Rolling duffel bags are a top choice for many who take adventure journeys and self-guided excursions. This is due to the fact that they are so versatile and durable, designed for withstanding the rigors of even the toughest conditions of being tossed and stacked and squished. Add to that the fact that they’re easy to pack and easy to handle. Your choice for the best travel duffel bag with wheels will vary depending on your own unique travel plans and style.
Wheeled duffle bags come in a variety of different sizes from compact carry-on bag size to extra large gear style bags. They may include features such as backpack straps, unique compartments, or expandability. When choosing your bag, you’ll want to consider not only the amount of gear you’ll be towing, but also the type of gear. Are you taking along trekking poles? snorkel gear? camera tripod? sporting equipment? Also, will you be traveling by plane, train, bus, or auto? Thinking about these things ahead of time will help you to choose a bag with the optimal size and features for your travel needs.
Eagle Creek Large No Matter What Rolling Duffel
Dimensions and Weight: 30″ x 14.2″ x 15″; 4.3 pounds
Colors: Black, Slate Blue, Cobalt Blue, Firebrick, Red Clay
Eagle Creek is extremely well-known for bringing to market a variety of top quality travel bags and accessories, so it’s no surprise that they are first on our best travel duffel bag with wheels list.
The Eagle Creek No Matter What rolling duffel bag is a popular choice of adventure travelers due to it’s straight forward casual design and highly durability construction for handling rugged conditions. Made of an ultra strong tear resistant and water resistant material, this bag is equally suitable for being stacked on top of a safari vehicle, or tossed around as checked airline luggage.
The full length zipper opening make it easy to get into and pack with your gear, and outside straps let you compress and stabilize your load. This bag also has a removable, adjustable, shoulder strap, providing additional ways to get this bag where you’re going.
A favorite feature is that this duffel collapses for storage in its included compression when not in use.
Like this style but need an even larger bag for all your gear? Then the 36″ Extra Large Eagle Creek No Matter What Rolling Duffel may be just what you’re looking for.
High Sierra AT7 Wheeled Duffel Bag with Backpack Straps
Dimensions and Weight: 26″ x 15″ x 14.5″; 8.8 lbs
Colors: Black or Cranberry
High Sierra is a highly regarded outdoor gear company known for creating versatile, feature full items that support the adventure lifestyle. The AT7 collection is among the most highly rated of the many travel duffel bags with wheels that are offered by High Sierra.
This 26-inch High Sierra AT7 rolling backpack duffel bag provides an innovative design that combines a wheeled duffel bag and a large backpack in one versatile solution. Padded backpack straps give you the option to carry your bag on your back when you need your hands free. These straps can then be zipped away in a back compartment when not in use.
Unlike most traditional duffels, this bag has a book style opening where the top flips flat open, making it more like a suitcase when it comes to accessing all corners of the inside. It has a zippered divider panel that separate the upper and lower compartments, so you can keep bulkier gear or equipment separated from clothing. If you don’t need this feature, no problem – simply roll the divider panel up and out of the way and you’ll have a single, ultra spacious packing compartment.
If you’re looking for something larger or smaller, then you’ll be happy to know that this design also comes in a larger 32″ High Sierra AT7 size for greater capacity, and a 22″ wheeled carry-on AT7 when looking for compact convenience. In addition, see below for the 4-wheeled spinner style carry-on duffel from this collection.
High Sierra AT7 Carry-on Spinner duffel with backpack straps
Dimensions and Weight: 22″ x 9″ x 14″; 7.5 lbs
Colors: Black or Cranberry
Similar to the bag reviewed above, this carry-on sized AT7 wheeled duffel bag with backpack straps from High Sierra differs in that it is a 4-wheeled spinner style (rather than 2-wheeled as those above are). This means that it rolls upright and in any direction on its 4 360 degree wheels, providing ease of maneuverability with less stress on the arm.
Just like the rest of the AT7 series, this bag sports the same useful characteristics as those outlined in the larger 2-wheeled versions above including padded shoulder straps that stored away into their own back panel when not in use, a full access book-style opening, and a roomy upper and lower compartments that can be separated by a zippered divider panel.
Samsonite Luggage 35 Inch Ripstop Wheeled Duffel
Dimensions and Weight: 35″ x 16″ x 16″; 9.8 lbs
Color: Blue/Red/Black (pictured)
Samsonite, one of the best luggage brands in the world, brings us this ultra spacious 35 inch wheeled duffel bag. There are many reasons this bag is included in our best travel duffel bag with wheels list. This bag offers the ultimate in capacity that’s useful for extended journeys or when you need to carry larger pieces of gear or equipment. How great to be able to pack your snorkel and fins, tripod, and collapsible fishing pole while still having plenty of room for clothing and accessories.
The super rugged ripstop nylon exterior construction can withstand the heavy duty use of frequent or extended travel, and the oversized skate wheels let you take it worry-free through gravel, cobblestones and other uneven terrain.
The bag’s top and bottom compartments lay flat in a book style when opened, simplifying packing. The exterior includes features such as compression straps that help you compress your load, a sewn in name tag for secure id, and handy exterior pockets, useful for slipping in easy access items such as a book, jacket, travel papers, or that much needed snack.
Samsonite Luggage 22 Inch Andante Wheeled Duffel
Dimensions and Weight: 22″ x 13″ x 12″; 6 lbs
Colors: Black, Black/Grey, Grey/Lime, Black/red
The Samsonite 22 inch carry-on Andante Wheeled Duffel bag is a low priced, straightforward bag. Perfect for stashing into the overhead compartment on your next flight, or as your only bag on a week-end getaway, this classic duffel delivers good quality in a convenient carry on luggage size.
Made of durable yet lightweight polyester, the exterior has top, bottom, and front handles for varied carrying options. Or, extend the retractable handle for convenient rolling on its two inline skate wheels. As exterior zip pocket is useful for quick access items and accessories.
For budget minded travelers or those looking for an low cost toss around bag, this least expensive pick on our list may be just what you’re looking for.
Olympia Luggage 29″ 8 Pocket Rolling Duffel Bag
Dimensions and Weight: 29″ x 14″ x 14.8″; 6.5 lbs.
Colors: Black, Army Green, Red, Blue, Pink, Purple
For the master organizer on a budget, this inexpensive yet full-featured rolling duffel bag from Olympia Luggage offers a great value. Constructed of 1200 D Protecflon polyester, this bag is super durable while being very light weight for its size.
Its greatest asset? 8 separate roomy pockets for tons of versatile packing and organization options. We also love the broad assortment of colors available, including some that are decidedly more feminine than the majority of duffel bags on the market.
High Sierra AT3 32″ Drop Bottom Wheeled Duffle Bag
Dimensions and Weight: 32″ x 15.5″ x 15.75″; 8 lbs
Colors: Black or Graphite/Titanium (pictured)
High Sierra has perfected the convertible convenience of combining wheeled duffel bags with backpack straps, and the AT3 drop bottom wheeled duffel bag is yet another of their innovative bags to make our list. The High Sierra 32″ Drop Bottom Wheeled Duffle bag is a popular choice due to it’s supreme capacity and the 3 in 1 versatility it shares with the other High Sierra bags reviewed above – duffel, rolling upright, and backpack.
Constructed of an extremely durable Duralite material, this bag is resistant to water and to rips or gouges, keeping it looking good as new after repeated use. Molded feet enable the duffel to stand upright when at rest, and the two smooth gliding inline skate wheels designed to handle a variety of terrain.
A unique feature of this bag is that it provides both front loading and top loading access to its roomy main compartment. Load those items you use frequently at the top, and you’ll be able to grab them without totally unzipping the entire bag. The deep lower drop down area includes tie down straps to secure gear in place, and a divider panel can be zipped in place to separate the top and bottom areas when needed.
And when you find you’ve picked up too many souveniers to fit comfortably in the bag, no need to worry. At the pull of a sipper your bag expands an additional 2 inches for extra capacity just when you need it most.