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So Gti Junior is off to Uni this year and for the next few years of his life he will need a robust bag that can be carried in one hand or on his back. The North Face duffels have street cred and come in a range of sizes and colours.
So what's cool and practical and easy to carry? Preferably can be locked as well. I see there's also Mountain Equipment, Helly Hansen and loads more, I bet.
The North Face duffels have street cred
With who??!
Although I do live in the uncoolest place in the UK, so they may not have caught on yet.
If his new friends care about which bag they see once a term when he moves too and from home....
Probably better getting him a rucksack for day to do. Surely.
Most of the students round here use a reasonably new VW Polo or Golf for this type of thing..
Apparently TNF is quite chavy now (i still like it).
Once he gets there he really won't care
The TNF Duffles are decent. They're lockable and have detachable straps and are tough. There's nothing wrong with them, mine's been going for around 20 years and is still just about in one piece.
Most of the other outdoors branded duffles are pretty much clones to be honest. The Osprey ones are more designed and nicer, but not as tough I reckon.
Rucksacks are a better call for regular carrying by some way though.
I'd never have spent this much on a rucksack ordinarily but having had 2 now I have to say they are really sturdy, hard-wearing and probably worth the money!
[url= https://www.homeofmillican.com/collections/rucksacks/products/the-originals-dave-the-rucksack-28l-slate-green#product ]Rucksacks with proper names [/url]
I'd look at the Alpkit duffle bags as well.
Depends on how much stuff you have, and how far you need to carry it. A big rucsac may be more comfortable if you have to walk a mile to get a bus or train. Or a rucsac plus a smaller duffle bag.
A rucksack? That's even more uncool than North Face.
What the OP needs to look for is a duffel bag with a shoulder strap so long that the bag is about knee height. It doesn't matter if this is an ergonomic disaster and will lead to back problems. That only happens to old people.
My son disna give a shit what he looks like at uni Edinburgh (year 3) and judging by his fellow students neither do they, crumpled clothes unkempt hair.... yada yada yada. He has a non descript messenger bag for laptop and books.
unless your lad is going to a [s]posh[/s] top end uni I wouldn't bother
Deepreddave. That piece bag costs as much as a terms student loan when i was at uni.
£175 for a bag, my boy would be choking on his pot noodle and Jack Daniels, Then again if bank of mum and dad were buying, he'd possibly accept and then stick it up for sale on uni notice board
I got an Osprey flap something £45ish from wiggle seems good and has a nice shape to it.
I think rucksacks are better if you have to carry stuff for any lengh of time.
Ive liked the vaude bags Ive used for the last 20 plus years but not bought anything new for a while
Or a bit odd but a company on the isle of scilly called rat bags make some very tough tradition bags in what ever way you want.
I wouldn't get a duffle, they are a ball ache to pack & carry when you've got lots of hard, rectangular things to put in them (e.g. books).
Not that cheap, but very secure, the Pacsafe bags are worth a look; they've got a stainless steel mesh built into the structure and straps, making them immune to being slashed open, and they have a nifty lock system as well:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pacsafe-Venturesafe-Litre-Anti-Theft-Daypack/dp/B00AE0NWWO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1486337113&sr=8-2&keywords=Pacsafe+Intasafe+Z400
I still have the same berghaus 35 litre that I bought I'm my 1St year 30 years ago
Filson.
That's disgusting!
A bag.
For kit.
Surely?
Or something else of a second hand army nature.
Sometimes they even come with authentix afghansista stores dust
Mountian Equipment holdalls are robust, lockable and always on offer at Cotswold across a range of sizes.
was bag slashing crime a big deal where you went to uni ? We had the odd drug related murder out on the street in dundee(hilltown) when i was in uni but bag slashing wasnt really a thing.
If he has his heart set on a duffle and TNF are now officially a bit chavvy take a look at the Thule Chasm ones, they're designed to be used a rucksacks if required and they're proper tough with quite possibly the chunkiest YKK zips I've ever seen.
Had one as my 'chuck it in the back of the van' bag for the past 2 years, wipe it down at it looks almost new.
Something from Wenger, we got our lad one from TK Maxx last year. He initially turned his nose up at it but is now using it.
Big enough to take a laptop and has different compartments for books etc.
Something like these
http://www.viking-direct.co.uk/a/bb/Back-packs/Wenger/N=2+1288943&cbxRefine=300910/
Big fan of the TNF duffels, I have a few in different sizes/styles. Handy for lugging stuff around, as well as holidays with kids and loading up the roofbax/car
If you're after something cheap then the army deployment bag is a great option
I've had a mountain equipment 100L duffle bag for a few years now. £60 from Cotswold outdoors. It's good and very sturdy and has 'occasional' rucksack straps, which come in handy from time to time.
I'd go with a split roller bag though if he's not gonna be chucking it in a car and using trains. Something like this but Animal and Dakine do good ones but more expensive. http://www.surfanic.co.uk/mens-roller-bag-grey-1/
Some good suggestions there thanks.
Ohhh, made a note of those army bags for if/when my duff finally dies.
I don't get the duffel bag hating, they're not meant for everyday carrying, it's to carry another 90l+ of stuff short distances when you've already got a full rucksack. Like when you're bringing a terms load of laundry back from uni.
I've got two duffbags, they probably get 10x the use the big rucksack gets.
Whatever he used for his DoE#, of course. Any decent 70L expandable rucksack will do, unless he really is trekking.
#Gap year sacks may also suffice. Think Teen1 has an Osprey something. DoE discounted from Cotswold.
@trail_rat - I get the cost thing but sometimes buy cheap buy twice has a ring of truth. I've a swiss-gear laptop bag that cost not a lot and has been great but my what ruined rucksacks at school for fun (or they broke, ripped etc) but the Millican has lasted really well with loads of life left so similarly cost effective in the long run. Nice present to mark a occasion too in that it will probably last a lot longer than many others that's all...
I'm fully convinced of the value of buying good luggage; I travel to Africa on business several times a year and only use Samsonite hard cases; they last for trip after trip, despite getting increasingly scarred from handlers' attempts to wreck them. My Samsonite carry-on bag has lasted for easily ten years despite also being used daily on trips to carry stuff around.
I dont believe in cheap shit luggage either - it falls apart but theres a law of deminishing returns surely.
10 years of all over the world traveling inc africa , middle east and FSU using an eaglecreek no matter what holdall and unlike the modern ones its not emblazoned with "i have valuable stuff inside" logos.
the best bit is that it also fits two rig bags inside and packs down to **** all so i can take my bags out and go offshore - with the eagle creek pack stuffed into my rig bag.
but i still believe $175 for a small rucksack is rich.
Ortlieb? They're expensive but v robust can occasionally be found on sale at some of the online motorbike accessory retailers
Plus 1 for Alpkit duffles.
Just spotted this Kickstarter project on Flipboard which might be just the thing: it expands to three different sizes, but folds away into a small compact package.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theadjustablebag/tab-the-worlds-most-versatile-convertible-bag
Got a green laundry bag thing from Ikea that we use for keeping down sleeping bag loose, cheap, sturdy, self supporting so can fill it like a bin, big zip opening so you can empty it like a bin and it has carry straps.
Fjallraven