Every backpacker hits the same wall a few days into a trip. The pack is only 40 liters, the fresh clothes are taking up half of it, and the down jacket is still wearing two liters of air it does not need. Compression packing cubes solve that, and picking the right set for your trip … Read more
A suitcase does not get heavier on the way to the airport, but the bag you hand over at the check-in counter very often is. The standard US domestic limit for a checked bag is 50 lb, which is 23 kg, and most carriers start charging once a bag reads 50.5 lb. One extra sweater … Read more
The best travel pillows for long flights are the ones that put support at the front of your neck, not just the sides. Our top three: the BCOZZY patented double-support pillow for the most reliable chin hold, the TALLGO memory foam U-shape for the best balance of support and packing, and the Everlasting Comfort 360 … Read more
The best packing cubes for carry-on luggage are the ones that turn a jumbled pile of rolled socks into a stack of flat, uniform blocks you can pull out one at a time. I have spent the last two years testing carry-on packing cubes across a dozen sets, from four-piece budget bundles to ten-piece compression … Read more
The best duffel bags for motorcycle trips are waterproof roll-top or welded-seam bags in the 30-50L range, with a rigid enough shape to strap down, a base panel that survives contact with hot exhaust, and hardware that holds tension through vibration. A regular travel duffel will slide off the rack, soak through in the first … Read more
A deployment bag has one job: take 50 to 80 pounds of uniform, boots and gear through a baggage hall, a rainstorm and a decade of rotations without failing. The best military style duffel bags for deployment do that with heavy denier nylon, YKK-class hardware, reinforced handles and enough litres to stop you splitting your … Read more
A carry-on duffel bag is the fastest way through a short-haul airport. No bag belt, no waiting, no chance of a roller bag rolling away from you on a cobblestone street at midnight. I have carried the same weekender on more 90-minute hops than I can count, and the bags that survive that life are … Read more
A large hockey duffel is a soft-sided bag built to swallow a full kit in one gulp. Shoulder pads, gloves, helmet, pants, base layers, skates, and a stick go in, the zipper closes, and you sling it over one shoulder. The best large duffel bags for hockey gear are the ones that hold a senior … Read more
The best leather duffel bags for weekend trips are the ones that measure 20 to 22 inches end to end, carry between 30 and 45 liters, and use full-grain or vegetable-tanned hide with YKK zippers and solid brass hardware. That combination packs two to four days of clothing, clears the overhead bin on most major … Read more
The best waterproof duffel bag for boating is the Earth Pak Voyager 50L, and the reason is not the fabric. It is the closure. A roll-top that buckles shut over thermo-welded seams removes the two leak paths that fail on an ordinary duffel: stitched stitch holes and a pinhole-prone zipper. We put 12 marine dry … Read more