Pack light, travel right: the best weekend bags and holdalls of 2024 reviewed

Having a reliable holdall is always a good idea. Whether you’re packing for a short break, work trip or sporting event, it’ll have you covered. The best weekend bags come with plenty of pockets for storage organisation, as well as a few sets of handles and straps to allow for different carrying options.

We’ve tested some of the best weekend bags out there to see if they live up to their promises. We’ve reviewed holdalls across a wide range of designs and price points, so there should be something for everyone here. Scroll down to see our findings or jump to specific bags:

• Best for compact travel: Osprey Europe Daylite Duffel - Tredz (£60)
• Best for casual countryside getaways: Barbour Essential Waxed Cotton Holdall - House of Fraser (£149 £105)
• Best premium weekend bag: Bennett Winch Canvas Weekender - Mr Porter (£850)
• Best for long trips or bulky luggage: Berghaus Expedition Mule - Amazon (£74)
• Best for a stylish light packer: Everlane The ReNew Transit Weekender - Everlane (£92)
• Best for car journeys and flights: Away Large Everywhere Bag - Away (£195.00)
• Best for sports activities: Musto Essential Duffel - Musto (£90.00)

The best weekend bags reviewed 2024

Osprey Europe Daylite Duffel 30

Best for compact travel

• RRP: £70
• Capacity: 30L
• Weight: 600g
• Dimensions: 50 x 33 x 24 cm
• Carry options: handles, rucksack straps, over-shoulder straps
• Colour options: black, green, red, blue print
• Other sizes available: 45L, 60L

Osprey’s Daylite Duffel performed incredibly well on test. The bag looks like a classic holdall, but offers an impressively compact design and sturdy structure. The bag was tested on a weekend on the south coast that included tennis, swimming, walking and a night out, and there was ample room for all of the necessary gear. A neat design with TARDIS-like qualities.

Maker Osprey stresses the bag's versatility, and we’d say it delivered on this, being a decent size for a weekend away, but still small enough to take to the gym or work. We were impressed with the many carry options – you can use the bag as a rucksack or over-shoulder holdall and there’s a strong handle on the side if you need to grab and go in a hurry.

Great for storing too, the bag folds into itself and neatly packs away into a nifty square design when not in use.

With an RRP of £70, the Daylite Duffel is excellent value. All in all, it's a neat, well-designed weekend bag that’s a delight to pack, carry and store.

Find out more details in our full review of Osprey's Daylite Duffel.

Pros: plenty of packing space, numerous carry options

Cons: sporty appearance may be too athletic-looking for some holiday goers

Barbour Essential Waxed Cotton Holdall

Best for casual countryside getaways

• RRP: £139
• Dimensions: 27 x 37 x 11cm
• Carry options: over shoulder strap (two handles buckled together)
• Colour options: Olive green also available

With a waxed cotton exterior, and eye-catching yet unflashy checked interior, this is as Barbour as a weekend bag can get.

The bag is not overly waxy to the touch, and feels hardy. The navy colour means you don’t have to be too precious with it on your travels. The cotton interior feels more plasticky than soft, but this should make for easy cleaning, so you’re covered for those unfortunate shampoo spillages.

In terms of storage, there’s one large compartment with a small zipped pocket on the inside for valuables. There’s also an unzipped outer pocket which didn’t feel the most secure, but could come in handy if you’re looking for easy access.

The lack of storage sections makes this weekend bag deceptively spacious, and it’s perfect for casual, last-minute packers. Organised travellers who prefer to compartmentalise may prefer more zips and pockets.

We were disappointed with the minimal carry options. You’ve got two short straps that fasten together with poppers, so you can only carry this bag over one shoulder. If you’re chucking this bag in the car, and there’s minimal walking involved – ideal – but if you’re covering a fair distance by foot, a weekend bag with a long cross-body strap, or rucksack design, may be more suitable.

Just like the brand’s beloved outdoor jackets, the Barbour Essential Waxed Cotton Holdall is a winner on the smart aesthetic front, and you’ll feel rather sophisticated with this country-chic number slung over your shoulder, but the lack of storage pockets and soft base means it loses points for practicality.

Pros: classic design with a stylish interior, deceptively spacious

Cons: only one carry option, no cross-body strap, lack of additional storage sections, expensive

Bennett Winch Canvas Weekender

Best premium weekend bag

• RRP: £850
• Capacity: 42L
• Weight: 1.9kg
• Dimensions: 55 x 36 x 25 cm
• Carry options: handles, shoulder strap
• Colour options: olive, black, sand, storm grey, navy, chocolate black leather, brown leather

Available for £850, Bennett Winch’s Canvas Weekender is the most expensive bag on test, so we were interested to see whether we felt it deserves its premium price tag.

The packaging certainly marks it out as a special item. It arrives in a canvas dust bag, inside a stylish presentation box, which makes it one of those great gifts for a luxurious experience.

We loved the classic khaki olive colour and the smart brand emblem embroidered onto one side. On the other side, you’ll find a zip-up pocket, and there’s one easy-access zipped compartment on each end, which you can open without going into the main bag. They’re ideal for packing shoes separately, and big enough to fit a couple of pairs depending on the size and style.

Inside, you get another zipped compartment and a large divider-style laptop sleeve with a single popper closure – and although it’s reinforced, it’s not padded like the Away bag. The main section itself is deceptively spacious, with plenty of room for weekend packing. Like all canvas-style holdalls, it looks at its best when full, but the thick fabric still feels reassuringly sturdy and durable when it’s half-filled.

As for the design, it’s the finishing touches that give this weekender its premium look and feel. We liked the looped leather zip pulls and the full leather base and metal studs to keep it off damp ground. The gleaming gold hardware is brighter than rustic brass and feels durable.

While the short handles clip together into a leather strap with a two-popper closure, you can easily add or remove the adjustable shoulder strap using the golden swivel clip. In the same way, you can also strap down the upper ends of the holdall or release them for extra internal space.

All in all, this does feel slightly more premium than some of the other canvas-style holdalls we’ve tested and it only really lacks some of the features you’d find on sportier or more practical bags. Although it may be out of budget for some, it would make a special gift for travel lovers. It’s available in a range of classy colours and you can buy day bags, wash bags and wallets to match.

Pros: premium construction, leather detailing, smart look, shoe storage, base studs

Cons: cost

Berghaus Expedition Mule 100

Best for long trips or bulky luggage

• RRP: £77
• Capacity: 100L
• Weight: 1.41kg
• Dimensions: 70 x 40 x 40 cm
• Carry options: handles, rucksack straps
• Colour options: blue, black, red
• Other sizes available: 40L, 60L

With a capacity of 100L, Berghaus’s Expedition Mule is one of the best weekend holdalls for anyone with bulky equipment to carry. It also comes in a 40L and 60L version if you want something a bit smaller – which is ideal if you want to use the removable backpack straps and chest support.

The bag arrives in a compact carry pouch, which folds in on itself to become a large pocket inside the holdall. There’s also a flat, zipped mesh section on the underside of the lid flap, and 12 sewn-in loops on each side of the bag – useful for attaching carabiners.

You’ll find central carry handles with a hook-and-loop connector, as well as two large handles on either end of the holdall, and removable backpack straps, so it’s a versatile weekender. We particularly appreciated the bright red loops, making it easy to attach the straps, and the height-adjustable chest support strap.

Find out more in our full review of the Berghaus Expedition Mule.

Pros: huge capacity, high-quality construction, three carry options

Cons: no studs/strips on underside

Everlane The ReNew Transit Weekender

Best for a stylish light packer

Buy now from Everlane in Charcoal, Nutria or Kalamata (£90.00)

• RRP: £92
• Capacity: 32L
• Dimensions: 49.5 x 36 x 18.5 cm
• Carry options: handles, cross-body strap
• Colour options: black, ocean cavern (blue), warm charcoal, kalamata (khaki), nutria (ochre)

In a world of fast fashion, we were keen to put Everlane – a brand that aims to avoid trends – to the test. We took the brand’s ReNew Transit Weekender on a car journey to Dorset and a train trip to London, and it fared well in both urban and seaside settings.

Made primarily from recycled plastic bottles (although the zipper coil is made with new plastic), and featuring a water-resistant exterior, the design is more practical than its stylish exterior suggests. We managed to fill the 32L capacity bag with three to four outfit changes. There was also room for a fairly bulky wash bag, but footwear had to be packed separately.

The padded laptop sleeve is a welcomed addition, and fits a 13 inch laptop perfectly – great if you’re working while on your travels. There are two bottle holders on the inside, and the long tag attached to the zip makes for easy access. The outside pockets were handy, especially the one without a zip as you can easily dip in and out, and access your sunglasses and book with ease.

While the flat, slender design is a hindrance for packing as you don’t really get an overview of what you’ve packed, it’s an ideal shape for a car boot and overhead luggage rack. The narrow shape also worked well in a busy London tube station as you can nip through the crowds without too much bag bashing.

Overall, we'd say this is a versatile weekend bag that looks the part.

Pros: stylish and sturdy design, various strap options for effortless carrying, can buy with or without Everlane label

Cons: slender bag opening means you don’t get an overview of what you’ve packed

Away The Large Everywhere Bag

Best for car journeys and flights

Buy from Away (£195.00)

• RRP: £195
• Capacity: 38L
• Weight: 1.5kg / 1.7kg with shoulder strap
• Dimensions: 53cm x 24cm x 30cm
• Carry options: handles, cross-body strap
• Colour options: black, navy, coast (light blue)
• Other sizes available: standard, medium

Away has curated a smart collection of premium travel bags, suitcases and accessories. It describes its products as “sleek and lightweight”, as well as “intentional and functional”, so we were interested to see if the brand’s classy-looking Everywhere holdall could live up to its description.

On first impressions, you can quickly tell this is a high-quality item. It’s made from thick, water-resistant nylon, which feels durable and scratch-proof, and there are full metal zips, too.

Underneath the bag, you’ll find two leather strips to stop the bottom getting damp on muddy ground. While other holdalls have chunkier studs for extra ground clearance, the smart leather strips here allow it to glide more smoothly on tables, conveyor belts and car seats.

Open up the bag and there’s a huge choice of storage pockets inside – the organised interior really sets this bag apart from others we tried. You get a zipped section on either side of the carry handles: one slim-line pocket and one larger compartment with a spacious mesh section and a hidden medium-sized pocket with two smaller mesh pouches on the side – all zipped.

There’s also a small, zip-up pocket on the outside of the holdall; ideal for anything you need to reach easily. Plus, there’s enough room for a 15” laptop. This compartmentalised approach makes organisation a breeze – and there’s still plenty of space for bigger items in this deceptively large holdall. Other customers say they’ve packed enough inside for a nine-day trip.

As the Everywhere holdall has a 38L capacity, there’s a danger your luggage could end up pretty heavy, but the size still qualifies for airline hand luggage. Plus, it comes with a slip of material on the side to thread your suitcase handles through, so you can perch it on top of your other luggage.

We also love the leather detailing, detachable cross-body strap and poppers lashing the two carry handles together.

Pros: quality construction, organisation compartments, suitcase sleeve, carry-on friendly

Cons: limited colour choices

Musto Essential Duffel 30L

Best for sports activities

Buy from Musto (£90.00)

• RRP: £90
• Capacity: 30L
• Carry options: handles, rucksack straps
• Colours options: platinum, black
• Other sizes available: 50L, 90L

The sporty aesthetics, water-resistant construction and limited capacity make this holdall perfect for outdoor activities and overnight stays. Its silver exterior and cylindrical shape set it apart from others on the market – although it looks at its best when full of soft items like clothes.

The biggest storage pocket is a water-resistant zip-up section on one end, which is great for wet or dirty kit but a little small for some shoes in the 30L version. We managed to fit a couple of pairs of slip-on or plimsoll-style shoes, or a pair of trainers up to about a size 7, but struggled to fit men’s boots in at all.

Once full, the pocket takes up almost half of the holdall’s internal capacity. There’s enough room left to fit a change of clothes with a bulky jumper or jacket, or a few sports kits. Interestingly, this Musto holdall has a more compact feel than Osprey’s 30L Daylite Duffel.

While there’s a small, zipped pocket on one side of the holdall – ideal for items like your deodorant, phone or snacks – the other end panel is reserved for the backpack straps, which you can fold down into it. While you can’t remove the backpack straps completely, they come with easy-to-use clips and fold away easily.

You’ll also find a flat, zipped mesh pocket on the underside of the lid flap. Other big plus points include the water-resistant bag base, the hook-and-loop clasp to keep the handles together and the red zips, which makes them easy to see. We also appreciated the padlock loop on the two main compartment zippers, which will help you keep your belongings safe.

Pros: handles and straps, storage pockets, waterproof underside

Cons: small capacity (other sizes available)