Memorial Day is soon approaching, and the unofficial start of summer also signals a significant increase in weekend travels to enjoy the season to the fullest. The trusty weekender bag is a tried-and-true travel buddy, whether you’re flying, driving, or riding the train. This year, we asked five bags for our editors and writers at Fast Company to test out in order to assist you boost your weekend getaways.
Everlane Quilted Weekender
The Everlane quilted weekender bag has come in very handy for transporting a tonne of clothes back and forth to consign at The RealReal and Buffalo Exchange as I am now packing up my belongings and relocating to a new place. I can fit a lot inside thanks to its light weight and deceptively large size and several sections. The simple quilted pattern also appears stylish (certainly beats the blue Ikea bag I was using before). It’s been reduced to $86 on the Everlane website, which feels like a fairly decent deal—especially considering that it can serve as both a bag and a pillow during a lengthy flight. Yasmin Gagne, an editor in the,
Monos Metro Duffel
The Monos Metro Duffel is much more complex than first appears. The fashionable bag has enough of storage both inside and outside and is available in three vegan leather and four nylon colours. I tried out the Saddle Tan vegan leather version, which has internal (very soft) felt produced from recycled PET bottles. The bag contains a laptop sleeve that can accommodate a laptop up to 15 inches in size in addition to an inside zipper pocket (or in my case, a 13-inch one and a tablet). Two side pockets in the interior can be used to store an umbrella or a water bottle, though a short water bottle is best because my 24-oz. HydroFlask is a bit too tall to go within the bag. The Monos Classic Kit, a pouch for toiletries or chargers, is located on the front of the bag. It may be removed and quickly replaced with the Metro Folio Kit by the manufacturer. Two pockets, one of which zips, are also located on the exterior. The second pocket is readily convertible into a pass-through for a suitcase handle. Additionally, it has a removable strap that enables cross-body carrying. The Metro Duffel is an excellent weekender bag for regular travellers given its price range and could easily serve as a daily carry if you go from the office to the gym. — Associate editor David Salazar
Beis Weekender Bag
I was intrigued to see if the Beis weekender bag could take the place of the less-than-chic backpack I’d been carrying for weekend travels when I didn’t need a full carry-on suitcase because I kept seeing it in my Instagram feed. The tougher build of the lower compartment drew my attention right away. Although Beis promotes it as a fantastic fit for shoes, I would use it to prevent wrinkles in jackets, silks, or gowns, among other items. The amount of space in the main compartment astounded me; it would be simple to pack for two or three days. I also preferred that there weren’t too many pockets inside. There are just enough to be helpful without taking up too much room. The bag folds up little when empty, which is equally astounding, especially for those of us with closets the size of New York City. In a pinch, the top handles may be used as a shoulder strap, and the entire shoulder strap can be tucked inside if you want to wear it cross body. Overall, the material feels quite solid yet not overly hefty. Overall, the quality is excellent for the cost. The 26-inch check-in roller from the company with the weight limit indicator has now piqued my interest even more. —Executive managing editor April Mokwa
Paravel Weekender
The luggage by Paravel strikes a nice balance between the updated preppy and practical, seeming like it just stepped off a Wes Anderson set. The Weekender, like all of Paravel’s products, is environmentally conscious: Their proprietary Ecocraft Canvas, a durable, spill-proof material produced from cotton and recycled plastic bottles, is used to make it. It includes lovely, thick vegan leather handles and retro trunk-style straps running the length of its body that can be used to secure the bag to the handle of a rolling suitcase or constrict it into a more duffle-like form. Additionally, the business asserts that it reduces CO2 emissions across the whole life cycle of its products, from product procurement to the first trip you take with the luggage. It fit a startling ten sundresses despite being square and having the space to spare for an additional pair of shoes and a makeup bag. Even though my sundresses have the volume of two T-shirts and are 90% spandex, it’s still astounding. The Paravel weekender is slightly taller than the normal tote at 15′′ x 15′′ x 8′′, but it is TSA carry-on compatible for the majority of major airlines (it’s a little bit big for a personal item). The narrow zipper-top is probably my biggest criticism because it makes it impossible to carry folded clothing; in this case, packing cubes or ranger rolling may be your best option. I also wished it had a compartment on the exterior to store goods I needed right away, like my passport, and additional interior pockets to divide liquids from other items like jewellery or computers. —Rachel Kim Raczka, guest author
Baboon to the Moon Go Bag
At first, I was perplexed by the Baboon bag and wondered when I would want to utilise a large duffel bag as a backpack. It appears that always is the correct response. The sturdy, water-resistant bag—I own the large, 60L version—has come in handy on ski trips and weekends upstate. When you are going to miss your flight, the straps make it simple to carry up stairs and sprint through the airport (I speak from experience). My specific bag is more suited for a week’s worth of travel; however, the brand also offers two additional size alternatives in a range of colours, the 32-liter Mini and the 40-liter Small. —Y.G.
FROM $159 FOR A GO BAG
The Recommender section of Fast Company is devoted to highlighting cutting-edge firms, services, and products that are revolutionising how we live and work. Every product that we write about is freely chosen by our editors, who also test and review it whenever it is feasible. Some of the links in our articles may bring in money for Fast Company, but all choices are made based solely on editorial discretion.
