Airline travel...best duffles out there?

[Beto]

Hi, I am getting ready for my goat hunt in BC and was wondering how does everyone prefer to check their loaded backpacks in the airlines. I have never travelled to Yukon territories before, but the outfitter insisted on packing light due to small plane spaces getting to main camp.

I will be using a Kifaru Nomad for all my clothes/gear and a Far North Archery travel case for my longbow and arrows. I saw that Kifaru makes some nice duffles and saw that they recommend something like the Duffel XL to just throw in the loaded backpack which makes a lot of sense.

This sounds like a great idea, but I wonder if there are any other duffle bag options, probably cheaper, that you guys use for airline travel.

Thanks for the input.

 

[gmajor]

I'm going to pick up the REI pack duffel to see if I like it. It's certainly cheap. http://www.rei.com/product/787296/rei-pack-duffel-bag

Last year I borrowed a north face base camp duffel that was super nice. Too spendy for me though. Hoping the REI one will fit the bill...

 

[PNWGATOR]

I've had good luck with the Cabelas heavy canvas duffle bag. Basic, well built, durable, functional and fairly priced.

 

[Jtelarkin08]

Ive got the Kifaru Duffle and its real nice

 

[jwb300]

I used a Tatonka duffel on my goat hunt last year. Fit my EXO pack in there and is water proof and easy to pack on the horses.

 

[Preston Lay]

I have traveled to Alaska and Canada on a few bowhunting trips. I still don't think I have found the perfect duffle travel method. However I have a Badlands roller duffle that comes close, it has a upper and lower sections that comes apart. There's plenty of room for bows, arrows, boots and clothes a week or two. Its ideal to have rollers for airports and it comes apart to avoid expensive overweight bag charges. I would recommend taking along some dry bags rolled up and leaving the big duffle at a base camp and repacking for the bush flight. I have lugged two heavy bags over the shoulders and that's not fun.

 

[IanF.]

I've traveled all over with MEC duffles (Canadian REI). If you fly to whitehorse on air north they are one of the best airlines I've ever flown with. Note too they require your bolt removed from a rifle if you're bringing one. Lastly if you can take the bag off the frame, put it where your torso would would be and wrap the straps around it, save tons of room....

Very best,

Ian

 

[boom]

i'm confused.

are you looking for a duffel for your pack to fit into? or are you packing your backpack AND a duffel?

traveling south east asia, i use a pack. easier to move thru the crowds. downside? i am always worried about someone sneaking stuff into my pack. so bought a pack security sack. it is pretty light!! lockable zipper. it holds ANY pack size and secures the contents AND keeps the straps controlled so they dont get caught up in any conveyer belts. super cheap and effective.

 

[Beto]

thanks for the great input from all.

Boom, I am sorry for the confusion, I am taking only my Nomad (backpack), but like you said, I was looking for a duffle or a sack or something to use for travel and prevent anything getting stolen or the pack being damaged during travel. Your recommendation on the Pack Security Sack seems good. I have never heard of this type of bag, so I will give it a search, any recommendations on brands?

thanks.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I personally haven't experienced any damage to my bag's interior contents while flying. Call me lucky or call me dumb. I put my $1500 td recurve (2 pc) in a fleece bow-sock and it lays in a canvas duffel bag. Beside it is a cheap Plano arrow case (lightest and smallest one they offer) stuffed with 10-14 arrows. The rest of my gear goes in and I pay absolutely no attention to the possibility of anything getting broken. I've flown to Alaska and Hawaii many times this way, not to mention destinations in Canada and the western U.S. The only thing I've ever had damaged was exterior handles or wheels on roller bags, which I no longer use in hunting. I own an assortment of duffels and the majority of them are from Cabela's. I probably would enjoy an expensive duffel from Kifaru or any number of other companies, but the truth is that I've used my bags HARD and they have held up very well. I cannot really justify a duffel costing $200+ if it isn't clearly superior to what I'm using.

One trick: I bought a medium/large ripstop duffel from Cabela's to use as needed. When I went to Manitoba a couple weeks ago, I stuffed this duffel inside the one carrying my gear. After killing a pretty good bear, I froze the entire head and hide inside this extra duffel, then checked it in for my flight home. I often carry this extra duffel with me just in case I need it.

For your loaded backpack, I would absolutely suggest you look at this bag in either a 30" or 36" size: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...eader%3BSearch-All+Products&Ntt=canvas+duffel


Another: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...r%3BSearch-All+Products&Ntt=waterproof+duffel

I got over a decade of very hard use from my waterproof duffels. The top opening is not as large as a zipper provides, but is much more secure.

 

[bogeyboy555]

Depends how much you want to spend.... I travel a ton for work and went through maybe 1/2 a dozen bags before breaking down and buying a serious travel bag. I hate rollers, so I bought a decent size shoulder bag to max out the capacity on a plane.

I ended up buying the Filson Pullman bag and it is an absolute beast and holds way more than you would think. The filson canvas bags are legendary in terms of quality, heavy duty, and looks. You just have to determine if you are ready to part with the cash for one.

The regular duffle bags are nice too - you should be able to find one on eBay for about 30% off or something in that neighborhood.

 

[kodiakfly]

I've got a few pieces of Filson luggage and it's awesome. I can recommend that. Also, on my last couple of hunting trips, I used the Mountain Hardwear Expedition duffel...the big one. It's really built well and I like that it's a rubberized material. It's not submersible or even advertised as waterproof, but I liked having it when my gear had to sit on a ramp for an hour in a good rain and things were still dry inside.

 

[live2huntelk]

In the past, I have purchased used military bags from Army/Navy store and off eBay to combine bigger items into 1 bag such as my rifle case, boots, winter hunting coat, etc. This is like the one I used for combing bigger items and not pay for additional bags and still kept the weight within the allowable.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Zippe...006?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f2f0f6e06

 

[LostArra]

I like my No Matter What duffel by Eagle Creek.
It's about the lightest wheeled duffel I've found.

 

[boom]

thanks for the great input from all.

Boom, I am sorry for the confusion, I am taking only my Nomad (backpack), but like you said, I was looking for a duffle or a sack or something to use for travel and prevent anything getting stolen or the pack being damaged during travel. Your recommendation on the Pack Security Sack seems good. I have never heard of this type of bag, so I will give it a search, any recommendations on brands?

thanks.

Mine is a REI brand.

 

[boom]

I'm not sure everyone is reading this thread

He wants to secure his pack. A duffel would suck. You can't stuff the duffel into the pack when not needed.

Looks like REI only carries Osprey backpack travel covers. They look lighter duty than mine. U

 

[boom]

beTo.

If you're CA Bay Area, I can loan you mine.

 

[Stid2677]

These are what I use a lot, these and the bigger nylon ones that will hold totes.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...s+kit+bags.TRS0&_nkw=flyers+kit+bags&_sacat=0

 

[LaGriz]

mainder of the bag was loaded with My fix to the travel problem,

A few years back I was making a yearly visit to New England, joining my friends on a 7+ day rifle hunt in Northern Maine. The 50 lb per-bag limitation and the inception of "bag charges" pushed me to come up with a solution. I picked up a drop-bottom equiped wheeled duffle from Cabela's and a airline approved break-down shot gun case that fit in the drop bottom. I would declair the weapon at my departure point and lock the case. My rifle was packed inside with the scoped action and stock disassembled. Included was my binos and a few knives. The remainder of the duffle was loaded with light weight bulky items until it reached the 49.5# mark. My other bag was a extra large off-shore style zippered duffel. Loaded with boots, and cold weather gear, day pack, and some street clothes until it too reached 49 # or so. I then carried my camera, shaving kit, and light change of clothes in a carry on bag. I liked the idea that upon arrival, my rifle was out-of-sight and not in some special station that I often found ungarded with other cased weapons and fishing rods. I took a few trips to fine tune the gear. If an Item was not used on 2 occations, it was removed from the load out list. LaGriz

 

[Beto]

I thank all for the great advice. I really has been very helpful insight. This is the great thing about this forum, to get many unbiased perspectives on how to do something is priceless to me.

I thank all for your valuable input here. I will let you guys know what I ended up with.