Whether it’s just a night or two or an extended period of time, traveling to new places is one of my biggest sources of joy. Packing is not. I’ve had the privilege of vacationing all over the world and yet I still haven’t mastered the oddly complicated art of properly storing clothing in luggage. There are overpackers and underpackers, and somehow, I’ve been both. I like having options when I travel but I also try to avoid checking bags whenever possible. That has made finding the right bag extraordinarily difficult – until now. Following a recent two-week trip to Florida, I won’t go on another vacation without Osprey’s Squffel duffle bag.
My extreme aversion to dealing with the baggage claim at the end of a long flight pushed me to start using backpacks as often as possible. I’m slowly training myself to be a carry-on only flyer with varying degrees of success. I have amassed quite the collection of backpacks and totes as a direct result of this experiment, but most of those can be retired since I acquired the 70-liter Squffel. This duffle/backpack hybrid easily stored 14 days of clothing (both daytime beach attire and dressier evening outfits) as well as my toiletries, three pairs of shoes, books and souvenirs I acquired on my trip. I’m still in awe over it, to be honest.
The spaciousness is just a small part of what makes this bag so special. For me, the most helpful feature is the almost absurd amount of compartments. I’m still discovering hidden zippers that reveal little nooks to keep everything in its place. As my vacation progressed, having a separate place to keep my dirty clothing where it wouldn’t come into contact with my unworn items was a major bonus. Typically, my husband and I just end up keeping dirty stuff in a completely different piece of luggage. The bag has a middle zipper allowing you to open it like a clamshell and pack it like most regular suitcases, in addition to a top zipper for quick and easy access to items you may need for the flight. There’s even a section to store damp clothing with a zipper on the outside of the bag to provide ventilation to help dry out those items. (And in case you’re wondering, I’ve flown with it on both Delta and United and it fit into the overhead bins.)
We can’t talk about the Squffel without also acknowledging its durability. Osprey’s signature “NanoTough” material protects the bag from abrasions and inclement weather. I got caught in a few summer storms during my trip and the pack deflected every drop, leaving the interior as dry as can be. On the inside, the mesh sections may seem only sturdy enough to hold a few odds and ends but trust, I packed those puppies to the brim coming home. They held together perfectly and protected my precious souvenirs.
It’s worth noting that I opted for the larger 70-liter Squffel, but there’s also a smaller 44-liter option available at a lower price. The aforementioned features are still included in the 44-liter bag, there’s just less internal space to work with. The choice is yours, but you really can’t go wrong choosing a Squffel.
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