First time using an Eagle Creek Duffel Bag | Travel Gear Review

After going on previous group hiking adventures, my recent trip to Morocco was the first time I swapped my backpack for an Eagle Creek duffel bag.

I was off on a winter hiking trip to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and after putting together my Morocco winter packing list I realised that my 65-litre backpack was not going to work!

For my trip, my Eagle Creek duffel bag was gifted for me to test out but if you’re read my reviews before you’ll know I give both the positive and negative points and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here I will tell you what I think about the Eagle Creek duffel bag, why I picked this model and overall what I thought about the duffel bag, including whether I would recommend it for future adventures.

Do you have a specific question about the duffel bag? Feel free to ask me in the comments below.

Why Eagle Creek?

In a world where it has become all too easy to replace items instead of repairing them, I wanted to make sure the duffel bag I opted for on my Morocco trip was not going to be a one-use-only bag! 

Eagle Creek take sustainability seriously, their goal is to ensure that fewer items end up in a landfill. Remember a duffel bag is for life, not just for Christmas.

But they also have a few other interesting facts about how their duffel bags are made. Keep reading!

How green is Eagle Creek?

My favourite thing about Eagle Creek is their warranty policy.

Eagle Creek doesn’t just have one warranty, they have two! What, confused? I was too, but here I explain how it works!

Eagle Creek Lifetime Warranty

Instead of encouraging people to replace broken items Eagle Creek aim to repair broken, faulty or damaged items, that are related to the materials or manufacturing, Of course, if you don’t take care of your bag that wouldn’t fall under the warranty.

However, that doesn’t mean to say that they make poor quality items in the first place!

The duffel bags and other products are produced to such a high standard that the chance of you having any problems is very minimal. In fact, the return rate for Eagle Creek is less than 1% so the numbers speak for themself!

AND Eagle Creek ‘No Matter What’ Warranty

The ‘No Matter What’ Warranty covers you for incidents that might happen to the bag outside of the normal lifetime warranty. For example, damage by an airline on your trip. 

This means no need to go through lengthy claims with your travel insurance, yippee! Eagle Creek will arrange for the duffel bag to either be repaired (by Scottish Mountain Gear) or replaced.

Either way, the result is a duffel bag you can still use for future trips and no landfill water!

Duffel bags are made with recycled PVB

What on earth is recycled PVB?

I admit before I started researching Eagle Creek I’d never even heard of this but surely anything that is recycled is a good thing.

In short, Eagle Creek has developed amazing technology to use car windshields to develop a coating for Eagle Creek Migrate duffel bags that makes them water-resistant, which ultimately helps make them even more durable.

Replacing PVC with TPU

Eagle Creek has a goal to be 100% PVC-free in 2020 (at the moment they are 99% free so not long to go!) PVC means more toxins in the environment so this is fantastic to be nearly 100% free!

The product TPU that is used in place of PVC which is on the upper outer material of the duffel bag, ensures that they are water-resistant and durable, meaning they last longer. Another win-win reason for choosing Eagle Creek duffel bags.

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Choosing my Eagle Creek Duffel Bag

Choosing my Eagle Creek Duffel Bag was a tough decision.

They have two different styles of duffel bag to choose between, however, each option has 5 or 6 different size options, oh, then there’s the colour to pick too!

Duffel bag options

Eagle Creek has two different duffel bag designs:

1. Migrate Duffel Bag
2. Cargo Hauler Duffel Bag

The main differences between the two bags are in terms of organisation options!

The Migrate duffel bag is a more basic bag, with one external pocket and then the main compartment. Whereas, the Cargo Hauler has two end pockets, a concealed valuables pocket and a mesh divider in the bag.

As someone who likes organisation, the extra pockets appealed to me immediately!

Then looking into the other features, the handles, easy-access opening and the fact it can stow into the end pocket for storage, the Cargo Hauler stood out for me as the perfect bag for me.

What sizes are available?

• 40-litres
• 60-litres
• 90-litres
• 110-litres*
• 130-litres*

*Both the 110-litre and 130-litre duffel bags come with wheels!

My decision for which size I selected was based on a couple of things.

In 2019, I walked across Britain with a 65-litre backpack, this included a tent and summer sleeping bag and mat, however, for my winter trip to Morocco, I was planning on taking warmer (and bigger) gear!

Therefore, I knew I needed a bag bigger than the 40 or 60-litre options.

For the Atlas Mountains trip I had booked, we had mules carrying a large portion of our gear, with our daily items and snacks for the walk carried in a day pack. But they did have a weight limit, 15 kg per duffel bag. 

I also knew I would need to carry my duffel bag around Marrakech (and possibly on other mini-adventures) although the duffel bags have backpack straps I decided that I wouldn’t want to be carrying a heavy bag for long distances.

And I eliminated the larger bags from my decision. Leaving the 90-litre duffel bag as the best size for my trip!

What colours are available?

And lastly, there’s the colour to pick for my duffel bag.

Eagle Creek has a range of different styles and colours. I wanted a bag that would stand out, there was a lovely bright blue or yellow duffel bag.

But in the end, I picked one that fitted my personality, it’s called the Golden State Print, and as you can see it’s pictured with little bears and flowers, very me!

Eagle Creek duffel bag – The features

Now here’s what you really want to know, what makes this duffel bag stand out, what’s so good about it?

Hidden backpack straps

Within the top of the backpack, there are two backpack straps that can easily be clipped into place to use for carrying long distances. For example, walking through the chaotic streets in Marrakech!

But they can also easily be packed away when they need to be, for example, taking a flight and putting your bag into the hold or putting them on mules to carry for you on a trek!

Separate storage areas 

As well as the main compartment of the duffel bag there are also two extra storage areas at each end of the bag. One is a set size, I used this for my toiletries, first aid, travel towel and electricals so I could easily access them.

The second compartment is at the other end and has the option to be as big or as small as you like. Why? Because it expands into the main section of the duffel bag, meaning you can use it to suit your needs. 

Within the main section, there’s also a removal divider, that fits into place with two toggles. I removed this purely because I had my ice axe and walking poles that I put on the bottom of the bag.

What did I like about the duffel bag?

Handles, fasteners and zips

When I received the bag, I noticed it had four short handles, top and bottom then one on each side. At first, I didn’t really see the point, why did I need four handles on one bag but I found them very handy when I was staying in accommodation with little space.

I could then easily pull, (my heavy bag), around the room in order or from a vehicle and make it look easy!

The four clips on the side of the duffel bag allow you to tighten your bag, mine was pretty full for my Morocco trip. You can see what I packed in it here: Morocco winter packing list.

However, if I was doing a shorter trip then I could still use the bag and tighten the straps to stop the contents moving about!

All the zips are well made and robust enough to last plenty of trips.

I genuinely loved using this duffel bag and there were many features that I liked about the bag.

• Good quality and durable material, including robust zips and fastenings on the bag
• The bag is water-resistance 
• Backpack straps – handy for walking long distances with the duffel bag
• Easy to find things in the bag as wide opening 
• Side pocket – who doesn’t love a side pocket on a bag lol!

What didn’t I like about the duffel bag?

After two trips, I’m struggling to think of things that I don’t like about the bag. This was the only thing I could think of that I didn’t like and to be honest, I also see it as a positive as well, since it means the bag is more secure!

• Not fast opening as four clips and zip combo to open the duffel bag

And that’s it, at the moment! I will be continually testing the bag on future trips so if I come across something I don’t like then I will let you know!

Would I recommend my Eagle Creek Duffel Bag?

At the moment, I’ve used my duffel bag on two trips, one in the UK on a weekend trip to the Lake District and the second time was on my 10-day trip to Morocco, including hiking in the Atlas Mountains.

Each trip was very different but I found the duffel bag really handy.

For my Lake District trip, the duffel bag was really handy for reducing the number of bags I take. I have a terrible habit when I am packing for a UK adventure (when I’m driving) that I take way too much stuff.

The 90-litre duffel bag was the perfect size for packing my hiking gear, clothes and even my backpack for the trip. I used my Pack-It cubes to organise my gear within the bag.

On my trip to Morocco, the duffel bag was brilliant. From easily spotting my bag as it came along the luggage carousel at the airport to carry it easily through the busy streets of Marrakech to my hostel.

Have you ever used a duffel bag on a trip? What are your thoughts on Eagle Creek, have you tried their luggage range?

Let me know in the comments below

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