The weekend bag guide

From its rich history to its dimensions, from the importance of its material to its maintenance, and including our brand recommendations, we present to you our complete guide to choosing your weekend bag.

Enough to be stylish even when out and about.

So many names for a travel bag! But what is it really?

As for the “48h” bag and “weekend” bag, the two names designate the very principle of the bag : the one that allows you to carry things for two days - or even more if you are thrifty on your underwear or use a lot of natural materials that retain little odors -.

We should rather distinguish the duffel bag from the weekend bag in the end:

• A weekend bag does not designate a particular type of bag. It can be any bag with sufficient capacity for a short stay . But this notion remains quite subjective.

• The “duffel bag”, or “Duffel bag”, in the language of d'Hergé, designates the type of bag which was created in Belgium (I will come to that shortly), and has specific characteristics: a wide bag, most often cylindrical in shape, with a natural or synthetic waxed canvas material, which closes with a zipper or a sliding cord.

Typically, duffel bags are used for military personal belongings, for travel, sports, or just about anything and everything.

Ultimately, most weekend bags are just a derivative of the duffel bag . In all cases, we find the spirit of a bag that is intended to be "tote-all".

The weekend bag as we know it todaydates back to the beginning of the 20th century . But its roots go back even further.

Just like the duffle coat, duffel bags are born in the 17th century , in the town of Duffel, Belgium and near Antwerp, which was known for making very durable and warm wool . It was a rough and grainy material, but durable and resistant to strong winds due to its thickness.

The duffel was very popular with sailors, particularly the English, Spanish and Portuguese, who used it to make a bag that could be easily stored, while also being a holdall for their long sea voyage.

Like many innovations, it was during the wars that the duffel bag underwent the most changes.

The Americans first used the duffel bag during the First World War. It looked more like a haversack or a laundry bag, smaller and impractical to carry around in the trenches.

It was during the Second World War that the travel bag as we know it appeared: longer and wider, made from cotton to make them lighter (and less expensive to manufacture), and with straps in order to carry heavier loads on the front.

At the end of the Second World War, this type of bag became popular in urban areas , through military surplus and through the use of army veterans who brought it back with them.

Over the decades, they have become more functional and aesthetic, made from various materials such as synthetic or leather , which are the most popular.

The 1970s saw the weekend bag become an everyday bag , and particularly a sports bag, with the famous cylinder design.

A weekend bag is designed to keep you compact and travel with ease .

Each brand will have its own definition and size of travel bag, but generally it is larger than a backpack and smaller than a suitcase.

The size of a weekend bag will depend on the length of your trip, but we consider that the standard size corresponds to cabin baggage, i.e.: 55 x 35 x 25 cm, or approximately 30-40 liters.

The bag generally has a single large belly pocket, and a few compartments.

Some brands are trying to innovate by offering more compartmentalized bags with both exterior and interior pockets, for optimal storage.

Most of the time, a duffel bag only has one front pocket. Weekend bags, for their part, can have several storage spaces, in addition to the main pocket.

In any case, a weekend bag is designed to hold at least two business days, and more if you are good at Tetris.

Here is a typical list of items that Benoît offers you in his travel clothing guide :

We could say that a bag for going on a weekend corresponds to a very specific use , which does not necessarily concern everyone.

Let's rather look at the subject the other way: let's ask ourselves what could be the use of a weekend bag on a daily basis .

A weekender can be useful for all those times when you need to have a lot of things with you (to sleep at someone's house, to take clothes to the alteration shop, etc.).

It is also a useful bag if you practice a physical activity that requires you to have spare items (weight training, climbing, yoga, football, etc.).

And more broadly, it is a type of bag that can be useful if you have a lot of stuff with you on a daily basis.

In my case (David writes here), I have almost every day in my bag:

• Sports stuff
• A Tupperware with my lunch
• Potentially my computer and associated charger
• A water bottle

That's too much stuff for a classic 24-hour bag. And not being a fan of backpacks, we quickly arrive at a handbag of 30 or a few liters... therefore a weekend bag.

Material is the sinews of war.

This chosen material results in the style of your bag (more casual, more elegant, more workwear) but also its quality, its beauty and its durability over time.

Here are the materials you will find most commonly.

If I tell you about a beautiful weekend bag, you may think of an entirely leather model.

Yes, this is the noblest option. But it’s not necessarily the one we’ll recommend to everyone.

Indeed, leather is expensive. We talked about it in detail in this article or in this one .

However, a weekend bag is by definition a large bag, which therefore uses a lot of leather. So an entirely leather bag is expensive.

How expensive? €450 seems to me to be the minimum to hope to have a decent leather bag. So this doesn't mean that all bags at this price are worth it.

If you want a beautiful weekend bag all in leather, we don't really advise you to purchase an entry-level model at an attractive price (for example €200) but rather:

• Save money and purchase a well-made bag that will stay beautiful for a long time
• To watch second hand
• Instead, opt for a canvas bag with leather details, which is less expensive (we'll talk about it later)

It is not easy to distinguish the quality of leather , whether real or in photos. Here are some tips from my experience to help you:

• Beautiful leather has a regular appearance, it has few marks (folds, veins)
• Beautiful leather can have a very slight shine, but not excessive (if it shines too much, it's a bad sign)
• Beautiful leather has a deep, rich and vibrant color. Low quality leather will often have a dull, faded, faded appearance.

Finally, for the types of leather, it's like for shoes, you will find different types: smooth, grained, suede or oily.

I find that the grained leather bag is a good choice for a weekender. If you didn't know yet, this result is obtained using a press which will “print” a grain on the leather.

The advantage of grained leather compared to smooth is that it shows creases much less, while maintaining a fairly elegant appearance.

For me, this is a very good option for people who don't have the budget to buy an entirely leather bag.

You do not necessarily lose style (a cotton canvas bag can be very beautiful, especially since we are staying with a natural material), nor in durability (if the canvas is sufficiently dense and thick) but you save on the budget.

You will find a lot of canvas bags : it is a fairly tight weave with a warp thread that is crossed quite tightly with the weft thread. Its visual appearance is quite characteristic and will inevitably tell you something:

In addition to its pretty nice texture, canvas is a robust weave , therefore quite suitable for a bag that will undergo more or less heavy loads and a lot of friction.

On more workwear brands, you will find waxed (oiled) canvas bags which add character, patina potential to the piece and also greater resistance to rain.

Last great option: the bag made of synthetic material, often polyester.

We usually advise against synthetic clothing on BonneGueule, but what about bags?

Well, our observation is more nuanced . Indeed, synthetic can make sense here: it is light and robust, it is easy to clean, it resists rain quite well, it is not necessarily visually horrible and they are accessible materials, which therefore give reasonable budget bags.

You will find the bags:

• In synthetic canvas

The appearance is necessarily less natural than a cotton canvas, but the result is sometimes honest, with a slight texture provided by the weaving. This is a suitable option in my opinion.

• In matte synthetic , like what Rains or Seagale can offer for example.

These are waterproof materials, a bit like what you find on oilskins. The appearance is very smooth and plastic.

Some won't hang but on a bag, which I can understand.

The style here is necessarily casual, so not to be combined with a nice suit or other very elegant clothing.

Also note: among the brands I came across, I saw a lot of bags made from 100% polyester recycled from water bottles, which reduces the carbon footprint of these bags made from petrochemical materials.

You can start by dusting your bag with a scraper type brush, which will remove surface dirt.

Then, everything will depend on the materials used on your bag.

If your bag is synthetic or cotton , it's quite simple: a wipe with a cloth (or sponge) dampened with soapy water should be enough for routine maintenance.

If your bag is made of leather or contains leather parts (the handles for example), we advise you to use a specialized product.

I learned that there are specialized products for the care of bags and leather goods, notably from the Bôme brand.

Saphir brand products and equivalents are more for leather shoes, and they might react differently on a bag.

If in doubt, don't tempt the devil and ask for advice from a dry cleaner or a leather specialist (in the case of a leather bag), who will be able to give you instructions.

You want your bag to last, as long as possible.

And I understand you.

In fact, the lifespan of a bag depends on several criteria : the intrinsic quality of the bag (the materials used, the stitching), but also the use you make of it.

To give an idea, I would say that a weekend bag should last at least 4 to 5 years , with reasonable use. If it is less, either the product is of somewhat limited quality, or your use has been a little too intensive (or a combination of the two).

A well-made bag, with good material, well maintained and used reasonably can last 8, 10 years or even much more.

To make your bag last, consider :

• Don't overload it : it's a mistake I sometimes make, filling my bags more than necessary. This creates tension on the material, on the handles, and on the zippers too.
• Carry out small repairs if necessary: ​​as with clothing, small tears can be fixed. A small hole in the canvas can be filled with thread, a cracked lining can be sewn back together, a zip can be replaced, etc.

By digging around a little, second-hand or in second-hand stores (physical or online), you will find quite a few vintage bags.

On the one hand, you have military bags, with a rustic style, often in olive green colors, but very functional and robust. On the other, you will find classic but old brand bags.

Different models of travel bags with sober designs, in technical canvas (synthetic) and quite functional.

The Novel Duffle Tech model, for example, has a dedicated compartment at the bottom of the bag to store a pair of shoes, two internal compartments (one for a computer, a headset, a console and another for clothes) as well as a small cutout to place the bag on the retractable handle of a suitcase.

An interesting option for those looking for bags with more than a large internal compartment.

The Danish brand offers its waterproof canvas found on rain coats on weekend bags.

The style is relaxed, the shapes are minimalist. The prices are quite affordable, the material is waterproof and probably quite durable.

Swedish minimalism. Clean models, in synthetic canvas (or synthetic/cotton blend), efficient and without fuss.

Bellroy: between 150 and 300€

Australian brand offering an interesting range of weekend/duffle bags, with different formats and colors.

As I write these lines, I see a few discounted models, starting prices around €100 for a small size, more of a sports bag.

The French brand offers a range of weekend bags, in canvas and leather.

All made in Portugal, the models have a rather chic urban design.

A good option for a weekend bag on an intermediate budget.

Very beautiful models in beautiful cotton canvas or leathers with a robust and slightly patinated appearance, in shapes that change a little from what we see elsewhere.

A more workwear style, pieces with character. Everything is made in France.

The American brand, well known for its luggage, offers a fairly extensive range of weekend bags.

You will find different models and sizes of travel bags , in different materials, mainly in thick cotton canvas or oiled cotton (like on Barbour jackets).

If the brand is known for its iconic models made in the United States, this is not the case for all products. The product sheets specify this information: some bags are produced in the USA, but others are made in Vietnam or Romania.

Danish brand that I discovered a few months ago and of which I am a fan.

Beautiful, elegant and quite minimalist canvas weekend bags. In short, Scandinavian style.

The technical sheets are rich: you have the details of each element of the bag (material, handles, zip, lining).

French brand created in 2014 which offers elegant bags in canvas and leather or all leather.

The models have numerous compartments, including a pocket for shoes.

British brand that I discovered with the Suit Carrier Holdall which is made up of two parts: a weekend bag that can be wrapped around it in addition to a suit cover , in the same material. Each bag can be used independently.

Small special feature: this bag was used by James Bond (Daniel Craig ) in the film No Time To Die!

A weekender for stylish men who need to have a spare suit for travel. In addition to this particular model, the brand also offers other models with a more classic style.

All bags are made in the UK.

High prices.

We still mention the brand, which is the high-end branch with a very Americana / cowboy style of Ralph Lauren, for its models with spectacular hand-woven Native American jacquard patterns.

All the cards are now in your hands to choose the bag that will accompany you on your next adventures.

Don't hesitate to leave us a comment if you still have questions, we'll answer you!