Arcteryx Carrier Duffle - Lightweight, rugged waterproof bag that excels in very specific use cases
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- Review of the Arcteryx Carrier Duffle series. The carrier duffle is Arcteryx's minimalist take on the classic outdoor duffle bag whose main claim to fame is its light weight, water proof build and rugged materials.
* Introduction - 00:00
* Overview - 00:20
* Size Comparison - 01:25
* Pros/Cons - 02:28
* Who it's for/not for - 05:30
* External Features + Zippers - 10:45
* Straps - 12:13
* Internal Features - 19:54
* Other bags to consider - 21:25
With its light weight, extremely high volume to weight ratio and waterproof, rugged build the Arcteryx carrier duffle excels at a few specific use cases: storing and hauling bulky gear that needs to be kept together in outdoor conditions (such as climbing gear, scuba gear or camping gear), as a bag to contain another bag in demanding conditions (such as storing a large packed out hiking pack to be checked in as airline luggage) or for hauling things in outdoor conditions (such as a bush plane, or in a pickup bed or strapped to the back of a snowmobile).
But the design decisions that make it excel at these use cases, coupled with the relatively high price, means that it's a sub par choice for most other situations versus the competition. Its key downsides include fiddly, dangling straps (albeit ones that attach and detach very quickly), absolute lack of features, pocketing, padding or organization, lack of comfortable carry for anything other than short distances (in backpack mode it's like wearing a sack) and its somewhat difficult to load center zip opening (versus the standard D-shaped opening of most duffles).
Regardless, for the right use cases that properly leverage its distinctive properties, the Arcteryx Carrier Duffle is a strong option for outdoor adventurers.
Arcteryx Carrier Duffle: arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/carri...
Note: All the products we review are purchased with our own money and all opinions expressed are our own.
Great review, very thorough. I particularly like how you reviewed the Arcteryx then went on to compare it with two of its competitors, Tnf base camp and Patagonia black hole. I'm a big Arcteryx fan and, like you say, they manufacture items specifically for certain activities which I like, it's almost as though if you buy one of their products and it doesn't work for you, it's YOUR fault.
..........best straps on a duffle i have found. cinch them down quickly, clean, use the grab handle. or remove the straps in about 10 seconds.
Very great review on bags that I am currently considering but unable to find in-depth reviews on them. Thanks for the great reviews with comparison!!!!! Love to see more of your reviews for bags soon!
My pleasure - glad you liked them! Any bag in particular you'd like to see next?
@@TheMountainborn I am an Arcteryx and veilance fan!!! Definitely would love to see more of those. Thank you!
You got it! I have a couple of other reviews in the queue at the moment, but will get another Arcteryx review up for you soon! :)
I got an Alpkit DryDock 50 a few years back. It's not packable but pretty much functionally identical otherwise. I used it for one bag travel a few times, but it wasn't well suited to that. Now I use it more for storage and haulage, similar to how you're using the Arc'teryx duffle.
Arc'teryx gear is great, but I only buy it from their factory store or during their warehouse events!
Oh this is the first time I've heard of Alpkit - I'm always happy to learn about new carry brands. And I must say, that's a good looking duffle! Love that it has an external pocket and a bit more traditional duffle structure/shaping whilst still retaining the waterproof construction of the Arcteryx. (Not to mention the price is quite nice as well :) )
This actually looks really cool - how has it held up over time for you?
@@TheMountainborn yeah the price is definitely a benefit, and it's about 1kg which isn't too bad for the volume either. The bag is tough! The base fabric is 1680d nylon and it has been impregnated with some kind of TPU, so all of the seams are welded.
The TPU has picked up a lot of bumps and scratches, so it does look pretty beat up. But it's "structurally" sound - it hasn't been punctured and I know it can take a lot more use and abuse. Given its current role as "gear hauler" the scars kind of give it some character!
Thanks for this! And yes, there is something really delightfully pleasing about a well-worn bag (or other piece of equipment) that gives you a deep satisfaction when you behold it!
Awesome review…do you have a video review on the large 80l?
Thank you so much! I don't have one specifically for the 80l, although I briefly touch on several different sizes in this video. But essentially, with the exception of the long discontinued 30L, all the carrier duffles are fairly similar - the only difference is basically in size. (the 80L would be a struggle to wear in backpack mode for most people though I would guess)
Great review! The one I was comparing the carrier duffle to, was the tad axis expedition duffel.
Ah gotcha!
Unfortunately I don't own any Triple Aught stuff (yet!) - they're a little bit harder to source outside the US and every time I hear about one of their bags I immediately hit up their website and.... everything seems to be perpetually out of stock *sad trombone*
The Axis Expedition duffle looks great - if you get one, please let me know how you find it!
Out of curiosity, was this review of the carrier duffle useful for you? Is there anything in particular about the duffle you were wondering about that I didn't touch upon in the video? (I've been trying to keep the videos under 30 minutes so sometimes stuff gets left out)
@@TheMountainborn yes thoroughly informative 👍. Perhaps one of the very few, if not the only review on the carrier duffel.
@@TheMountainborn I do not own the axis too, but looks similar. The axis has that military vibe though. Personally I am looking at the carrier duffle for my tennis racquet 😅
I have the special addition North Face base camp in a small. I have travelled all over SE Asia with it. It's made from a uniquely manufactured kevlar material. Very light, very strong and moderately comfortable but sadly, as I found out in Dhaka in the middle of the monsoon season, the bag is definitely not waterproof!
Ouchhhh yeah even with the zipper flaps the lack of waterproof zippers and taped seams probably hurt a lot - those SE Asia monsoons aren't any joke!!
Hopefully your stuff was okay!! 😅
Great review! If you still have the Nomin would you mind posting a review? It’s finally available to purchase again and there isn’t an in-depth video review that I’ve been able to find.
Definitely! I'll do a review of the Nomin next!
The Mountainborn Much appreciated!
@@JacobEwing Here you go! → czcams.com/video/qhIJ_eg252s/video.html
Hi, any idea for tactical look duffle (30-40L) and has a laptop compartment?
Oooh that's a tough one. So a couple of ideas that may be close but not exact to what you're looking for:
1. AER Gym Duffle: Pros: 33L, has space for both laptop, normal EDC stuff as well as space for "duffle-ish stuff". Cons: It's all black 1680D cordura nylon but i'm not 100% sure if I would classify this as "tactical" or not.
2. AER Travel Duffle: Pros: Same as above but slightly more geared towards travel. Slightly larger at 35L. Still not sure if this qualifies as "tactical" looking or not.
3. Lululemon Command The Day Duffle: Pros: 37L, same general advantages as above. Cons: Um, while it is all black on black on black, it's also made by Lululemon which is probably as opposite to "tactical" as one can get :)
4. Mission Workshop Transit Duffle: Pros: 31L, more squared off and boxy than the ones above but in a pleasing way . Some of the color/fabricways can be fairly heritage-y which while not quite tactical, might be your vibe. Cons: Depending on the color it might be more "outdoorsy" (or ahem, hipster) than "tactical"
5. Chrome Surveyer Tarp Duffle: Pros huge at 44L, robust material, squared off and boxy. Cons: Depending on your definition of "tactical" this may or may not fit (but I doubt anyone would give you any guff about it)
6. Mystery Ranch Mission Duffle (v2): Pros: MR is pretty legit when it comes to tactical/outdoors-ish stuff. Different sizes to choose from Downside: There actually isn't a specific laptop compartment but some of the comments on the site seem to indicate you can put your laptop into the compartment made to hold the shoulder straps?
Note: I've owned or own #1, #2 and #4. But I've never owned or tried #3, #5, #6 so take my comments for those bags with a grain of salt.
Recycled Fire Fighter may be a good option for you since it has a multicam colorway.
How does it feel on your back? Because it doesn't have a ergo back supporter I assume.
Hi @PageOOO - as you mentioned, there is no dedicated structure or back support etc. to this bag, so it doesn't feel as comfortable as a dedicated backpack. Mainly the backpack straps are intended to let you haul heavy gear for a short distance and/or (especially in the outdoor use case) haul this on your back whilst your hands are carrying other duffle bags such as from a car to a camp site, or plane to a truck, etc. It's not the most comfortable experience but also not intended to be carried in this way for extended durations. I would say the comfort most likely depends on what you have inside and how it's packed - hard/sharp/pokey objects will be the least comfortable, but softer things (like ropes, or sleeping bags + parkas, etc.) will be comparatively more comfortable. I hope this helps!
@@TheMountainborn Thank you so much for your detailed review. This helped me a lot!!
Please show respect to the Fossil, not "dead bird". Ha, other than that, great video. Microphone on point.
Haha I feel you! And thanks for the kind words about the video and the mic.
For what it's worth, I've often heard the Arcteryx logo (and the brand itself) referred to as the "dead bird" by fans (and even some employees I have heard), presumably because "archaeopteryx" is quite a mouthful to say in regular conversation 😂
........your price comparison is a bit off the mark.
oh no! In which sense did you mean? (I checked the prices on the retailers' websites at the time of posting this video - was there a price I got incorrect?)