Sea to Summit 90L duffle bag review

The Sea to Summit duffle bag is offered in 45, 65 or 90-litre options and is constructed from a tough tarpaulin laminate material with a 1,000D nylon base.

While the fabric is said to be waterproof, the seams and zips are not sealed, so may let water in.

Inside, you’ll find a bright lining material, which is great for finding things within the cavernous space.

What you won't find is much in the way of internal organisation, with only one pocket located on the inside of the lid of the main compartment.

Cleverly, the well-padded straps can be configured in multiple ways (shoulder sling, handles, backpack), which should prove handy for those looking to use this duffle bag when flying abroad to ride.

Sea to Summit 90L duffle bag performance

There’s no denying the Sea to Summit duffle bag is well put together.

Alongside the tough, stiff fabric that’ll easily shrug off scrapes and scratches with ease, the single zip is seriously chunky. It features two zippers with T-handle pulls that can be locked together for travelling, but you’ll need your own padlock to do this.

The stainless-steel clasps that securely fasten the generously padded straps in place are similarly robust.

It’s clear this bag is built to survive its fair share of rough and tumble.

Despite a few marks here and there on the outer fabric, it has held up well to a tough life in the back of a van.

Accessing kit in the main compartment is easy.

The broad lid folds open fully, exposing the contents. Thanks to that bright yellow liner, it's easy enough to spot smaller items that you can sometimes struggle to find in more spacious bags.

You’ll easily fit around a week’s worth of riding gear and spare clothes inside, along with a mountain bike helmet.

If you do pack a lid, it’s worth remembering that because the bag isn’t rigid as some heavier suitcases can be, you’ll need to position the helmet carefully so it’s protected.

I missed having more in the way of pockets though, with only the one slim one included on the lid, which is a bit of a shame considering the price.

If over-stuffed, this can make opening and closing the bag a little awkward.

Adding even one additional compartment or pocket for wet kit would help with organisation and keeping damp clothing separate through the winter months.

I’m a big fan of the multi-position straps, which are easy to adjust and alter to suit the task at hand.

These are especially useful if you’re planning on using the bag when flying, because you can quickly tweak the strap position ahead of checking the bag in.

It helps that the bag weighs only 1.88kg, making it easier to hit airline weight limits.

There’s also an integrated name-tag window so you can get your details down in case your bag doesn’t make it to your destination.

For the most part, though, I tended to link the two straps together and carry the bag over one shoulder, which proved effective for yomping it back and forth from the van.

It’s handy, too, that you can pack the bag flat for storage.

This means you may need to be careful if you’re planning on packing more delicate items because the bag doesn’t hold its shape as well as a more rigid suitcase.

On the plus side, it won't take up as much space when not in use.

Sea to Summit 90L duffle bag bottom line

The Sea to Summit 90L is a solid, well-put-together kit bag that’ll hold plenty of gear and protect it from the rigours of travel. It’s not cheap, but it is built to last.

An extra pocket or two wouldn’t go amiss, though.