More commonly known as gym bags, duffle bags are large cylindrical bags usually made out of cloth with a closure flap or zipper at the top. It can also be referred to as a kit bag, owing the name to people's tendency to put their various "kits" inside. The name duffle bag came from Duffel, a small town in Belgium where the cloth used to make the bag originally came from. These days, the name duffle bag pertains more to the style than the material used, as more and more duffle bags are made with different materials, such as synthetic fiber, leather, and other non-cloth materials.
A wheeled duffle bag, as its name suggests, is a duffle bag outfitted with wheels which give it added mobility and greatly increases ease of handling, as the presence of wheels allow the carrier to roll it around instead of carrying the entire duffle bag. Most wheeled duffle bags also include an extending handle, allowing its owner to roll it in an upright position.
A lot of people generally confuse duffle bags with travel suitcases, owing to the new types of duffle bags that have a rectangular shape instead of a circular one. In these cases, the only noticeable distinction is their sizes, with travel suitcases being much more larger and spacious than the duffle bag. The lines, however are blurred once again with the appearance of larger duffle bags aimed to replace its suitcase cousins.
As for choice in brands, there are a large number of quality brands available, but as far as popularity goes, Tumi seems to be the most favored by critics and frequent travelers, due to its extensive attention to details and bag design (Tumi currently holds more than 25 patents for design and engineering), resulting in their bags being regarded as industry measuring sticks for durability and physical appearance. Another advantage with Tumi bags is their patented Exclusive Tracer Protection, which helps greatly in helping owners trace, locate, and reunite with lost or stolen bags. The tracer system works perfectly in tandem with their already exceptional warranty service.
Regarding online stores, there are currently three credible luggage-centric stores available on the internet. Arguably the best luggage and bag store of the three, eBags.com is highly regarded by buyers due to its user-friendliness and competitive prices and features. It also has the greatest variety of items and bags and frequently puts items on discounts and sales. It has recently offered free shipping on selected items.
The other two great online bag stores are the appropriately named Magellans.com, which has fewer choices than eBags because it directly targets travelers' specific needs. The third store, Zappos.com, has even less choices avaiable despite its great many features. This is the result of focusing on the hottest trends and as a side effect, it also has less competitive prices since trendy bags and in fashion items tend to cost more. In its favor, Zappos.com offers free shipping both ways, and has a great customer service.
