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A big duffel is an endlessly useful item whether it be to transport or store kit on holiday, expeditions or just under the bed! The Osprey Transporter range has been recently refreshed to bring it bang up to date improving its eco credentials and offering options for pretty much every usage scenario.
Arguably the iconic North Face Base Camp duffel popularised the duffel amongst the climbing fraternity. Designed to transport your climbing/expedition kit to remote locations, dumped in a truck, strapped to the back of a yak or tied to a dodgy roof rack. Far more commonly duffels are used to organise kit for trips in your car/van or maxing out the luggage allowance on your chosen airline. As a result duffels have evolved from basic ultra rugged ‘big bags’, which still have their place, to more versatile rugged luggage that better fits the more varied modern usage.
Osprey’s Transporter range includes several variants including the Transporter™ Wheeled Duffel, the Transporter™ Squffel (a more suitcase/travel bag style that hinges open) and the classic Transporter™ Duffel which we are reviewing here. The Transporter™ Duffel is billed as Osprey’s expedition duffel and intended for the heavy duty abuse that that entails. However the design and material choices mean that it is not unnecessarily heavy – always a useful factor when trying to max out you baggage allowance! The Transporter™ Duffel range comprises a 30l, 40l, 65l, 95l, 120l and 150l version. All are made using NanoTough™ exterior fabrics that incorporate 100% recycled high-tenacity nylon providing high levels of water resistance and striking a good balance between abrasion resistance and weight. I opted for the 120l as the 150l was just too big for my 173cm frame when trying to carry it rucksack fashion! Talking of carrying the Transporter™ Duffel comes with a simple but comfortable harness that includes a sternum strap that can be easily tucked away or deployed in a few seconds. The straps are proper rucksack straps as you would expect to find on one of Osprey’s packs and quite frankly are the best I have seen on a duffel. When not in use the harness tucks into a zipped pocket in the lid. There is obviously no hip belt as this is not meant as a bag you carry extensively on your back – hopefully you will be schlepping it short distances between various modes of transport but if you have to carry your duffel on your back then Osprey is the best bet. As such the harness is as comfortable as can be expected. The lid itself is a horseshoe shaped affair which unzips to give you unimpeded access to the contents of your bag. The zip is covered by an over-sized rain flap and the pullers are lockable. Left outside in the pouring rain I could not detect any water ingress but the zipper is not waterproof and it’s conceivable that there might be some seepage if the duffel was on a roof rack and exposed to rain/wind that could force its way pass the flap. I find the horseshoe zipper really useful having lived with an old Arc’teryx duffel (which is great in its own way) that uses a single zip. The horseshoe zip makes it a cinch to find stuff as well as simplifying packing, something not to be underestimated depending on you duffel’s intended use, many of us will ‘live’ out of our duffels at camp or in accommodation so ease of access is important.
The exterior of the Transporter™ Duffel is replete with four low profile padded handles which make pulling, shuffling, stuffing and cramming the bag into trailers, car boots or onto roof racks much easier. With the harness stowed these low handles don’t protrude or snag things so helping the whole stowage malarkey. Alongside the handles are eight webbing lash points for tying the duffel down on a roof rack, yak or whatever depending on your chosen mode of travel 🙂 An externally accessible zippered slip pocket is situated at one end for odds and ends you may wish to keep separated and there is a corresponding interior mesh pocket at the other end of the duffel. Otherwise the interior of the duffel is just one enormous storage space which is exactly what you want. At this point a quick word about duffel size, simply put if you can carry it it’s not too big, this is not a climbing sac you will need to carry up a route the only thing you might need to be wary of is exceeding the baggage weight allowance.
In Use
I’ve used the Transporter™ Duffel for a few trips up to huts in the Lakes but nothing really that would truly test it. Fortunately Bruce and Denis were off to Mingulay for a week so the duffel went with them to enjoy the fresh sea air and acres of nice Scottish gneiss! Now a single trip with being thrown on and off boats and a couple of months of casual use are not sufficient to truly test the durability of an expedition duffel but the signs are good. There is pretty much no sign of wear whatsoever besides a bit of muck on the base. Bruce and Denis were both pleased with the performance of the Transporter™ Duffel and its endless capacity; lots of proper food or at least fresh eggs and whiskey! The expedition duffel market is competitive and there are both lighter and potentially tougher options out there but Osprey’s Transporter™ Duffel strikes a good balance between durability and weight. although the body fabric is a new material it looks like it will live up to the previous versions level of durability
For the majority of us the Transporter™ Duffel 120l is a fantastic choice for those big trips away. It has a minimalist feature set which maximises your storage and is durable enough to withstand abuse without stealing too much of your baggage allowance.
Pros
- Comfortable harness
- Durable
- Spacious
- Lightweight
- Limited extra pockets
Cons
- Limited extra pockets;-)
SRP £180 (120 L model)
Disclaimer – CGR reviewers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising. We are a bunch of keen climbers and outdoor enthusiasts that accept sample products and offer an honest and independent review of the item. The reviewer will often keep the sample after reviewing it for both hygiene reasons and more often they’re in no fit state to return!
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