Duffle Bags for Summer Camp
Duffle cloth was known for being exceedingly coarse and woolen—its durability being a factor for use as a bag brought on sea voyages and other rugged journeys. Nowadays Duffle Bags are made of lighter, less scratchy material. At Everything Summer Camp we have brand-name duffle bags in your favorite styles, colors, and sizes for your summer adventures.
Whether you are looking for a travel day bag, a weekend duffle bag, or a large camp duffle that can carry enough clothing for weeks away, we've got you covered. Shop our best-selling Pop-Up Soft Trunk and other bags from The North Face, Under Armour, Marmot, Osprey, Deuter, and more!
While most sleepaway camps are going to recommend a trunk, that doesn’t mean that a duffle bag shouldn’t be included on your summer camp packing list.
Duffle bags can be useful for overnight tent camping trips, hikes, day trips, and more while at summer camp.
What is a Duffle Bag?
Historically, duffle bags were large shapeless canvas or wool cylindrical bags with an open end that was secured by rope or cord. Original duffles typically had a single strap that could be used to carry it by your side or sling it over your shoulder.
In modern times, duffle bags are still cylindrical, but instead of being open on one end and closed by a rope, they have a zipper running along their length and typically three straps. Two straps to hold the bag by your side and one longer one to carry it over your shoulder.
An important difference between the modern duffle bag and a more common gym bag is that gym bags typically have a hard plastic bottom.
Duffle bags are shapeless, it’s part of what makes them so convenient and easy to pack.
Best Duffle Bag Size
For most camping brands duffle bags can come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. The best duffle bag size for your camper will depend on how they need to use it.
Below we break down the duffle sizes according to their intended use.
Small Duffle Bags
The truth is there almost isn’t a good reason to not pack a small duffle bag for summer camp. Small duffle bags can be folded to take up about the same amount of space as a pair of socks.
Some of the best uses for small duffle bags are
- Day Trips
- Hikes
- Overnight Tent Camping
Medium Duffle Bag
A medium-sized duffle bag is one of the most popular choices when campers need a change of clothes including footwear or activity related gear like a tennis racquet or other sports equipment.
Medium-size duffle bags are best for
- Weekend Trips
- Sports Clothes and Equipment
- Cold Weather Clothes or Rain Gear
Large Duffle Bags
Large duffle bags can be a game changer when a camping trip is longer than three days and luggage transportation space is at a minimum.
While they’re not as mobile or easy to pack as small or medium duffles, large-size duffle bags can often hold all of a camper’s necessary gear when a trip calls for it. Keep in mind campers, you’ll still want to pack a smaller duffle or backpack inside your large duffle to carry things like your water bottle, camera, or bug spray on hikes and day trips.
Large duffle bags make the most sense for
- Week Long Camping Trips
- Outdoor Tent Camping
- Strict Luggage Size Restrictions
All Your Duffle Bag Questions Answered
If you have any questions about our duffle bag options or the best duffle bag size for your camper please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We help campers at over 270 different camps across the United States have the best summer camp experience of their lives, and we’d be happy to help you too.