If you're heading out for a long trip, no other type of luggage beats a rolling duffel bag for capacity and convenience. There's plenty of room for your belongings, your partner's, and all the stuff you find along the way and can't resist taking home. Look for ones with a wide opening for easy access into the bag and separate compartments to stow shoes and dirty laundry.
I like my rolling duffels the way I like my men: Big, strong, and able to stand up to whatever circumstances throw at them. If quality, durability, and style are equally important you to -- and you aren't willing to sacrifice any of those qualities, then Tumi's T-Tech Grand rolling duffel ought to be your first choice. Close to a yard tall and 16.5" x 15" in other dimensions, the Tumi rolling duffel is the prestige brand's largest model. This big boy offers a multitude of pockets, easy access from the top, and Tumi's valuable tracer protection and warranty.
A well-respected travel brand, Filson has been making luggage since 1897. Its wheeled duffel bag is made of canvas with leather corners. Brass zippers, a storm flap, inline wheels plus molded plastic sled runners on the bottom are among the features that make this distinctive duffel bag one that will see you though many journeys.
Two bags in one, a duffel and a daypack, this model is a smart choice for couples who want flexibility when they travel. Imagine leaving the daypack empty till you get to your destination; then detach it, head for the supermarket, fill it with picnic goodies, and you're good to go. Together the duffel bag and the backpack weigh under 11 pounds.
When I shop for a rolling duffel, I like to read the product reviews. At this writing, this High Sierra AT3 Sierra-Lite 32" Drop-Bottom Wheeled Duffel had 30 out of 30 buyers who would purchase it again. It measures 32" x 15.5" x 15.75" and comes in a very cool color combination of triple blues. As an aid to packing, this highly rated rolling duffel has separate compartments.
Want to stand out in a crowd? Choose a two-tone Ricardo Beverly Hills rolling duffle bag; it won't get mistaken for anyone else's. This big boy measures 30" x 15" x 14", is water-resistant, and has ball-bearing wheels. I also like that its nylon coil zippers are "self repairing." There's nothing like having to go shopping for a big suitcase far from home, when you don't have extra money to spend.
This large-capacity (32" x 16" x 16") duffel bag can hold up to two weeks' belongings on a trip. The unusually wide U-shaped opening makes packing -- and grabbing stuff out of the roomy interior -- easier. Available in black and red with a leather trim. Made well, it has quiet ball-bearing wheels and uses screws rather than rivets at stress points. This company also makes smaller 20" and 25" rolling duffel bags.
Is bigger better? If you're planning on packing a lot of stuff into a single bag, the 29" x 17.25" x 15.5" Mother Lode can accommodate everything from apparel to sporting gear. While there are certainly cheaper rolling duffel bags to be found, few of them come with a lifetime against defects in material or workmanship such as the one this bag offers. And it is very flexible; you can pack it as a one, two, or three compartment duffel and move shelves in the bottom compartment around.
Frankly feminine and scaled down for smaller travelers, this Vera Bradley rolling duffel uses a pretty quilted cotton print (in Java Blue or Mesa Red), then covers it in Dupont Teflon to keep it from getting dirty. Measuring 26" x 14" x 12", the duffel weighs 9 pounds. Its roomy interior contains three pockets and a hanging zippered pocket to hold smaller things.
Zipping from end to end for easy access, Eagle Creek's 30" x 17" x 12" Centerline Load Warrior is sleek and solidly built, yet you can collapse it when empty to fit under a bed or in tight quarters. Exterior compression straps keep the load inside this rolling duffel secured.
This large, tall rolling duffel bag (30" x 15" x 12") opens wide for quick packing. I also like that it has a kickstand to help keep it upright (it's easily flattened to store). And larger 5-inch wheels offer enhanced mobility.
