There is an unusual knowing nod when you’re walking through an airport wearing The North Face’s Base Camp Duffel and spot someone else also fashioning the backpack.
It’s not like showing up to a party wearing the same outfit. There’s a mutual understanding. An IYKYK acknowledgement that they, like you, are experiencing packing greatness. And it’s not a rare occasion. The duffel is ubiquitous among discerning travellers, who add the style to basket in order to maximise clothing, minimise weight and avoid hefty luggage fees.
This was certainly what drew me to the bag. I am not your traditional gap year traveller looking for a camping backpack to load on and off all-night coaches. I tactically use my annual leave days and bank holidays to be able to travel long haul and see as much of the country in as short of time as I am allowed. This often means many internal flights and check-in bags add time and money I am not prepared to spend.
My most recent adventure was to India, starting in the north in Amritsar to Delhi to Agra to Jaipur to Goa to Mumbai and home over the best part of three weeks and throughout, all I had was the clothes on my back, tactically squeezed into packing cubes in The North Face Base Camp Duffel for the duration of the holiday.
Specs
Design
It is important to note that while the Base Camp Duffel comes in many sizes, the large and extra large are huge. These are not cabin bags and drowned my 5ft4 stature. The medium was much better suited to this particular trip, but if you’re looking for a short-haul, Easyjet-approved bag, you may want to look at the small instead.
The medium was more than capacious enough to stash two weeks’ worth of clothing with a roomy interior. It is worth noting that there is just one internal zipped mesh pocket for valuables, so packing cubes are essential to stay organised in the main body, but there is one end-cap side pocket on the exterior that is great for shoes or laundry.
The bags come in a range of colourways. I opted for the all-black but got envious spotting the yellow and grey-blue shades out in the wild.
Functionality
The shoulder straps are layered with comfortable cushioning so you can wear as a backpack with ease, and they’re adjustable and removable. There are more straps too which means you can also sport as a duffel, and there is an additional carry handle too.
The design is waterproof with a flap to protect your contents, but has been constructed with recycled materials, which some reviewers say are not quite as hard-wearing as previously, but I didn’t find this to be the case.
The bag looks as good as new after my trip, but one reviewer takes it to the next level, explaining that they have “had one of these for about 11 years and it's stood the test of time on numerous snowboarding trips and military use with nothing more than some scuffs to the outside”.
The same goes for the zips that were incredibly sturdy. Another reviewer agreed, detailing, “I have just cycled from Cairo to Cape Town. This bag travelled on the support truck, and I overfilled it every single day, having to sit on it to get it shut, and the zip and seams stayed solid for the duration of the four-month expedition”.
It also comes with a storage bag that compresses the design down into wardrobe-stashing near-flat circle shape.
Verdict
The North Face Base Camp Duffel
The North Face Base Camp Duffel’s medium was more than capacious enough to stash two weeks’ worth of clothing with a roomy interior. It is worth noting that there is just one internal zipped mesh pocket for valuables, so packing cubes are essential to stay organised in the main body, but there is one end-cap side pocket on the exterior that is great for shoes or laundry.
The bags come in a range of colourways. I opted for the all-black but got envious spotting the yellow and grey-blue shades out in the wild.
The shoulder straps are layered with comfortable cushioning so you can wear as a backpack with ease, and they’re adjustable and removable. There are more straps too which means you can also sport as a duffel, and there is an additional carry handle too.
The design is waterproof with a flap to protect your contents, but has been constructed with recycled materials, which some reviewers say are not quite as hard-wearing as previously, but I didn’t find this to be the case.
The bag looks as good as new after my trip, but one reviewer takes it to the next level, explaining that they have “had one of these for about 11 years and it's stood the test of time on numerous snowboarding trips and military use with nothing more than some scuffs to the outside”.
The same goes for the zips that were incredibly sturdy. Another reviewer agreed, detailing, “I have just cycled from Cairo to Cape Town. This bag travelled on the support truck, and I overfilled it every single day, having to sit on it to get it shut, and the zip and seams stayed solid for the duration of the four-month expedition”.
Buy now £140.00, The North Face
