Pat Kinney Evaluating the on-the-fly adjustable shoulder strap system of the Duffalo duffel bag during field testing at Snow King Mountain Resort. | Photo Jill Mountain Weekly News
Having never heard of this brand, I didn’t know what to expect. The Brown Buffalo Duffalo is a minimalist travel duffel built with premium materials. I had the perfect opportunity to test it out on a trip to New Zealand recently. Mike, the founder of Mountain Weekly News was nice enough to pass this duffel bag along for me to test.
My first impression was positive in that the bag was a great size, durable and overbuilt to handle the rigors of travel. My main focus for my trip to New Zealand was mountain biking and this bag was able to accommodate all my needs and then some. The Duffalo is most definitely designed as a travel and gear hauler built for the long haul. Every step of the journey I was impressed over and over with the function, durability and intuitiveness of this duffel bag.
Traveling is one of my favorite things to do in life. That being said, I have tested and used a lot of duffel bags over the years as I prefer to travel with a day pack on my shoulders and a duffel side carry system. I have quite a bit of experience with Patagonia Black Hole Duffel’s in a range of sizes as well as Eagle Creek which I have always been happy with. The Duffalo raises the standard for duffel bags and truly feels like a bag you can have for life. All the construction and materials are bomber and very well thought out and intentional which provides the user with a superior product.
Technical Specifications & Materials Audit
Looking at the technical aspects of the bag it does not take long to notice the attention to detail that was put into this offering from The Brown Buffalo. With a D-ring and clip made out of 6061 T6 aluminum which is the same product used by the aerospace and military industry the Duffalo is capable of performing across all conditions! The bag boasts a high level of resistance when it comes to water and erosion. The bag is rated to 70ish lbs of load rigorously tested bounced for nearly 2,000 cycles and the webbing held up.
The zippers are YKK and are super durable and designed simply without the presence of plastic or rubber which over time breaks down and can fail at any point which would leave the user in a compromised state. Utilizing a stout leather handle with the presence of industrial grade snaps that will keep your load secure.
Sizing Note: If you are under 6 feet tall with a medium to slender build, you can comfortably use the primary duffel straps as backpack shoulder straps depending on how heavy your cargo load is.
The hypalong strap which has daisy chains are bar tacked starting in the middle which locks the stitches on the side thus creating an extremely durable connection. The outer construction of the bag and webbing is comprised of Cordura making use of the nylon 6/6 which is a superior fabric.
Interior Layout and Travel Functionality
Looking at some of the features of the Duffalo one can surmise that a lot of attention to detail was put into this offering. With a quick access pocket on the outside of the bag one can stow passport, wallet, id’s or critical travel documents with the convenience of not having to enter into the main compartment of the duffel. The bag is designed to keep its form so when one is packing it up for travel the ease of loading the bag up is very much improved than most other bags in its class.
Featuring a separate compartment inside the bag for shoes or dirty laundry, with a mostly waterproof liner it keeps things separated and organized. I found this detail to be very useful as I was transiting from one destination to another on my most recent trip and I was able to put my wet/dirty bike shoes in this compartment eliminating cross pollination in the main compartment. On that same side of the duffel there is a separate organizer which I stored my boot dryers in which made for a clean and organized compartment. When not using the compartment, it can be easily rolled up and creates more space within the inside of the bag.
The shoulder strap is the best I have ever used with the clip being easily adjustable on the fly with a quick release clip in play lending itself to different carry methods/styles ultimately providing a greater level of comfort. Featuring a PU coated zipper, thick and chunky number 10 U shaped which lends itself to a greater level of weatherproof.
The bag is water resistant featuring a DWR(durable water repellent) not fully waterproof but certainly up to the task of protecting your gear in most elements. It functions as a premium carry on and when not in use it packs down into itself storing easily. With a pocket on the inside top of the bag, one is able to simply open the bag when traveling and access items without having to rummage thru the bag thus making movements more efficient.
Overall Impression and Travel Recommendations
The Duffalo Gear Hauler Bag truly shines across a multitude of conditions including road trips, gear heavy travel, weekend getaways and beyond. I was impressed with its versatility on my recent travels to New Zealand handling everything that was thrown at it. The Duffalo is overbuilt which is a factor if you’re trying to go fast and light. That said, it accommodates more gear than you might need which is clearly intentional on Brown Buffalo’s behalf.
It is optimized for transport, excelling at moving your gear from place to place which is a detail one should consider when choosing this for a journey. This bag is built for life, carrying extremely well with plenty of storage featuring maximum durability. Suffice to say, I would recommend this bag to anyone looking for a product that will support you throughout all your adventures. High praise for the designers and team at The Brown Buffalo for creating such an exceptional product.
Related Gear Haulers TETON Tested
