Backpacks are great for carrying a variety of gear in an organized manner, but there are times when you need one large container instead of a dozen small pockets. This is where the duffle bag shines. Its spacious interior gives you the capacity to load up all the clothing for a long trip, and its tough exterior can be tossed into your truck or slid onto an airport conveyor belt without damage. These bags also make for great supplementary storage — your backpack might be your primary bug-out bag, but a duffle can be stuffed with a grab-and-go set of cold-weather gear or long-term food rations.
The duffle bag may seem like a simple formula, but Triple Aught Design (TAD) has taken a crack at reinventing the classic gear-hauler with modern materials and thoughtful construction. It's called the TAD Axis Expedition Duffle, and it's a far cry from the old USGI bags at your local Army/Navy surplus store.
The new Axis Expedition Duffle is available in 50, 75, and 100-liter capacities. The bag uses high-tech materials like LS42, a tough sailcloth material which TAD describes as a “weather-resistant random array of non-woven filaments that provides increased abrasion resistance laminated to light and durable ripstop nylon.” The floor is composed of another synthetic fabric called X51, which is 510-denier CORDURA hydrostatically laminated to waterproof X-Pac ripstop polyester.
Closed-cell cross-linked polyethlene foam provides cushioning, while 5 rows of 1-inch nylon webbing loops inside the bag allow for the addition of TAD panel, cube, and other storage attachments. Six compression straps (three on each side) keep the bag's contents compact and secure. All of these materials are manufactured in the USA, and the duffle itself is made in the USA.
The Triple Aught Design Axis Expedition Duffle can be carried in three ways:
- Side-carry via three grab handles on the top, front, and back of the bag
- Shoulder-carry via a padded nylon shoulder strap
- Backpack mode via two adjustable shoulder straps
The Axis Expedition Duffle is available at $195 for the 50L small model, $235 for the 75L medium model, and $275 for the 100L large model. For more information on these new bags, go to TripleAughtDesign.com.