The Best Weekender Bags, According to Our Editors

A weekend away should feel effortless—and so should packing for it. If you’re traveling light or only need a few days’ worth of outfits, swap your suitcase for a good weekender bag. We put a bunch of them to the test to find the ones that are stylish, functional, and up for anything, whether you’re going on a quick road trip or a carry-on-only getaway.

Because not all weekender bags are the same, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First and foremost, choose something that’s lightweight and water-resistant (you never know when you’ll get caught in a drizzle). A high-quality bag is also sturdy without being too bulky, has plenty of pockets for keeping your items organized and accessible, and has multiple straps so you can carry it comfortably in different ways. The three on our list are all of these things and more.

The Calpak Luka Duffel has been used on multiple trips by a self-proclaimed “chronic overpacker” for a year. It has plenty of space to store a few outfits, makeup, toiletries, and snacks while managing to stay compact and easy to access. 

Nine interior and exterior pockets help keep everything organized, and the separate shoe compartment is large enough to hold one to two pairs of sneakers. If you’re using it as a carry-on (it fits perfectly under airplane seats!), it has a luggage trolley sleeve for airport travel, plus a laptop and water bottle sleeve for keeping essentials handy. 

The bag is extremely light (around 2 pounds), and we love the option for either shoulder straps or a crossbody to allow for easy carrying. In all, it is a spacious yet compact bag that is super comfortable to carry around, especially with the padded shoulder straps.

Dimensions: 12 x 16 x 8 in. | Material: Polyester | Weight: 2 lbs. | Color Options: 14

Our editor in chief Lauren Iannotti considers this the perfect weekender bag—at less than $100, too. “It’s deceptively huge,” she says, “with capacity like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag, meaning I can put a handbag inside of it and use it as my second bag on the plane.”

There’s a padded sleeve for your laptop, two slots for water bottles (or one water bottle and one Starbucks latte you pick up at the airport). Other pockets and dividers make it so everything stays right in its spot, and it easily slides onto a wheeled carry-on with its trolley sleeve. 

Its sleek and clean design makes it a stylish addition to your luggage lineup, and it’s available in four neutral colors—black, quartz, charcoal, and slate grey—so that it matches with your existing pieces. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles, so it’s also the most sustainable pick on our list.

Dimensions: 14 x 7 x 19.5 in. | Material: 100% recycled polyester | Weight: 2 lbs. | Color Options: 4

Yes, our overall best pick has a shoe compartment, but the Calpak Stevyn Duffel Bag’s is bigger and better. This shoe compartment unzips completely and folds open like a book, so you can keep it separate from your main belongings.

Plus, if you love bright-colored bags that are easier to spot at baggage claim, you’ll love that this one comes in colors such as orchid, dragonfruit, and cheetah print. While we first fell in love with its stylish design, it’s loaded with many compartments that make it easy for us to organize our personal items.

The trolley sleeve is a major plus if you hate lugging a large duffel bag around the airport (who doesn’t), and it’s big enough for a decent amount of outfits. While we found that it has a sufficient capacity for both clothes and shoes all in one bag, there’s also a large version (with wheels) and a standard wheeled version for even easier transportation through the airport and beyond. 

Dimensions: 19 x 14.5 x 10.5 in. | Material: Polyester | Weight: 3 lbs. | Color Options: 11

Final Verdict

The best bag for your next weekend getaway is the Calpak Luka Duffel. It has the most pockets of any bag on our list (nine in total) and a dedicated shoe compartment to keep some items separate from the rest. For a less expensive alternative, we recommend the Everlane Renew Transit Weekender Bag. It has a very sleek and spacious design, plus multiple water bottle holders to keep your drinks secure on the go. 

Our Testing Process

Our testing process to find the best weekender bags involved, of course, packing our bags. We packed for a two-day trip for smaller bags and four-day trips for large weekender bags, taking advantage of the storage and organization features. Our packing list included T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks and underwear, a jacket, shoes, and toiletries. 

We judged how spacious the bag was, whether we were able to fit all the items on our packing list, and whether the storage and organization features were helpful and sufficient. Then, we carried our fully packed bags and walked around to get a feel for the handles and shoulder straps and their level of comfort and portability.

Finally, we placed the weekender bags at top of a counter and pushed them off to test their durability. We repeated this process three times, altering the angle and direction of the bag each time and noting any scratches, marks, and scuffs. We then took a closer look at the bag’s interior and exterior fabrics, hardware, straps and handles, storage, and any other special features to see if they felt high quality.

We also polled our editors for the bags they already have and love—in some cases, our editors used these bags for up to one year. In total, we tested 31 bags in our lab and received four worthy recommendations from our editors.

How to Shop for Weekender Bags Like a Pro 

Size and Weight

Of the bags on our list, our overall best and best budget picks tie for lightest at 2 pounds, with our best shoe compartment pick coming in at a close second at 3 pounds. However, the latter is also the largest bag on our list, with 88% more volume than the smallest, the Calpak Luka. 

Don’t let these numbers deter you from choosing a smaller or lighter bag if that works for your needs—on the plus side, it won’t be as heavy or bulky when you pack it. On the other hand, a larger bag with a larger shoe compartment is great if you love having a little bit of wiggle room. 

For this reason, consider everything that’s absolutely essential on your weekend trips. What do you typically need or want to pack for a weekend? How often do you plan on carrying it, and how often will you use it? And is it compatible with your preferred airline if you’re flying?

Material

All of the options on our list are made with polyester, with the Everlane Renew Transit Weekender Bag made of 100% recycled polyester for a more eco-friendly option. All three are water-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about accidental spills or moisture—an important consideration when it comes to durability. You won’t need to run into the nearest building to escape precipitation—these bags are built to handle real-life travel for plenty of trips to come, rain or shine.

Features

Weekender bags are functional and versatile because of their special features, like separate shoe storage compartments, multiple exterior and interior pockets, and convertible straps. All of our picks have all three, with the exception of our best budget, which doesn’t have a shoe compartment. However, that can be easily remedied with packing cubes, using the bags that boots come in, or a spare laundry bag (a pro tip from Meg Lappe, our senior editorial director).

Take Our Word for It

This article was written by Camryn Dilger, an associate editor at Real Simple with years of hands-on experience researching, testing, editing, and reviewing dozens of products. She spent a year and a half traveling from California to Arizona and back for one weekend out of every month with her trusty All In Motion neoprene backpack (which is similar to the popular Dagne Dover Dakota bag). She’s currently eyeing the Béis Weekender Bag in maple for her next weekend trip to Flagstaff.