Sunrises or Sunsets? Yankees or Red Sox? Red Vines or Twizzlers? You can debate the pros/cons of just about everything—and that includes travel luggage: duffel bags vs wheeled luggage? While some debates are easily decided (e.g., Red Vines all the way—Twizzlers are gross), at Ride Engine we feel there is no “one style to rule them all” when it comes to travel luggage. Every traveler has their own specific needs and every destination its own logistical challenges. Where you’re going… how you’re getting there… what gear you’re taking… how long you’ll be there.. how you’ll get around once you’re there—all of these are trip-specific variables that should be considered before you grab bags and start packing.
While the luggage debate may be muddy and the trip-specific variables copious, wheeled luggage and duffels each have beneficial attributes that can direct your decision.
While the luggage debate may be muddy and the trip-specific variables copious, wheeled luggage and duffels each have beneficial attributes that can direct your decision.
DUFFELS
Lightweight: This a crucial benefit of a duffel over wheeled luggage, especially when trying to bring all your gear and get under the airlines’ luggage weight limit. With no wheels and no structural frame, a duffel can save you upwards of five pounds, making it the go-to if getting underweight is a primary concern.
Cost: Thanks to its simplified construction, duffels are cheaper than similarly sized wheeled luggage.
Compactable: With no frame or structure, a duffel can be more easily crammed into tight spots (e.g., the back seat of taxi). Additionally, an empty duffel can be folded up and stashed out of the way under a bed or in the back of a closet upon arriving at your destination.
Versatility: A duffel’s versatility really shines when you’re travels involve bouncing around from plane to taxi, ferry to tuk-tuk, mini-bus collective to beach buggy (hero-level points if you combine them all in one trip!). When you know there’s going to be multiple “duffel shuffles” on your trip, you’ll be stoked to have a duffel with enough strap options to quickly and easily convert from backpack to shoulder sling to grab handles to tie-down points.
WHEELED LUGGAGE
Wheels! Hand carrying heavy bags while traveling sucks. The ability to effortlessly maneuver your heavy bags around is the definitive benefit of wheeled luggage. If your travel destination is fairly civilized (read: paved roads, functioning elevators, smooth floors, and straightforward logistics), then there’s no question that wheeled luggage is your choice.
Wheels! Hand carrying heavy bags while traveling sucks. The ability to effortlessly maneuver your heavy bags around is the definitive benefit of wheeled luggage. If your travel destination is fairly civilized (read: paved roads, functioning elevators, smooth floors, and straightforward logistics), then there’s no question that wheeled luggage is your choice.
Frame: Having a structural frame allows wheeled luggage to protect your belongings better than a duffel. Additionally, the frame provides organizational capabilities, preventing your bag from turning into a dreaded bottomless pit of chaos where you can’t find anything.
Stackable: The ability to stack a second bag onto wheeled luggage is an incredible benefit. With the handle extended, you can put the straps of a second bag (backpack, duffel, etc.) around the handle, rest the bag on top of the wheeled luggage and snug up the straps, resulting in a near-effortless maneuvering of two bags. You can breeze around like a boss with this two-bag setup! But a word of caution: most handles of wheeled luggage are not built for heavy torsional loads, so go gently with the stacking or risk potentially busting your handle.
If you have any questions on which size of duffel or wheeled luggage is best for you and your travels, hit us up with a message or call our all-knowing customer service is ready to help out!
OUR RECCOMNDATION:
Most of us at Ride Engine don’t choose wheeled luggage or duffels. We choose both. Equipped with wheeled luggage and a duffel, we have the ultimate in versatility and maneuverability for the vast majority of our global travels be it to Dakhla, Maui, Cape Town, or Baja.