Last month I took a 9-day road trip in Arizona. I was car camping, meeting with friends and spreading the word about the Arizona Winter Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. And of course, hiking the six mountains in the challenge along the way. I was approached by Glen & Loch to test out their new High Point Duffel and see if it truly would be the perfect gear hauling duffel for car camping.
To kick off the trip, I flew into Phoenix. I was hauling a ton of gear, including hiking gear for temperature extremes. The duffle had to be checked as baggage (it’s too big to carry on) but I was prepared for that. The High Point has a wealth of carrying options, from the standard topside handle to grab handles on the sides, a detachable shoulder strap to backpack straps complete with sternum strap and waist belt. It was pretty simple to load, grab, and go.
Initial Impressions
This duffel is cavernous. I have a few other duffel bags, and the design of this is truly unique. Instead of a fixed volume duffel, this opens up like a lunch bag, You can fill it with all your gear, then use the four straps to tighten everything up.
The High Point duffel is also super rugged. Everything from the straps to the thick material and the zippers all inspire confidence. You could strap this on your roof rack and it will handle the weather easily.
Once you’ve packed everything, you zip the top, strap the ends down, and finally buckle and tighten the compression straps to the size of your load.
I found the carrying handle and grab handles most convenient for moving it around between my campsite and the camper van, and the shoulder strap for longer hauls at the airport. But for a really long haul, I’d definitely break out the backpack straps, concealed in zippered compartments in the bottom of the duffel. The backpacking straps let you distribute the load between your shoulders and hips, and make carrying a fully loaded duffel much easier.
Final Thoughts
This is the most durable duffel in my gear closet. It’s rugged and extremely well-built with an innovative design that lets you expand or contract the duffel for everything from a quick weekend trip to a full 9-day (or longer) road trip. The tradeoff for the rugged durability? It’s heavier than most. But for car camping and base camp trips, weight is not the primary issue — construction is.
The pricing is extremely competitive, and if you’re in the market for a duffel for your next adventure, I recommend the High Point duffel.
You can learn more on their website: Glen & Loch.
Disclosure: While Glen & Loch provided the duffel for us to test, we only share our honest opinion on the gear and received no compensation for the review
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