Another factor that can be a great indication of product quality is the brand. Brands like Rab are of course extremely well known, especially for duffel bags. Despite the bag’s soft material, it is one of the most structured bags, particularly due to the plastic high road chassis that holds the wheels. That means it won’t be as flexible or as easy to squeeze into luggage compartments and you may get some disapproving looks from the pilot when loading. But the bag’s manoeuvrability is a worthy trade-off if your airline will allow it. If that’s what you’re after, read all about my favourite safari duffel bags right here: Rufiji Canvas Duffel Bag

Price – as you’d expect the price of a product can be an instantly recognisable factor on what sort of quality you can expect. Whoever came up with the phrase “you get what you pay for” pretty much hit the nail on the head. Whilst it’s not always the case and there are many bargains to be had, you can as a general rule, expect the higher priced products to offer better quality than a the cheapest option. We’ll dive into the price of Rab Kit Bag II 80L in more detail in a moment. The downside to buying online is that you can’t actually get hold of the product to try it out first. We’re really pleased to have scored Rab Kit Bag II 80L so highly, givimg it 8.2 out of 10, making it well above the average for all duffel bags. I’ve been using the older version of this duffel bag about twice a month for almost ten years now and it’s served me excellently. It’s come with many on countless flights and road trips and actually doesn’t even have that many scars from the mileage. This is a really stylish holdall in traditional safari colours, and there’ll be no mistaking your bag for another once it appears on the luggage carousel.This bag is the most expensive bag reviewed so, naturally, the price will count against it. But if you’re after a well-made bag from a well-known brand, the Osprey Sojourn 60 is a great option. Yes, I’ve already listed the fact this bag has wheels as a pro. However, not all safari companies or airlines recommend bags with wheels as they can be more difficult to fit into the hold on small aeroplanes. That said I have seen wheelie cases being used widely across Africa – just make sure you do your research first. It’s genuinely difficult to find a con for this one; there are plenty of reasons to choose it as your next safari holdall, which may make it difficult to spot yours on the luggage carousel amongst many lookalike bags. It’s a very popular choice! It’s a matter of personal preference, but I don’t find this bag to be particularly stylish. It’s a bog-standard style only available in a couple of muted colourways, so it doesn’t spark joy as much for me as other brightly coloured choices! Secondly, 40l was just a little bit tight for a full week’s worth of clothes and phys kit, plus wash kit, books, chargers and so on. Especially so if I need a towel, which I frequently do either for the gym or because of the type of places I’m staying.

It’s comfortable to carry (as long as you’ve kept within the weight limits!) using the short grab handles, as well as the longer over-the-shoulder strap.

Trousers & Shorts

One thing that we really liked about this is its water resistant coating which uses a PFC-free DWR (durable water repellent) treatment that’s solvent-free wax – it’s actually inspired by natural beeswax. With its 80-litre capacity the Rab Kitbag will swallow a lot of stuff. I’m pretty sure I could carry double the contents of my wardrobe in this. The 600 denier fabric walls and reinforced base also make it capable of taking a bashing. The classic North Face holdall is hard-wearing and durable, while also being made from water-resistant, recycled materials. This makes it a sustainable and practical choice too. The material the product is made from is often a sign of the quality for duffel bags. Take a look at the product details over at Cotswold Outdoor to get a feel for this. The Traveltopia 45 is made from 100% recycled polyester and is bluesign approved, meaning that harmful substances have been eliminated right from the beginning of the manufacturing process, and all resources involved in its manufacture have been used responsibly. What’s more, it also has Green Button certification. That’s a label awarded by the German federal government designed to help consumers identify socially and environmentally sustainable textiles.

Many safari-goers swear by keeping their luggage small and going with hand luggage only. This makes travel incredibly efficient, so consider these bags for your next trip: Craghoppers 40L Holdall

Selected for the 2021/22 Outdoor 100 – Read our full Bach Dr Duffel 70 review. BUY NOW: BACH-EQUIPMENT.COM