Cargo & Duffle Bags
Our duffle bags and cargo bags are built for hauling a lot of gear in one trip, whether that is a PCS move, a field exercise, a week of travel or a car full of camping equipment. The selection runs from classic G.I. style canvas duffles to modern tactical and waterproof designs.
Military-pattern options include the G.I. Style Canvas Double Strap Duffle Bag, the G.I. Type Enhanced Double Strap Duffle Bag, the Heavyweight Top Load Canvas Duffle Bag and the Canvas Israeli Type Duffle Bag. For bulky loads, the Canvas Parachute Cargo Bag, Small Parachute Cargo Bag, Jumbo Canvas Cargo Bag and Canvas Assault Cargo Bag open wide and swallow sleeping bags, tents and boots.
The line also includes these styles:
- Tactical: Tactical Duffle Bag, Tactical Defender Duffle Bag in black, Tactical Traveler Duffle Bag and the Tactical Canvas Cargo Bag / Backpack.
- Travel: Canvas Long Weekend Bag, Extended Weekender Bag, Canvas Extended Stay Travel Duffle Bag, Sport Duffle Carry On Bag and the Vintage Carry-On Travel Bag in olive drab.
- Shoulder duffles: 19 and 24 inch waxed canvas versions, plus Thin Red Line and midnight camo designs.
- Convertible and specialty: Convertible Canvas Duffle / Backpack, Nomad Canvas Duffle Backpack, Waveguard Waterproof Duffle Bag and Lightweight Woobie duffle and weekender bags.
You'll also find an insulated canvas cooler bag, a packable laundry bag backpack, utility straps and a padded replacement shoulder strap.
A note for service members: report-date packing lists often call for a military issued duffle bag or rucksack. Our duffles are commercial, so use them for moves, travel and personal gear unless your orders or unit allow otherwise.
How to Choose Duffle Bags
A duffle's job is simple, but the details decide whether it is pleasant or painful to live out of. Think about loading, carrying and how you'll find things once the bag is full.
Top Load vs. Side Zipper Duffle Bags
Top load duffles like the G.I. style double strap and Heavyweight Top Load Canvas Duffle Bag pack tight and close with a clip or strap, the way military duffles always have. The catch is that whatever you need is always at the bottom. The Canvas Duffle Bag with Side Zipper, weekenders and tactical duffles open along their length, so you can see the whole load at once. If you live out of the bag for a week, choose a side opening.
Carry Options for Heavy Duffle Bags
Double strap duffles carry like a backpack, which matters when the bag weighs 50 pounds or more. Convertible models like the Convertible Canvas Duffle / Backpack and Nomad Canvas Duffle Backpack offer both handles and backpack straps. Shoulder duffles are best for lighter loads. Adding the All-Purpose Shoulder Strap with Removable Pad spreads the weight on a single strap.
Cargo Bags for Bulk Gear
Parachute and jumbo cargo bags are wide, simple sacks for bulky soft goods: sleeping bags, cold weather layers, tarps and tents. They work well in a truck bed or trunk. Pair them with General Purpose Utility Straps to compress or lash the load.
Waterproof and Lightweight Duffle Bags
Canvas sheds light rain but soaks through in a downpour or on a boat deck. The Waveguard Waterproof Duffle Bag is the pick for kayaking, fishing and wet trailheads. The Lightweight Woobie Duffle Bag and Weekender fold small enough to pack inside another bag, so you have a spare for souvenirs or dirty laundry on the trip home.
Packing a Military Duffle Bag
- Roll clothing tightly and stand rolls on end so you can see each item.
- Put boots and heavy items at the bottom, near the straps.
- Bag small items in ditty or zipper pouches so they don't sink.
- Keep documents, orders and medications in a carry-on, not the checked duffle.
- Mark your name on the outside of the bag; many units have a standard for this.
Duffle Bags and Military Regulations
Packing Lists and Issue Bags
Schools and units publish their own packing lists. Fort Drum's NCO Academy, for example, requires that Basic Leader Course students bring all items in a military issued rucksack, duffle bag or assault pack, in accordance with AR 670-1 and DA PAM 670-1. When a list specifies issue equipment, a commercial bag may not pass inspection, so follow the list you are given.
Carrying a Duffle in Uniform
For Soldiers, DA PAM 670-1, paragraph 20-2b, allows bags to be carried by hand, on one shoulder or on both shoulders, not diagonally across the body, and in the ACU and Class B uniforms the bag must be black or match a color of the authorized camouflage pattern. Olive drab canvas does not match OCP. The black Tactical Defender Duffle Bag fits the color rule better, but your unit may be stricter, and the other services have their own regulations.