Casey took the new Meridian Duffle on a rugged 4WD adventure and found that it might be the last bag you ever buy.

 

Hiiisssss… three days into a 4WDing trip and I’ve just ripped a hole in the sidewall of one of my almost-new tires.

It’s a good reminder that stuff needs to be tough to survive these trips. Even with a successful puncture repair in a matter of minutes I’m still wondering; should I have got the set with thicker sidewalls?

Obviously, this got me thinking about durability, and my first impression of the Meridian Duffle (which also came along for the trip) is ‘that’s not getting a tear anywhere’.

 

Let’s hope this can handle more than my tyres

Tell Me About the Meridian Duffle

Straight away you can feel that this is a tough duff. Pulling it out of its packing cell reminded me of unrolling an old canvas swag, or something that was built before now.

The 1000D recycled nylon base is thicker than your grandpa’s work pants from before the war, and it held up perfectly to being dragged, tossed, and dropped on out in granite country.

 

Check out that 1000 denier base!

 

Like a good rain jacket (or supposedly good set of tires) a duffle bag is one of those bits of gear I don’t want to stress about taking care of. I need to be able to chuck it in the back of a ute or leave it in the dirt when I’m setting up or packing down.

It is not just the base that is well-made. The rest of the bag is constructed from 600D recycled polyester and coated in Sea to Summit’s ReSHIELD (mostly old car windshields) which is equally flexible and durable. 

Plus it’s a water resistant material, so water and dust sorta slide right off.

 

Water resistant ReSHIELD resists everything

 

While the bag comes in larger 90L and 60L sizes, I opted for the 40L as an overnight travel, or weekend camping bag, which I now have packed with thermals, spare clothes, and my below-zero sleeping bag.

Key Features

As much as I love tough equipment, smart design can be just as good, and a stand out feature for me is the clever two-way storage.

Not only does the entire duffle pack down into a small case, but that case itself doubles as a clothes packing cell when you’re using the bag.

 

The storage bag doubles as a packing cell!

 

The finer details are important here too. The bag features YKK zips, which are considered the best in the biz when it comes to zipping. We all know how much a broken zip can ruin a piece of kit, but it won’t happen here.

The oversized D-shaped lid on the bag also makes a big difference when packing and unpacking. On other duffles it can feel like you’re stuffing bits down the side or losing items in crevices, but the Meridian Duffle opens up all the way for much easier access.

 

We love easy access

 

On this trip, I also took the Meridian Waterproof Tote Bag for a test. This tote was perfect for bringing down to the waterholes during the day and as you guessed, keeps all your stuff perfectly dry even wading rivers or being accidentally put under the water.

 

If your tote’s not waterproof you’re doing it wrong

Is this the last bag you’ll ever buy?

On top of being tough and clever, I reckon this bag is versatile.

If I’m not out camping, the 40L is the perfect size for carry-on luggage when flying, and with a quick wipe down, it’ll look good enough to do so.

With the different strap options I can also bring it to the gym, wear it on my back cycling, or sling it over my shoulder on a weekend away.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say, this could be the last bag I buy. I like to keep things until they break and I don’t see that happening any time soon, or at all.

 

Backpack or duffle? Yes

Our Editorial Standards determine which brands we partner with and our approach to the content we produce. 'In partnership' means we work together with a company to create content our readers will genuinely enjoy that also promotes their product or service. You’ll always know when you’re reading sponsored content, as we’re proud to promote the brands we’ve chosen to work with.