Peak Design Travel Duffel 50L

This latest iteration of the Duffel range is constructed with the new X-Pac™ VX-21 Ocean Edition material (at the time of writing only the 35L & 50L). This particular version (VX-21) of the X-Pac material is a special version of this fabric made from 100% recycled fishing nets and from what we understand is 100% waterproof. Yep, you heard it right, it is a lightweight material that is completely waterproof (untested). The duffel is built to withstand the elements while keeping your gear protected. In the past bags constructed with waterproof material were generally a lot heavier making it more difficult as a carry-on for airlines. The cost of the products made with the new material is slightly higher than current prices, however, we believe that for the sake of sustainability and a material that is now 100% waterproof, this is a small price to pay.

With multiple carrying options, including padded hand straps, a removable shoulder strap, and backpack-style straps, the Travel Duffel 50L adapts to your needs. Thoughtful features like easy-access external pockets, a wide opening for easy packing, and compatibility with other Peak Design packing tools make it a reliable companion for any adventure. Whether you’re heading to a new city or exploring the great outdoors, the Peak Design Travel Duffel 50L ensures that you travel in style without compromising on functionality.

In August 2024, Peak Design released the new Coyote colourway (see image at top) for some of its products featuring the new X-Pac material. Both the 35L & 50L Travel Duffels were included in this release. So that we could review the new material, new colourway, and a product we had never reviewed, Peak Design kindly sent us the Travel Duffel 50L in the Coyote colourway.

Before we dive into the product review, we’d like to discuss the new Coyote colourway. When the new colourway was launched, we received the Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap and Cuff wrist strap in this latest colourway. While the colour of products isn’t a priority for us, we find the Coyote colourway is more appealing when used with smaller items like camera straps and wrist straps. However, when used in larger items like a 50L Duffel bag, we find it challenging to get used to. Personally speaking, we’re still undecided about whether we like it, and only time will tell if we’ll come to appreciate its popularity. It’s possible that we’re just not trendy enough, as we generally stick to standard colours, and frankly, the Coyote colour clashes with our outfits.

The new Coyote colourway and the X-Pac VX-21 Ocean Edition material combination give this duffel a somewhat slightly shiny look. However, if you love the colour and the new material, you will love this duffel. In the end, what matters is whether the product meets your needs and expectations regarding functionality.

This particular carry-on-sized duffel along with its smaller 35L brother, was designed to be used for weekenders, overnighters, gym bags, or as a secondary bag to one of the larger travel bags. Like many of its products the 50L Travel Duffel is a dual-purpose bag and not just designed for photographers. Photographers will need to combine this duffel with camera cubes to keep gear secure and organised.

TRAVEL DUFFEL 50L – EXTERIOR

A lot of effort has gone into designing the Travel Duffel 50L. Although there are not as many design elements as a dedicated camera backpack, there are enough to make this a functional and practical bag. As mentioned above, this duffel has largely been designed as a multi-purpose bag that can be used by anyone. If you choose to use it occasionally as a camera bag then the camera cubes come into play.

The exterior, as mentioned, is slightly shiny due to the new material and has a criss-cross pattern which is part of the materials reinforcement technology. This pattern is what gives the material its enormous strength while remaining flexible and lightweight.

On the top of the duffel are two robust removable hand straps made from the same material that is used in their Slide camera straps and similar to the material used for car seatbelts. These connect to the anchor points on the side of the duffel. The hand straps can be separated or connected by unclipping the snap locks. Once connected it is easier to carry the duffel, however, access to the interior of the duffel will be slightly hindered. When travelling you may even want to remove the hand and shoulder straps and store them inside the bag or side pockets. The adjustable and removable shoulder strap is connected to anchor points at both ends of the duffel. The shoulder pad is well-padded and comfortable. If you are doing a road trip it may be better to remove the shoulder strap and store it inside the bag and just use the hand straps or vice-versa. Ultimately, you want to avoid lots of straps dangling and getting caught on things.

The exterior has 12 sturdy anchor points, 6 are used for the hand strap and shoulder strap attachment. These anchor points are used when using the duffel as a backpack, shoulder, or sling. You will need to move the hand straps to use as a backpack, and the shoulder strap if carrying as a sling or over-the-shoulder strap.

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The duffel has four generous side pockets – two on each side, all protected with UltraZip zippers, which are the preferred zippers for all Peak Design products. The zipper pulls can be fed through a hole and hooked over the toggle on the interior to secure the pockets from thieves. Each side of the duffel has two pockets. Both sides have a wide, outer pocket with a weatherproof flap. These pockets are wide and quite deep but do not have additional internal pockets. The larger side pocket on both sides extends a bit wider and is also quite deep; however, they have included additional internal pockets. One side of the bag has three mesh pockets, with the center mesh pocket being slightly wider than the other two. The other side has two equal-sized mesh pockets and also an anchor point, which we presume is there to possibly attach your keys using a lanyard (not supplied). This pocket also has a small velcro-sealed pocket that is used as an identification holder, i.e., a luggage tag.

From the pockets downwards, the duffel is rigid allowing the duffel to sit upright when placed on a surface, however, above the pockets, the two flaps that make up the top of the bag are thin and flexible. The interior of the duffel can be accessed via the main weather-protected UltraZip zipper that extends the full length of the bag. If there is any excess space in the interior, the side flaps on the exterior can be folded down and kept secure by hidden magnets on the ends of the bag.

Lastly, there are grab handles at the base of the bag – one on each end.

The external dimensions of the duffel are L: 60cm x W: 36cm x H: 23cm (23.5″ x 14″ x 9″).

TRAVEL DUFFEL 50L – INTERIOR

The interior of the Travel Duffel 50L is accessed via two weather-protected Ultrazip zippers at the top of the duffel which extend the full width of the duffel. The zippers both have pulls that can be interlocked with an anchor point that gives protection against thieves.

On the cavernous interior, you will find 6 elastic black loops (3 on each side of the bag. These are designed to be used with the C-clips provided with the packing and camera cubes to keep them in position within the interior. The C-clips are not supplied with the Travel Duffel 50L.

The only other features on the interior is two small zippered mesh pockets (one on each side of the interior) and the toggles for the external side pocket zippers. 

The interior, although a bit barren, is designed for you to customise the bag exactly the way you want it. If you are a photographer you may want to configure the interior with a camera cube, tech pouch, packing cubes and other items. Whether you are a photographer or not you can configure the interior however you wish. We highly recommend the Peak Design Packing Cubes to get the most out of the interior and to keep your items neat, tidy, and organised.

The internal dimensions of the duffel are L: 59cm x W: 35cm x H: 22cm (23.1″ x 13.6″ x 8.6″).

PROS

• Great design
• Premium quality
• Heaps of internal storage
• Works seamlessly with Camera Cubes and Packing Cubes
• Great security features
• Dual Purpose – great for photographers, non-photographers, or photographers on non-photography days
• Waterproof (only the Coyote colourway)
• Made from 100% recycled material
• Lifetime Warranty

We can’t really find too much wrong with the duffel, however, some of these CONS may not be an issue for some photographers.

CONS

• Minimal interior pockets
• No dedicated pocket for a laptop

COLOURS

The Peak Design Travel Duffel 50L is available in Black, Sage, Coyote, and Eclipse. The 65L version is available in Black, Eclipse, and Sage, and the 80L version is only available in Black and Sage. Note: Only the 35L and 50L duffel with the Coyote colourway features the new X-Pac material. Hover over the image below for a better look at the colours.

PRICING, PURCHASING, & SHIPPING

THE FINAL WORD

The Peak Design Travel Duffel 50L  is a stylish and well-crafted product, designed as a dual-purpose bag suitable for photographers, non-photographers, and photographers that sometimes are non-photographers, so basically – anyone . Those who want to use it as a camera bag need to invest in a Peak Design Camera Cube. Although the 50L version is designed for shorter trips, there is a ton of room in the 50L duffel especially if you are not using a camera cube. If you are travelling on longer trips without a camera cube this duffel, in our opinion, has ample space for most people, however, you may want to invest in some Peak Design Packing Cubes or if you are trying to keep the weight down, the Peak Design Ultralight Packing Cubes to keep it organised and tidy in the duffel. Ideally, as a photographer, the duffel could be used as a secondary bag to your dedicated camera bag. There are a multitude of combinations that can be used with the duffel and it’s up to you which duffel fits your circumstances and requirements.

The addition of the new Coyote X-Pac material in the 35L & 50L sized duffels will give this bag the waterproofing that the larger 65L & 80L sized duffels cannot currently provide will make this a popular choice for those who like the Coyote colourway.

If you are not a photographer the 35L and 50L versions will be more than enough in this range. If you are a photographer who carries a small amount of gear these sizes combined with a camera cube should be big enough. However, if you carry a lot of gear you may want to consider the larger 65L or 80L duffels.

Would we use it? Yes, we would certainly use the 50L duffel with our camera cube for domestic road trips, overnighters, and short getaways. For longer trips, we feel the Travel Backpack 30L or 45L may be a better choice.

We’d love to hear from you if you have any comments or questions about this product. 

RATING: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

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