The 7 Best Weekender Bags for Travel

This expandable tote is tough, but elegant and lightweight, with an extendable section that increases volume by about a third — perfect for hauling back gifts, keepsakes, and duty-free purchases. There are plenty of interior pockets, including a padded section for your laptop or tablet, and two outer, zippered pockets for easy access to essentials.

Like the Aspire Tote, this two-size Longchamp carryall can fold flat when empty and enlarge as needed. Le Pliage has shorter top handles than the Victorinox version, but it adds an adjustable and removable canvas shoulder strap, water-resistant lining, and leather trim. This highly useful expandable bag will last forever — the strong nylon is super-resistant to wear and tear — and makes a great personal item for flights.

Herschel’s durable duffle pulls out all the stops in terms of carrying options: It has grab handles on the top and both ends and a shoulder strap that can be adjusted or detached. But the real clincher here is the bag’s straps on the bottom side that convert it into a backpack. Other cool details include a side shoe compartment and a clip-in laundry bag. Drawbacks are the weight (three pounds, empty) and lack of exterior pockets.


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Under Armour’s water-resistant weekender looks similar to Herschel’s Outfitter, but there are some key differences. At just under two pounds, this duffel’s baseline weight is about 30 percent less than the Outfitter’s. There are not one, but two outside zip pockets for easily retrieving small items like boarding passes and headphones — a convenience not found on the Outfitter. Plus, its inside has way more compartments, including a large slip pocket against the back wall, three mesh slip pouches, and two zippered compartments. But unlike the Herschel Outfitter, this style doesn’t have a dedicated shoe compartment, backpack straps, or side grab handles. (You can still mix up how you carry it with two shoulder straps and an adjustable cross-body band.)

Bold and intricate flower prints may not be for everyone, but Vera Bradley’s bags have earned a cult following for their excellent combination of strength, lightness, and malleability (and, yes, collect-’em-all patterns in bright colors). The quilted fabric is sturdily stitched and easy to wash, and it’s soft enough to bend, but beefy enough to hold its shape. This style has pockets galore: three along the outside (perfect for cell phones and boarding documents) and six inner pockets. Both the inside and outside have one zippered compartment. The body can fit multiple outfits, and has a firm base for extra protection.

The July Carry All Weekender Plus opens flat for insanely easy packing, and has loads of pockets and compartments for organization. It also features an interior laptop compartment to keep your computer safe. For peace of mind, it has a water-resistant lining and comes with a five-year limited warranty, plus if after 100 days you still don’t love it, you can return it thanks to July’s 100 day return policy.

While their belt bag seems to be all the rage these days, Lululemon’s Duffle Bag is just as efficient - for different reasons. Roomy for everything you’ll need for a weekend getaway, lightweight, and has several compartments to stay organized. Carry it like a traditional duffle, or use the shoulder strap for easier handling.