HI all
I am likely going on an African photo safari this summer and I will bring a photo back pack but for other items, they require a duffel bag maximum size 62cm long and 30cm wide and 25cm high. I want to bring one with wheels-- this is allowed but has to be soft sided including the back. Does anyone have any recommendations. Seems hard to find the appropriate soft side with wheels. Thanks
The Patagonia 40 liter Black Hole Wheeled Duffle is very close to your requirements. Very well built with one of the best guarantees. I have several variants of the Black Hole duffles (both wheeled and non-wheeled) and bags and they are superb for travel with very durable construction without excessive weight.
IT looks like the wheeled version has a hard back? The wheels can be hard but not the whole backside.
aryaah wrote:
The Patagonia 40 liter Black Hole Wheeled Duffle is very close to your requirements. Very well built with one of the best guarantees. I have several variants of the Black Hole duffles (both wheeled and non-wheeled) and bags and they are superb for travel with very durable construction without excessive weight.
Wheeled without a rigid back exists, but the bottom easily drags on the ground. I'd probably go for a regular duffle at that small size. It seems like an extreme limitation for a photo safari. Are you going by yourself on light aircraft and not chartering the air as in a small group?
mark1958 wrote:
HI all
I am likely going on an African photo safari this summer and I will bring a photo back pack but for other items, they require a duffel bag maximum size 62cm long and 30cm wide and 25cm high. I want to bring one with wheels-- this is allowed but has to be soft sided including the back.. Thanks
Are you sure about dimensions? especially this 30 cm ? Maybe is 40 cm ? (if yes there is many bags like this)
I have The North Face Base Camp Voyager Duffel 42 l. I bought for my Safari and also for my Kilimanjaro hike to give to the porters.
Large f-stop ICU fit perfectly there, so I realized it will be easier to use in Safari car than my photography backpack...
I took this year for some international travel, is 60 cm when is full BUT is very easy to make it smaller if you want...
One downside is not a bag you want to carry long time on your back because your are gonna sweat a lot , but is very solid with heavy weight
* as people comment above soft bag can be a problem .. read 1 stars reviews for eagle creak bag
&list=TLGGyelXsT0aUQcyMzA1MjAyNQ&t=3s
I had looked at the Eagle Creek prior to posting but it is too large. This is what they sent me.. The picture of acceptable and unacceptable
PIOK wrote:
I have The North Face Base Camp Voyager Duffel 42 l. I bought for my Safari and also for my Kilimanjaro hike to give to the porters.
Large f-stop ICU fit perfectly there, so I realized it will be easier to use in Safari car than my photography backpack...
I took this year for some international travel, is 60 cm when is full BUT is very easy to make it smaller if you want...
One downside is not a bag you want to carry long time on your back because your are gonna sweat a lot , but is very solid with heavy weight
* as people comment above soft bag can be a problem .. read 1 stars reviews for eagle creak bag
&list=TLGGyelXsT0aUQcyMzA1MjAyNQ&t=3s
No Wheels ( but size seems ok ) You can search cheap bags in Walmart, Costco to find something with wheels.
Last year I dedicated some time for searching duffel bag and most mountain brands have big duffels without wheels
I had the Eagle Creek duffel with wheels and I didn't mind the bag itself, no issues there. The problem was that I found I had to crouch in order to roll the bag along. If you are after a duffel with just wheels/no rigid back, then you're pulling it by the fabric handle on the other end. Without a telescopic handle it was really awkward to actually make use of the wheels. It proved to be more trouble than it was worth. I'm 6' tall, for context.
I ended up going back to just a standard duffel with no wheels. I currently use the Osprey. It has the backpack harness built in, but like you I also have a camera backpack so I can't make use of it. Reading your original email, I'm guessing you aren't going to be hiking with this duffel, it's just to get to the bush where you'll be on a vehicle. That's my use case, so I just look for a cart in the airport to load everything onto. There aren't that many moments when I have to carry it and my backpack at the same time.
Hi VKM2F
I liked the Eagle duffel but it was too big. I never saw in person. I am only 5'6" but that is out
You are right I only need the duffel to carry what I would normally take in my suitcase and like you said not to hike in the bush. I think your point about taking a cart is a good idea too.
I ended up ordering two different wheeled duffel bags. The Osprey 40L Daylight and LL Bean Adventure Rolling Duffle 40L
I looked at the Osprey 40L at the store and the back should be within their guidelines.
* as people comment above soft bag can be a problem .. read 1 stars reviews for eagle creak bag