Durable and versatile, a canvas duffel bag is the perfect luggage piece for a weekend getaway or even an emergency go-bag. But with the advantage of a duffel’s flexible, open interior, it helps to know how best to maximize the space. From organization packing tips to questions about flying and navigating airports, here is Life inTent’s round-up of clever duffel bag travel hacks.

Duffle Bag Travel Hacks & Tips

It truly pays to know how to pack a duffel bag properly. For starters, a well-arranged bag maximizes space for necessary outfits (while leaving room for camp gear, electronics, camera, and even souvenirs from your travels). With the hacks and tips listed below, you’ll know how to arrange your items and keep them safe.

Duffle Bag Packing Hacks

Whether setting off on a weekend camping trip or jet-setting somewhere for vacation, you need to know how to efficiently pack a duffel bag. Here are the steps to packing a duffel and some smart packing hacks to keep in mind.

First, Make a Packing List

Before packing your duffel bag, take time to make a packing list of clothing or gear and consider what you really need to bring. Create a packing list of must-have items and go from there. Later, you’ll be able to see how much you can fit in a duffle bag. Depending on the size of your duffle bag, it may be more or less, so edit as you go (both the items and the list). Then, keep the list, and use it next time.

Keep Your Duffle Bag Organized

Keep your duffel bag super-organized with packing cubes. Packing cubes can compress your rolled clothing and open up space for more items. You could organize by outfit or clothing type, whatever makes sense to you, just so long as you know where to reach when you need it. Also, make use of all the side pockets and interior compartments your duffle bag offers.

Time to Pack Your Duffle

Once you have outfits planned and laid out everything you need to carry, it’s time to pack! Here are our best travel hacks and tips for packing a neat, tidy, and organized duffel bag.

• Army roll clothes. Skip folding clothes. Use the “Military Roll” / “Ranger Roll” instead. Rolling garments minimize wrinkles while compacting clothes. Here’s an Army Roll video demonstration.

If you can’t get the hang of the tuck method, simply roll the item and use a rubberband around the rolled ends. This will prevent unrolling when you’re moving around inside the duffel in search of things. Then, place rolled clothes inside those packing cubes. If you need even more space, you could use vacuum storage bags.

The only garments you should consider folding are larger items like jackets. Instead, fold and place neatly at the top.

• Fill your soles. Stuff your boots or sneakers with small items like socks and underwear. You could also use this space to protect delicate items like souvenirs or glass personal items like eyewear. Then wrap them in shower caps (to keep dirt from touching the duffle interior or clothes).
• Protect electronics. Slip larger electronics like laptops, cameras, and tablets between clothing as extra protection. However, a laptop sleeve will make it easier to retrieve or use as your personal item on flights.
• Secure jewelry and accessories. Keep small items like jewelry, watches, and other accessories in small organizers to prevent them from getting lost deep down inside your duffle. Then store that inside a pocket.
• Have a hat? Whether it’s a beach hat or ballcap, stuff socks in the headspace and lay them flat to protect the brim. Pack it before everything else, and then arrange items around the head. Or simply find a packhat you don’t mind getting worn and adding character to.
• Use a toiletry bag. Flying or not, limit your liquids and use travel-size containers, placed in a dedicated toiletry bag (preferably with clear sides so you can see what’s inside). Also, consider non-liquid alternatives like a shampoo bar. Need to make those clothes go further? Grab laundry soap sheets and slip them into a ziplock bag for laundry emergencies.
• Utilize side pockets. File away paperwork or passports in the outside pouches or pockets where it is accessible. Depending on the size, you could also use pockets to store items like dirty laundry, sandals, USB cords, chargers, and slim snacks like protein bars.

Pack a Laundry Bag

Bring a laundry bag – a lightweight mesh one will do – to toss in dirty clothes. This ensures soiled clothes don’t mix with clean clothes.

Shake Your Duffle Bag

Once your duffel is pretty much packed, give the bag a good shake. Shaking the duffle will cause your clothes to settle, which can create more space. Still, make sure you can close the zipper without force!

Test the Duffel’s Comfort

While shaking the duffle is recommended, don’t do it just to overpack and overstuff (which will make it heavier). As a good rule of thumb, you should be able to easily pick up your duffel bag with one hand. More importantly, make sure you can get from Point A to Point B without breaking a sweat.

Another way to make duffel bags comfortable is to attach a shoulder strap. Your duffel will come with side handles, but an extendable shoulder strap makes your journey more hands-free.

Create Extra Rigidity

If your duffel seems floppy or you need extra protection for electronics or delicate items inside, here’s a great hack: Cut a thin yoga mat to size, then roll it to slip inside the duffel and allow it to expand for a more protective lining. Voila!

Navigating Airports With Your Duffle Bag

Can you check a duffel bag? Yes, airlines generally approve of duffle bags. However, you should always double-check bag policies to verify size requirements and dimensions, along with restricted items (like certain camp gear).

But should you check a duffel bag? That depends. We all know baggage handlers can be rough with luggage. And, due to a duffle’s soft shell, even the most rugged and durable canvas may not protect your precious belongings as well as you’d like.

The ideal scenario is this: Use a duffle bag as your carry-on and allocate a hardshell luggage for the checked bag. For example, Beckel’s Canvas Weekend Duffel Bag is airline carry-on compliant and designed to hold everything you need.

So when traveling through airports with a duffle bag, always use the packing tips and travel hacks listed above, but remember these specific tips when flying!

Take Advantage of Side Pockets

Keep important items like passports, phone, e-readers, and books, in an easy-to-reach side compartment of your duffle bag. This is especially useful for electronics that need to be scanned through security checkpoints.

Wear Bulky, Heavy Items

When you’re flying, a good rule is to wear what you can to lighten the duffel bag weight. To do this, wear bulkier, heavier garments like thick sweaters or jackets and boots. In fact, remember that like down sleeping bags, down jackets can compress in your duffle bag.

Get Yourself a Luggage Scale

Duffel bags make great carry-on bags and even checked bags. One reason is that it practically ensures you never hit the weight limit.

Should you choose to check a duffel bag at the airport, you’ll be required to check the weight limit. As mentioned, most duffel sizes will limit what you carry and, therefore, the weight. However, as an extra precaution, you can weigh your duffel before heading to the airport to reduce stress at check-in (and those return flights when you acquire extra items on your adventures).

So spend a few bucks and get a portable luggage scale - it’s a great gadget to keep on hand.

Protect Your Belongings

If you check a duffel bag, you’ll want to secure it as you would normal luggage.

• Tighten all straps and affix a luggage tag to your duffle with all your contact info.
• Use a TSA-approved lock to secure the zippers. You could also add an airtag to track the duffle in case it goes wandering.
• Never store valuables, fragile items, or personal effects (medicine or documents) inside a checked duffle - that’s for your personal item or carry-on!

Get a Duffel Bag Ready for Adventurous Travel

Master these duffel bag travel hacks and you’ll make every inch of cubic space count (not to mention a more stress-free journey).

Just remember: Duffel bags are the epitome of the expression “travel light, travel farther."