In the past, adventure travelers have had three luggage families to choose from: duffels, backpacks, or suitcases. Each of these options comes with trade-offs.听Classic duffels swallow lots of gear, but they鈥檙e awkward to carry; overnight听backpacks听are great for听hauling heavy loads听but听aren鈥檛 great for internal organization; traditional suitcases offer structure听for keeping valuables and nice clothes neat, but they are cumbersome and not practical for traveling off pavement.
Recently, however, a new class of outdoor luggage has emerged, with several brands launching hybrids that offer the best of all three worlds. Each听combines the suspension of a backpack with the go-anywhere durability and large capacity of a duffel and the organization of a traditional suitcase. Even听more of these new bags are on the way in 2019. Here are four we鈥檙e excited about.
Osprey Ozone Duplex 60 ($220)
Two packs in one, the Duplex combines a 38-liter duffel with a 22-liter daypack. The former clips to the outside听of the latter, so you can wear them as a single unit while dashing through the airport to catch your connecting flight. The pack鈥檚 contents are听still accessible with the duffel attached,听through a back-panel opening. The duffel also has a see-through ID-tag slot, should you decide to check it, but it also meets听carry-on size restrictions (only when detached from the pack portion).听Internal straps听cinch down over your clothes听to keep them in place. Meanwhile the backpack听is great for long hikes,听but the hefty, padded straps and long, wide profile can be overkill for casual commuter use or walks through town.
Gregory Proxy 45 ($150)
Gregory鈥檚 newest adventure duffel has an interior waterproof 鈥渁ctive shield鈥 compartment that quarantines dirty clothes and wet bathing suits. The main compartment opens clamshell-style, with small organizational pockets on the lid. A sizable front compartment has sleeves for a laptop, books, notepads, and pens, and a top outside pocket fits a passport or wallet. Hefty grab handles on the top, front, and sides make for easy hauling, while the padded backpack straps tuck into the back panel, streamlining the Proxy for checking at airports. The 65-liter version adds a bottom shoe compartment.
Mystery Ranch Mission Rover 43L ($185)
The Mission Rover is the sleekest piece of luggage here.听This bag unzips longways听around the middle, splaying out into two halves. Internal zippered mesh flaps keep the contents of each half in place, while a smaller, zippered compartment听on each side听is ideal for socks, belts, or toiletries. A laptop sleeve and small sundries pocket on the front and a shoe compartment make this a great option for short trips when you don鈥檛 want to pack a separate work bag.
Thule Landmark 60L ($200)
Of all the models here, Thule鈥檚 new Landmark 60 (also available in 40 and 70 liters, all launching February 2019) is the most like a traditional duffel, with a smaller opening flap on top instead of a clamshell entry. Useful features鈥攍ike buckles to strap in clothes, a hidden passport sleeve, and a hard-sided top pocket for keeping breakables safe鈥攅levate it beyond the basic gear hauler. The 60- and 70-liter versions each have a clip-on daypack, which is听smaller than the Osprey鈥檚 and clips to the outside of the duffel听(rather than having the duffel clip听onto the daypack).听The removable pack is sleek and compact enough for work or town听but plenty large for moderate full-day hikes.
Launching February 2019