overall travel experience. That’s why we’ve been recommending it since we first covered this topic in 2014. The Baseline Essential is one of the best carry-on luggage options available today.

Its compression system is truly a marvel. The most ingenious part of the Baseline Essential bag is its CX expansion and compression system. Pull upward on two plastic handles inside the bag, and you can extend its depth a full 2.5 inches. Load the bag as full as you need to, and zip it closed. Then you push down on the bag, which compresses it as a clip mechanism secures it in place. Unlike other expansion systems, which are either open or closed, this one locks into incremental positions. It’s a unique design and very satisfying to use.

It’s the easiest to pack. Briggs & Riley placed the tracks for the Baseline Essential handles on the outside of the bag, which allows for a flat surface in the interior of the bag, with no small crevices to work around for simple packing. And in our tests, after packing 10 bags and trying to figure out strategies for each nook and cranny, packing on a broad flat surface felt like a luxury. According to our measurements, the bag, unexpanded, offers 1,905 cubic inches of storage room (and that accounts for the space occupied by the wheel wells and such). Expanded, it can stow 2,110 cubic inches. That’s remarkably efficient for a bag that does so much. All of these features add up to a carry-on that is easier to pack than any other bag we tested.

The Baseline Essential spinner is also the only spinner luggage model we tested with a built-in garment folder. It’s similar to the folder in Travelpro’s two-wheeled Platinum Elite bag, and that’s a good thing. It’s easy to pack and has an anchor point for hangers. Each of the three folds has a bit of padding that helps to keep a suit from pinching onto itself and creasing, though much of that depends on how well you pack. You can fit a week’s worth of clothes in the Baseline Essential, including some puffy gear for colder weather. A wide, wrinkle-free tie-down system completes the package.

It’s understated. On the outside, the Baseline Essential is pretty unremarkable. There’s nothing eye-grabbing about the bag, which is good if you’re trying to avoid being gate-checked (or having it stolen). Its outer, nylon fabric seems to be of a tighter weave than that used on the other bags we’ve tested. We also noticed a robust feel to the zippers, which are a self-repairing type made by YKK.

Similar to our top pick, the Baseline Essential includes a charging pocket. However, Briggs & Riley skipped the internal USB wiring, instead opting for a simple pocket arrangement (video) on the back of the bag for discreetly storing a charge pack and your phone. It’s an elegant solution.

It comes with an excellent warranty. All Briggs & Riley bags come with a lifetime warranty that covers any damage to the “functional aspects” of the bag, even if caused by an airline (like Travelpro, Briggs & Riley does not cover cosmetic wear or cleaning). Although Briggs & Riley handles warranty-covered repairs at no extra cost, you do have to pay to ship the bag to the company to carry out any repairs; it will ship your bag back to you for free. Or you can drop off the bag at one of the many repair centers . Briggs & Riley emphasizes that returning your bag to you in its original condition, even after repairs, is not always possible. The bags are easy to service and repair, so you can also order the parts you need and replace them yourself at home.

We’ve put in the miles, and the Baseline Essential is in a separate league. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter founder Brian Lam carried a two-wheeled Baseline Essential carry-on while traveling 150,000 miles and farther. After considering all the bags in our test and logging an additional 40,000 miles with a similarly priced bag by Tumi, he was convinced that this model is the best for anyone who’s always on the move. “I love this bag. It carries so much,” Brian said. “Sometimes I check it. Sometimes I carry it. It always fits.”

Dimensions: 22 by 14 by 9 (expands to 11.5) inches (HWD) Weight: 10 pounds Volume: 37 liters (expands to 48 liters)

• Despite the plastic shielding, the exposed rails on the exterior could use more protection. While dragging the bag up stairs (which we don’t advise doing), we felt more scraping than we’d like.
• At first glance, the handle feels too loose for a roughly $700 bag. We spoke to Briggs & Riley representatives, and they explained that this is a deliberate choice: The looser tolerances allow for the handle to retract by itself when you click its button, without your having to force it down. In practice, this is very helpful for scaling stairs and could save you some hassle in tight quarters, such as in the aisle of an airplane.
• At 10 pounds, the Baseline Essential is the heaviest bag we recommend. In this price range, weight often equals durability, which equals quality. But if you’re uncomfortable with a heavier bag, this isn’t the best pick for you.

Carl Friedrik’s The Carry-On is an impressive polycarbonate case that improves in areas where most other companies tend to cut corners.

It’s robust and durable. It improves the usual hard-case design primarily by replacing the zipper with an aluminum frame sealed with two metal latches incorporating TSA locks. This trim makes the case feel far more robust, which is a very satisfying feeling when you’re wheeling luggage around an airport.

Clasping shut an aluminum frame with a metal lock is pleasing—it feels like closing a safe and locking it tight. The polycarbonate shell has an equally rigid feeling but exhibits plenty of flexibility under strain. Although it’s difficult to compare polycarbonates between brands, higher-end polycarbonate feels dense to the touch even as the material flexes; in this piece of luggage, Carl Friedrik offers impressive quality.

Additionally, the Carl Friedrik Carry-On has YKK zippers internally and Hinomoto spinner wheels from Japan—both considered the top of their class.

It’s thoughtfully styled. The soft leather accents and bolted frame all have a certain maturity that’s often lacking in other, competing cases. This look carries to the inside of the luggage as well. A simple gray polyester lining accompanies two sets of compression straps and a removable compression pad, which has a zippered pocket.

It has an excellent warranty. As you might expect for the price, Carl Friedrik backs up its luggage with a lifetime warranty that protects against airline damage (assuming the airline hasn’t responded to your request for compensation within 14 days).

Dimensions: 21.6 by 14.5 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 8.6 pounds Volume: 40 liters

• This is a brand-new pick—so far we haven’t found any flaws, but we’re keeping an eye on the latches. Luggage latches are small, complicated mechanical devices that have a myriad of ways to fail.
• The handle feels just a touch loose, which, as with our upgrade pick from Briggs & Riley , can be a benefit. It can also sometimes be a hazard. Again, we’ll continue testing it.

Hybrid designs like the Yeti Crossroads 22″/35L Wheeled Luggage aren’t for everyone, but if you like the flexibility of a soft-sided luggage with the hard-hitting ruggedness of a polycarbonate back and two large fixed wheels, then this bag is just right.

It’s made from tough materials and easy-to-repair parts. Yeti has a reputation for using tough, sometimes cutting-edge, materials in all its gear. The Crossroads is no exception. The 700-denier nylon is one of the better nylons we’ve tested—tightly woven and exceptionally durable. (Denier is a measure of the fiber thickness in a fabric.)

The Crossroads comes in only a two-wheeled design, which is usually able to withstand more damage than a four-wheeled design. The wheels are also easier to service on the road and often replaceable. 5

It’s well organized. It includes a front panel organizer, similar to that of modern laptop backpacks, with two slots for your laptop and tablet plus a mesh pocket for spare gear. Fully packed, it still has room for a few magazines as well, if you like. Internally, the soft top has a zippered main compartment with a decent amount of packing space, as well as two mesh organizing pockets.

It’s a pleasure to pack. As the Crossroads is built around a molded polycarbonate base, the entire suitcase becomes, in essence, a large tray to pack and then zip shut. It’s a very satisfying design—easier to manage than many of the clamshell designs that are currently popular. Yeti’s packing cubes are designed to fit snugly in the Crossroads’s main compartment, and the bag does come with one small cube. But if you choose these, you’re spending a premium for additional packing cubes when almost any packing cube will work.

Dimensions: 22 by 14 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 8 pounds Volume: 40 liters

• We’d love to see a better warranty. Three years is very limited when compared with other luggage brands selling similarly priced suitcases—especially for a bag that claims to be as tough as the brand’s reputation.
• Occasionally, Yeti’s tough-gear reputation veers almost into absurdity, as with the inclusion here of self-sealing zippers on a bag that isn’t actually waterproof—merely weather resistant. They’re top-of-the-line zippers. But self-sealing zippers can be hard to operate and require regular lubrication, which most people aren’t used to providing.
• The front-facing laptop organizer is woefully unshielded. If you’re traveling with a laptop, place it deep within the bag if you want it properly protected.
• The bag feels heavy—by our measurements, it weighs about a half pound more than Yeti’s 7.5-pound estimation. It’s not the heaviest of our picks, but something about the weight distribution and shape of the bag makes it feel heavier when you’re swinging it around.

If you need a hard-sided budget bag: Look at the Gregory Quadro Hardcase 22″ , an unexpectedly high-quality suitcase from an outdoor-gear company. Gregory offers a lifetime warranty with service and repair. Although the warranty doesn’t explicitly mention airline damage, Gregory’s good reputation speaks for itself in this matter. However, the Quadro Hardcase is a pound heavier (at 6.5 pounds) and about $60 more than our budget pick.

If the Away Carry-On is sold out: Consider the Monos Carry-On Plus . Picking between these two models came down to splitting some very fine hairs. Both use YKK zippers. Both have lifetime warranties. The handles and interiors are almost identical. Monos even hides the stitching that attaches the zipper to the polycarbonate frame, which is a nice aesthetic touch. The difference came down to the Away Carry-On’s wheels, which spun just that much more freely in our testing, and the underside handle, which made it easier to pull out of overhead bins. And we’ve tested the Away Carry-On for longer. However, if it’s unavailable, the Monos model is a good, nearly identical substitute.

If you want a bag made of recycled materials: We suggest the Paravel Aviator Carry-On . Paravel is attempting to design luggage with recycled materials and some environmentally minded transparency to the company’s production methods. However, you pay a premium for the effort. Quality-wise, the bag is similar to our other hard-sided picks, for about a hundred more dollars. And much of the Paravel branding is built on carbon offsets, which we are deeply skeptical of (though we wish they worked).

If you’re an infrequent adventurer: Try the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag Roller , which could almost be an also-great pick under our hybrid pick . It’s cheaper, has a better warranty (but no explicit coverage for airline damage), and is made from recycled materials. However, the overall build quality is wanting. For example, the polycarbonate shell doesn’t fully cover the tubes for the extendable handle as it does with our hybrid pick. It seems an oversight for bags that are built to knock around.

If the best possible suit-packing experience is all you want, and money is no object: The Vocier C38 Carry-On Luggage is worth a look, despite a few flaws and an $800 price tag. The C38 takes a unique, fold-free approach to packing clothes. Rather than folding garments in on themselves to fit in the bag, it bends the suit around the outside of the luggage frame in a U shape. This packing method creates no creases and therefore no wrinkles. The case is protected by a limited lifetime warranty that doesn’t cover airline damage.

We hope to take a look at the European brand Floyd , which is currently popular on Instagram. At first glance, it’s another piece of luggage looking to appeal to a younger mass audience. But the easy-to-replace polyurethane wheels and bearings—similar to skateboard wheels—do have “user-serviceable parts inside” curb appeal.

We’re currently testing Level8’s Voyageur series of luggage, which features an extra-wide handle. It’s a design trend we’re starting to track with a few lesser-known brands (and, incidentally, a Louis Vuitton case costing several thousand dollars). A wide handle should do two things: It should free up a little more space inside the luggage, and it should improve handling.

Lastly, we’re considering expanding our coverage to include equipment cases like those made by Pelican . Though their appropriate use is very specific, when you need to travel with high-end gear or fragile valuables, Pelican cases more or less set the standard.

Soft-sided carry-on luggage

Cotopaxi Allpa 38L Roller Bag : We’re generally fans of Cotopaxi’s Allpa line, but this two-wheeled bag falls short. Specifically, the bottom of the bag is split by the zipper, which gives the bag an unstable feeling when it’s standing upright.

Eagle Creek Tarmac XE 4-Wheel 22″ Carry On Luggage : If this bag were about $150 cheaper, it would be a good price for the quality. We like the recycled materials, but the bag lacks framing.

Solo Re:Treat Carry-On Spinner : I appreciate any bag made entirely out of recycled materials, but this model (from a brand owned by the same company that manages Briggs & Riley) felt awfully flimsy. Even with its five-year warranty, I just don’t trust that this bag can go the distance.

Thule Subterra : The clamshell design—similar to the ones you find on hard-sided bags—makes this bag difficult to close if you’re trying to fill it to its full capacity. It just isn’t as easy to use as our soft-sided picks.

Timbuk2 Copilot Luggage Roller : The balance on this bag was decent, and it stood up well unloaded or loaded. Its wheels had a cheap ball-bearing rhythmic chatter, though, and the abundance of zippers and internal compartments made it tedious to pack.

Tumi Aerotour International Expandable 4 Wheeled Carry-On : At about half the price, this would be a great bag. But paying nearly $700 for a five-year warranty and a bag that doesn’t do nearly as much as a Briggs & Riley suitcase seems a bit silly.

Hard-sided carry-on luggage

Amazon Basics 24-Inch Hardside Spinner : This bag is a surprisingly good carry-on for about $90. However, its ABS plastic shell is not as tough as a polycarbonate shell. It’s worth investing more in your luggage—the bag you choose will last longer and work better.

Arlo Skye The Frame Carry-On : The Arlo Skye carry-on is a decent piece of luggage, but it’s hard to square the bag with its cost: $200 more than our pick from Away .

Away The Carry-On: Aluminum Edition : 10 pounds! At this weight, you’ve lost a quarter of your allowable luggage weight to the suitcase alone, unpacked. And it’s nearly as expensive as our upgrade pick, with a much less satisfying compression system.

Briggs & Riley Torq and Sympatico : Though these collections seek to solve a different problem, neither is as impressive as the Baseline series.

Calpak Ambeur Carry-On Luggage : We preferred sturdier polycarbonate shells over Calpak’s blended ABS polycarbonate shell. Also, the bag’s handling felt jittery against normal airport floor surfaces.

Delsey Rempart Expandable Spinner Carry-On : At just around $200, the Rempart is a decent budget option. However, the external styling (like layers of pressed sheet pans) is an odd choice. It has some practicality, but only if you’re stacking identical Delsey cases one on top of another, which might happen, I suppose, at some point … maybe.

July Carry On : In the lineup between July, Monos, and Away, July falls just short. We appreciate the lifetime warranty, YKK zippers, and flexible but dense-feeling polycarbonate. But the overall design doesn’t do much to improve on the category (as the Monos bag subtly does).

Level8 Road Runner Pro Carry-On 20″ : This is potentially a decent budget pick at just around $200. But the one-year warranty and the somewhat fiddly TSA lock and front latching panel give us pause.

Lojel Cubo Medium : Although we liked the uncommon top-loading design, the internal organization of the lid made packing this carry-on difficult. We also weren’t impressed by the zippered expansion system, which made the suitcase feel bulkier than our picks.

Lojel Voja Medium : An odd suitcase, this would be a great children’s suitcase or a budget pick—especially if it were under $200. But its current price is steep for a polypropylene blend with a couple of latches.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Chris Ryan.

Airline policies vary, but a general rule is that the bag must be under 45 linear inches—the total sum of the bag’s length, width, and depth. Here’s the current sizing breakdown among the major US airlines:

• Alaska Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
• Allegiant Air: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
• American Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches (the dimensions of soft-sided garment bags are allowed to add up to 51 inches)
• Delta Air Lines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
• Frontier Airlines: 24 by 16 by 10 inches (and less than 35 pounds)
• Hawaiian Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
• JetBlue Airways: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
• Southwest Airlines: 24 by 16 by 10 inches
• Spirit Airlines: 22 by 18 by 10 inches
• Sun Country Airlines: 24 by 16 by 11 inches
• United Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches

We double-checked the measurable packable space of our top picks against the manufacturers’ listed volumes by filling each piece of luggage with hundreds of Ping-Pong balls: 144 Ping-Pong balls weigh exactly 0.5 pound, and each Ping-Pong ball represents approximately 2 cubic inches (PDF) . After weighing each piece of luggage three times to establish an average empty weight, we filled the bags as full as we could with Ping-Pong balls and measured the change in weight. For every half-pound increase in weight we estimated 288 cubic inches of packable space.

His five-day travel kit included the following:

• 1 two-piece linen suit on a hanger
• 1 dress shirt on a hanger
• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 pair of khakis
• 5 medium-weight to lightweight shirts
• 1 heavy sweater
• 2 flannel shirts
• 5 pairs of boxer briefs
• 5 pairs of sport socks

Her five-day travel kit included the following:

• 1 dress on a hanger
• 1 blazer on a hanger
• 1 blouse on a hanger
• 1 pair of heels
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 1 pair of light sneakers
• 5 pairs of underwear and 3 bras
• 1 pair of yoga pants
• 1 flannel shirt
• 1 hair dryer
• 1 curling iron
• 1 jewelry/makeup kit
• 3 pairs of sport socks
• 4 lightweight shirts

You use a garment folder by laying a suit or dress across the panels, folding them into themselves, and zipping up the inner compartment. A folder should be wide enough that a suit isn’t cramped, and it should include hanger straps (which should fit around everything, even larger plastic hangers) to keep things from shifting around too much. Some folding boards have 0.75-inch-diameter foam rolls in them to help prevent creases along the packed clothes’ fold lines. When you aren’t traveling with fancy clothes, you can take the whole apparatus apart and use it as luggage dividers in the main bag itself, or leave it at home, converting the suit/dress compartment into an extra packing cube.

Yeti doesn’t seem to have an easy way to order replaceable wheels. But the 3.5-by-1-inch wheels are fairly common, and we’re looking at the best possible alternatives.

Meet your guide

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

Further reading

Wirecutter’s 100 Most Popular Picks in September 2022

by Wirecutter Staff

These 100 useful things were the most-purchased Wirecutter picks in September 2022.

The Best Luggage Tags

by Geoffrey Morrison

We chose five luggage tags that will help you identify your belongings in a sea of similar suitcases.

The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks

by Kit Dillon

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L is our backpack pick for most travelers. We also have picks for other travelers, including those who want to carry a bit more.

We’ve Loved Luggage From Travelpro’s Platinum Elite Line for a Decade. Here’s Why.

Travelpro Platinum Elite is our most loyal travel companion.

The 8 Best Mens Travel Bags for Every Kind of Trip

From hard-shell luggage to leather weekenders and durable backpacks, these carriers will have him jet-setting in style.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

From there, it's up to you decide the kind you might make the most use of. From leather weekenders for short getaways with the guys, to garment bags that keeps your business suits wrinkle-free for work trips, to hard-shell suitcases for 2-week voyages abroad, here are some of the best travel bags every man should add to his travel rotation.

Best Weekender

Troubadour weekender.

Best Duffle Bag

Filson leather-trimmed twill duffle bag.

Best Carry-On

Rimowa original cabin in silver.

Whether you're going away overnight or heading out of town for a couple of days, this sleek weekender fits a ton without weighing a ton. There are also several interior and external pockets for smaller necessities, as well space for a laptop.

Material: Recycled polyester fabric, recycled polyester lining, vegan leather trim

Dimensions: 19" W x 13" H x 9" D

Is this not the chicest duffle bag you've ever laid your eyes on? Made of hard-wearing twill with a leather trim, this equestrian-inspired Filson carrier was made to last and gets better with wear. Beyond that, it has endless space for all your essentials and makes packing a breeze.

Material: Twill/Leather

Dimensions: 19.7" x 11.8"

If you're an avid T&C reader, you'll know we're team carry-on , and team carry-on only. The Cadillac of luggage, this aluminum TSA-approved option is not only durable and lightweight, but it's also supremely spacious and can hold a week's worth of clothes (perhaps even more if you own compression bags).

One reviewer writes : "Luxurious, sturdy, beautiful. My favorite luggage. We travel everywhere together and it has never let me down. "

Material: Aluminum

Dimensions: 21.7 x 15.8 x 9.1 inch

More: The Very Best Carry-On Luggage to Take With You on Your Next Trip

Samsonite Silhouette 17 Backpack

This backpack is a game-changer because it packs as a suitcase and features tons of built-in pockets, a removable tech kit for wires and gadgets, garment compression panel, padded laptop compartment, and more.

One reviewer writes: "Perfect in every aspect. Fits overhead fits under seat. It’s a backpack with the features of a well compartmentalized suitcase and so much more. It’s also quite elegant and very well made. I got so many compliments on this backpack. Totally worth the money. In an age when overhead bags are just small, hard suitcases this bag will have you in and out of the overhead in a jiffy while others pull and tug."

Material: Polyester, Recyclex

Dimensions: 12.5" L x 7" W x 20" H

More: The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks for Easy, Breezy Packing

Away The Large

If you must check a piece of luggage, consider this Away option which boasts a sturdy polycarbonate shell and can fit two-weeks-worth of outfits. Customers also claim Away has top-notch customer service that can assist with any issues you might face.

One reviewer writes: "Love this luggage, it’s beautiful, it’s practical and efficient and it holds up to the wear and tear of traveling so well! Highly recommend."

Material: 100% Polycarbonate Shell

Dimensions: 29" x 20.5" x 12.5"

Mark & Graham Harvey Leather Overnighter

Go bespoke with a monogrammed weekender from Mark & Graham. Made of supple pebbled leather, the timeless style offers substantial room for long weekend getaways; there's even a space designed specifically for shoes.

Material: Leather

Dimensions: 11" H x 18" W x 9.5" D

Tumi Alpha Garment Bag Tri-Fold Carry-On

Tumi makes some of the best luggage around, and its garment bag is no exception. Perfect for the businessman who frequently travels for work, this compact carrier can hold up to two suits with ample space for toiletries.

One reviewer writes: "[It] keeps the suits and shirts crisp and wrinkle free. Very handy for business travel."

Material: Ballistic Nylon

Dimensions: 15.0" x 22.0" x 6.0"

Halfday Travel The Garment Duffel

This looks like your ordinary duffle bag, but it actually also doubles as a garment bag. A hanging compartment can hold up to three suits and when all zipped up, there's even more space for tees, jeans, and other folded clothes, as well as a dedicated compartment for a pair of shoes. Genius.

One reviewer writes: "This bag is better than I even expected, and I expected a lot. The design is amazing. It holds a ton, way more than I'd need for a weekend. The quality appears to be solid... It is a beautiful bag."

Material: Polyester

Dimensions: 22" L x 12" H x 12" D

Sophie Dweck is the associate shopping editor for Town & Country, where she covers beauty, fashion, home and décor, and more. 

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The Best Travel Backpacks of 2024

There are a lot of great travel backpacks out there, but not all of them are created equal. A travel pack needs to be comfortable to carry, easy to organize, and durable enough to withstand being toted from place to place.

From hitting the road for the weekend to spending months traveling abroad, we’ve put nearly 30 different travel backpacks through the wringer. We tallied our airline miles, punched our tickets, and put our tray tables in the upright and locked position for close to half a decade now, taking domestic and international flights to as far as Iceland and as close as 30-minute island hops. And while there isn’t a single pack that suits every traveler, we’ve highlighted a variety of designs and price points to help you find the perfect travel backpack.

Choosing a travel backpack can be a dizzying experience, and we’ve shaken down the best to sort through the static. Each pack has seen its time on the baggage carousel, hostel luggage cart, and we’ve even had a few go missing for the full experience. We fully pack and live out of these bags to test them, and in the end, we’re confident that the 15 packs collected here are the best travel backpacks available today. Check in and check them out.

For all your travel pack questions, consult our buyer’s guide , where we’ve laid bare all the essentials. Compare each of the packs using our handy comparison chart , and if you’ve still got questions, check out our FAQ section.

Editor’s Note: We updated our travel backpack guide on May 21, 2024, adding the JanSport Journey Pack as our new best budget travel pack, as well as the feature-rich and burly Able Carry Max Backpack .

• Best Overall Travel Backpack: Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L
• Best Budget Travel Backpack: JanSport Journey Pack
• Best Carrying Travel Backpack: Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs
• Best Organization in a Travel Backpack: Matador SEG45 Travel Pack
• Best Shoulder Bag: Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L
• Best Commuter-Style Travel Backpack: Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L
• Best Personal Item Travel Pack: TimBuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

• Capacity 45 L (collapses to 35 L)
• Weight 4 lbs., 8 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 13" x 9.5" standard, 22" x 13" x 11" expanded
• Compartment access Back panel clamshell design with #10 zipper
• Material Weatherproof, 100% recycled 400-denier nylon canvas shell; 900-denier waterproof bottom

• Compresses down to maximum airline carry-on size, and then expands once you’ve hit your destination
• Burly construction
• No details are overlooked in the design
• Side-carry handles are offset in an awkward position

Perfect is a dirty word in product design, but we’re about stumped when it comes to drumming up a quibble about the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45 L ($300). This redeye-ready clamshell design is made to the highest of standards.

It’s made of quality materials, utilizing aluminum hardware and a burly 400-denier nylon canvas — and it easily ticks all our boxes for the best overall travel backpack. The interior of the bag is split into two compartments: a larger main area for storing the majority of your kit and a secondary sleeve at the front of the bag with five zippered pockets. The main pocket also sports a foam-padded laptop sleeve and three more pockets.

One of the more impressive aspects we discovered along the bag’s inaugural leg from Seattle to Anchorage was how easily the straps of the Travel Backpack stow away into the bag. Two foam panels on the back of the bag flip away to secure them and then close with a magnetic closure — very slick. This was our favorite strap-stowage system, with the zippered panels of the Matador GlobeRider45 coming in a close second. We find the Peak Design bag compresses smaller.

Then there are the little details. An ID-size sleeve on the back panel provides all the information should your bag get separated from you. Zipper pulls thread through one another to keep what’s yours safe. And a collapsible system adjusts the bag from a full 45 L to 35 L.

In our review, there’s little about the Peak Design pack that misses the mark. The company leans heavily toward the camera-toting travelers among us, but the 45 L Travel Backpack makes no compromises and works just as well for any user group. The high price is undeniable, but for the scope of the travel pack, it’s a buy-once-cry-once purchase we would make again.

Also available in a 30L size , the range of Travel Backpacks from Peak Design is so well-thought-out that you can practically see the cogs turning in their creators’ heads. We think they make the best travel backpacks on the market.

JanSport Journey Pack

• Capacity 28 liters
• Weight 1 lb., 13.6 oz.
• Dimensions 19.5" x 12.5" x 7"
• Compartment access Zippered top access
• Material 100% 600D recycled polyester + 1680D ballistic boot
• Electronic storage 15" laptop sleeve

• Compact and clean profile
• Plush foam back panel and shoulder straps
• Compression straps on bottom of pack tote around a jacket
• Smooth-running zippers
• Good internal organization
• Laptop sleeve won't fit some large modern laptops
• Water bottle pockets sized for slimmer vessels

At $95, the JanSport Journey Pack does a lot for a little. As a campus commuter, airline personal item, or do-it-all backpack, this pack leverages its lack of specificity to make it amenable to being used on just about any day. Part of a trio of new travel packs from the legendary campus bookbag brand, the Journey surprised us with a more high-end build than expected, and for the money, it made an excellent travel companion.

While the Journey isn’t trimmed out in some of the more boutique fabrics, it is still solidly built and uses the good stuff where it counts, such as the 1680D ballistic boot material that’s reinforced with recycled car windshield liners (news to us). The 600D polyester used elsewhere has a rugged nailhead finish, and shoulders wear well.

The thick EVA foam used in the shoulder straps and back panel is cushy and applied liberally. On the inside, the laptop sleeve is lined with plush tricot material, along with an organizer pocket for stashing your readers or sunnies.

The organization of the pack is similarly uncompromising and is broken down into a spacious main compartment, front stash pocket, small bits and bobs organizer pocket, and a 15″ laptop sleeve — which easily toted our tester’s MacBook Pro safely.

When packed as a carry-on, we were able to stuff in an assortment of layers we might need along the way (rain jacket, warm puffy, hat), along with our headphones, book, travel pillow , and lunch for the flight, and still had space for an empty water bottle or two.

As a 28-liter pack, there’s no alternate sizing available and no hip belt to go along — though, in our opinion, loads this light doesn’t need one. Compression straps are limited, though you do get a set at the bottom of the pack that doubles as a dock for your beach towel, picnic blanket, or rolled-up jacket.

Like the TimBuk2 Never Check , the side water bottle pockets on this pack are really only ideal for thin bottles or flasks, and while we could shoehorn a Nalgene in there, it didn’t look happy.

Compromises aside, for less than $100, the JanSport Journey Pack doesn’t take the easy way out and phone it in with fewer materials or a more simple organizational layout. We had a pocket or sleeve for anything we needed to stash (besides a dedicated passport pocket), and the Journey made for an easy personal item on the handful of flights we took it on — easily stashing beneath the seat. If you’d rather ball out on your big-ticket luggage and just need a travel backpack that’ll plain work, this is the bag for you.

Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs

• Capacity 40 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 7.6 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 14" x 9"
• Compartment access Zippered back panel clamshell design
• Material Bluesign-approved 450-denier recycled polyester

• Supreme suspension system offers the best carry of any pack we tried
• External compression straps limit the volume well
• Comfortably padded grab handles
• Not much internal organization

No stranger to producing supremely comfortable suspension systems, Osprey injected a good bit of its tech into the Farpoint and Fairview packs ($185), which both sport LightWire frames, load lifters, and breathable framesheet and suspension straps. Our Farpoint pack was easily the best load carrier of any we tested and a close contender for the best travel backpack overall.

Far beyond what any of the other travel packs offer, the pack even allows you to adjust the torso length — unheard of in the typical travel pack. Newly updated, these packs have been tweaked to ride the line between traditional backpacks and functional luggage, a claim we can substantiate.

The 40-liter capacity is just about the sweet spot for domestic carry-on luggage limits, and these packs make good use of the space. We could easily pack away a long weekend’s worth of travel essentials into the bag with a little space to spare.

Whereas many other travel packs stash straps away into the body of the pack, the Farpoint and Fairview move in the opposite direction with a deployable strap cover that neatly seals in the suspension for safekeeping when checked. This produces a clean profile that’s ready to be slung around, but it’s not quite as easy and quick as the magnetic panels of the Peak Design Travel Backpacks, as you need to unclip straps to tuck them away.

The interior of the pack is rather spartan, incorporating only one zippered pocket, a laptop sleeve, and two internal compression straps. We would have rather seen a bit more organizational features involved like those that the Matador GlobeRider and Topo Designs Global Travel bags incorporate, but for those who stuff more than pack, the Farpoint and  Fairview may very well punch the ticket.

With one foot on the platform and one on the trail, these packs from Osprey will get you where you’re going and carry a trip’s worth of kit with ease.

Matador SEG45 Travel Pack

• Capacity 45 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 8 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 13.4" x 10.2"
• Compartment access Full clamshell interior, additional front zippered access
• Material 420-denier nylon exterior, 100-denier Robic Dynatec interior

• Excellent storage organization options
• High-quality, strong, and lightweight construction
• No frame to speak of
• Shoulder straps don’t pack away

Aiming to do more with less, the Matador SEG45 Segmented Backpack ($200) proposes a future free of packing cubes and splits up the bag for you, making the organization of your travel pack a breeze.

The full 45 liters of volume is shared among the five segments (6, 9, 15, 9, and 6 L) and trades volume between the full clamshell compartment and the segments. Each of these segments is accessible via its own water-resistant zippers and can be collapsed as your needs change.

We found organizing by clothing type made the most sense in our own packing, but you could even pack based on the day of the week or the use. The clamshell-accessed main compartment was ideal for holding larger items like spare shoes or quarantining spent outfits.

Known for its overbuilt but lightweight bags, Matador didn’t spare the SEG45, utilizing 420D UHMWPE-reinforced nylon in the pack body, as well as 100D Robic Dynatec weave on the interior. It should be noted that this travel backpack doesn’t have any kind of frame and will rely on being packed well to carry correctly. Because of this, this pack won’t carry as well as bags like the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, so consider packing mostly clothing in the SEG45.

Our testers felt this bag excelled as a travel bag you might deploy once you’ve hit your destination, as it packs away into larger bags so well. Unfortunately, however, the shoulder straps don’t pack away into the bag itself, so you’ll have to wrangle them into place to keep things tidy.

No matter what you’re up to, everything has got a spot to live in the SEG45 . Need a bit less space? Matador offers the SEG28 ($250) for that.

Read Review: Dresser in a Backpack: Matador SEG42 Review

Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L

• Weight 3 lbs., 10.3 oz.
• Dimensions 22.8" x 8.6" x 14.5"
• Compartment access Back panel zippered clamshell design
• Material 900-denier recycled polyester ripstop with a TPU laminate

• Multiple ways to carry the pack
• Many different storage and internal organization options
• Burly external fabric
• Doesn’t carry the best as a backpack

Looking to squeeze out every last liter of allowed space? Patagonia named this pack in honor of the cause: the Patagonia Black Hole Maximum Legal Carry-On 45 L ($239). This bag can be carried in a number of different ways, but we found it shined during travel as a shoulder bag.

Borrowing fabric from Patagonia’s line of burly Black Hole Duffels , the MLC 45 is made for the long haul. The 900-denier polyester ripstop is coated in a TPU laminate and feels ready to take on the surliest baggage carrier. We certainly felt no remorse in tossing the bag around.

At 45 L, the MLC is certainly right at the cusp of the maximum allowed size, but thankfully that space is well divided up inside the pack. Inside the main clamshell-accessed compartment is a blizzard of zippers and mesh pockets and dividers. Anything we tossed inside was well-stabilized.

Because there isn’t much of a frame to speak of, the Black Hole MLC doesn’t carry the best when slung over both shoulders and can sag when not entirely full. But over a shoulder with the included shoulder strap, this pack feels great and can be easily accessed on the go. This is one of the only packs in our testing to feature a shoulder strap (the other being the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag).

On top of all this, we greatly appreciate that the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45 L is made with 100% recycled body fabric, lining, and webbing. Perfect for grabbing and going, this pack is ready to move.

Read Review: Patagonia Black Hole MLC Bag Review: An Organized, Carry-On-Size Wonder

Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L

• Capacity 24 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 1.6 oz.
• Dimensions 18" x 7: x 11.5"
• Compartment access Zippered clamshell
• Material 840D ballistic nylon 6, 420D HT nylon

• Functions as both a laptop backpack and suitcase
• Well-structured and protected
• Full panel loading access
• Limited colorways

With an understated look that betrays the truly impressive fit and functionality inside, the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L ($279) doesn’t need to brag — it knows it’ll tote your kit through the worst of your travel or everyday commutes without missing a beat. This bag is our newly anointed best commuter-style travel backpack.

From a fabrics and materials standpoint, it’s clear that someone at Evergoods truly nerded out when they brewed up this bindle. The 840D ballistic nylon 6 that makes up the exterior of the pack is burly (errantly spilled coffee wipes right off), and complements the thick #10 zippers and spacer-mesh back panel. Even the Evergoods logo is low-key: a simple 2×2” patch on the front of the bag with a slash. That’s it — and we dig it.

Bar none, the Civic Panel Loader has the best laptop sleeve we’ve ever encountered in a backpack, and that’s saying something. The side-accessed zippered aperture can hold a 17” Macbook Pro, and nestles into a fully padded space at the rear of the pack.

This sleeve is suspended from the bottom of the bag, as we’ve seen in many forward-thinking bags, but goes a step further and protects the laptop from the side with an aluminum stay — the primary functionality of which is to support the side handle on the bag. Genius.

The high-polish finish on the CPL24 feels reminiscent of the attention to detail we loved about the Tom Bihn Synapse 25, but we ended up enjoying this pack even more for a simple reason: side carry. The broad handle on the side of the pack is reinforced by that aluminum stay, and it creates a perfectly supported carry for jostling through crowded terminals.

On the interior of the pack, two large pockets are subdivided with a few smaller sleeves and pockets, which are oriented to be accessed with the bag on its side. We carried this pack for a month straight of remote work, lugging it to coffee shops and co-working spaces, and it supplanted all other packs we’ve used previously.

“It’s hard not to love a pack that makes your life easier,” says Senior Editor Nick Belcaster. “This pack does that. Laptop, headphones, notebooks — a whole lot goes into the pack without a care.”

Up there with Nomatic, GORUCK, and Tom Bihn, Evergoods is certainly among the pack-makers that put intelligent design and smart material choice above all else. The Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L is the final word when it comes to a travel pack you can carry every day. We certainly do.

Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

• Capacity 27.5 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 9 oz.
• Dimensions 18.9" x 11.4" x 5.9"
• Material 420x2000D Cordura nylon, 135D polyester

• Dang good looking
• High-quality trim and details, including anodized G hooks and supple webbing
• Supper cushioned back panel
• Exterior expandable water bottle pocket is a bit slim
• Pack straps don't stow away.

Pulling off a good expandable backpack can be a tough task, with fabric accordion folds often taking up valuable real estate on the interior when collapsed in lesser bags. Not so with the TimBuk2 Never Check ($209), which takes a simple backpack shape and elevates it with premium materials and design to create one of our favorite travel backpacks for tucking under an airliner seat.

Unlike a lot of the pure-function rectangular bags in our lineup, the Never Check is a real looker — easily one of the best styled in our testing so far, and we’d have no qualms about bringing it along as a business bag. Small details like rubber-covered zipper pulls, anodized G hooks, and supple webbing keep it looking sharp. The 27.5-liter size is just about dead-on for most airline ‘personal item’ size requirements, and this bag easily slides under a seat.

The main compartment is accessed through a clamshell zipper on the front of the bag, which is gusseted to hang open while you’re loading it up. During the few national and international flights our Senior Editor Nick Belcaster deployed the bag on, this was easily enough space for everything you might want during a plane ride. And for everything else, a front pocket is lined with multiple drop and zip pockets for organizing small gadgets like chargers or keys.

The back panel of the Never Check is a plush ½-inch of comfortable foam, and combined with the equally padded shoulder straps made for a very nice carrying bag. The straps unfortunately do not stow away, but on a lower volume pack such as this, it’s a much less useable feature in our opinions. 

And finally, one of our favorite features: the wide laptop sleeve. This 15” opening is generous enough to accommodate the larger laptops of today, and is suspended from the bottom of the backpack to ensure bumps don’t turn into bruises.

Just like the name suggests, the Never Check Expandable Backpack provides a svelte solution to bringing a bag with you during airline travel — or even just to the office. Its clean profile and attention to detail impressed us, and it would make an excellent work-to-weekend bag.

Able Carry Max Backpack

• Capacity 30 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 14.4 oz.
• Dimensions 20.4" x 12.6" x 7.9"
• Compartment access Zippered clamshell design
• Material X-Pac and 1000D nylon face fabric, ripstop 420D nylon interior

• High-quality fit and finish with top-shelf materials
• Dedicated work compartment is well organized and padded
• Shoulder straps and back panel are cushy Zotefoam
• Fits 17" laptops
• No hipbelt can be nice for storing, but needed for heavy carries
• On the higher end for travel pack pricing

Sporting many of the same features and functionality as the leading travel packs in our review, the Able Carry Max Backpack ($278) leaves little on the cutting room floor, decked out with ultra-durable Cordura nylon and X-Pac materials to pull together a travel pack that you could kick, throw, or loft across the airport to no ill effect. This is one tough pack.

At 30 liters, the only thing not ‘Maxed’ out on the Max is the capacity, which lands at less than the maximum legal carry-on size for most domestic airlines, but will be ideal instead for those who are operating with a little more room in their checked baggage, freeing up the Max for the important stuff. We also find slightly smaller packs such as this fly much easier on worldwide flights, where carry-on sizes can be a bit more diminutive.

That space is wisely dispersed, organized, and split between the laptop and main compartments. The laptop sleeve won’t hold any remote worker back, as it will host up to the 17″ mondo laptops of the modern age. It is flanked by an accessories pocket lined with four stretchy pockets for swaddling your chargers, cords, memory cards, and wireless mouse.

The main compartment leaves the organization up to you and is accessed through a broad clamshell opening that gives you full access to the entire space. A couple of packing cubes won’t go to waste in this space, and while Able Carry doesn’t supply the straps themselves, a couple of daisy chain webbing loops run the length of either side of the interior, meaning you can wrangle unruly items if need be. The back panel tucks away a few more zippered pockets, and a water bottle pocket also collapses away when not needed.

On the exterior, the Max is crisscrossed by seatbelt webbing on almost every facet, which will appeal to those who are looking for a modular pack for attaching and switching kit around as it’s needed. The VX21 X-Pac material is a rough and tumble weave that might not have the slick finish of the canvas on the Peak Design Travel Backpack but is easily as weather and abrasion-proof. We also highly appreciated the 1000D Cordura nylon on the boot of the pack, which made shuffling it around a worry-free exercise.

There are a lot of high-quality travel backpacks in the 30-liter space, and while most all will get the job done, it’s the construction of the Able Carry Max Backpack that keeps drawing us back to it. The stitching on this pack is exact and plentiful and works to hold a number of high-quality materials together in a thoughtful design.

Fully loaded, we did sometimes wish for a removable hip belt to help shoulder the weight a bit, but only the most jammed-full load-outs elicited this desire. For anyone after a dialed-in travel pack, the Max lives up to the name.

Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack

• Dimensions 22" x 12.8" x 11"
• Material 420D UHMWPE-reinforced ripstop nylon, 100D Robic nylon mini-ripstop

• Incredible density of pockets and sleeves
• Tough UHMWPE outer fabric can be tossed around
• Shoulder straps tuck away in a novel and smart manner
• Laptop sleeve opening is a bit tight
• Price is up there

With a pocket or sleeve for pretty much everything, the new Matador GlobeRider 45 ($350) gives the Peak Design Travel Pack a run for its money when it comes to the best overall travel pack. 

Our Managing Editor raved about the GlobeRider after serious testing where she pretty much lived out of it for 3 months: “If you travel often and look for crucial components like internal and external pockets, laptop storage, and backpack and hip straps, consider the Matador GlobeRider 45. It’s a unique design in that the [pack] seems to have it all — every feature I’ve needed so far, both living out of it and in my travels — in a pretty packable size.”

What impressed us most was the way the GlobeRider was able to balance both an eye-watering amount of organization and versatility, and burly durability that ensures that this pack won’t shy away from tough travel conditions. In total (and we double-counted) there are 19 individual pockets on the pack, in all types of stretch mesh, zippered, and collapsible configurations. When good organization is key, the GlobeRider reigns. 

On the back panel of the GlobeRider, one of the more novel stowage systems we’ve seen packs away the shoulder straps and hip belt for when you want to slim down the bag. Two zippered panels — similar to the structure of the Peak Design packs, save for the closure — envelop the straps when not in use, and provide a lump-free panel for toting around. 

When it comes to downsides, the GlobeRider doesn’t miss much. The laptop sleeve aperture is a bit small at 9.5”, which in today’s age of mondo-screened computers may be limiting to some with larger devices. There also is no ability to convert the pack to a shoulder bag like the Patagonia MLC does, which can be handy when moving quickly through the airport.

Dang-near the top of the list, the Matador GlobeRider 45 would be an excellent choice for anyone who practices one-bag travel, or desires to have a place for everything in their journeys. The price does sting a bit, but based on the long-term testing we’ve completed so far, we’ve seen no indications that this pack will fade away anytime soon.

Read Review: I Lived Out of This Backpack for 3-Plus Months: Matador Globerider45 Review

Thule Aion 40L

• Weight 3 lbs., 3 oz.
• Dimensions 13" x 9.1" x 20.5"
• Material Waxed P600 polyester canvas

• Maxes out on carry-on-compliant space
• Internal roll-top TPU bag separates the clean from the to-do laundry
• Waxed canvas exterior has a classy look
• Centered side handle carries well
• Well-cushioned back panel
• No shoulder strap stowage option
• No hipbelt on a 40L is pushing it

Better known for their roof boxes and racks, it’s fair to say that Thule knows travel, and the addition of smart, organized, and comfortable travel packs like the Thule Aion 40L ($200) makes all the sense in the world to us. This pack is a finely-honed bag for international and local travel alike, and is decked out in some high-class materials.

Like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC pack, the Aion 40L aims to go for the maximum allowed capacity, and at our measurements (21.5” x 15” x 8”), the pack slides in just half an inch less than the normal 45 linear inches typically allowed. That’s efficient. The space is split up into two main compartments and a laptop sleeve, with the larger opening with a full clamshell zip.

This inner compartment hosts a few zippered pockets and internal compression straps, but the star of the show here is the integrated TPU rolltop bag. This sack can be used to cordon off your liquids (and easily presented for inspection), as well as separate your pile of ‘to-do’ laundry. This reminds us of the ActiveShield compartment in the Gregory Border Traveler pack, but we enjoy the removable aspect here even more. 

Round the back of the pack, the spacer-mesh swaddled laptop sleeve rivals the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader , and has an additional sleeve for items like tablets, notebooks, or chargers. The back panel itself is impressively cushioned (one of the more luxe in our testing) and that extends to the shoulder straps. 

Unfortunately, there’s no shoulder strap-stowage system here, so you’ll have to wrangle those yourself, and while we typically enjoy the lack of a hip belt in smaller travel packs, the absence in a 40-liter pack is a little puzzling. Fully loaded, the Aion could certainly benefit from one, and while a separate sling bag can be added to function as one, you’ll need to fork over $50 for it.

Ranking high up there with your Peak Designs and your Ospreys, the Thule Aion 40L nails the style and material departments, and with a full 40 liters of space on board, has all the room to pack for your week-long trips — no roof box required.

Osprey Archeon 30L

• Weight 3 lbs.
• Dimensions 20.5" x 13" x 11.4"
• Compartment access Zippered top-access
• Material 840D ballistic polyester with carbonate coating

• Extra-tough exterior fabric with carbonate coating
• High-polish details such as seatbelt webbing straps
• Mini-wing hipbelt tucks away easily when not needed
• Smart internal storage pockets that lay flat when not needed
• Laptop sleeve opening is a bit too snug
• Compression straps lay over the main zipper

First off, one word: Rugged. The Osprey Archeon 30L ($250) is a high-end build that spares little in the material department, and looks dang good while it’s at it. The 30-liter size makes this bag weekend travel-ready, and we greatly appreciated the fit and finish.

The overall design of the Archeon reminds us a good bit of the Peak Design Travel Bag (certainly the all-waterproof exterior zippers and curved side-entry pockets), but it’s the exterior fabric that really impressed. The 840D ballistic polyester is coated with a carbonate polyurethane coating, a bolstered recipe that increases durability by a magnitude over traditional PU coatings. In testing, we wore out before putting a dent in it.

The pack itself breaks down into two main compartments, with the main pocket opening behind a curved clamshell zip (we did have a little trouble with the zipper passing behind the exterior straps. Removing them fixed that). Inside, three expandable tech pockets tuck away all of your small kit, and do a good job of keeping things tidy on the interior.

On the exterior, Osprey doesn’t disappoint when it comes to suspension straps, which are comfortable, adjustable, and stashable. The mini wing-style hip belt earns special praise on packed flights, where we find traditional hip belts to be a hassle to store, and combined with the slick shoulder-strap stash pocket, the Archeon converts to minimal mode in under a minute.

Something the Archeon certainly could use, however, is a slightly larger aperture into the laptop/tech compartment. As-is, the zipper doesn’t quite extend down far enough to truly open up the pocket, and as such it can feel a bit like rummaging around in the dark looking for cords and chargers in the bottom of the pack. Extending these zippers down to the middle of the pack would seem to fix the issue, and we hope a later iteration might address this.

Nonetheless, we were still impressed by the Osprey Archeon 30L . There’s also a 40-liter version if you’re looking for a max-capacity carry-on, and even a smaller 24-liter for kicking around coffee shops day-to-day.

Read Review: Hack Carry-On Rules: Osprey Archeon Kit Gives Power Back to Passengers

Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L

• Weight 3 lbs., 10.4 oz.
• Dimensions 22.5" x 14" x 7.5"
• Material 1000D recycled nylon, 400D recycled nylon, 210D recycled nylon, 1680D recycled ballistic nylon

• Overbuilt design with tough materials and chunky zippers
• Plenty of organizational pockets
• Bright interior
• Not the cleanest strap stowage

Chunky zippers, an overhead-savvy profile, and multiple ways to sling it over your shoulder: The Topo Designs Global Travel Pack ($229) has honed in on much of what we love in a travel backpack.

During a recent trip from Seattle to Southern California, we were heavily saddled with the maximum the airline would allow. But this pack made use of every inch of space and reached the allowance of what we could check as our carry-on. The 40 liters of internal capacity is broken down into a series of dividers and pockets, which made condoning off things like electronics from the rest of our kit easy. And the interior of this pack is a cheery canary yellow, which helps with ease and visibility.

On the exterior of this pack, three separate carry styles are available to get you through the concourse in whatever way you choose. We found the full-featured backpack straps to be our go-to, which even sport load-lifters for a comfy carry. This suspension system does tuck away for when you might want to check the bag, though we found the hipbelt to be a bit tricky to fully retract.

Rounding out this travel-ready backpack is a tough build that makes use of 1000D recycled nylon and heavy-duty zippers, and we had no qualms with tossing this bag around during our trip. Perfect for anyone who subscribes to the one-bag travel ethos, the Global Travel Pack from Topo Designs makes the grade for those who want the most out of their carry-on.

And if you’re only going to be away for a short trip, the Global Travel pack is also available in a 30L capacity .

Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack

• Capacity 28 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 4 oz.
• Dimensions 19" x 12" x 9"
• Material TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester, 840-denier nylon paneling

• Burly exterior material holds up for the long run
• Plenty of zippered mesh storage pockets
• On the heavier side
• TPU-coated nylon can feel grabby

The Allpa 28L Travel Pack ($170) will change the way you travel. It’s sleek, durable, and able to fit an incredible amount of stuff in a small space. The zippered mesh pockets keep clothes organized. And the compression straps maximize what you can pack.

The tough polyester and nylon construction can take a beating without any signs of wear. And we appreciate that the externally accessed, padded laptop sleeve makes pulling out your electronics at security checkpoints a breeze. There’s also a small outer compartment to keep essentials at hand.

You can completely tuck away the backpack straps and carry the pack like a briefcase, or wear it comfortably as a backpack. We’ve stuffed this pack to the gills countless times and have never had a problem with the zippers. Light rain showers or spills roll right off the TPU-coated exterior, but for legit rainstorms, just pull out the included rain cover.

The Allpa also comes in 35L, 42L, 50L, and 70L capacities. As our editor noted in the 42L review , “Building on its fun and functional ethos, Cotopaxi beefs up its bestselling product. The Allpa Travel Pack earns big points for clever design, clean aesthetic, and a surprising number of handy — and hidden — features.”

Yes, the Cotopaxi Allpa packs are an investment, but anyone who travels regularly will find it a worthy one. These powerhouse travel backpacks are sturdy, versatile, and built to last.

Tom Bihn Synapse 25

• Capacity 25 L
• Weight 1 lb., 13 oz.
• Dimensions 13.4" x 20" x 9.1"
• Material 400-denier Halcyon, 420-denier nylon ripstop

• Many different fabrics and color schemes are available
• Built to last design and materials
• Removable webbing hip belt
• Suspension doesn’t pack away
• Side wing pockets are a little awkward to access

Refined and clean-looking, the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 ($250) is a high-end travel backpack we just can’t stop staring at. It just looks that good. Made of burly textiles and zippers, this pack was built to stand the test of tough travel and come out shining on the other side.

The Synapse 25 is the larger version of Tom Bihn’s Synapse 19 , a popular backpack made for daily carry. The bump in volume is appreciated in this travel-oriented version and is doled out in one large compartment as well as a set of pockets on the front of the pack.

We found all the pockets easily accessible, save for the side wing pockets. While these were excellent for the organization of smaller bits and bobs, the openings were a bit awkward to jump into.

Topped off by a cushioned suspension (the foam is a half-inch of supple EV50), this travel backpack didn’t weigh us down on long days of travel when fully packed. And when we wanted to go light, even the webbing hip belt was removable. In terms of the ability to bop around town as a daily driver, this pack is up there with the TimBuk2 Never Check (we liked the back panel on this pack the most).

Along with being carry-on compliant, the Synapse is also one of the few bags on our list that are compact enough to fit under most airline seats without hogging too much precious legroom.

Osprey Nebula 32 Daypack

• Capacity 32 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 1.7 oz.
• Dimensions 19.2" x 12.2" x 11.4"
• Material 420-denier recycled nylon

• TSA-compliant laptop sleeve
• Many options for organization
• Water bottle pockets fit 32 oz. bottles
• Need to release two buckles in order to unzip the main pocket all the way

When it comes to backpacks, Osprey has put in the time — and it shows. The Nebula 32 ($140) feels like all the brand’s most popular packs morphed into one. Most of all, we love how it seamlessly goes from city streets to trails.

This backpack can do it all, whether you’re hauling your laptop and books around town; water, food, and layers on an easy hike; or all of the above and then some for a weekend away.

The internal storage pockets are great for organizing all of your things for easy access. And while the Nebula 32 is top-loading, the main pocket opens up wide enough so you won’t have to unload everything to get to the one thing you want at the bottom. The sternum strap and hip belt are comfortable as well, especially when carrying a heavy load.

On smaller volume packs like this, sometimes design concessions need to be made to accommodate all the functionality, and on the Nebula, it’s in the side compression straps. Like on the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, the compression system of the pack overlays across the main compartment zipper, meaning you’ll need to undo some straps before rifling around in the storage area. Not a deal breaker, but a little annoying when the TSA line starts to back up behind you.

Overall, the Nebula 32 won’t disappoint if you make it your go-to smaller-volume travel backpack.

Travel Backpack Comparison Chart

How We Tested Travel Backpacks

The staff of GearJunkie is a hot-footed bunch, restlessly plodding across the country or around the globe in search of adventure and whatever else comes our way. And we have a lot of stuff, which necessitates having a travel bag or four in the stable.

Surely any old bindle will do in carrying your kit around, but having a travel backpack that is dialed into the needs of travel can turn a stressful situation into a manageable one. We’ve been testing travel backpacks since 2019 and have put the market slice through the wringer on thousands of miles of travel to weed out the best of the best.

Senior Editor Nick Belcaster has a zeal for international travel, and he leads up our current travel pack testing, logging almost 10,000 flying miles in the last year alone. From Iceland to Utah, Belcaster has carried these packs and lived out of them for weeks, relying on them to support back-to-back travel excursions.

In testing, we looked for a number of features in our travel backpacks, including overall capacity, carry style, durability, and aesthetics. It’s important to think about how you’ll use your travel pack, and as such, every pack on our list is carry-on compliant for the worst-case scenario.

We know no trip will be like the next, so we took a broad swath of the travel backpacks on the market in order to create a list that will suit many different travelers. Packs in hand, over our shoulders, or on our backs, we hit the four corners and tested the best travel backpacks of 2024.

Curious about what we pack in our travel backpacks? We’ve penned up a list for both domestic and international trips .

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Travel Backpack

Travel backpack user profiles.

The International Jet-Setter: The term ‘One Bag Travel’ is no stranger to you, and you’ve just about got your life distilled down into 45 liters of space. If international travel is your bag, then a backpack that’s up to the task will be essential to see you through to further time zones.

Efficiency will be the name of the game here, and going with a pack that is dang-near the carry-on maximums for international flights will mean you can make it through without checking a bag. Look for near to 45-liter packs with plenty of organization baked in, as well as a comfortable (and stashable) carry system.

For international travel, the bag we reach for most often had to be the Peak Design Travel Backpack , with a razor-thin second place going to the Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack . For an emphasis on organization, the Matador SEG45 splits up the volume well, and if you’ll be schlepping bags around a long way, the Osprey Farpoint & Fairview Packs have all the Osprey suspension we love.

The Weekend Warrior: Maybe it’s a work trip, and maybe it’s just for fun, but it’s only going to take 2-3 days total, and you’ll need a bag that can pack it in. For weekend excursions, we find packs in the 25-35 liter range work well for the minimalists among us, and the 30-40 liter range for those who like a bit more options.

The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 is easily one of the most stylish packs in our review, only slightly edged out by the Timbuk2 Never Check , and both make the grade for a single overnighter in a foreign locale. For a bit more space, you can’t go wrong with the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L , a fun pack that is a lot tougher than the multi-colored exterior would let on.

The Commuter: No flight involved! Duty calls, and sometimes you’ll need to lug around a bit more kit than the old briefcase can allow for. Commuting with a travel backpack is a great way to stay comfortable on longer rides, as shoulder and handbags are cumbersome over the long run. Focus on a bag with a more traditional backpack shape that puts an emphasis on ease-of-access, and is in the 20-30L range.

For bumping around town, we’ve come to love the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24 , which not only lugs our remote office around with ease, but also looks pretty slick doing it. The drawstring opening here is a huge boon for quickly stashing a jacket, and the tough exterior fears no weather forecast. For a budget just-get-it-done choice, the JanSport Journey Pack will make it happen for less.

The right size pack for you depends on a few things. First, where are you going? And, how long do you plan to stay? Winter travel often comes with more gear, so you’ll need to pack extra layers. Longer trips often require larger bags.

That said, your personal packing style will be the most important factor. We know minimalists who happily travel for months with only a single backpack in tow and others who want the largest travel backpack possible in addition to a totally stuffed duffel bag . One method isn’t better than the other, but knowing your style is helpful when choosing a bag.

In general, we’ve found that something in the 28-45 liter range is ideal for comfort and packability. Many packs will also offer a compression system to allow you to limit the overall volume of the backpack. We’ve seen many different ways to accomplish this, but the most effective by far were the button snaps and expanding zipper of the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Packs toward the 40-45 liter range will be your carry-on bags of choice, and the 45-liter Peak Design, Patagonia MLC , and Matador GlobeRider are perfect for maxing out your allowed space. The 40-liter Osprey Farpoint/Fairview packs give up a little internal room for the luxe suspension system they’re carried with.

Packs in the smaller end of the range, from around 25-30 L, make better personal items, and the TimBuk2 Never Check , Tom Bihn Synapse , and Patagonia Black Hole backpacks all fit snugly underneath an airliner seat. These small bags move through a city gracefully and look more like everyday carry backpacks than traditional luggage.

What good would a bag be if you couldn’t get into it? From a simple drawstring to a thicket of Velcro and zippers, there are plenty of ways to keep your bag closed while you’re on the go, but not every one will be amenable to travel.

Zippered Clamshells: Most travel backpacks will use a clamshell-style design that opens up the backpack like a suitcase, allowing you to pack intentionally as opposed to stuffing things in. Oftentimes, an internal strap system will help keep your items contained while you’re on the move.

Packs with this clamshell design may also opt to add internal dividers to the main storage area, and make these dividers removable — should you need the entire storage area uninhibited. For packs without internal dividers or straps, consider adding a few packing cubes to keep your items organized.

In addition to the rear entry, some backpacks will offer additional entry points through the top or front of the pack. This can be helpful when you need to quickly retrieve something like a passport from your bag, without the need to totally spill the contents. The majority of packs in our review close in this clamshell manner, and a few of our favorites are the Peak Design Travel Backpack , Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs , and Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack .

Zippered Top-Access: Much like many traditional backpacks, zippered top-access packs load and unload from the topside, and generally only offer one point of entry/egress into the pack. For this reason, packs of this flavor are generally left packed during travel, as digging around for something at the bottom can be a hassle.

Bags of this stripe, including the uber-nice Tom Bihn Synapse 25 and expandable Timbuk2 Never Check , most often make better personal items over carry-ons, as their smaller volumes make for easier searching within.

Drawstring Top-Entry: While not quite as common as a zippered clamshell or top-access pack, drawstring top-entry packs can make for very quick and easy access to your kit if you’re on the move. These packs will integrate an extended fabric collar to the top of the storage area, which can be compressed when needed, or overstuffed with bulky items like jackets.

Carrying Options

There are plenty of ways to lug your kit to your boarding gate, but not all of them will be comfortable for everything. Over-shoulder backpack straps can support a good bit of weight but typically will need some type of frame to truly be supportive. The Osprey Farpoint/Fairview packs were the best-carrying packs in our testing, owed largely to the wire frame and Airscape mesh back panels, but we also enjoyed the carry of the aluminum frame stays on the Matador GlobeRider.

A shoulder strap travel backpack, like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L , can be slung across your body and provide a great amount of accessibility on the go. Don’t expect to carry too much weight this way, however.

And then there’s the classic suitcase style, easily towed anywhere. It’s good to note many travel backpacks will have stowable straps to better streamline the pack for a trip through an X-ray machine or stowed under a seat. The strap storage design of the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L impressed us most of all, utilizing magnetic closure flaps to pack away the shoulder and hip straps neatly.

Pockets & Organization

There’s an organizational saying: “A place for everything and everything in its place.” And we couldn’t agree more. Keeping track of everything while you travel is key for organization. And while more pockets always seem better, there is a threshold where having too many simply becomes more places to misplace things. Instead, we recommend packs with three to six pockets.

The Cotopaxi Allpa and Topo Designs Global Travel Bags both have ingenious inner organization systems complete with large zipping “pockets.” It has just enough space to find room for everything but not so many compartments that you’ll be hunting all day for your misplaced passport. For even more organization, the Matador SEG45 splits into five different segments that are accessible from the exterior of the pack.

Bringing along a laptop is a necessary evil for some travelers, and having an incorporated laptop sleeve in your travel backpack can keep it safe during travel. Most laptop sleeves will be padded with some type of foam and nestle in close to the back for maximum protection. In order to be TSA-compliant, a laptop sleeve will need to fold entirely flat away from the pack to be scanned.

Because flying with liquids over 3.4 ounces is prohibited in the U.S., carrying all of these items in a separate toiletry bag can make your foray into the screening line a breeze. Many of the packs on our list incorporate many external pockets where such a bag could be stashed and produced when needed.

Travel luggage takes a beating, so durability is a top concern. Luckily, gear manufacturers realize this and are making increasingly burly yet portable packs. The fan-favorite Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L pack is made with a 900-denier ripstop nylon outer with a TPU laminate for extra durability. It’s nearly indestructible, water-resistant, and versatile.

If you’re traveling somewhere with inclement weather or if your pack needs to double as a climbing bag or hiking pack, durability is extra important. And it’s worth paying more for a backpack that is water-resistant.

Space Efficiency & Carry-On Compliance

Astute observers will note many of the packs in our review sport a rectangular shape, which is certainly due to designers aspiring to create a more space-efficient pack. This isn’t to say that more shapely packs won’t make it happen, but when you’re struggling to make every liter of space count, maximizing dimensions matters.

Carry-on luggage is any bag that you plan on bringing into an airplane and storing in the overhead bins. Because space is limited, airlines dictate the maximum size that any carry-on can be. In the U.S., the most common size is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches (length + width + height). However, this is just a rough guideline; some airlines differ from these dimensions, and you should refer to their information directly.

In general, these dimensions provide a travel backpack with around 40-45 liters of internal volume, so buying a pack that’s as close to that as possible will provide the most space allowed. Many of the packs on our list have the ability to compress to a smaller size, such as the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L .

Be mindful as well, that any protrusions from your travel pack such as shoulder straps or handles will also need to fall within the maximum allowed size. Many travel backpacks today incorporate some type of strap-stowing ability, such as the magnetic panels of the Peak Design packs, the zippered cover of the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, and the hybrid zipper/panel of the Matador GlobeRider 45. All of these provide a more streamlined profile that should both hit the mark, and fit better into overhead bins.

Travel backpacks run the gamut of prices — from affordable to downright pricey. There are a number of factors that play into what you get for the money.

Budget-Minded Travel Packs

Travel backpacks, as a category, are generally a bit pricer than your average luggage, as they incorporate tough materials that can put up with extensive wear over the lifespan. Travel is tough on bags, so it’s unsurprising that even budget travel backpacks will cost you around $100-150.

These packs often will incorporate more traditional architectures such as a zippered top access, as opposed to the more complicated (and spendy) full-zip clamshell designs. For example, the JanSport Journey Pack ($95) is pretty much your average school bag.

Volumes, too, will be a bit limited in this price range — added material adds cost. The 32-liter Osprey Nebula ($140) is about the best price-to-volume ratio you can get.

Mid-Range Travel Packs

Mid-range packs make up the bread and butter of travel packs, and can be had for around $150 to $200. These designs are often more of the full carry-on variety, and aim to capitalize on permitted volume as much as possible. The 45-liter Matador SEG45 ($200), Patagonia Black Hole MLC ($239), 40-liter Osprey Farpoint/Fairview ($185), and Topo Designs Global Travel Bag ($229) all shoehorn in just about as much space as a friendly gate agent will let you get away with.

For the price, you also get a good variety of functionality that makes travel easier, such as stowable pack straps, interior segmented pockets and sleeves (done excellently on the $170 Cotopaxi Allpa ), and an external compression system that limits the space your bag takes up. Some packs, like the TimBuk2 Never Check ($209), don’t exactly hit these parameters, but instead make up for it in high-quality design and materials.

Premium Travel Packs

Above $250, you’re likely paying for premium materials or a to-the-hilt design that leaves absolutely nothing on the cutting room floor. The Peak Design Travel Backpack ($300) is a great example, and utilizes super high-quality nylon canvas, custom aluminum hardware, and supple seatbelt material webbing in its build, as well as fitting in just about every conceivable feature you could want in a travel pack. The same can be said of the Matador GlobeRider 45 ($350), which uses high-tech UHMPWE-reinforced materials and sports a total of 19 pockets.

The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 ($250) is a bit of an outlier, as it commands a high dollar amount not for the extreme amount of space it offers or amount of features, but for being a hyper-customizable, hand-made bag that uses the nicest textiles available, as well as the best zippers, webbing, and foam in its design. If you’re a fan of the finest materials, this is your daily driver pack.

What Is One Bag Travel?

The ‘One Bag Travel’ ethos and travel backpacks go hand-in-hand. Simply put, to travel in one-bag style is to be minimalist in your luggage choices, and only take what you can carry onto the plane/train/pack animal. Not only does this do away with the fuss of deciding what exactly to bring along with you, but it also allows for breezing through airports — skipping the need to check baggage, wait at baggage claim, or fear for lost luggage.

In order to most effectively travel with one bag, be sure to read up on exactly the baggage size allowances provided by your transportation. This can affect both overall size and weight, and having an expandable pack is a large benefit here. In this way, you can carry just enough to skirt through under the limit, and then expand the bag when you’ve hit your destination for more breathing room. If you aim for a 35-40 liter backpack, you’ll be right on the money for one-bag travel.

Finally, remember that this bag is going to be the only item of luggage you’ve got, so ensure it’ll be comfortable enough for the long haul. Look for padded back panels and hip belts that’ll transfer the load correctly, and if they stash away — all the better.

Our team unanimously agrees that the best travel backpack is the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . It’s extremely durable, and it offers plenty of organizational pockets to stash your kit away in. The clamshell opening makes packing a breeze, and we really appreciated the unique shoulder strap storage options available to turn the pack into a stripped-down bag that would slide into any overhead compartment.

The best size bag for traveling depends largely on your travel itinerary and mode of transport. The Cotopaxi Allpa packs range from 28 to 42 liters.

The 28-liter option makes for a compact and comfortable backpack that easily fits in overhead airplane compartments. The 42-liter option is a bit more like carrying a duffel bag on your back, but it still manages to fit in overhead compartments. It’s a great option for maximizing carry-on capacity in backpack form.

While both have their place in travel, a backpack can offer some advantages over a suitcase. Since they’re much more portable, backpacks can be brought to many more places where a suitcase won’t work. Suitcases can be your large load carriers, but a good travel backpack gives you the freedom to strike out on daily adventures.

Travel backpacks absolutely can be carry-on luggage, given they meet the size requirements. In the U.S., the most common maximum size is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches (length + width + height). But this is only a common size, and different airlines will have different specifics. Consult with your airline specifically to determine what they allow.

While different body types will find different travel packs comfortable, we can all agree that a good support system and ample foam make for a comfortable carry. In our own testing, we found the Osprey Farpoint 40 and Fairview 40 Travel Packs were by far the most comfortable due to their plush suspension systems.

Because many different airlines operate a slate of different planes, there isn’t a standard under-seat luggage size, although there is an average: 16 inches x 12 inches x 6 inches. Some airlines allow personal items larger than this, but you should consult with their customer service for specifics. Our favorite personal item-sized travel pack was the Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack , which, at 24 liters compressed, easily slides under a seat.

The Best Laptop Backpacks of 2024

Whether you’re headed to the office, class, or even the trailhead, here’s our top picks for the best laptop backpacks of 2024.

The Best Daypacks of 2024

We tested the best daypacks of 2024 with options for every budget. Top picks include Osprey, Cotopaxi, and more.

Hailing from the hemlocks and hanging mosses of Washington State, Senior Editor Nick Belcaster is an adventure journalist following threads of stories across the West. Cruelly stolen from the alpine swales of rural Wisconsin at a young age, Nick made do ascending the snows and granite of the North Cascades while completing a journalism degree. A long stint on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018 codified a life bent on sleeping on minor slopes and picking devil’s club out of his shoes.

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The Best Weekender and Duffel Bags for Every Kind of Trip

By Michella Oré and Gerald Ortiz

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

A good duffel bag needs to do only one thing: hold stuff. The best duffel bags for men, however, need to check off a few more boxes. A great duffel bag should still carry your clothes, kicks, chargers, toiletries, and everything else in the most space-efficient, easy-to-find way possible. A great duffel should outlast your passport—or better yet, you —despite years of being stuffed in an overhead bin and thrown in the trunk of your car. A great duffel should make everyone else in the TSA line jealous.

The Best Duffel Bags Shopping Guide

• The Overall Pick: Lotuff No. 12 Weekender , $1,200
• The Status Symbol Pick: Goyard “Bowling 55” Bag
• The Value Pick: Banana Republic "Archer" Nubuck Leather Weekender , $600
• The Adventure-Ready Pick: Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Bag , $169
• The Designer Pick: Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Duffel Bag , $5,400
• The Heavy-Duty Pick: Filson medium Twill Duffel Bag , $595
• The Gym-Ready Pick: Lululemon 2-in-1 Travel Duffle Backpack 45L , $198
• The Retro Pick: Porter-Yoshida and Co. Tanker 2Way Nylon Duffle Bag , $795

For proof, look no further than the above. We’ve slung hundreds over our shoulders over the years, and none hauled our stuff as well as these. Here are 15 duffels and weekender bags for every budget and every type of weekend trip.

Not sure where to start? Here's what to look for in a superlative duffel.

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The Best Duffel Bag, Period

No. 12 Weekender

Squared-edge duffels can be clunky to carry and eye-pleasing cylindrical shapes are tricky to pack, but Lotuff's No. 12 model has the just-right compromise: rectangular on the bottom, tapering up into a rounded top. That nameless-shape ensures the bag is as comfortable to carry against on your back (with the detachable strap) as it is to haul by hand but still sits stable atop a rolling suitcase. It's made in the USA from vegetable-tanned leather with each piece of the carryall cut from the section that best serves that area (thicker for the body, thinner for interior pockets). Then there are the considered details: the zipper closure is engineered to run from from end-wall to end-wall, not simply across the top. That allows for a wider opening, which makes packing easy. The zippers and hardware are fabricated from solid brass, including the lock-and-key closure—nothing's breaking here. There’s an interior zip pocket for the all the cords and tie bars you need to keep separate. The bottom of the bag is reinforced with a second leather layer, plus the carry handles are both riveted and stitched to support the weight of whatever you’re hauling around.

The Best Status Symbol Duffel Bag

Bowling 55 Bag

Like the upscale restaurants notable for their menus sans pricing, when you go for Goyard, the actual cost isn't a factor because the experience (of owning a skillfully crafted, fine leather good from a brand with 170 years behind them) is priceless. And if you're going to be jet-setting, or at least want to feel like it, the package is just as important as the contents. Goyard's Bowling 55 bag is crafted from a durable canvas and supple cowhide that keep your precious cargo well-cared for and will very likely last you a lifetime (and that of your grandkids.) To keep things extra secure, this swervy weekender also features lockable zips and adjustable handles that can be worn over the shoulder or cross-body. So you're getting added versatility with your luxury, big spender.

The Best Adventure-Ready Duffel Bag

Black Hole Duffel Bag 55L

This insanely durable Patagonia duffel has passed every test (planes, trains, automobiles—you name it) for summer vacations and holiday travel. Plus it looks approximately 1,000 percent cooler than everyone else's carry-on. Like the best base camp duffels, added shoulder-strap attachments mean you can actually hoof it up a mountain with this on your back.

The Best Designer Duffel Bag

Bottega Veneta

Intrecciato Duffel Bag

Bottega Veneta's signature"Intrecciato" woven leather design was first introduced in the 1970s as a way to break away from the box-shaped, rigid bags of the era. Using glove leather that was lighter and more pliable than cow skins traditionally used at the time, the brand's craftspeople wove strips together to create a criss-cross pattern that achieved a lighter weight, more supple bag—that also stood out from the smooth-skin crowd. The artisanal infrastructure also means this bag holds its shape, whether it's stuffed with gear in the overhead bin or barely packed for a quick overnight trip. And if you really want to stand out from every other passenger in the airport, opt for this guy in an uncommon color like this brick red.

The Best Heavy-Duty Duffel Bag

Medium Twill Duffel Bag

Backcountry

Filson's rugged twill bags have been the gold standard for guys who want to get their shit from point A to B, from the office to out-of-office getaways. The bag feels satisfyingly sturdy, thanks to a mix of rain-resistant twill and thick bridle leather handle, both of which get better/softer/doper over time. The storm-flap closure that sits over the top zip is a smart feature if you're traveling in inclement weather and the wraparound leather straps mean this thing can carry a heavy load with ease.

The Best Gym-Ready Duffel Bag

2-in-1 Travel Duffle Backpack 45L

Fellas, it’s time to stop cramming your dirty sneakers and sweaty workout gear into an already-stuffed tote; invest in a real-deal gym bag instead. Lululemon's water-resistant convertible duffel bag comes with a wide interior decked out with specialized pockets to stash your clothes, gizmos, and toiletries—and also features hidden straps that transform it into a backpack in a matter of seconds. Sure, its sleek matte black design and function-first ethos make it a no-brainer for the gym, but it'll serve you equally well as carry-on luggage when your destination requires boarding a flight.

The Best No-Frills Duffel Bag

Porter-Yoshida and Co

Tanker 2Way Nylon Duffle Bag

In therapy, baggage is a bad thing. In the hands of the Japanese repro masters at Porter-Yoshida, though, baggage isn't just good—it's impeccably made and shot through with a jolt of retro cool. The brand's signature nylon duffel doubles as a mega tote with spacious interiors and generously-sized external pockets that work as shoe compartments, too. Oh, and the that telltale hi-vis orange lining? That's inspired by the old-school MA-1 jackets pilots in the US army used to wear, and it'll keep you goods fly and dry through the worst of it—and remind nosy onlookers of your excellent taste every time you unzip it.

By Avidan Grossman

By Adam Cheung

By Reed Nelson

The Best Value Duffel Bag

Banana Republic

"Archer" Nubuck Leather Weekender

Under usual circumstances, leather duffel bags don’t come cheap. So we're thrilled to report that the year of our lord 2024 is very much not the “usual circumstances”. Because, folks, 2024 is the year Banana Republic found its groove again , digging into its archives to revive jet-setting gems like its nubuck leather weekender, a high-quality riff that looks way more expensive than it is. It's made from supple mocha-brown leather and features an incredibly spacious interior that can house a weekend’s worth of clothing, shoes, toiletries, and whatever entertainment you bring for the getaway (books, tablet, crochet hooks). And if you somehow still find yourself running low on cargo space, there’s an exterior pocket with card slots to stash an ID alongside the rest of your belongings.

Plus 7 More Duffels Worthy of Your Shoulders

Acne Studios

Ripstop Duffle Bag

Perce More Holdall

End.Clothing

The North Face

Base Camp Duffel Bag

Allpa Duo 50L Duffle Bag

Gio Brushed-suede Holdall

Waxed Canvas Duffel Bag

Waxed Canvas Duffel

What to look for in a superlative duffel.

In most cases, the best duffel bags for men are made from full-grain leather. (Cowhide keeps your gear protected and develops a singular patina over time that's all yours.) That luxe hide, however, is going to cost you. Which is why we're glad to confirm that these days there are also plenty of non-leather options on the market that are smartly engineered to hold all your stuff and stand up to being stuffed in an overheard bin again and again. And, yes, those options are also actually stylish.

You seem skeptical. Maybe you're still working through lingering trauma from your undergrad days, when you eurotripped across half the continent with nothing but a flimsy mesh duffel and cracked iPhone to keep you company on your journey. Or maybe it's been a while since you've had the opportunity to buy luggage of any kind (join the club) and you can't quite wrap your ahead around the notion of springing for anything other than the top-shelf leather stuff. If that sounds like you, don't X out of this tab in a panic.

Relax: the duffels we're talking about are far cry from the JanSport you used to haul around in middle school. Even when they're not made of leather—some are cut from waxed canvas, or nylon ripstop, or a specially-treated fabric designed keep your gear dry in the dreariest conditions—each and every option included above is the top-shelf stuff. (And if you're still not convinced, there's plenty of handsome leather duffels to choose from too.)

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Home » Gear » best men's leather duffle bag

Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag – EPIC INSIDER GUIDE

Looking for a different sort of travel bag that’s going to make you stand out from the rest? Want something timeless that’s going to be a real investment piece? Well, it’s a good thing you’ve arrived at our guide to the  best leather duffel bags  ever.

Sure, as seasoned, professional backpackers, we are all huge bands of backpacks and spend a chunk of our lives with one backpack or another strapped to our back. But every now and then a certain occasion arises where even we find ourselves in search of a different kind of travel bag.

In this post we are going to take a look at some of the best leather duffel travel bags that we have come across. We will examine the quality of the leather itself as well as the construction and will pay close attention to how the bag actually performs and functions.

For our guide to the best men’s leather duffel bags of 2024, we have taken a whole load of things into consideration: how you travel, what your budget is, and different styles of bag.  You’ll find something here to suit you, ensuring that the duffel you get is the right choice.

Quick Answer: These are the Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag of 2024

Best men’s leather duffel bag of 2024, #1 – best all round men’s leather duffel bag, #2 – best men’s weekend bag, #3 – best men’s leather overnight bag, #4 – best men’s leather duffel bag for city breaks, #5 – best men’s leather duffel bag for the gym, #6 – best men’s leather duffel with wheels, #7 – best high-end men’s duffel bag, #8 – best men’s leather duffel bag for international travel, #9 – best men’s leather duffel bag for carry-on travel, #10 – best men’s leather duffel bag for business, #11 – best non-leather duffel for the outdoors, buyers guide – how to choose the best men’s leather duffel bag for you, faq about the best men’s leather duffel bag, final thoughts on the best men’s leather duffel bag.

#1 Kodiak Leather Denali 45L – Best All Round Men’s Leather Duffel Bag

#2 Kodiak Augustine 45L Duffel  – Best Men’s Weekend Bag

#3 KomalC Genuine Leather Travel Sport Weekender Bag – Best Men’s Leather Overnight Bag

#4 Jackson Wayne Cabin Weekender – Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag for City Breaks

#5 The Classic Duffle by Mahi – Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag for the Gym

#6 Piel Leather Duffel with Wheels  – Best Leather Duffel with Wheels

#7 Harber London Weekend Bag – Best High-End Men’s Duffel Bag

#8 Kodiak Weekender 60L – Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag for International Travel

#9 Kodiak Weekender 30L – Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag for Carry-On Travel

#10 Kodiak Denali Canvas 25L – Best Men’s Leather Duffel Bag for Business

#11 Patagonia Black Hole 55 – Best Non-Leather Duffel for the Outdoors

Kodiak Leather Denali 45L

• Price > $399
• > Dedicated laptop sleeve
• > 3 exterior pockets that use YKK zips

Kodiak Augustine 45L Duffel

• Price > $250
• > Rustic style

KomalC Genuine Leather Travel Sport Weekender Bag

• Price > $102.76

Jackson Wayne Cabin Weekender

• > Approved for carry on by most airlines
• > Highly durable

Classic Duffel By Mahi

• Price > $194.25
• > Great Value

Piel Leather Duffel with Wheels

• Price > $400.42
• > Various pockets inside and outside
• > Hand crafted

Harber London Weekend Bag

• Price > $1299
• > Veg Tan leather
• > Classic style

Kodiak Weekender 60L

• Price > $459
• > 100% top grain buffalo leather
• > Lifetime warranty

Kodiak Weekender 30L

• Price > $189
• > Carry on compatible
• > Two zippered exterior pockets

Kodiak Denali Canvas 25L

• Price > $129
• > Stylish and versatile look
• > Waterproof and durable

Patagonia Black Hole 55

• Price > $169
• > Non-leather duffel
• > Good for plane travel, train travel, automobile travel

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Let’s kick this off with what I feel are the TOP Leather Duffel Bags to travel with. Backpackers, travellers and all in between behold…

23″ L x 11″ H x 11″ W 

4.5 lbs (2.04 kg). 

For a weekend getaway, for everyday use, or for business, the Kodiak Leather Denali 45L is definitely the best all-around men’s leather duffel bag. This stylish choice won’t look out of place anywhere: on a high-end weekend getaway, or just running some errands around town (although a 45l duffel may be a bit OTT for ‘running errands’ unless said errand entails handing over $ 1 million on cash!)

Made from all thick top-grain leather by the folks at Kodiak Leather Co. this high-quality product is not something you want to be putting down on the muddy ground – or any ground, actually. So thankfully, it comes with 5 little brass feet to make sure the bottom of your new bag won’t get beat up.

Not your typical “chuck-it-all-in” duffel, the Kodiak Leather Denali 45L has a few organization options which I loved. The bag includes three exterior pockets that use YKK zips, as well as a zipped shoe compartment and a dedicated laptop sleeve at the bottom of the bag which is perfect for commuters. This external pocket also means you can easily take your laptop out, and put it in again, when it comes to airport security.

Speaking of which, this bag is carry-on compliant, ( although I dare you to try to carry it on a Ryanair flight ) so you’ll be able to throw it over your shoulder and breeze right past the luggage carousel on your next trip, which makes this high-quality bag all the more convenient. If you’re looking for a men’s black leather duffle bag then you’ll also be pleased to know it comes in that colourway too.

What really impressed me about this bag is first and foremost the quality of the leather – you have to touch and smell it to really get the idea. Above that though this duffel came with so many extra external zip pockets – including a roomy laptop pocket and the super handy shoe storage area – that suited my travel style more than some other bags on this run down.

This 45-litre duffel from Kodiak Leather Co.  is rated for us as our best men’s leather weekend bag. Strictly speaking, it is not an all-leather offering and the Kodiak Augustine is actually mostly waxed canvas, with full-grain water buffalo leather detailing around the zip, edging and handles of the bag. While that may offend leather purists, the bag feels great to touch and feels seriously rugged too.

Much like other Kodiak Leather bags , this duffel is built with YKK zippers. It makes for a good option if you’re looking for a well-made weekender bag for men that’s going to stand the test of time and last a few good years.

And if you’re not too bothered about the interior organization for laptops, or exterior pockets and all that jazz, then you will probably really like the simplicity of the Kodiak Augustine – it utilises the classic ‘all in one’ model.

We loved how roomy this duffel was whilst still being super comfortable on the hands when fully packed. We also loved the unique style with the combination of leather and canvas which really made it stand out against the rest of the options. Personally, I prefer a few different organisational options so this would not be my go-to bag but that is subjective.

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20″ L x 11″ H x 7″

 36 liters.

If you’re thinking that a genuine leather overnight bag for men can’t be affordable, think again. Though not as cheap as other men’s overnight bags out there, this full-grain leather from KomalC is a relatively affordable option for anybody wanting a bit of rustic style in their luggage options.

The leather used for this bag is treated to look vintage, which gives you a timeless effect right off the bat. While it may be cheating, its also a very effective cost-cutting measure so there.

Surprisingly, there’s a lot going on inside this men’s weekend bag . Open up the main zip and you’ll find three separate compartments; in the middle is a zipped pocket (good for organisation), whilst on either side there’s space for clothing, accessories and toiletries. There are also two other zippered pockets on the exterior of the bag for extra compartmentalization.

If you travel a lot on business, and you want to look smart and professional, this smart bag works very well. It’s compact, too, easily tucking under airplane, bus and train seats. It’s not got gallons of capacity, but it’s good for one or two nights – which is just what you’ll need it for.

What we love about this is that it’s an awesome option for the money – the leather feels decent (but not as good as Kodiak) and the bag still feels really spacious as well as the material being durable and hard-wearing.

21″ L x 11″ H x 11″ W 

4.5 lbs (2.04 kg).

A mixture of rich full-grain leather and waxed canvas twill, the Cabin Weekender from Jackson Wayne is a pretty good-looking bag. Ok, we’re going to say it: this is a beautiful bag, just the right balance of laid back and stylish.

When it comes to that canvas, the makers claim it acts just like leather, repelling water and gaining a rich texture over time. This is one of those bags that you’ll want to hold on to if only to see how it looks in 10 or 20 years – if I’m still here in 20 years I’ll come back and update this!

Don’t expect masses of organizational features inside the bag, but do expect enough space for all of your belongings for a few days’ trip – and a couple of interior zipped pockets to keep loose ends and important items separate from everything else. We love the handy outer pocket , too. One key perk is that the bag opens up pretty wide, so you’ll be able to fit larger items of clothing in there pretty easily.

All in all, it’s our favourite option for the top men’s leather duffel bag for city breaks, working especially well when you’re splashing out on a fancy hotel. I really loved the external pockets on this bag and felt they did really well at making up for the lack of internal organisation. The two end pockets and the satchel-style side pocket not only look cool but they offer a great amount of storage.

The Classic Duffle by Mahi

20″ L x 11″ H x 9″ W

2.87 lbs (1.3 kg).

Looking for a great men’s leather duffel bag for the gym? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Maybe you’re sick of taking in the same old, half-broken backpack to the gym. Maybe you’ve recently levelled up, and you’re working at a more fancy locale. Maybe you just want to add a little ’70s flair to your wardrobe? If so, the Classic Duffle by Mahi may just be your jam.

Combining traditional elegance with rugged practicality, the MAHI Classic Duffle in Vintage Brown is a lovely luggage piece for those looking for a stylish gym bag , weekend or overnight bag.

It’s made with beautifully supple full-grain leather on the main body and complemented with a fawn cotton lining. Other features include four brass studs on the base, a front zipped pocket for easy access to your essential items, a smaller zipped pocket on the inside and a detachable and extendable shoulder strap with additional padding for comfort.

Believe it or not, this cool leather duffel bag for the gym is actually approved for carry-on duffel by most airlines and I even think I sneak this past the minimum wage Cererbus working at Ryanair. When it comes to packing, this thing thankfully stands up on its own, not falling in on itself as some duffel bags tend to.

I dig the retro vibes of this bag and it definitely wins the aesthetic category. Mahi’s leather does not feel as good as Kodiak’s to the touch but for the price, I think it’s perfectly good. Oh, and the reinforced handles of the bag were both mega comfortable and feel like they will hold up with rigorous use over time.

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Whilst a lot of duffel bags out there only give the option to carry them slung over a shoulder, the Piel Leather Duffel actually comes with wheel s. This means that if you just can’t be bothered to carry it through an airport, or if it’s a fairly heavy load and you don’t want to carry it on your shoulder, all you do is whip out the telescopic trolley handle and zoom along with their internal wheels. Great idea!

Made of full-grain leather, this top leather duffel with wheels is a great hybrid between suitcase and duffel – all with the luxury (and durability, let’s not forget) of leather.

Thanks to the various pockets inside and outside, the bag, you’ll have the choice to organize your bag how you see fit. And, actually, you probably won’t have to compromise on how much you’re packing for a trip: it’s pretty roomy in here, enough for at least a week.

The ability to overpack this bag probably explains the whole wheel thing – and we’re not complaining, in fact, we positively loved this leather carry-on bag with wheels!

Handcrafted in Colombia (sadly the bag was not filled with other Colombian exports when it arrived), there are also grab handles and a strap you can sling over your shoulder if you don’t want to wheel this leather duffel bag around.

We made this the best men’s leather duffle bag with wheels as we feel it really does well at both being light enough to use as a “standard” duffel whilst adding extra functionality when you’ve packed this thing out! It’s great in practice to be able to switch from rolling it along to grabbing it when the ground gets a bit rough or when jumping on public transport.

Harber London Leather Weekend Bag

20″ L x 10″ H x 9″ W 

 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg)

Let’s face it: leather duffel bags for men (or women – in fact, even more so for women!) aren’t exactly on the affordable side of things. And neither is the Harber London Weekend Bag – in fact, it’s pretty expensive. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking about buying this bag because let’s be honest it’s a good-looking bastard that could easily be the best leather duffel bag men’s or women’s … price aside!

Though it’s pricey, this high-end men’s duffel bag is totally an investment buy . What’s the point of spending $150 on any old bag that may not last you, meaning you’ll have to replace it at some point when you can spend a bit more and get something that genuinely will last – almost forever?

Made out of Veg Tan Leather , the vintage style of this fittingly rugged duffel has a pre-washed look. The exterior of the bag features buckled pockets on the front, whilst the reverse has a zipped pocket for documents and a sleeve, meaning you can slip it easily over the handles of a wheeled suitcase.

One of the things we like about this bag the most, aside from the quality, is the fact that it can be fully opened for great access to all your clothes and other items. Always handy.

I can vouch for the quality of Harber London’s bags. The seams are strong, the stitches will hold and the leather will last the years. Sure there are probably more pragmatic buys on this list but if you are after a high-end piece of gear, this 7 pocketed beast cannot be beaten.

24″ L x 13″ H x 13″ W

6 lbs (2.7 kg)

Another leather offering from Kodiak, the 60-litre Weekender provides – as you can tell from its capacity – a whole load of room for you to pack a whole load of stuff. This makes it the perfect leather duffel bag for international travel, designed specifically for everything from weekends to longer getaways.

In the main compartment of the Weekender, you’ll find a zip pocket, pen holders, card slots, and a pocket for a book (or whatever you feel like using it for); there’s also a separate shoe compartment, which is always a bonus. On the exterior of this bag, there are two latched pockets , good for loose ends and accessories.

Crafted from 100% top-grain buffalo leather , the Kodiak Weekender 60L should age pretty nicely over the years as you use it. Again, as is the case with most leather duffel bags, this is something you invest in and keep for the long term. Then again, there’s also a lifetime warranty, should anything go wrong.

The straps and general construction are strong, sturdy and solidly made, showing off the high-quality craftsmanship of this bag. It also comes in two colours: dark walnut and antique brown, both of which are rustic enough for a cabin break, yet smart enough for the city.

When I tried this bag I was impressed by how much stuff I could fit inside. Also, this bag really felt proper top quality with its extra features and super soft but durable leather exterior. The addition of specific pen and card pockets inside really comes in handy for digital nomads like us during commutes.

18″ L x 10″ H x 10″ W

2.8 lbs (1.27 kg).

The same bag as above, but half the size, is how you might be thinking about the Kodiak Weekender 30L . But there are actually a few differences to note here.

Firstly, it’s carry-on approved! This makes for the ultimate in airport convenience: no check-in luggage, no waiting at the baggage claim, no more lost luggage. It’s easily the best men’s leather duffel bag for carry-on travel making it an all-round great leather travel bag .

When it comes to the look of the bag, unlike the 60-litre version, this smaller Kodiak Weekender doesn’t have any buckled pockets on the outside. However, it does have two zippered exterior pockets, which make for a good place to stash paperwork and passports.

Inside the bag, there’s one zipped compartment, as well as a phone holder, a card pocket, and those pen holders again, too.

To be honest, the size of this bag – though you won’t be packing it with as much stuff as the 60-litre version – means that you will be able to use it more practically as an everyday gym and work bag as well as on trips.

This was a close contender for the best leather weekender and we would have picked it for that accolade if it wasn’t even more perfect for carry-on travel. It also offers a great size for those wanting to keep things light.

2.7 lbs (1.22 kg). 

Yet another choice from leather top dogs Kodiak Leather Co., the Denali Canvas 25L measures up to 25 litres, making for a compact alternative to some of the company’s other offerings. Constructed primarily of canvas, this awesome duffel bag for business has a more versatile look to it than the rustic vibes of its all-leather brethren.

The Kodiak Denali Canvas 25L is made of waxed canvas , along with buffalo leather detailing , meaning that it’s not only waterproof but also pretty durable, too. It’s built to last, basically.

Coming in a choice of either grey or tan, depending on what palette your business attire tends to be, the fabric of the bag changes with age, becoming more textured – much like leather would do – adding to the unique character of this duffel bag.

Primed for businesses, inside this bag are multiple card pockets, pen pockets, a phone pocket, and a larger zip pocket. There’s also a large, buckled exterior pocket on the outside of the bag for extra storage and style.

Though it’s a business duffel, there’s enough room in here for toiletries and clothing enough for an overnight stay – or maybe two nights away if you’re a pro packer .

We just loved the style of this canvas bag, especially the inclusion of the massive satchel-style pocket on the side which, funnily enough, made it look more like a satchel than a duffel. We also loved how lightweight the bag was due to the material and smaller size which makes it perfect for those looking to go minimalist.

25″ L x 13″ H x 10″ W

3.9 lbs (1.77 kg). 

Who said that bags for the great outdoors had to be technical hiking backpacks ? Not Patagonia , obviously. Their Black Hole series (specifically, the 55 litre, which we’re looking at now) is the perfect antidote to anyone uninterested in back mesh and neon colours.

Patagonia has instead created a cool range of colours for their Black Hole duffel, which features the iconic “Patagonia” lettering, too. You can choose from colorways like deep plum, cobalt blue, and sage khaki.

Yes, this bag is not leather – it’s constructed of recycled polyester ripstop, including a durable, water-repellent finish.

The interior of the Patagonia Black Hole has a 55-litre capacity in the combination of the main compartment, smaller interior pockets, mesh pockets in the lid, and exterior zippered side pockets.

Though it’s a duffel bag, it’s actually possible to turn the thing into a backpack, depending on how you want to wear it; aesthetically, we’d always choose duffel, to be honest. Anyway, it’s good for plane travel, train travel, automobile travel: whatever method gets you to the countryside or wilderness you were looking for.

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

As you can tell from our list of awesome leather duffel bags for men, there is a whole lot of choice out there. In some ways, this is less difficult than choosing a technical travel bag, but much more so in other ways: there are a whole load of factors to consider when you’re choosing which leather duffel bag is going to be the one for you. This is made even more crucial given the expense and lifespan of leather products.

So, to help you out, we have decided to share with you a mini guide on the best way to choose the perfect leather duffel bag for you. From the fabric and the style to your budget and what you’ll be using it for, there’s a lot to consider, so let’s have a look…

1. Look of the leather

You may think, “oh, leather’s leather,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there are many different types of leather. For a start, it depends on which animal has been used to create said leather. This runs from buffalo to cow to goat and more, and each one is slightly different.

Then there’s the overall quality of it: words like full-grain and top-grain may mean nothing to you, but for leather experts, this is common knowledge stuff and something you should definitely think about researching further if you’re looking to take the plunge and invest in a leather duffel bag.

After that, there’s tanning – the way the animal hide has been washed, in effect. Some will be more creased and crinkled for a vintage effect, others will be smooth and supple for that brand-new feel.

This means you can choose between something that already looks like it’s from a vintage boutique, or if you want to create that wear and tear for yourself over the years – thus giving your bag a unique character, and something that’ll be one of your go-to luggage items.

One point to note is that when you are buying a leather bag, especially online, it might not turn up the way it looks on the screen. Leather can change how it looks, depending on what piece is used, with many bags looking – except for the shape and general colour – completely unique from each other. Think of it like buying a tie-die shirt – everyone is unique!

Other bags utilize leather just for design details , usually combining it with another hardy material like canvas. These bags are cool because they get a two-tone, dual-texture treatment, meaning they are perhaps a little more versatile than a full leather luggage item.

Size is pretty important with any kind of bag, but with leather, size is perhaps even more important. How big a leather duffel bag is will affect its cost more drastically than with a nylon rucksack or other synthetic material.

It’s important to pick the right size when it comes to leather because overpacking can be pretty detrimental to the structure of the bag. You don’t want to stretch it out or pop a zipper, especially if you’re buying an investment piece.

If you’re the sort of person who mainly just uses a leather duffel for the gym, then you’ll want something with enough room for bulky gear like towels and shoes. Then again, if you’re just looking for a leather duffel for office use and business trips, then you won’t need something huge.

The size will also affect the weight of the bag, so if you want something lightweight that won’t hurt your shoulder when you carry it around, and you’ve got long trips to lug it around on, a smaller bag is probably a safer bet for you.

3. Travel Type

Are you somebody who wants to travel around on overnight buses? Are you somebody who wants to travel in your own car on a road trip? Or maybe you like to fly everywhere? These modes of transport will affect what kind of bag you get.

No doubt, if you’re getting public transport everywhere, you probably won’t want to get a super fancy leather duffel. Whereas, if you use your own transport or are catching a lot of flights, something a little more high-end is bound to suit you.

But it’s not just about the mode of transport you use to get around. It’s also about what sort of traveller you are.

Business travellers will probably want to opt for something a little less antique-looking, smarter, and with less rustic features like buckled external pockets.

Digital nomads will want something with features like easy access to laptops (or even having laptop storage in the first place), and organisational capabilities for their chargers and other cords.

Frequent weekend breakers, whether it’s to a rural retreat or exploring a city, will want something that has space, that doesn’t look overly smart, and which – all in all – is versatile and practical for potentially several days to a week’s worth of travel.

4. Organisation

Whilst you may be thinking of leather duffel bags for men as one-compartment pieces of luggage, there are actually a lot of different options for organisation that you may want to think about when choosing one that is right for you.

In the age of digital nomads that we’re in, some companies have answered the call and created dedicated laptop (and tablet) sleeves in their leather duffel bags. This is super handy if you happen to be a world traveller who hops from city to city working, primarily at least, on your laptop.

Other interior organisational capabilities can mean the difference between being able to separate dirty from clean clothes, so make sure there is at least one, mid-sized internal space where you can keep clothes destined for the laundry. Some bags even offer dedicated shoe compartments: perfect for business people who need to go casual, or city folk who need to don hiking boots.

And, if you are a sucker for organisation (like us: we love us some pockets), then you will probably want to opt for a bag that has a whole load of compartmentalisation potential. Pen holders, zipper pockets (inside and out), elastic compartments, card holders, pockets for phones and interior slash pockets for documents… keep your eyes peeled for lists like this, which will no doubt tick a lot of boxes for you!

5. Design Details

Leather bags aren’t always just leather bags. It’s not as simple as a bit of material with a zip in the middle and two handles. There are a whole wealth of different design details that mean the difference between you saying yes, and you saying no, to any given bag.

Take the obvious one first: the mix of men’s duffel bags of leather and canvas. For some people, this is a cool look, marrying two different textures for a more casual, breezy and altogether low-key vibe . Other people, however, may find this doesn’t do it for them at all: when you say leather, you mean leather – all leather!

Smaller design details exist in things like buckles and zippers , too. Buckles can be brassy, silvery – whatever; if you’re not a fan of anything like that, and feel it makes you look a little too much like an old-timey doctor, then you may want something a little more sleek and minimalist.

The way the surface of the leather is will affect how much you like the look of it, too. This is an important design detail, as it forms the basis for most of the bag. Is it crinkled? Antique looking? Smooth and new? Look closely at the leather duffel bag you’re thinking of buying and think how the textures will match with any items of clothing you own. Something too steampunk might not cut it!

This is basic, but it is essentially a given that you have to think about your budget. The question is: how much are willing to spend on a brand-new leather bag that may last you for many, many years?

Generally, the more “affordable” something is, the more likely it is that it might not be as long-term as you were hoping it to be. Obviously , that’s not always true, but sometimes when it comes to things that seem to be easy on the wallet, it’s sometimes good to be true. Having to replace a leather bag multiple times may end up costing more than the more expensive bag that you wanted in the first place…

Think about this: if you always wanted a leather duffel bag, and you really like the idea of having something that will pick up personalised wear and tear as you use it over the years, then you may want to take the plunge and invest in something that’ll last.

If a leather bag is something that you want, but won’t be using a whole lot (maybe you don’t get to travel as much as you’d like), then maybe you should curb the spending and opt for something that’s more affordable.

7. Durability

Though leather, in general, is a pretty durable material – and, in duffel bag form, can actually end up lasting you a fair few years  – there are still some things to look out for when you’re purchasing a bag. Price, as you’ve already read, is one of those.

Another thing you might want to be on the lookout for when considering the durability of a leather duffel bag is the type of leather it’s made out of in the first place. Some animal hides will be tougher than others (buffalo more so than goat, for example), so as with all important purchases, it’s important to do your research; similarly, tanning and treatment methods can affect a bag.

Other things are more details than durability, but still come into play: is there canvas involved, if so is it waxed? Are the zippers YKK?

Companies also may offer things to help you keep your newly purchased leather duffel bag in as good a condition as possible. Some come with leather care kits , complete with creams to massage (yes, really) into the leather itself, which is a good thing to have if you get an unwanted bit of wear and tear on your bag – a long, ugly scratch for example. Having this bundled into your purchase is great.

Another thing the companies offer: lifetime guarantees. Whilst not technically a measure of how durable a bag is, a company with a great guarantee will enable you to send your bag off should any design flaws pop up. Though unlikely, it’s a good thing to have, just in case, so you may want to consider using a company with a good guarantee on offer.

8. Carry-on Capabilities

Last but not least: being able to take your leather duffel bag on a plane. Whilst many smaller bags, which you may use as secondary carry-on or hand luggage, will be fine to take on most if not all planes, some larger bags may not always be allowed on.

It’s important to check to ensure that if you want a bag that will help you achieve your dreams of one-bag travel and that the leather duffel you’re looking at is carry-on compatible .

Having a bag that you can simply take on the plane with you takes away many of the headaches that a lot of people associate with air travel. There’s the lines to check in your baggage: unnecessary if you’ve already checked in online and have carry-on baggage. Then there’s the waiting around at the baggage carousel when you arrive – again, not something you’ll be worrying about with carry-on.

Finally, losing your luggage due to incompetent airlines or quick transfers is just something that won’t happen if you have your own luggage with you at all times. If any of this sounds at all good to you, get a leather duffel bag that’s carry-on compatible!

Still have some questions? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

Are leather duffel bags good?

Yes, for sure! If you’re sick of carrying a backpack, a duffel bag offers a great alternative. While it might not be as efficient to carry, they’ll definitely make you stand out and add som style to your appearance.

What is the best duffel bag for travel?

We absolutely love the Kodiak Leather Denali 45L thanks to its design, durability, and greta value for money. It’s also the perfect duffel bag for long and short-distance travel.

What is the cheapest duffel bag?

Real leather bags are never cheap. If you’re travelling on a proper budget, we’d suggest option for the non-leather Patagonia Black Hole 55 .

Are there any fake-leather duffel bags?

If you just want the style without the actual leather, check out the Patagonia Black Hole 55 Duffel Bag .

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Whatever your reason, now is when you’ve decided to take the plunge and go for a cool leather duffel bag. Good choice, we say – and because we think it’s such a good choice, we gave you a whole load of options to think about in our guide.

No matter if you’re someone who wants something for a weekend break, everyday use in the city, or even if you want something for business, you will find something on our list that suits you.

For the overall best leather duffel bag, the Kodiak Leather Denali 45L can pretty much do everything that you want it to do: it’s stylish, it’s got plenty of room, it doesn’t look too casual, but it also doesn’t look too smart. A great all-rounder.

However, if you’re thinking that an all-leather bag just isn’t your style, then the mainly canvas Jackson Wayne Cabin Weekender is a cool, rustic choice with leather detailing – one of our favourites.

Know of some leather duffel bags we’ve totally slept on? Tell us in the comments!

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Really good article and broad in its analysis thanks.

Absolutely insightful post! Leather type, hardware, quality of finishing, spaciousness and overall appeal are characteristics I mostly look out for when buying a new leather duffle. I recently discovered a luxury leather brand that offered me just the kind of characteristics I desired in my leather travel bag. It’s the Von Baer (VB) brand. Most of my new bag collections are from them because they are fairly priced with top-notch quality, appeal and value. I feel so proud just looking at my VB bags or carrying them.

Hi Paul, thanks for the feedback and your experience. Be sure to check out the Kodiak bags featured in this article as well – there are also top quality!

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The 12 Best Garment Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Keep wrinkles at bay with garment bags for dresses, suits, and more.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• Others We Liked

Our Testing Process

• Tips for Buying

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

If you're a frequent business traveler, are planning a destination wedding, or just need to get a formal ensemble from point A to point B, a garment bag is a must. Though disheveled clothes with huge creases are sometimes inevitable byproducts of packing a suitcase, this clever carrier will help prevent wrinkles wherever you go.

Ironing takes up valuable time — which you might not have to spare with a packed itinerary — and not all hotels have steamers. Whether you're transporting a three-piece suit, a floor-length gown, or just an outfit you need to put on as soon as you deboard the plane, a garment bag is the solution. When browsing options, think about the size and length you need, if you want it to fold up, and what storage features you might use.

To help you find the right one for your needs, we tried 22 garment bags in our testing lab. After packing them up, we evaluated each one for ease of use, capacity, performance, quality, and overall value, and we will continue to test them in the real world for another six months as well. 

Best Overall, Duffel

Mark & graham commuter 2-in-1 garment bag.

Mark & Graham

• Ease of Use 5 /5
• Quality 5 /5
• Capacity 5 /5
• Performance 5 /5

It has lots of organizational features and folds up compactly enough to qualify as a carry-on.

After six months of use, we noticed the zippers are prone to snagging.

The best duffel-style option we tested is the Commuter 2-in-1 Garment Bag from Mark & Graham — a brand known for its product line made of high-quality materials and designed with superior organizational features. It unfolds to reveal a hanger for your garments, plus various pouches and pockets, including compartments for two pairs of shoes. We were impressed by how much fit inside — a men's suit, dress pants, a button-down shirt, two dresses, a belt, a pair of loafers, a pair of stiletto heels, a water bottle, and a smartphone. We appreciate the generous capacity and the fabric's durability as, even after six months of use, it still looks good as new.

This lightweight garment bag is a piece of cake to carry, even when it's full of clothes and shoes. The twill-washed nylon exterior seems sturdy and resistant to tearing. It passed our water-resistance test with flying colors, too, so you can bet it'll protect your clothing from moisture damage.

When folded up into the duffel configuration, the Commuter Garment Bag is nice and compact. It also easily fits within the carry-on size restrictions for most airlines and we think the high-quality design is worth the investment.

The Details: 22 x 10 x 10 inches | Twill-washed nylon | Water-resistant

Travel + Leisure / Jessica Juliao

Brides / Jessica Juliao

Best Overall, Wheeled

Travelpro platinum elite 50-inch check-in rolling garment bag.

This high-end, smooth-rolling bag fits 15 hung items, plus multiple pairs of shoes and various accessories.

You may want to invest in shoe bags when packing those inside this case as there’s no designated separate section. 

Our favorite wheeled option is the Travelpro Platinum Elite Rolling Garment Bag. This carrier effortlessly fit everything on our packing list and then some — two suits, dress pants, a button-down top, two dresses, a belt, a pair of loafers, dress shoes, stilettos, a laptop, a water bottle, and a lunch box. It fit roughly 15 items on the built-in hanger and secured them in place when we zipped everything up. There are also mesh compartments on the corners and various zippered pockets for stashing accessories and other small items, plus a TSA-approved lock if you plan on checking it.

The Platinum Elite Rolling Garment Bag was a breeze to roll around on carpet, hard floors, and concrete — and it's not too heavy to lift, even when packed full. Throughout our six-month test, we used this bag a handful of times including on a trip to London and we found that it's even easy to roll alongside larger, checked luggage. It also passed our durability assessments, showing no signs of wear and tear after using it on a trip and dragging a stiletto heel across the exterior. At nearly $400, this garment bag is more expensive than most but the high-quality design, spacious capacity, and organizational features still stand out.

The Details: 22 x 15.5 x 9.5 inches | 9.9 pounds | Ballistic nylon | Water-resistant

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Best Waterproof

Seyfocnia convertible carry-on travel garment bag.

• Capacity 4.8 /5

It has a water-repellent exterior and a spacious capacity with a shoe compartment and various pockets.

The faux leather exterior isn't scratch-resistant, and there's no designated laptop sleeve.

A waterproof carrier will help ensure your nice clothes don't get wet or wrinkled en route. We like this one, which has a faux leather exterior with a special fiber coating that repels liquids. This duffel-style garment bag has a generous capacity and closes easily, even when packed full. Besides multiple formal ensembles, we fit a pair of heels, a laptop, a water bottle, and a toiletry bag. We like that there are lots of useful pockets and a shoe compartment, but a designated laptop sleeve would be nice.

This bag is lightweight but doesn't feel cheap at all, and it's comfy to carry, thanks to the padded straps. You can also slide it over your suitcase handle with the trolley strap. The faux leather did sustain a scratch when we dragged a stiletto heel across the surface, though the material didn't rip. Considering the reliable, protective design and organizational features, the price range is more than reasonable, even for occasional use.

The Details: 22 x 12.5 x 12 inches | 4.4 pounds | Fiber-coated faux leather | Waterproof

Best Attachable

Away the garment bag.

• Performance 4 /5

This sophisticated garment bag is the perfect medium size, but it's still large enough to fit a floor-length dress, a suit, and two pairs of shoes.

The zippers can snag a little, so be careful when opening and closing them.

Away's take on the garment bag is this sophisticated briefcase-inspired number. We appreciated the sleek, straightforward design and found it to be a perfect medium size for most trips. When unfolded, it's long enough to fit a floor-length dress or a suit — with room to spare for multiple pairs of shoes and a light jacket. Just a heads up, the zippers can snag a little on the enclosed fabrics, so be careful when opening and closing the bag.

All in all, it feels like a high-quality, durable product. After six months of use, we love that the nylon exterior provides plenty of protection from dust and debris as well as some water resistance. It is also spacious enough that it prevents wrinkles, even when storing items long term. With comfortable handles, a removable shoulder strap, and a trolley sleeve for slipping it over your suitcase handle, this versatile garment bag was made with plane travel in mind. You can bring it as a carry-on or a personal item, and it's definitely compact enough to fit underneath the seat in front of you. If you travel often for work or are looking to upgrade your current, cheaper garment bag, this one is definitely worth buying.

The Details: 22.5 x 20.5 x 3.5 inches | 2.3 pounds | Nylon | Water-resistant

Best for Multiple Garments

Wallybags garment bag.

• Quality 4.5 /5
• Performance 4.5 /5

This sizable bag can fit multiple long dresses, men's suits, overcoats, and costumes, and holds up to 30 pounds of weight.

A longer clamp would allow it to hold even more hangers.

Need something that can hold more than one thing? The WallyBags Deluxe Garment Bag is big enough for long dresses and gowns, suits, tuxedos, overcoats, dress shirts, costumes — you name it — and it can hold up to 30 pounds of weight. We were able to fit all items on our packing list (with room to spare) and secure everything together with the included hanger clamp. A longer clamp would allow you to fit additional hangers, but if you put multiple items on a single hanger, you can fit more inside.

The garment bag is made of polyester and features a water-resistant coating. It seems durable enough to withstand a journey by plane or car and didn't sustain any scratches during our stiletto test either, making this a solid value for the price point. 

The Details: 60 x 22 x 3 inches | 5 pounds | Polyester | Water-resistant

Best for Business

Zegur suit carry on garment bag.

It easily fits a suit, an overcoat, and two pairs of dress shoes, plus accessories, with room to spare.

The exterior material is somewhat rugged, reminiscent of a backpack or outdoor-friendly duffel.

If you go on frequent work trips and need a solution for transporting your suits and other business attire, we recommend the Zegur Suit Garment Bag. We could fit a suit jacket, dress pants, a button-down shirt, and two pairs of dress shoes inside with plenty of room to spare. There are also multiple pockets for stashing a belt, ties, cufflinks, and other accessories. After attaching your hung items, you can fold it up and carry it like a messenger bag or briefcase using the shoulder strap or grab handles, respectively.

Though it's designed like a briefcase, the material has a rugged quality, which is more reminiscent of a backpack or outdoor-friendly duffel. Still, the quality is very apparent — the zippers work great, and the exterior didn't scratch or scuff during our tests. This garment bag seems like it'll probably last forever, and the brand backs it with a five-year warranty. So the price is absolutely reasonable, if you ask us.

The Details: 23 x 22 x 4 inches | 2.9 pounds | 1800-D polyester | Waterproof

Most Durable

Degeler garment bag.

• Capacity 4.5 /5

This extremely resilient bag resists tearing and repels water while protecting the clothes inside, and the main compartment is easy to load up with hangers.

There's no designated shoe compartment, but the mesh pocket works for shoes.

Degeler's SkyHanger Garment Bag really stood out in terms of durability. The ripstop nylon exterior is lightweight yet extremely tough; it didn't tear or even scratch when we ran a stiletto heel across the surface. What's more, the water-resistant material didn't feel damp at all when we repeatedly sprayed it with water. This bag could probably get run over by a car without sustaining any damage — and any clothing inside would be protected too.

We like how the main compartment opens wide, making it easy to load with hangers. It effortlessly fits several items, and the upper button latch prevents the hangers from falling into the bag. While there's no designated shoe compartment, the interior mesh pocket works well for footwear. We also appreciate that this garment bag is compact enough to fit within a larger suitcase, or it can be used on its own as a carry-on or checked bag. Comfy leather handles are the final cherry on top.

The Details: 21 x 21 x 1 inches | 1.1 pounds | Ripstop nylon | Water-repellent

Best for Weddings

Samsonite garment bag.

• Ease of Use 4 /5
• Performance 4.8 /5

This well-made carrier fits multiple suits and gowns, then folds into a messenger bag for easy transport.

It can be hard to zip closed when packed full, and longer dresses might wrinkle on the bottom.

If you're heading to a wedding (or planning a destination wedding of your own), Samsonite's Just Right Garment Carrier might be your best bet. When unfolded, it's big enough to fit a suit or a gown and has handy loops for your hangers. We should note that, while you can use it for a floor-length dress, the bottom might wrinkle in transit, so think about whether you'll have access to an iron or steamer where you're headed. You could also fold your dress down at the waist to make it shorter in transit.

Though this bag is big enough to fit multiple items, bear in mind the zippers can be hard to close when it's packed full. Still, all the other pockets and exterior compartments were easily accessible and zipped closed without a fuss. Once full, it folds into thirds and becomes a messenger-style bag with a padded adjustable strap. There's also a trolley sleeve, so you can slide it over your suitcase handle. This certainly isn't the most affordable option we tried, but we can't deny the excellent quality and functionality.

The Details: 22 x 16 x 2.5 inches | 3.4 pounds | Nylon

Best Organization

London fog buckingham 44-inch wheeled garment bag.

• Quality 4 /5

This garment bag has a sizable main compartment and various pockets throughout for stashing accessories and carry-on essentials.

It doesn't have the highest capacity and may be best for weekend trips.

We also liked London Fog's Buckingham Garment Bag. The spacious design held three dresses, a pantsuit, a blazer, two shirts, a pair of shoes, a belt, a tie, a laptop, and a water bottle. Besides the main compartment, there are tons of pockets of various sizes both inside and out. In addition to clothes and accessories, you'll have plenty of room for things like books, snacks, or chargers. Needless to say, it makes a great carry-on.

This garment bag folds into itself and becomes a messenger bag but you may not want to tote it that way at 11 pounds when empty (heavier than most others we tried). But, although the shape is a bit bulky, the wheeled design is a breeze to roll around on carpets, hard floors, or the sidewalk. The Buckingham bag passed our durability test as well and shows no signs of wear and tear after six months of use. In the end, we think the features and overall quality reflect its price tag.

The Details: 23 x 22 x 4 inches | 11 pounds | Nylon

Most Spacious

Modoker convertible garment bag.

• Capacity 3 /5
• Value 4.5 /5

This roomy bag has space for multiple garments, plus various accessories, toiletries, a laptop, and more.

It has more capacity as a duffel bag than as a garment bag.

The Modoker Convertible Garment Bag stood out for its spacious design. It has a large main compartment where you can hang a suit, dress, or jacket. Then when you fold it up into a duffel, it has ample storage and pockets for accessories, toiletries, a laptop, a water bottle, snacks, and chargers. There's even a shoe compartment for stashing heels or dress shoes.

Though you can hang multiple items, we should note it has a bigger capacity as a duffel bag than as a garment bag. Still, the roomy design and organizational features make it an excellent carry-on option. Made of jacquard polyester with a water-resistant coating, this garment bag seems durable enough to withstand any mode of transport while protecting your belongings from damage at the same time.

The Details: 23 x 12 x 11 inches | 2.5 pounds | Jacquard polyester | Water-resistant

Most Compact

Calpak garment bag.

Small enough to be a personal item or slip into a wheeled carry-on, this compact carrier can fit multiple outfits, shoes, and accessories.

It's harder to close with bulky shoes in the shoe compartment, and it's too short for long dresses.

Need something smaller? Check out Calpak's Compakt Garment Bag. Despite the compact design, we were able to fit everything on our packing list, including a suit, dress pants, a shirt, a tie, a belt, and a pair of shoes. Though it's too short for longer gowns, you can also fit a couple of dresses. The shoe compartment was harder to close with larger men's shoes, but it worked well for women's flats. After six months of tests, this garment bag still looks brand new and has become a permanent staple of closets for long-term protection of seasonal items.

When packed with items of various shapes, the bag was still easy to fold up — and you can tighten the straps to make it more compact (and even fit it inside a larger suitcase). This garment bag is small enough to qualify as a carry-on or personal item on a plane, or you could check it instead. Toting it around is no problem, either, thanks to the comfy, sturdy handles. Not only that, but the ripstop nylon exterior appears to resist tearing and water, so you can rest assured the contents will be protected in transit. We also like that this carrier comes in both neutrals and bright, punchy colors.

The Details: 20 x 19 x 1 inches | 1.2 pounds | Ripstop nylon | Water-resistant

Best Budget

Misslo 43-inch gusseted travel garment bag.

• Quality 3.5 /5
• Capacity 4 /5

This no-nonsense garment bag fits multiple outfits and folds in half for easy carrying.

The cheap material isn't very durable, and it lacks organizational features.

On a budget? Go with the Misslo Gusseted Garment Bag. The straightforward design can be quickly packed up. We were able to fit two dresses, a shirt, pants, a suit jacket, and a belt, and the transparent window makes it easy to see what's inside. Beyond the main compartment and hanger slot, it doesn't have much in terms of organizational features. More pockets would be useful, but for under $15, we really can't complain.

It folds in half to be carried with the attached handles. Though the straps appear pretty sturdy, this bag is made of a non-woven fabric that may not stand the test of time. That said, if you need something for one trip and aren't too worried about durability, you won't be disappointed.

The Details: 43 x 22.5 x 3.5 inches | Non-woven fabric

Other Garment Bags We Liked

Halfday The Garment Duffel : This bag was easy enough to pack, though the hanger loop doesn't fit as many hangers as others we tried. Still, we liked the structured design of the duffel and found it comfortable to carry using the handles and shoulder strap.

Away The Centerfold Garment Sleeve : Available in three sizes, this garment bag is lightweight without sacrificing durability. We wish it had more pockets and organizational features but were all-around impressed with the design.

Travel Select Amsterdam Business Rolling Garment Bag : This garment bag has a huge capacity, with space for several hung items and multiple pairs of shoes. However, the upper hook only has room for four hangers, so you might need to put multiple pieces on a single hanger.

The Travel + Leisure team researched today's best garment bags and selected 22 to try firsthand in our testing lab and in real-life settings over a six-month period. After inspecting each bag and examining the features, we packed them with various clothing items (suits, dresses, coats, etc.), plus shoes and accessories if there was room.

Once closed, we carried them around, lifted them overhead, and rolled the ones with wheels. We also assessed whether they worked best as carry-ons, personal items, or checked baggage. Additionally, we ran a stiletto heel over the exteriors to check for scratch and puncture resistance, then sprayed the bags with water to see if they repelled moisture. Each garment bag earned a score for ease of use, capacity, quality, performance, and value, and those with the highest scores made it onto our list.

Tips for Buying Garment Bags

Pay attention to length.

When buying a garment bag, pay attention to the unfolded length. This will tell you what types of items you can hang inside, like suits, dresses, and coats. Some are too short for longer dresses, in which case you can try folding the dress at the waist. Otherwise, have a plan to iron or steam items upon arrival.

Think about foldability

Many garment bags are meant to fold up and be carried around as a duffel or messenger-style bag. Keep this in mind, as folding can crease the items inside. Folding will also double or triple the thickness of the bag, which might make it harder to zip when packed with several articles of clothing.

Consider storage features

In addition to a main compartment with a hook for hangers, garment bags often have other storage features. This might include zippered pockets, a designated shoe compartment, a mesh pouch, a laptop sleeve, or a water bottle holder. These aren't absolutely necessary, but they can certainly come in handy if you use your garment bag as a carry-on.

Look for easy-carrying options

Lastly, look for a garment bag that's easy to get from point A to point B. For instance, some fold up into a duffel or messenger bag with grab handles or a detachable shoulder strap. Others have trolley sleeves meant to slide over a suitcase handle to consolidate your luggage. And some garment carriers are wheeled, so you can roll them around with minimal elbow grease.

Place your clothing items on hangers, then attach them to the upper hook or loop. Some garment bags are spacious but can't fit as many hangers, in which case you might want to put multiple items on one hanger. For extra protection from potential damage, cover each piece with a dry-cleaning bag. If there's a shoe compartment or other pockets, fill those after hanging your garments in the main compartment.

Bifold garment bags fold in half, and trifold garment bags fold into thirds. Aside from the number of potential creases in your clothes, there isn't much difference between the two. What matters more is the size and shape of the folded bag and whether it has straps, handles, or other features for carrying it around.

In most cases, a garment bag can count as a carry-on . The size limit is usually roughly 22 x 14 x 9 inches — if it's small enough, it can even qualify as a personal item. Some airlines allow you to hang your garment bag when you board in a designated closet located in the front of the plane. That said, all airlines are different, so be sure to check the specific rules and requirements ahead of time.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Theresa Holland is a freelance writer specializing in plane travel, fashion, and luggage. For this story, she compiled our ongoing testing insights, then combed through product descriptions and specs to create a curated list of today's best garment bags. She has personally tried luggage from Away, Travelpro, Samsonite, London Fog, and Calpak.

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Italian Pebbled Leather Phone Crossbody Stone - One Size

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All-Day Neoprene Belt Bag Olive - One Size

Italian Pebbled Leather Sling Bag Cognac - One Size

All-Day Neoprene Phone Sling Mocha - One Size

Revive Nylon Camera Crossbody Black - One Size

Revive Nylon Foldover Crossbody Olive - One Size

Nappa Leather Duffle Bag Dark Brown - One Size

Nappa Leather Duffle Bag Black - One Size

Italian Pebbled Leather Continental Wallet Olive - One Size

Italian Leather Quilted Small Card Case Black - One Size

Italian Leather Quilted Continental Wallet Dark Taupe - One Size

Nappa Leather AirTag Key Ring (2-Pack) Black - One Size

Your travel outfit solved

100% Mongolian Cashmere from $50.00

Affordable bags for little travelers, made with more sustainable practices and always fairly priced.

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Small Rose Gold/Silver - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Small Purple Leopard - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Small Navy Colorblock - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Small Bright Camo - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Medium Navy Colorblock - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Medium Purple Leopard - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Medium Rose Gold/Silver - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Medium Bright Camo - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Large Purple Leopard - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Large Navy Colorblock - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Large Rose Gold/Silver - One Size

Recycled Double Pocket Backpack - Large Bright Camo - One Size

Recycled Lunch Box Purple Leopard - One Size

Recycled Lunch Box Navy Colorblock - One Size

Recycled Lunch Box Bright Camo - One Size

Recycled Lunch Box Rose Gold/Silver - One Size

Carry-On Kids Suitcase - 18" Rose Gold/Silver - One Size

Pet Travel Carrier Black - One Size

ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED

1. Why are your prices so low?

We have reimagined the traditional direct-to-consumer model in order to minimize waste and cost. We source elevated essentials with low design costs, direct from makers and use no middlemen. We also endeavor to minimize packaging and corporate overheads while not compromising on quality or customer experience.

2. Are your products authentic?

Our products are sourced from makers all around the world and are made from authentic, premium materials like 100% Mongolian cashmere, European linen, and mulberry silk.

3. Where are your products made?

Everything we sell is carefully curated from the best makers around the world. We partner only with factories that pay fair wages to their workers and produce goods in a sustainable manner. Many of our factories are also partners in local corporate social responsibility initiatives.

4. Where is your company located?

Our corporate headquarters is located in San Francisco, but our team and our makers are worldwide.

5. Do you have a store that I can visit?

Our business model was designed to minimize waste and overheads in order to bring you amazing quality products at an accessible price point. Stores are a large and costly endeavor which would ultimately impede that quest so, no. We do have a 365-day return policy so that you can experience our exceptional essentials for yourself with no worries about being stuck with something you don’t like.

6. Do you offer free returns & exchanges?

Yes, we have a 365-day return policy so that you can experience our exceptional essentials for yourself with no worries about being stuck with something you don’t like.

7. What if I have more questions?

If you have a question we’d love to answer it. Reach out to our friendly customer service team at [email protected].

The Best Toiletry Bags for Summer Travel: Cosmetic Cases, Dopp Kits and More

Make packing for your next trip that much easier with these impressive toiletry bags for men and women.

As the warmth of summer arrives, this time of year is perfect for exploring new destinations and embarking on unforgettable vacations. Whether you're heading near or far, kick-starting your packing preparations well in advance can be essential to guarantee a stress-free experience.

There are all kinds of travel packing tips that can ease the difficulty of preparing for your voyage, but one travel gear essential that is often overlooked is the toiletry bag. The right toiletry bag means no more worrying about spilled shampoo or skincare products all over your clothes while also keeping everything perfectly organized.

There are so many  bags , pouches and containers that will help you transport your belongings securely. From hanging toiletry bags that save counter space to a portable Dopp kit for men, there’s a bag for all your travel needs. Since you're already busy planning your spring vacation, we've rounded up the best toiletry bags for men and women from around the web.

Below, check out the best toiletry bags that offer space, durability, and organization for every kind of adventure.

Best Toiletry Bags for Women

Dagne dover mila toiletry organizer.

Ensure your precious skincare products stay put during travel with this handy organizer.

Bagsmart Toiletry Travel Bag

This handy toiletry travel bag with multiple compartments keeps all your makeup, toiletries and accessories in one convenient place. Plus, it's water-resistant and comes with a hanging hook.

Beis The Cosmetics Case

For those who tend to overpack, you can keep your entire beauty ritual super organized. Inside, there are three slip pockets for storing products and a separate removable sleeve specifically for makeup brushes.

Calpak Terra Hanging Toiletry Bag

This travel bag can hold all of your essentials in one place, helping you save space in your luggage. Plus, it's water-resistant and can hang on the wall using the hanging hook for easy access to your toiletries. 

Away The Large Toiletry Bag

Made with water-resistant nylon, this toiletry bag has an exterior zip pocket for grab-and-go items, plus a coated spill-proof interior to keep your cosmetics in check.

Morfone 16-Pack Travel Bottle Set

This clear toiletry bag comes filled with colorful travel bottles that all fit neatly inside. It is a great solution for storing your cosmetics inside your luggage without worrying about spills or leaks.

Narwey Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag

A hanging toiletry bag will make life easier for anyone who's always on the go. The multiple storage compartments allow for the ultimate organization of toiletries, makeup, brushes, and more.

Best Toiletry Bags for Men

Bagsmart toiletry bag.

Featuring a dry wet separation waterproof PVC zipper pocket in the back and a full-open zipper pocket in the front, you can sort your tooth brushes, razors, electric trimmer or other toiletries perfectly. 

WandF Toiletry Bag

For a budget-friendly option, the WandF toiletry bag can fit travel-size and large products, and the mesh pockets offered space and easy visibility for smaller toiletries.

L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag

An L.L. Bean favorite, this medium-sized travel bag in over 10 colors and patterns. Everything on this bag is durable, even the high-quality ykk zippers, which can handle 20,000 zips and unzips.

Vorspack Hanging Dopp Kit Toiletry Bag

Don't be fooled by the size. This bag fits more essentials than expected, thanks to the polyester fabric. It's perfect for stowing away your phone, passport, cards and small accessories while traveling. 

Samsonite NuRoad Lay Flat Toiletry Kit

Keep all your toiletries together and accessible in this flat-laying toiletry kit. It has water-resistant coating for easy clean up in case any of your products spring a leak. 

Vetelli Leather Toiletry Bag for Men

Unwrap this Vetelli leather toiletry bag to uncover three rows of organizational compartments. You can lay it flat or hang it up with the attached hook.

Aaron Leather Goods Vegan Leather Toiletry Travel Bag

Travel in style with this sleek vegan leather toiletry bag.

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The 16 Best Duffle Bags for Men, Tested and Reviewed by Gear Editors

From a weekend trip to a gym session, these options will be your go-tos for the long haul.

Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?

Smartest duffel bag

Halfday travel the garment duffel.

Best duffel bag for gym

Mack weldon atlas duffle.

Best Waterproof Duffle Bag

Yeti panga waterproof duffel.

Best duffel bag for traveling

Tumi double expansion travel satchel.

Best heavy-duty duffel bag

Patagonia black hole duffel 70l.

Best athletic duffel bag

Lululemon wunderlust weekender bag 48l.

Best duffel bag for packing light

Bellroy lite duffel.

Most versatile duffel bag

Troubadour embark duffle.

Most stylish duffel bag

Rains hilo weekend bag.

Best weekender duffel bag

Everlane the renew transit weekender.

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.

Read more: How Men's Health Thoroughly Tests and Reviews Products

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 c rème 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.

Yeti didn’t cut any corners when designing its fully-submersible duffel bag. For starters, the hydrolok zipper keeps water out and ensures your gear stays bone-dry, while forming an airtight seal. And get this: once the zipper is closed, everything inside is protected against water immersion for 30 minutes at a depth of one meter.

In terms of construction, it was produced with the brand’s ThickSkin outer shell, which is made of high-density nylon lamination with a puncture- and abrasion-resistant material. Another great design detail is the EVA molded bottom that provides a durable and waterproof landing pad. In other words, this bag is tough . Not to mention, the inside is super spacious with easy-to-access mesh pockets to keep your valuables tucked away.

During our testing, we carried the Panga during a rainy commute and our belongings didn’t get wet. In fact, the shell dried in seconds. Plus, the comfortable dry haul straps on the back can be worn as a backpack, and were easy on our shoulders. Another bonus: the duffel comes in three different sizes: 50, 70, and 100. For most guys, the 70 will probably be spacious enough to hold all of your daily essentials.

What Do Buyers Say? " Every detail screams toughness, quality and durably. I got this Panga 50 for weekend and 4-5 night trips, mostly to use in the winter and on snowboarding trips. It being waterproof and a Yeti duffel, I didn't want to have to worry about rain, mud, snow, cuts or rips, " says one yeti.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? " It’s perfect for the yoga studio. Enough room for a towel and clothing, and accessories. And the side pockets are great for separating wet clothes and shoes from your clean clothes. It’s a great size for a weekend get away bag as well," 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.

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.

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.

The North Face Base Camp Duffel M

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.

More Duffel Bags We Tested and Love

CALPAK Luka Duffle Bag

The Calpak Luka Duffle Bag is a sleek option with a bunch of pockets to help you stay organized. Plus, it’s lined with a water-resistant finish, which will keep your gear dry during rainy commutes. Our fitness editor, Talene Appleton has been carrying the matte-black version for the past year. She loves that it has the capacity to store everything including a work laptop, water bottle, gym clothes, a pair of sneakers, and so much more.

We appreciate that there's a compartment in the bottom to keep your smelly training shoes separate from clean clothes. It also makes for a great travel bag, especially for a quick weekend getaway. However, we don’t recommend packing to the brim because the zipper may give way.

What Do Buyers Say? " I needed a good weekend bag as I didn’t want to travel with a suitcase everywhere. This is honestly perfect! I’m a classic over-packer and I was shocked at how much it could fit and how flexible the material was, " says one nordstrom.com customer.

Quince Nappa Leather Duffle Bag

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.

Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag

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.

UA Undeniable 5.0 Small Duffle Bag

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? "I t 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.

Carhartt Legacy 25-Inch Utility Duffel

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.

Tecovas Weekender

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? "I t 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 48 Hour Tin Cloth Duffle Bag

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.

What We’re Looking for in a Duffel Bag

Size and capacity: It depends on where you'll bring your duffel bags and what you’ll use them for. Packing light with clothes to change into and out of along with some other small bits and bobs? Then 30 liters or below in capacity will do you just fine. If you're packing heavy with shoes, days' worth of clothes, as well as work stuff then a roomy duffel over 30 liters is what the doctor ordered. If you’re looking for duffel bags to carry on your long trips, then we suggest 40 liters and up.

It's also worth considering the dimensions of the duffel bag to ensure it meets airline size restrictions if you plan to use it as a carry-on.

Durability: Your duffel bag should be made with durable outer shell fabric that can handle the heaviest load or water-resistant/waterproof fabric for unpredictable weather. Look for duffel bags made from robust materials like nylon, enhanced polyester, waxed canvas, or leather. Reinforced stitching and sturdy zippers are essential for longevity in duffel bags as well. Either way, the fabric should be tough enough to protect all the gear within.

Compartments: Consider your organizational needs. In general, you’ll want to avoid duffel bags with only one single large compartment—while throwing everything in it and calling it a day sounds convenient, it is not smart for organizing your stuff in the bag. Duffel bags with multiple compartments and pockets (both inside and out) will help you keep things tidy and easily accessible. For instance, if you’re traveling long distances, your duffel bags should come with a shoe compartment, and duffel bags for everyday carry should come with external pockets for easy access,

Weight: The best duffel bags for men should be lightweight—especially if you're planning on carrying it for extended periods. Ideally, we consider anything at or below two pounds as lightweight when empty, but duffel bags made with leather and waxed canvas are inherently heavy. Also, the bigger your duffel bag is, the heavier it might be.

Versatility: The Best duffel bags for men should meet all kinds of carrying needs at a moment’s notice, whether it’s for the gym, weekend trips, daily commuting, or a long journey abroad. But the versatility of duffel bags shouldn’t stop there: the ability to convert into a backpack or crossbody bag is also something to consider.

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17 Best Shampoos for Men of 2024

A good grooming routine starts with the right men's shampoo and conditioner.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall Shampoo for Men

American crew daily deep moisturizing shampoo.

Best Value Shampoo for Men

Suave essentials daily clarifying shampoo.

Best Shampoo for Men With Dry Scalp

Head & shoulders smooth & silky shampoo.

Best Exfoliating Shampoo for Men

Kérastase genesis homme shampoo.

Best Conditioning Shampoo for Men

Dove men+care hydration fuel 2-in-1 shampoo plus conditioner.

Best Natural Shampoo for Men

The seaweed bath co. gentle shampoo and conditioner set.

Best Shampoo for Men with Dry Hair

Herbal essences bio:renew hydrate coconut milk shampoo.

Best Shampoo for Men's Dandruff

Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo.

Best Hair Loss Shampoo for Men

Keeps thickening shampoo.

Best 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner for Men

Method men 2-in-1 shampoo + condtioner.

Ultimately, the best shampoo for any man is one that leaves his scalp feeling fresh without turning his hair into a dry, brittle mess . But to help you navigate all the options on the market — from shampoos that claim to fight dandruff to ones that promise to hydrate dry scalps — our editors and analysts did the research to find the best men's shampoos tailored to every hair type and concern.

The Good Housekeeping Institute 's Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab regularly tests shampoos and conditioners, putting them through the wringer with consumer testers to pinpoint top choices for various hair dilemmas: dry hair , fine hair , oily hair , you name it. After gathering an assortment of popular options, we put them to the test, assessing each shampoo's lather, scent and most importantly, how it leaves hair looking and feeling. Combining this data with years of research experience, we then ID our top picks.

For more on how we test shampoos and expert advice on shopping for men's shampoos, head to the bottom of this guide. Looking for more of the best hair products ? Check out our guides to the best beard shampoos and hair growth products for men .

Get a good scrub with a nice shampoo that properly cleanses and moisturizes on the way out. American Crew's Daily Deep shampoo nails that combination by leaving softer and cleaner-feeling hair. Its panthenol ingredient acts as a humectant to draw moisture into the hair strand. GH testers reaped the benefits, giving it high marks for its lather and its rinse . Shoppers echoed that sentiment, highly rating its citrus mint fragrance. The only qualm? Its hydrating formula may not benefit oily hair types.

A must-have for men who wear styling products, clarifying shampoo can combat excessive oil and grime. The Essentials Daily Clarifying Shampoo is a potent yet lightweight cleanser, and it does such a great job at eliminating dirt that it's what the Beauty Lab uses to prepare hair strands for product studies . Its simple yet effective formula rings in at only $2 a bottle, but it should be noted that some found its fresh, clean-smelling scent "overly strong and potent."

Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Shampoo

Hair and scalp plagued by a trifecta of dryness, itchiness and flakiness? Consider Head & Shoulders the salve. It's formulated with the dandruff-fighting ingredient pyrithione zinc . For Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek , the creamy formula kept dandruff at bay without stripping the hair and scalp. Bringing it out for dry, winter months, one GH analyst says he appreciates that the scalp treatment leaves his hair feeling soft and smelling nice. However, some testers felt it left a residue even after rinsing.

When it comes to getting down to the nitty gritty, Kérastase excels at catering its line of products to specific hair conditions, said Shelly Aguirre, a professional hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. The brand's haircare has impressed in GH Beauty Lab tests, including the volumizing shampoo and conditioner dubbed the "holy grail" by testers. Infused with the skincare ingredient salicylic acid , this shampoo deeply cleanses by exfoliating scalps. Shoppers compared its scent to men's cologne , but it may not be best for those sensitive to scents.

If you're looking to simplify your haircare routine, Dove's 2-in-1 offers just that. This shampoo-conditioner combo simultaneously cleanses hair strands and hydrates them thanks to its conditioning agents, which have been shown to make combing easier after use . Our testers found that this shampoo lathered and rinsed well without weighing down hair, while making combing and styling afterward easier. It should be noted, however, that a 2-in-1 product may not be able to provide comparable conditioning to a standalone conditioner.

"Seaweed Bath Co. shampoos are a great affordable option for paraben and sulfate-free shampoos ," recommends Aguirre. "They're all natural and easy to find at [major retailers]." Combining soothing aloe with moisturizing argan oil, the scent-free shampoo and conditioner set gently clean sensitive scalps. Aguirre also likes their Smooth Shampoo for curly hair and the sea clay and apple cider vinegar Detox Shampoo for removing scalp impurities. However, a few Amazon users stipulated that the shampoo came out on the watery side.

Having dominated our most recent test of shampoo for dry hair , it's a no-brainer that this pick is great for men with dry hair. When used with its matching conditioner , this shampoo conferred the highest levels of conditioning to hair strands , with testers raving about how moisturized it made their hair feel and its impressive lather. The scent, however, may not be masculine enough for all men's preferences.

Nizoral's Anti-Dandruff Shampoo contains ketoconazole, a topical antiandrogen and antifungal medicine that can combat the growth of bacteria that causes dandruff . Rajani Katta, M.D. , a dermatologist and author of Glow: The Dermatologist’s Guide to a Whole Foods Younger Skin Diet , recommended this dandruff shampoo for its ability to combat the flake-causing yeast. The strength of this treatment, however, may result in irritation or dryness in some, so if you have a sensitive or dry scalp you may want to look for a less potent option.

Finding the right shampoo for thinning hair can be difficult — many thickening shampoos are somewhat drying because of their lesser inclusion of conditioning ingredients to achieve fuller-looking hair. Keeps strikes a balance by improving hair volume without making it feel dry and brittle . The formula contains saw palmetto, which may help with thinning hair caused by androgenetic alopecia . Testers enjoyed this shampoo's scent and how it made their hair look after washing. It's worth noting that the formula lathers considerably less than many other shampoos, so you may be tempted to use more than is needed.

RELATED: The Best Hair Thickening Products for Fine, Thinning Strands

Two-in-one formulas get a bad rap. Method proves the naysayers wrong. Its shampoo and conditioner contain jojoba and argan oils to condition strands as you wash. GH consumer testers praised everything, "from smell to packaging to how well it lathered and rinsed off," one said. This shampoo scored well for its lather, rinse and how clean it left hair feeling. We did find that some consumers ranked it poorly for weighing down their hair after use, so fine or oily hair types may want to look for a more clarifying shampoo .

Oribe Signature Shampoo

Taking your shower to a new level of indulgence? Look no further than Oribe's Signature Shampoo. The scent alone is so decadent it merits the hefty price tag. Luckily, this shampoo's formula justifies it too. We loved almost everything about this shampoo, from the luxurious, thick texture to the way it left our hair after washing — noticeably softer and easier to style afterward than some other shampoos we tested. While it's undeniably pricey, we found ourselves using less than normal to clean our scalps, and given the way it made our showers more luxurious, we can rationalize the cost.

Jack Black Turbo Wash Energizing Cleanser for Hair & Body

Jack Black's Turbo Wash takes dual action to new heights. The thick shampoo and body wash is filled with refreshing scents of shea butter, rosemary and juniper berry , and nourishing ingredients like panthenol and vitamin E. We love its pump packaging, which helps dispense just the right amount. It comes in sizes ranging from three to 33 ounces, the smaller of which can be thrown in a gym bag for a speedy post-workout wash. "I'd buy this just for the scent!" remarked one tester. While we agree, its tingling sensation may be too strong for the more sensitive.

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo

Color fading is inevitable when it comes to shampooing, but some formulas can reduce fade better than others. Our Beauty Lab has run extensive testing on shampoo for colored hair , and TRESemmé came out as top dog. Despite being the least expensive in our last round of color-protective shampoo testing, this one and its matching conditioner displayed the least amount of fading on colored hair samples after 20 washes and 10 hours of UV radiation. Consumer testers also favored it more than other shampoos, noting its luxurious texture. However, we realize its feminine scent may not suit all men.

Briogeo Curl Charisma Hydrating Shampoo

Dry hair can be a concern for anyone with curly hair as oil from the scalp struggles to penetrate curls. Choosing a hydrating shampoo that's free of harsh detergents is key to cleaning curly hair without leaving it frizzy. Briogeo's curl shampoo is made with a mild surfactant synthesized from coconut oil, which can be better suited to dryer and more sensitive hair and scalps. We appreciate that it also comes in a larger version with a pump dispenser, saving you in price per ounce. More than 200 five-star Amazon reviews encourage our suggestion, though some pointed out that the low lather this product provides can mislead you into using too much.

Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo

Oftentimes, people with longer locks struggle with dryer, more brittle hair. If that's the case, opt for a milder shampoo that won't dry out hair strands with frequent washing. This GH Beauty Award winner is formulated with gently cleansing sodium cocoyl isethionate instead of more harsh surfactants . When combined with its matching conditioner and leave-in treatment , the bonding shampoo left 93% of consumers saying their hair felt moisturized after use, making it a great pick for damaged hair. It's worth noting that you may not get the best results without using all three products in the system.

John Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo

Almost every guide on the subject of men's shampoo brings up this Tea Tree Special Shampoo, and for good reason. The herb-infused formula boasts a unique tingling sensation and decadent scent (of tea tree oil, menthol and lavender oil) that makes morning showers feel invigorating and refreshing . Its internet cult status demands its inclusion, with more than 46,000 five-star ratings on Amazon speaking to its efficacy and pleasant smell. We also love the simple packaging and pump for dispensing just the right amount of shampoo. Sensitive sniffers and those who don't like tingly shampoo are best to steer clear because it may be overpowering.

Kristin Ess The One Purple Shampoo

Whether your gray is all natural or dyed, purple shampoo can help maintain vibrancy and diffuse brassy tones for a more polished appearance. The One Purple Shampoo, created by celebrity hairstylist Kristin Ess, is a favorite among GH editors for the efficacy it offers at a great price. While we love Ess's The One scent, a clean yet sweet aroma characterized by pear and magnolia, you may want to consider other options if florals aren't your speed. For those trying to banish brassiness on recently bleached hair, leave it in your hair for 5 to 10 minutes to load up the violet pigments in your strands.

How we test the best shampoo for men

Our GH Institute Beauty Lab experts have years of shampoo testing under their belts. Our testing methodology includes both in-Lab evaluations and real-life feedback from our extensive network of consumer testers. To put together this list of the best shampoos for men, we tested 11 of the most popular shampoos marketed toward men.

In the Lab, our analysts prepare uniform hair swatches, which are then precisely dosed with shampoo and washed at our swatch-wash station. While we aren't able to measure the exact cleansing ability of shampoos in our Lab, we do measure how conditioned the hair is after use by measuring the force necessary to comb through the wet swatches using an Instron machine.

We sent samples to 14 consumer panelists who identified as men and asked them to use the shampoo over two weeks, evaluating cleansing performance, how the shampoo made their hair look, lather, packaging and scent . We then consulted data from previous shampoo testing and selected the highest performers from both this round and previous rounds of testing for inclusion.

What to look for when shopping for the best shampoo for men

According to Aguirre, the kind of shampoo you'll want is largely dependent on your hair type and how you like your hair to look, so keep these factors in mind:

✔ Dry hair : Look for shampoos labeled as "moisturizing" or "hydrating." Check the ingredients for conditioning agents like panthenol and humectants like glycerin that help keep strands hydrated and sleek.

✔ Oily hair: Formulas labeled as "clarifying" help combat excess oil on the scalp. You'll want to follow shampooing with a good conditioner after using a formula like this because grease-cutting formulas can be more drying.

✔ Fine hair : Opt for a voluminous shampoo. Adding protein and collagen will help the finer strands feel and look thicker, per Aguirre.

✔ Curly hair: The coiled nature of curly hair can make it difficult for natural oils from the scalp to make their way down the strands effectively, so people with curly hair rely on more hydrating and conditioning formulas. It may be worthwhile to find a formula without sulfates in favor of a less aggressive detergent to remove dirt without overly drying. Hydrate parched curls with ingredients such as coconut or argan oil.

✔ Colored hair: Go for a shampoo labeled as "repairing" or "strengthening" because these often include high levels of conditioning ingredients. These formulas tend to improve the appearance of damaged hair as well as protect over-processed hair from further distress. If you're concerned about brassiness, opt for a purple shampoo to help reduce yellow tones. Aguirre added: "The shampoo should be sulfate-free, which indicates that it is safe for color."

✔ Dandruff : Anti-flake or dandruff shampoos can help promote a clearer scalp. "Products with zinc pyrithione help to kill yeast that causes dandruff, while salicylic acid dandruff shampoos exfoliate flakes," said Aguirre. "If you have an actual dandruff condition, you should seek medical advice to get to the root of the problem. It could be a form of psoriasis or eczema ."

✔ Matching shampoo and conditioner: Shampoos are created in conjunction with a conditioner by their manufacturer, and these formulas are designed to complement each other. Using a shampoo with its matching conditioner ensures you're reaping the full extent of claimed benefits — they're often optimized to work well together.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

As a data engineer at the GH Institute, Nikolas Greenwald works across Labs applying his expertise in chemical engineering to develop new protocols and manage institute data. He combines his knowledge of chemicals with product knowledge from working in cosmetics retail to evaluate men's grooming products, consulting the GH Beauty Lab's extensive history of product testing to make the most apt picks for this roundup.

Commerce Editor Jacqueline Saguin was the most recent updater of this guide. In addition to adding new Beauty Lab picks, she interviewed Chicago-based hairstylist Shelly Aguirre for additional insights. Before Maxine Salon, Aguirre spent 12 years teaching classes at salons and working at trade shows across the U.S.

As a data engineer in the Good Housekeeping Institute , Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022 , Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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