The North Face 132L Base Camp Voyager Duffel Makes Hauling Bulky Gear a Breeze

Who is This For

• Outdoor adventurers who have a lot of gear to haul
• Skiers and others who have bulky outerwear and apparel
• Maximalist travelers

Field Testing

I’m a terrible packer, and, as a gear tester, I often accumulate a lot of apparel and bags when I’m on extended trips. During a year in Sweden, I tested a large winter jacket, a windbreaker, several vests, a couple shirts, two large backpacks, two wool hats, an insulated skirt, several pairs of wool socks, a water bottle, and a pair of insulated pants. I also bought lots of presents for friends, a large post-swimming insulated poncho, an action cam, a wool sweater, a wool hat, giant warming mittens, and hand-knit alpaca gloves. Thanks to The North Face 132L Base Camp Voyager Duffel, I was able to haul all of it back to the US with ease.

Scenario 1

International Travel | Sweden to US

The North Face 132L Base Camp Voyager Duffel solves a few problems for me. First, its cavernous interior makes packing easier for me. I don’t have to fold large items like winter coats. I can just layer them on the bottom of the bag, which is 30″ long. Because the items have space, they don’t end up wrinkled. Smaller items (socks, hats, gloves, shirts) go into packing cubes, then I layer the cubes over the jackets.

Second, I can easily fit my most important adventure gear (three wetsuits, with a variety of neoprene accessories) and odd-shaped items like my snorkel into the duffel and still have plenty of room for clothing and shoes (not so with my 29” wheeled hard case suitcase). It’s easy to get creases in the neoprene wetsuits, so I’m glad I can transport my suits without having to fold them several times like I used to when I used a suitcase. I wrap my Turkish towel around them for protection. I can still stash random items into the duffel at the last minute since there are no hard edges or corners. 

There’s a mesh pouch on one end of the bag and a zippered mesh pocket on the underside of the duffel’s cover that I use for items I want to access immediately upon arriving at my destination. I like having these two packing options for a bit of organization. 

I was amazed that I was able to pack so much into The North Face 132 L Base Camp Voyager Duffel (everything listed so far, as well as an insulation jacket, two pairs of slip-on water shoes, a thick wool vest, an insulation vest, and random toiletries in Ziploc bags. I was surprised to find that the bag holds much more than my suitcase but still felt lighter. The suitcase weights 12 pounds empty, and the duffel is just under five pounds. I’d rather have that seven pounds for gear!

Finally, when not in use, The North Face 132 L Base Camp Voyager Duffel packs flat and has its own large, round zippered mesh pocket for easy storage. 

Scenario 2

Open Water Swimming | Seattle, WA

I have a few options for hauling my swim gear to the beach: an Ikea laundry basket, an Ikea blue plastic duffel bag, and The North Face’s mammoth 132 L Base Camp Voyager Duffel. The first two work well for quick outings in warm weather where I’m expecting that anything left on the beach might get stolen. The North Face bag is my first choice for longer outings and cold weather swims where I stage my transitions in the parking lot.

The duffel fits well in the trunk of my car, and it holds several wetsuits and towels, dry clothes, and extra goggles, hats, gloves, and two gallon-sized water bottles. I like bringing extra gear in case any of my swim buddies forget essential items, and I love having a gear bag that still has plenty of room left. I find it easier to access my gear and get through my transitions with a spacious duffel than trying to find things in the much smaller bag I used to pack until it was bursting. Large insulation ponchos, open water swimming robes, and other après gear work better in a gigantic bag.

It’s also nice having a bag that contains the water and sand involved in open water swimming so I don’t trash my car. By the time I reach the car, I have sand caked onto my water shoes, and all over the legs of my wetsuit. I remove all the wet gear, roll it all up in my towel, and then toss the bundle into the duffel. The duffel is made of of super tough, super durable waterproof material so all the sand and water stay in the bag instead of getting all over my tunk. When I get home I dump all the gear out on the lawn, hose it off, then turn the hose on the bag (inside and out). It’s really helpful to have a bag that’s so easy to clean.

Scenario 3

Train travel | Sweden and USA

Traveling with The North Face 132 L Base Camp Voyager Duffel was much easier than hauling my suitcase on and off trains because the suitcase is too heavy to lift onto train luggage racks when full. Also, the duffel has a variety of carry options, thanks to handles on each end of the back, carrying straps on the sides of the bag, and removable backpack straps.

When I’m scrambling to board a train and quickly load my gear onto the racks, it’s much easier for kind strangers to grab a side or end handle and help me shove the bag onto the top shelf of the rack that it would be to manuever my heavy, boxy wheeled suitcase.

I have dysautomonia, so I’m not really able to carry things for more than a couple of seconds without gasping for air from sudden rapid heart rate, so I transported the duffel on a folding hand cart! It worked really well. I just strapped it to the cart with a bungee, and it was a much easier to haul around than my wheeled suitcase since the cart has large wheels that roll over all surfaces – even cobblestones – with ease.

(Read more reviews of The North Face Duffels in other sizes: 45L and 62L.)

Fit

Too small

Slightly small

Fits well

Slightly big

Too big

Materials & Construction

Material/Fabric: “1000D recycled polyester with phthalate-free PVC coating.”

Sustainability Creds: contains recycled polyester

Bottom Line

The North Face 132 L Base Camp Voyager Duffel has changed how I travel for long trips involving a variety of outdoor activities. It holds lots of clothes, shoes, bulky outerwear, and my open water swimming gear. It withstands abuse from all types of travel and from airline baggage handlers, and I love the bold red color, which makes it easy to spot on the baggage conveyor belt. I dragged this bag across Sweden, I’ve used it for swim outings and days-long multi-state road trips, I used it on a cross-country USA train trip, and it still looks brand new. The material is incredibly durable but also wipes clean with a wet rag and mild cleanser. So far the zippers are bombproof. I am literally planning on using this bag for the rest of my life.

Specifications

• Volume: size XL is 8055 in³ (132 liters)
• Dimensions: 18” x 30” x 18” (45.72 cm x 76.2 cm x 45.72 cm)
• Weight: 4 lbs 5.3 oz (1965 g)
• Colors: TNF Red/TNF Black, Summit Gold/TNF Black, Summit Navy/TNF Black, and TNF Black/TNF White.
• Price: $180

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Main and gallery images from The North Face website.