There are two methods to rig up the carry deal with. You can join it to the slender ends of the bag, which makes accessing the storage compartment simpler, or in an X form throughout the broader sides of the bag for elevated stability whereas carrying. There are not any buckles, carabiners, or D-rings for the deal with. Instead, there are nylon material loops, with vaguely fish-hook-shaped plastic items on the ends of the deal with that slip into the loops. It’s one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than. The backpack straps use the identical hook-and-loop system once they’re not stowed behind the padded panel.
They work a lot better than I assumed they might. I by no means had one slip free, but it wasn’t tough to safe or take away the plastic hooks. The solely buckles on the bag are 4 compression straps that you just fasten after all the things is zipped up to be able to cinch down the bag into its most compact kind. There are mounted seize handles on all 4 sides of the duffel too.
On the draw back, there is not any shoulder strap as on the Red Oxx. Given the selection between the 2, I’d a lot moderately have the backpack straps, however generally it is handy to only throw a bag on my shoulder for a second to unlock my palms. But I get it. Too many straps would muddle up the bag.
The hook-and-loop system works securely, nevertheless it’s not the quickest means so as to add and take away straps. At the airport baggage drop counter, I really feel like I’m in a rush to get all of them free so I can stow the deal with with out holding up the entire line. In distinction, with baggage that use carabiners or buckles it takes about as a lot time to take away them because it does to learn this sentence.
A Material World
The materials simply feels very nice too. It’s supple but robust. The mesh underneath the lid, the place two zippered inside pockets reside, is comfortable sufficient to make underwear out of. The pockets—one small, one giant—are helpful and be a part of a single exterior pocket for any little objects you wish to hold separated from the principle inside storage compartment.
The backside and sides of the duffel are made from 1,680-denier recycled nylon. That’s thick, robust stuff to withstand put on and tear from being picked up, put down, and slid round. The remainder of the outside is water resistant, although not waterproof. (Remember, there are nonetheless zippers.) But I carried each baggage by damp, drizzly Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and the skies splashed each baggage repeatedly and not using a drop soaking by.
Most baggage is black or navy blue. It’s basic, however boring, boring, boring. The Big Haul is accessible in all-black, for traditionalists, nevertheless it additionally is available in a number of eye-catching colorways that pair a principal shade with a well-chosen secondary shade on zipper pulls and strap loops. There’s Mountain Moss, which is extra of a mustard shade than any moss I’ve ever seen; Twilight Purple, which is accented with electrical pink; and my favourite, the teal Stone Blue that is accented with boring orange. Only Patagonia’s Black Hole duffel baggage supply such a Skittles-like selection of colours.
I’ve come to count on lots from REI Co-Op gear over the previous few years. Even so, I used to be stunned at how properly the Big Haul hit the mark. There are a number of quibbles right here and there with the dearth of a shoulder strap and the time it takes to make use of the hook-and-loop attachments, however the Big Haul will serve you properly on each city treks and open air adventurers.
