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Filson Small Duffle Bag Review: A Simple Bag Built for the Long Haul

This $475 duffle bag is a reductionist’s dream. Here’s why.

filson duffel bag on a couch Evan Malachosky

By Evan Malachosky

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Sometimes, as Dieter Rams proved, simpler is better. For Filson, that’s never the goal, per se — to reduce a product down to its simplest parts — but that’s often what happens. Filson products are often relatively simple but time-tested and burly nonetheless, with an emphasis on longevity, not looks (but Filson goods are good-looking, I’d argue).

They operate in opposition to the rest of the clothing industry, which as Gear Patrol contributor Michael Frank put it in 2021, is like “a car manufacturer defining performance based on how a motor looks rather than how it runs.” Filson, on the other hand, puts performance first and has since its earliest days outfitting the Alaskan Gold Rush.

That’s why Filson products punch above their weight class. They look simple but hidden features abound. For example, from afar the Mackinaw Wool Cruiser looks like a simple outdoorsman’s coat, but up close it’s far more: waterproof, tightly wound to prevent snags and covered in pockets. The same can be said for the Twill Small Duffle Bag. It’s a prototypical duffle bag, if the definition for duffle bags was set some 100 years ago: canvas body, leather straps and not a single pocket of note inside. And for good reason. Filson was founded more than a century ago, and its popular duffle line has been a best-seller for the brand since it was introduced more than three decades ago.

For some, simplicity is king — hence why this bag is so, well, big. But for others, a near-$500 price tag better mean features (and loads of ’em). Find out whether this trusty twill bag is right for you below.

Filson Twill Small Duffle Bag Review

Pros

  • Rugged exterior is both abrasion- and water-resistant
  • Lightly waxed to protect what's inside
  • Straps mold to your hand with constant carrying
  • Inside is easy to fill, thanks to its undivided interior pocket

Cons

  • Bag still is considered "small" — it has the same capacity as some backpacks
  • There's very little cushion in the shoulder straps

What’s Good About the Filson Twill Small Duffle Bag

It’s well-made.

As it always is with Filson products, the Twill Small Duffle is high-quality craftsmanship on full display. Made in the US, albeit with imported materials from one of Britain’s oldest mills, the exterior body is 100 percent lightly waxed cotton twill with bridle leather straps and brass hardware (i.e. snaps, loops, etc.).

It’s hefty, which is something you should consider before buying. It’s noticeably heavier than my synthetic duffle bags — which are from Peak Design and Away — but there’s something to be said for the peace of mind puncture-proof canvas provides. Sure, synthetics are only getting more and more durable, but with three decades of success, why would Filson switch up now?

filson duffel bagEvan Malachosky

It’s durable.

Through six train trips, one flight and two driven day trips, it took a hell of a lot to even make my Filson bag look used. It barely scuffed, stretched, stained or even darkened. In fact, I probably could’ve returned the bag without questions asked.

For boots, this is a bad thing — breaking in stiff boots is a painful process. As for this Filson bag, you can be a little rough with it without incurring any noticeable damage: as long as nothing fragile is inside, you can toss it into your trunk, let it sit on salty sidewalks and callously open and close it and it’ll look no worse for wear.

Over time, it’ll break in nicely, though, as evidenced by folks that’ve carried theirs for over five years: it’ll darken; the bridle leather will become more flexible; and the opening will be easier to access. Admittedly, I’m less than one in, but this post will updated as its patina develops.

It’s a reductionist’s dream.

If you asked me to draw a duffle bag, this is probably where I’d wind up. There’s nothing fancy about this Filson duffle bag, but that’s kind of the point. If you want simple, and simple over all else, this is your bag. There’s one opening, two single-ply pockets bookending each side (for shoes, for example) and two choices of straps: the standard, sewn-on hand-carry option and a removable shoulder strap.

filson duffel bagEvan Malachosky

It’s compact and easy to carry.

filson duffel bagEvan Malachosky

With its slight capacity, this duffle bag is barely bigger than a backpack. In fact, the North Face Recon backpack has a capacity of 30L. This duffle bag? 33L. That’s barely more, but it’s better utilized. While the backpack has a half-dozen dedicated pockets, this duffle does not. It’s one big bucket pocket for all of your cargo. That means you can’t keep some things separate, but you can probably carry more, which is a fair compromise, in my opinion.

Some duffles, when stuffed too full, bulge and bang on your knee as you walk or sit off from your hip because of their width. This Filson duffle, thanks to its wraparound strap design, always stays pretty tight, even when filled to capacity.

What’s Not So Good About the Filson Twill Small Duffle Bag

The shoulder strap lacks cushion.

I carried this duffle bag with one hand on most of my trips. In fact, I didn’t even pack the shoulder strap, which is small enough to coexist alongside your essentials on any trip. It’s frankly the easiest way to carry this bag, because the shoulder strap, although thick, lacks the type of cushioning most come to expect from bags nowadays. Now, wearer comfort comes first. That’s why I could see why someone used to more technical packs would complain about adjusting to simple leather straps.

It can get messy inside if you aren’t an expert packer.

I know that packing cubes exist, but I rarely use them, despite how helpful they are. I assume many others are just like me — too lazy to keep them on hand when a trip pops up. As such, we fill our bags like we always do, with one folded item at a time. This Filson bag can fit a lot — four sneakers, five socks, five sets of underwear, four sets of pants, five shirts, two hoodies, a jacket and my dopp kit, to be exact — but not in an organized way. Sure, the shoes can slot into each end pocket, but there’s little keep everything from flying around within unless it’s packed super tight.

filson duffel bag open with clothes packed insideEvan Malachosky

For some, ~$500 better mean features — and lots of them.

Filson recently hiked the price of its popular duffle series, pushing the Small version from $350 to $475. That’s a hell of a lot, in my opinion, but likely the result of price hikes further up the industrial food chain, if you will. But nicer things are costing more across the board, I’m sorry to report.

That being said, “cheaper” things aren’t always as bad as they’re chalked up to be. There are other options out there, and for way less, too. No, it likely won’t be as nice as Filson’s bag or as well-built, but many can’t stomach the lifetime investment and rightfully put the “right now” price over money saved over the course of its life cycle.

Affordable Filson Duffle Bag Alternatives

L.L. Bean Waxed Canvas Duffle

For a similarly simple bag at a far fairer price, try L.L. Bean’s Waxed Canvas Duffle. It’s made from waterproof waxed canvas, too, with a slightly bigger capacity. Despite weighing far less, reviewers boast about its durability just the same.

Line of Trade Canvas Weekender Bag

Despite being equipped with modern features like laptop and tablet sleeves, Line of Trade’s Canvas Weekender closes like a classic stonemason’s bag: two leather belt straps keep the interlocking lid together. It’s longer and taller than Filson’s, but thinner, making it a manageable addition to any already-cramped car trunk.

Readywares Waxed Canvas Duffle Bag

Readywares is a smaller Pacific Northwest-based company built on the mission of providing solid products for less — hence its $50 waxed canvas duffle bag. Is it better than Filson’s? F*** no. But this bag should cost more than $50.

Verdict: Filson Twill Small Duffle Bag

Pros

  • Rugged exterior is both abrasion- and water-resistant
  • Lightly waxed to protect what's inside
  • Straps mold to your hand with constant carrying
  • Inside is easy to fill, thanks to its undivided interior pocket

Cons

  • Bag still is considered "small" — it has the same capacity as some backpacks
  • There's very little cushion in the shoulder straps

Anyone who appreciates timeless, American design will appreciate Filson’s Twill Small Duffle Bag. But you don’t have to be a manufacturing nut to find it useful. With its compact design, quality build, built-in legacy and lifetime guarantee, it’s an excellent choice, price included.

That being said, Filson products are getting more and more expensive. True craftsmanship, they’ve proven, doesn’t come cheap. But $475 is a lot to ask from anyone, let alone for a 33L duffle bag. You can get a solid suitcase (or two) for that price, but they are less likely to last, thanks to what they’re made from, which is likely crack-prone polycarbonate.

That’s why, above all else, if you’re someone who calculates the true cost of something by how long it lasts, even if you no longer own it, get this duffle bag, because even if you only own it 10 years, it’ll cost the same as buying five $100 bags over the course of a decade.

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