There are two methods to rig up the carry deal with. You may join it to the slim 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. As a substitute, 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 is one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than. The backpack straps use the identical hook-and-loop system after they’re not stowed behind the padded panel.
They work significantly better than I assumed they’d. I by no means had one slip unfastened, but it wasn’t tough to safe or take away the plastic hooks. The one buckles on the bag are 4 compression straps that you just fasten after every little thing is zipped up with the intention to cinch down the bag into its most compact type. 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 Purple Oxx. Given the selection between the 2, I might a lot somewhat have the backpack straps, however generally it is handy to only throw a bag on my shoulder for a second to release my fingers. However I get it. Too many straps would litter up the bag.
The hook-and-loop system works securely, nevertheless it’s not the quickest approach so as to add and take away straps. On the airport baggage drop counter, I really feel like I am in a rush to get all of them unfastened 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 Materials World
The fabric simply feels very nice too. It is supple but robust. The mesh beneath the lid, the place two zippered inside pockets reside, is gentle 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 gadgets you wish to preserve separated from the principle inside storage compartment.
The underside and sides of the duffel are product of 1,680-denier recycled nylon. That is 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. (Keep in mind, there are nonetheless zippers.) However I carried each baggage via damp, drizzly Ho Chi Minh Metropolis and Hanoi, and the skies splashed each baggage repeatedly with out a drop soaking via.
Most baggage is black or navy blue. It is traditional, however boring, boring, boring. The Huge Haul is on the market in all-black, for traditionalists, nevertheless it additionally is available in a couple of eye-catching colorways that pair a important coloration with a well-chosen secondary coloration on zipper pulls and strap loops. There’s Mountain Moss, which is extra of a mustard coloration 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 uninteresting orange. Solely Patagonia’s Black Gap duffel baggage supply such a Skittles-like selection of colours.
I’ve come to count on rather a lot from REI Co-Op gear over the previous few years. Even so, I used to be shocked at how properly the Huge Haul hit the mark. There are a couple 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 Huge Haul will serve you properly on each city treks and open air adventurers.
