Make travel packing that bit more organised with this feature-laden duffle from Bach
Why We Chose It: Classic design, modern twist, reliable 1000-denier
Remember the old doctor’s bags? You know, a central hinged opening and faded leather that looked like it had seen two centuries worth of use? Well this, the Dr Duffel 70 from Swiss-based Bach Backpacks, is the modern take on that classic style.
Photo: Chris Johnson
Who Is The Bach Dr. Duffel 70 For?
We needn’t explain who a duffel bag is for, as we can guarantee that frequent visitors to this site will currently have one or two stored in their loft already. That being said, this is an interesting approach to the classic duffel design. The Bach Dr. Duffel is going to be the travel bag for you if you’re a fan of feature-packed duffle bags for your travels. We’ve been left pleasantly surprised by what it offers.
Materials and Construction
Made from a 1000-denier strong Cordura, you know this duffel is going to be able to take on whatever you may throw its way. In fact, Bach has gone as far to say that the Cordura used on this duffell is up to 2.5 times stronger than other equally high denier nylons. On top of this, Bach says they’ve made this Cordura weave ‘air textured’, giving it a matte textured appearance, a refreshing take on the sometimes rubbery look of many duffel bags.
Photo: Chris Johnson
Photo: Chris Johnson
Photo: Chris Johnson
Features
As expected, and as you can see from the imagery, this is a duffel bag that has loads of useful features, pockets and secret compartments. The first thing to note is that huge opening that the bag is named after. This ‘doctors bag’ style opening allows the bag to be opened up fully, giving access to all corners of the pack.
You’ve then got plenty of clever storage compartments spanning the sides. These are made up of mesh, which helps you organise smaller items. The side and back panel of the bag has also been padded to protect your valuables, and make carrying comfortable.
“Gone are the days of endlessly fumbling around for something in your traditional duffel.”
Speaking of carrying comfort, Bach has included stowable shoulder straps with the Dr. Duffel 70 These shoulder straps can be zipped out and attached to the pack via a small carabiner and loop. Once you’re at your destination, you can then slide these back into the pack, saving them from getting snagged in transit.
On the outside, you’ve got yet more clever storage space. This includes a padded laptop sleeve, with many zippers to help access the internal compartment – all of which feature padlock loops. There’s also two compression straps on each side, allowing you to expand/compress storage as required.
One final note on the features is that the Dr. Duffel has been designed to be self standing when stood up vertically. While on the face of it, this may seem like quite a trivial feature, but it’s actually pretty handy, particularly when the duffel isn’t fully packed. By being freestanding, the duffel lets you organise all your travel gear free of any fabric folding over and obstructing your view. This was certainly a handy feature that impressed us.
Tester’s Verdict
Will Renwick, editor of Outdoors Magic
“I’ve found this to be an extremely well made duffel that’s incredibly durable and capable of swallowing a heck of a lot of kit. It was fun discovering all the little hidden design details when I first started using it – it actually took me longer than it should have to realise there were carrying straps tucked away!
Photo: Chris Johnson
“It’s pretty much second to none in terms of durability and the rigid sides also provide a bit of extra protection for your kit inside. That all means, however, that it is definitely on the heavy side. If you prefer duffels to be lightweight and very packable, you might want to look elsewhere.
“As you can see in the pictures, we used this on a very wet day and the outer fabric did get saturated. It’s not a waterproof bag so I thought everything inside would get soaked but in fact it all stayed bone dry. You’re not going to want to use this on a trip where that water resistance would get pushed, of course, but it should be reliable enough for any occasions where it might have to withstand some rain or a bit of wet grass.”
An impressive new lightweight backpack from the Canadian brand, one that’s decked out with clever features to support day hikes or even summer backpacking adventures.
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