I know this may be off topic here, but since a lot of you travel internationally I'd like to ask a question about a decent wheeled duffel. I'm not a hunter but I am a competitive shooter and a member of one of the US long range rifle teams. Last time I packed my equipment to go to New Mexico for a match I discarded 4 duffels and large suitcases. I will max out at the airline 50 lb. limit pretty quickly and I suppose it is the weight that is tearing up my luggage. Do any of you have any suggestions about a heavy duty wheeled duffle that will take the abuse of shooting equipment being bounced around by the airline monkeys?

A friend and I used the Filson Extra Large Duffle this year for a trip to Zim. We had four flight legs on our trip in and three flight legs on our trip out. Plus some quality time in the back of a Land Cruiser bouncing down the road. The duffles were filthy but other than that they held up nicely. I had done a search on the African Travel page and found several folks that recommended the Filson before I bought mine.

http://www.filson.com/product/index.jsp?productId=20924...06&parentPage=family

Mike,
I should have searched first! I just thought I might have had an original topic I suppose it's kind of like wildcatting a cartridge, there's almost nothing that you can think of that hasn't aready been tried.
Thanks

I've not owned one, but the RedOxx stuff seems to get good reviews.

http://www.redoxx.com/

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
A friend and I used the Filson Extra Large Duffle this year for a trip to Zim. We had four flight legs on our trip in and three flight legs on our trip out. Plus some quality time in the back of a Land Cruiser bouncing down the road. The duffles were filthy but other than that they held up nicely. I had done a search on the African Travel page and found several folks that recommended the Filson before I bought mine.

http://www.filson.com/product/index.jsp?productId=20924...06&parentPage=family

I have one of these and really like it.

I have the filson also, I (Think) it has a lifetime warrenty. I know I have sent mine back and they fixed it for free. It hss made 8 trips to Africa and 8 or 10 other trips

Ditto for the Filson duffle!

Canvas is canvas and they get worn and cut, vis a vis Filson.

My "duffle" is a little, carry-on size nylon suitcase from Sam's Club! Amazingly long lasting and tough.

If I had too do it all over again buying one of the short TuffPaks would be an excellent and indestructible "duffle bag."

quote:

My "duffle" is a little, carry-on size nylon suitcase from Sam's Club! Amazingly long lasting and tough.

Dude, no class....

I can highly recomend any of the Eagle Creek duffles -- they are very well built and have a lifetime guarantee --- just send them back and they are either fixed or replaced -- great company that stands behind their products.

$435.00 for a 34" duffel seems like conspicuous consumption to me. I'll stick with a gorilla-proof, ramp-tramp resistant Halliburton.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
A friend and I used the Filson Extra Large Duffle this year for a trip to Zim. We had four flight legs on our trip in and three flight legs on our trip out. Plus some quality time in the back of a Land Cruiser bouncing down the road. The duffles were filthy but other than that they held up nicely. I had done a search on the African Travel page and found several folks that recommended the Filson before I bought mine.

http://www.filson.com/product/index.jsp?productId=20924...06&parentPage=family

You need read no further. Simply the best. Lifetime, no BS warranty. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Yes. You get what you pay for.

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:

quote:

My "duffle" is a little, carry-on size nylon suitcase from Sam's Club! Amazingly long lasting and tough.

Dude, no class....

Ha! I quit looking like I was moving permanently to Africa a long time ago.

+1 For the Filson.

Geronimo

I'llcast my vote for the 5.11 mission ready rolling duffle. Light weight and tough.

Ditto on Filson. Took mine to Zim and held up great!

I have used one very similar to this one for 6 trips to Africa and numerous hunting trips in the US.



Will's idea of using a short Tuffpak is a great idea as well. However, the Stanley cost less than $60.00 and holds more stuff.

Perry

I've used the Filson duffels for 10 years and have sent one back to be refurbished. It was cleaned and resewn for nothing. When I got it back, other than wear, it was as good as new. Be sure to get the extra large with wheels because it holds enough stuff you'll be glad your rolling it and not carrying it. MMP

Check out kifaru duffels.

They are not wheeled, however.

I would consider a carry on luggage cart and do without the wheels on the luggage. The wheel systems add weight and take away volume.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Canvas is canvas and they get worn and cut, vis a vis Filson.

Those are my own sentiments..I use an old GS Issue Holdall made of heavy duty canvas which cost about $20


When I need a smaller version, I use a smaller Royal Navy holdall in tan heavy duty canvas...

Neither have wheels but I can live without them..Both are pretty bombproof with good quality HD brass zips ect..

Regards,

Pete

Well here goes "the shit hits the fan" I like L L Bean rolling duffle. 7440 cubic inch and only $189. It has a bottom hard compartment which will hold a "breakdown case".

Trouble with the Filson and other wheeled duffels is cost and weight.

The well made ones (i.e., with wheel housings that don't collapse and wheels that don't fall off) are way too expensive and they weigh way too much. $435 and 11 lbs. for the Filson.

In this day of 50 lbs./bag weight limits, I don't want nearly 25% of that taken up by the structure and wheels of a duffel.

I use Cabela's Alaskan Guide duffel and carry on. Very tough, much less expensive and much lighter in weight.

Cabela's Alaskan Guide

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
Well here goes "the shit hits the fan" I like L L Bean rolling duffle. 7440 cubic inch and only $189. It has a bottom hard compartment which will hold a "breakdown case".

Excellent choice.

I'll second that. I have the L.L. Bean rolling duffle and it's at least five pounds lighter (empty) than the same-sized Cabela's bag that I have. And, the L. L. Bean rolling duffle is made to stand up on its end, which the Cabela's and other bags cannot do. That's five more pounds of personal items that I can take with the L.L. Bean rolling duffle that I cannot take with my Cabela's bag.

UEG, I had a Cabelas RD and found I was over weight before I could get it fully packed. I was happy to return it after one trip to Africa and got my money back, well a credit which I quickly spent that day at the store. Looking forward to spending a day next week at Kittery Trading Post, Orvis, Cabelas and LL Bean. You know just to get those necessary things for Africa.

First of all, thanks to all of you for your comments. Due to some of them I probably should rethink my request. My shooting coat, mat, and spotting scope will weight in the neighborhood of 20-25 pounds. Add to that the 11 pound weight of the Filson roller duffel and I don't really have much weight available for clothing. I reckon I should skip the roller part and just go for a regular duffel and carry the darn thing through the airports. Last month I had to shuffel things between suitcases at the checkin counter to get under 50 lbs. with my large softside roller. It arrived with the zipper busted anyway! It looks like the LL Bean adventure duffel has some pretty good reinforcing around the bottom. Maybe I can get a look at one of them in a store somewhere in the Greensboro, NC area.
Thanks

One last piece of advice, I would definitely stick with a roller bag regardless of what brand duffle you get. It makes a huge difference to not have to be lugging a 40-50 pound sack around. If I had to list the priorities for a bag, the first one on the list would be rollers, to me all else is secondary. Just my $0.02.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
Trouble with the Filson and other wheeled duffels is cost and weight.

The well made ones (i.e., with wheel housings that don't collapse and wheels that don't fall off) are way too expensive and they weigh way too much. $435 and 11 lbs. for the Filson.

In this day of 50 lbs./bag weight limits, I don't want nearly 25% of that taken up by the structure and wheels of a duffel.

I use Cabela's Alaskan Guide duffel and carry on. Very tough, much less expensive and much lighter in weight.

Cabela's Alaskan Guide

My Alaskan Guide Rolling Duffle was finally ripped on this trip. Not bag lasted 10 years for $100.00

I have a red oxx duffle that was great.

Since 1981 I've used 2 Boyt Duffle bags, a large and a medium. These are OD Green with brown leather bottoms. I've had Boyt rebuild each of them once. The last time I needed anything done they no longer offered the service and you can't buy those bags anymore. These were tough bags and made over 25 trips to various African countries and many Rocky Mountain pack trips. The mules couldn't destroy them. (Neither could the "gorillas, ha!) Closet thing I've seen is the Orvis Duffle which offers the improvement of QD flap straps. This should extend the life of those straps indefinitely.

Rich Elliott

Short of sending it in a full size gun safe, there is nothing made than the airlines can't tear up. I have to get a new suitcase/rolling duffle for every trip. I think I may just bring my guns next time and buy whatever else I need "in country".

Well, after much consideration I finally purchased a Boyt Harness 30" duffel w/o rollers. It's going to be heavy but I need the extra weight for my gear, besides maybe I can get a cart at the airport. I've used one of their rifle cases for years and it's done nothing but give me exceptional service so I hope their duffels are just as good. Thanks to everyone.

For a wheeled duffel the Filson is the best I have seen, I have used one, as well as their regular dufles quite a bit.

The a more secure case would be a Pelican Box, but with the new 50 lb weight limit they are just too heavy.

More secure than a fabric duffel, and much lighter than a Pelican is the Tuff-Pak.

For equipment take a look at the take dwon size or one of the bow sized cases.

For target rifles the regular Tuff-Pac is the way to go.

I have used Tuff-Paks on several trips and they are my favorite airline traveling rifle case.

I use Boyt duffel bags, tough with lots of pockets, the 21inch for Africa and 24 inch for Alaska. I think a lot of you guys pack like my wife.

You don't need wheels when your bag weighs 20 lbs with ammo box inside.

Several folks have mentioned the RedOxx duffles. They are top quality gear made by ex parachute riggers using high end materials.

Their largest expedition bag only weighs 6 or 7 lbs and will hold about 70 pounds of gear.

www.leathergoods.com.au make the ones I use, They do an add SAFARI size with sholder strap as an option.
A great traditional leather and canvas bag.
MADE IN AUSTRALIA

a vote for REDOXX bags

I use their backpack for my carry-on. well made bage and holds a lot.
they usually have a display at the Reno SCI convention. website is already posted above.

no wheels on their bags last I checked---that's good for keeping weight down.
I am a cheap basturd ---so filson is above my pay level. Redoxx is not a cheap but very well made for the price.