When we think of an ‘outdoors’ duffel bag, The North Face’s Base Camp duffel will come to mind for many people. It’s pretty much considered synonymous with the style. But change comes about when the standard is disrupted.
Klättermusen have been around for nearly 50 years and they carry all the quality that we’re familiar with from Scandinavian outdoors brands, but they’re arguably are a lot less widely known than some of their counterparts. We’ve reviewed a number of items by them, including the Klättermusen Ull Blot pack, the Misty Trousers and the Asynja jacket, and each one has been impressive.
This product from them, the Klattermusen Ydalir 40L Duffel, is a carry-all, hard-wearing bag that I can throw all my crap in to for a plethora of uses: film assignments and photoshoots, sailing weekends, sea kayaking kit – it’s a big bag for all my stuff.
But being a big hole for kit isn’t this thing’s only virtue. What I really like about this is the ease of carrying, and this is where I feel the North Face have failed in the past with their Basecamp range. I don’t find their duffels anywhere close as comfortable to carry as this one and their straps just don’t fit me.
The Ydalir ‘Alpine Haul Bag’ from Klättermusen is comfortable to carry, be it down the jetty or through airports, with wide ergonomic straps that really fit. The zip closure runs comfortably down your back for security and peace of mind, the extending (or contracting) top allows for bigger or smaller loads, the materials are extra durable and it has loads of carry/grab handles.
While it’s not the kind of duffel that you can fully submerge without your kit inside getting wet, it’s still highly water resistant. I’ve found I can happily leave it on the ground in the rain, shoot away with my camera for an hour or two, and have total peace of mind that everything inside it will be fine. While the material is tough and weather resistant, I should point out, however, that there isn’t any padding, so drop it down on a rock and you can’t count of your valuables being totally protected from the impact.
Overall, as a duffel to use and abuse, I can’t fault it. It’s a very well made and reliable duffel. It does come at a fairly high price point, but there’s a strong case to say you’re getting what you pay for here.
