For extra years than I’d prefer to admit, my go-to journey bag for a weekend journey was a battered Nike duffel. After stuffing it to the brim in my standard methodology of overpacking, I might sling it over one shoulder, painfully hobble round because it banged towards the again of my legs, then rapidly dump it on the first out there alternative. Ultimately, this duffel did me a favor and ripped open on the seams, which was the ultimate push I wanted to cease touring like a excessive schooler heading to soccer apply and really put money into an actual journey bag. Now, I exploit my trusty weekender bag for every little thing from fast in a single day stays to lengthy weekend getaways, and I really don’t know why it took me so lengthy to ditch that impractical duffel.
When you, too, want to improve your journey bag scenario, a weekender could be simply the factor. Maintain studying for every little thing that you must know, together with how to decide on the perfect weekender bag for you and our editors’ tried-and-true picks.
What Is a Weekender Bag?
Weekenders are precisely what they sound like: journey baggage designed to suit sufficient objects for a brief weekend journey. In my expertise, they’re supreme for a 2-3 day getaway, however you’ll be able to stretch it to about 5 days tops in the event you actually pack strategically. Most are formed like an outsized tote bag or a small duffel and are designed to be carried by hand or over the shoulder. However not like a primary tote, weekenders usually have further options designed particularly for journey, comparable to a separate shoe compartment on the backside of the bag or a trolley sleeve that may slide over a suitcase deal with.
Now, earlier than you ask… no, a weekender will typically not rely as a private merchandise on a flight. As a result of most have such a big capability, weekenders usually received’t match beneath the seat in entrance of you, which suggests it’ll should function your carry-on merchandise. And with regards to lugging a bag by means of safety and past, a wheeled suitcase is far more handy to maneuver. However in the event you’re going with checked baggage, a weekender can simply sit on prime of a bigger suitcase, and it’ll be a lot simpler to hold if most of your stuff is packed in your baggage.
That stated, weekenders are the perfect bag for highway journeys. They match simply in any measurement automobile (not like a cumbersome suitcase) and are tremendous handy for brief journeys the place you’re solely staying a number of nights. I used mine on a number of highway journeys final yr alone, and each time, I felt tremendous organized from the automobile to the lodge to again dwelling.
Tips on how to Select the Finest Weekender Bag for You
Earlier than you click on “add to cart,” right here’s every little thing that you must take into account when looking for a weekender bag.
Measurement and Model
Weekender baggage are available in many various sizes and shapes, so begin by discovering the design that most accurately fits your journey model. The basic tote form is right in the event you like to make use of packing cubes or in the event you typically journey mild. That’s since you’ll seemingly should stack objects as you pack to make use of up all of the house, which may make it tough to entry objects on the underside. When you prefer to unzip your bag and instantly see every little thing you packed, a duffel-style weekender could be a better option. And whereas an even bigger bag means extra room for packing, it can be fairly heavy to hold, so maintain that in thoughts.
Materials
Journey baggage typically take a critical beating, so that you’ll need to select a weekender that may stand as much as every little thing you throw at it. The fabric is essential right here. Most weekenders are constituted of nylon or polyester, canvas, or fake leather-based. Regardless of the model you favor, search for a fabric that’s immune to water, stains, and scratches to make sure it holds up properly over time.
Organizational Options
The organizational options are in all probability the largest factor that units completely different weekender baggage aside. Relying on the way you journey, you would possibly need to search for a weekender that features zippered inside pockets, adjustable straps, a baggage deal with pass-through, a padded laptop computer pocket, a water bottle holder, a key leash, a separate shoe compartment, or some mixture of the above.
Finest Weekender Luggage for 2024
Maintain scrolling for the weekender baggage our editors personal and love, plus why we advocate them.
Béis
At the very least half a dozen members of The Everygirl workforce personal this bag, and we’d principally take into account it the gold commonplace of weekenders. Manufactured from canvas with vegan leather-based accents, it options tons of nice options like a trolley pass-through, a big inside pocket on your laptop computer, and a zip-around backside compartment the place you’ll be able to stash sneakers, toiletries, or hair instruments. Plus, the opening on the prime is strengthened with a wire body so you’ll be able to maintain it broad open whilst you pack or unpack. It is available in 8 shade choices, and the monochrome design makes it look further stylish.
Monos
I personally personal a Monos weekender and have taken it on a number of journeys over the previous yr. This model initially caught my eye due to the vegan leather-based choices, however I ended up going with the Juniper Inexperienced colorway as a result of that deep emerald shade was simply too attractive to move up. This bag is filled with organizational options, together with a zippered storage compartment on the underside, a laptop computer sleeve that’s accessible from the surface, an inside facet pocket that’s good for a water bottle or umbrella, in addition to 5 further pockets in and out. It additionally comes with a separate drawstring bag for sneakers or laundry. Whether or not you go together with a colourful nylon or vegan leather-based end, each supplies are water- and scratch-resistant, so that you don’t have to fret about it getting dinged up in your first journey. Whereas the value level is larger than different manufacturers, the additional organizatoin and sturdiness make it price it IMO.
Everlane
Our affiliate editor Hailey and director of promoting Meagan each love this weekender from Everlane and have been utilizing it for years as both a carry-on or in a single day bag. It contains a padded laptop computer sleeve, two water bottle holders, an exterior zip pocket, and a baggage deal with pass-through that converts to a pocket. It’s additionally constituted of 100% recycled polyester and probably the most inexpensive choice on this record, so it’s really a purchase order you’ll be able to be ok with.
CALPAK
CALPAK has been an editor-favorite model for years, and this weekender is one among their all-time bestsellers for a cause. It contains a whopping 9 pockets, together with zippered compartments in and out, an exterior pocket for a water bottle, a hidden pocket inside the baggage trolley sleeve, and a separate shoe compartment accessible from the surface. Manufactured from polyester with a puffer-like design, it’s additionally tremendous light-weight (at simply over 2 kilos) and immune to water and scratches.
Halfday
Touring for a marriage or work journey? Our chief of gross sales and advertising and marketing Ally swears by this garment bag-duffel combo each time she’s touring with good garments that want to remain wrinkle-free. It’s formed like a typical duffel however unzips flat like a garment bag, so you’ll be able to simply pack a flowery costume or enterprise apparel, maintain it wrinkle-free in transit, and cling it up once you get there. Inside the primary compartment, you’ll have loads of house left to pack a number of adjustments of garments and a pair of sneakers, which you’ll maintain separate utilizing the 2 inside shoe pockets. What’s extra, it folds utterly flat when not in use, so it’s tremendous handy to retailer.
Supply: The Every Girl
