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I am convinced that weekend getaways are the secret to a happy life. And I’m also convinced that a good bag can make it much easier to embark on those quick trips out of the city as often as possible, whether you’re driving or flying or taking the train upstate.
The best weekend bags will fit your essentials (from toiletries to underwear) but still be lightweight, compact, and durable. They will also — most important — be easy to carry (with sleeves for luggage or straps that don’t need to be adjusted every ten minutes), somewhat waterproof, and easy to keep organized with efficient pockets, compartments, and zips. To find the best options, my fellow Strategist writer Rachael Griffiths and I interviewed 15 travel experts about their favorites, then tested those recommendations out for ourselves. While you’re here, I’ve also written about the best carry-on luggage and personal-item bags for flying.
You’re going to be toting your weekend bag to and from your destination — and sometimes you might be carrying it around with you on your last day. A weather-resistant bag could be a smart choice, whereas for more unpredictable travel like camping, a ripstop fabric will make sure that any damage stays contained. All the options below should withstand a little rain.
Packing one pair of jeans for a whole trip or multiple outfit changes per day is a personal choice, but you should know your tendencies before selecting a bag. Below, I’ve noted the volume of each bag, which ranges from 25 to 60 liters, so there’s a size for everyone from minimalists to shameless overpackers.
Since most of these bags are not on wheels — meaning you’ll be lugging them around on your shoulder or back most of the time — their unfilled weight is an important consideration.
Sometimes a backpack is the most comfortable way to carry your belongings; other times, a cross-body strap makes more sense. Many of our picks have multiple carry options (and some are removable), so you’ll be sure to find a bag that won’t weigh you down even when it’s filled to bursting.
Materials: Recycled polyester ripstop with weather-resistant TPU-film laminate | Capacity: 40 liters | Weight: 2.1 pounds | Method of carry: Top handles, backpack straps, and sling strap
Thanks to its durability, impressive capacity, and multiple methods of carry (it can be used as a duffel or backpack), the Patagonia Black Hole has become a go-to for myself and multiple fellow Strategist staffers. True to its name, the bag fits a lot of stuff, and it packs down easily for storage when not in use. Pruzan Running co-founder Lexy Copithorne told us that inside her duffel there’s more than enough space to pack for a weekend away. In fact, she can actually pack everything she needs for a two-week trip. “That includes two sweaters, several fitted tanks and running sets, two pairs of sneakers, boots, a few swimsuits, and my toiletry bag,” she says.
You may recall that past versions of Patagonia’s Black Hole duffels and backpacks featured an instantly recognizable glossy exterior fabric that could be wiped down easily. Patagonia recently replaced this fabric with a recycled ripstop polyester webbing that it says is just as waterproof and durable — I’m in the process of testing one of these newer bags and will report back with my findings, but so far so good.
Materials: High-density cotton canvas | Capacity: 43 liters | Weight: 2.45 pounds| Method of carry: Top handles, detachable shoulder strap
As far as budget weekender options go, S-Zone duffel is up there with the best. It has a sturdy canvas exterior with a soft nylon interior that’s water-resistant and easy to wipe clean. It has plenty of compartments for bulky bits like shoes or slimmer stuff like an iPad, and you can carry it three different ways, in case your shoulder or back gets achey on a particularly long journey. Although it has a whopping 43-liter capacity, it only weighs two and a half pounds, making it “roomy, lightweight, and comfortable to carry” according to Phil Dengler, co-founder of travel journal The Vacationer. Dengler’s been traveling with the same S-Zone duffel for over eight years now, which is a strong endorsement.
Materials: Nylon | Capacity: 25 liters | Weight: 2.6 pounds| Method of carry: Shoulder strap, removable messenger strap
The separate shoe compartment in this bag is precisely the type of efficient organization that Griffiths looks for in a weekender. (“Who wants boots or sneakers rubbing up against freshly washed clothes?” she asks.) Its praise was echoed by travel journalist Maggie Espinosa, who’s used the duffel for over eight years as both a carry-on and weekend bag. With a capacity of 25 liters, it’s best for light packers, but Espinosa did once manage to squeeze a pottery planter from Oaxaca inside one of the bag’s abundant compartments. Another handy design feature, says travel writer and founder of WanderWomenRetreats Alexandra Baackes, is the fully unzipping side pocket, which allows the bag to slot over the handle of a carry-on. “The small carry-on goes in the overhead, and the Lo & Sons goes at my feet with all in-air essentials, from laptop to lavender pulse point,” she says.
Materials: Polyester | Capacity: 25 liters | Weight: 2 pounds| Method of carry: Shoulder strap, removable messenger strap
Priced more affordably, Calpak’s Luka shoulder bag also features a shoe compartment as well as useful external pockets that are big enough for a small water bottle or book. The bag’s rectangular shape is designed to slide snugly into baggage sizers, which makes it a great choice if you’re flying personal-item-only on a budget airline. Among travelers in the know, it’s “popular for good reason,” says travel creator Jessica Ufuoma. “It’s very roomy, and it just works.”
Materials: Water-resistant nylon | Capacity: 139 liters | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Method of carry: Padded strap and handles
Sometimes you just need a big ol’ bag that can hold a ton of stuff. But the bigger the bag, often, the flimsier it is. This L.L. Bean duffle is durable and an excellent price for what it is. Deputy editor Alexis Swerdloff was looking for something that she could use to pack up her entire family — herself, her husband, and two small kids — since putting everyone’s clothes in separate bags meant, well, that there were suddenly a lot of bags, and weekend trips were getting unwieldy. She landed on this L.L. Bean X-Large duffle and she thinks it’s the best thing she bought all year. “It fits so much stuff,” she says. For one weekend trip, not only was she able to pack in everyone’s bulky winter clothes, but she also stuffed in about two dozen diapers, a Tonie Box and its charger, and a noise machine. While the bag’s hefty-feeling, “it also can be folded down into basically nothing,” she says. “I store it in an oversize tote.” She’s also taken it on longer trips. On a recent flight to Colorado, she noticed not one but two other families with two kids who had the same bag. When she reported this to the rest of the team, fellow editors Maxine Builder and Simone Kitchens said they both still use the same enormous Adventure Duffles they’ve had since high school. It can be monogrammed, which could make it a nice wedding or new-baby gift.
Materials: Nylon | Capacity: 24.5 liters (27.5 liters when expanded) | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Method of carry: Backpack straps and top handles
Griffiths likes this bag because it counts as a personal item on most European airlines and stows easily beneath the seat in front of her on planes and trains. But it’s still pretty roomy: “On a recent trip to Paris, I packed three days’ worth of clothes and toiletries without even having to expand it,” she says. “Thanks to the padded straps, it was hours and hours before I got an ache in my shoulder from traipsing around galleries.” The bag also has a lengthy top strap so you can carry it like a duffel to give your shoulders a break. Her favorite feature, though, is the padded laptop pocket at the back — which means you don’t have to fish through your bag for your electronics at security. “And when I’m having a proper break — i.e., not traveling with my laptop — I put my book and journal in there, so I can slide them out without fuss,” she adds.
Materials: Nylon | Capacity: 30 liters | Weight: 11 ounces | Method of carry: Shoulder strap
I am constantly influencing friends to buy this bag, which is almost weightless yet extremely durable and holds a lot of stuff. Puffy shoulder straps make it much comfier than your average freebie tote, and generous external pockets are handy for stashing a book or water bottle. Because it is made from very thin fabric, this bag’s weight and bulkiness really depends on how much stuff you pack inside. I can fit three or four packing cubes full of clothes into it, alongside books, a laptop, and other small essentials. On its own, the bag is perfect for weekend or weeklong trips. On longer vacations, I have also slipped it over the handle of a Samsonite carry-on suitcase using the attached luggage sleeve.
Materials: Nylon and leather | Capacity: 30 liters unexpanded, 50 liters expanded | Weight: 1.6 pounds | Method of carry: Shoulder strap, removable messenger strap
Many Strategist staffers stand by Longchamp’s Le Pliage range of totes for both travel and work. New York Magazine deputy editor Alexis Swerdloff says hers has withstood nearly two decades of wear and tear, and Strategist editor Maxine Builder has had one for 15 years. These bags are so durable because they’re made of a waterproof nylon material and have sturdy leather straps. This expandable version is ideal for travel because it can accommodate any souvenirs if needed but otherwise remains compact and rather classy-looking.
Materials: Neoprene | Capacity: 18 liters | Weight: 2.8 pounds | Method of carry: Shoulder strap, removable messenger strap
Dagne Dover’s Landon bag is a great personal item for long-haul trips and also ideal as a weekender. Going’s travel spokesperson, Katy Nastro, uses hers for quick overnights. She likes that it has “all the pockets built in, so I can be very organized.” The pockets also make this bag ideal for trips where you’re bringing a laptop and stationery. The duffel comes in five sizes, but I’ve found that medium is the best option for most short trips, especially if you know you’ll be flying on budget carriers with strict rules. The capacity isn’t huge, but the flexible neoprene fabric allows for overpacking.
Materials: Water-resistant polyester | Capacity: 45 liters | Weight: 2.3 pounds | Method of carry: Shoulder strap, removable messenger strap
Sometimes, traveling with a portable steamer just isn’t an option. In those instances, a garment bag can help keep delicate items of clothing uncreased. Griffiths says Halfday’s clever garment duffel is particularly ideal for keeping satiny dresses and tops in perfect condition in transit. As she explains in her review, the bag lays flat, with two circular flaps sewn to the bottom end that form the oblong ends of the duffel once it’s zipped up. Inside the garment bag, there’s a Velcro hanger loop, so you can loop your hangers inside, and then just hang up the whole bag when you arrive.There’s also room for three or four additional outfits to be folded up inside. I think this bag is ideal for taking to destination weddings, for business travel, or for any other trips when you need to look your best.
• Chyla Anderson, founder of Outdoorism
• Alexandra Baackes, travel blogger and founder of WanderWomenRetreats
• Anna Bond, co-founder of Rifle Paper Co.
• Sanibel Chai, writer
• Louis Cheslaw, former Strategist associate editor
• Lexy Copithorne, co-founder of Pruzan Running
• Phil Dengler, co-founder of travel journal The Vacationer
• Jessie Hyman, co-founder of Pruzan Running
• Maggie Espinosa, travel journalist
• Robert Khederian, a former Curbed staffer and current Compass broker
• Simone Kitchens, Strategist senior editor
• Nikko Lencek-Inagaki, director of design and merchandising at Freemans Sporting Club
• Gabriella Mancha, hair and makeup artist
• Dymphe Mensink, who runs the blog Dymabroad
• Katy Nastro, Going’s travel spokesperson
• Kiki Reginato, New York Magazine’s senior director of e-commerce operations
• Rebecca Selkirk, travel writer
• Alexis Swerdloff, New York deputy editor
Additional reporting by Rachael Griffiths.
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