Triple Aught Design Azimuth Duffel Review

While I was using the Triple Aught Design Azimuth Pack for the recent review, I was also using its packable big brother, the Azimuth Duffel. There are a lot of similarities in the construction of both bags, but I felt like they both deserved their own reviews.

Disclaimer: Our Azimuth Duffel was provided to us by Triple Aught Design through Kutoku. We are hugely grateful for the chance to try it, but we also caveat that we provide our honest opinions in the reviews, both the positives and the negatives.

Overview

The Azimuth Duffel is a simple 33L duffel. It has minimal organization with just one external pocket and one internal pocket inside the main compartment. In exchange, you get a lightweight (only 1 lb.) and packable bag. This duffel can be flattened and rolled up to a cylinder slightly larger than a standard Pringles can, though of course there are different ways you can fold and roll it and end up with different dimensions.

The main compartment is accessed by a single zipper across the middle of the top, and the bag is carried via a 2”-wide adjustable webbing strap. Though it uses a technical fabric (VX21 X-Pac) that is very durable, I’m not certain the plastic hardware would stand up to sustained heavy beatings. But for the casual traveler, they may be sufficient.

I believe earlier versions of the Azimuth Duffel used a mix of VX21 and VX07. With the slightly thinner material for much of the shell, the whole duffel bag could be stuffed into the exterior pocket by flipping it inside out and you’d have a nice self-contained little pouch. The newer version that we’re reviewing is just VX21. So, I don’t think it’s possible to stuff it into the interior pocket anymore. The exterior pocket still has a little webbing handle inside it that was used as a carry handle in the older version. So maybe that is TAD’s way of saying that it should still be possible, but I have not been able to do it successfully.

Pros

• Tons of space
• Durable, water-resistant X-Pac fabric

Cons

• Very limited organization
• Not super comfortable, given how simple the strap is and how large the bag is

Carry Capacity

With 33L of space, you can fit everything you need for your international vacation. On my latest trip, I was able to fit one large (17.5 x 13 x 3 inches) and two medium (14 x 10 x 3 inches) packing cubes. In terms of infant clothing (because I actually used it for the baby’s stuff on our last trip), that was more than 18 outfits, 16 bibs, 2 large towels, 4 face towels, 2 sleep sacks, and 8 muslin blankets. In adult apparel — it can fit more than enough clothes, toiletries, shoes, etc. for a 10-day trip. I felt that it packed more like a 36–38 L bag. Tons of space inside.

Organization

• Main compartment — The main compartment holds all the volume and is a giant bottomless cave. As mentioned in the overview, I could easily fit everything I needed for a 10-day trip and still have space for more gear.
• Internal pocket — A zipped, mesh pocket lines one of the walls of the main compartment, which is quite large. At 19 x 10 inches (W x H), it’s basically a large dump compartment, so it’s a good place for items you want to keep separated from the rest of your gear. Similar to my complaint with the Azimuth Pack (the backpack), the mesh used for this pocket is a bit abrasive, so sharp corners or the edge of your fingernail can get caught on it.
• External pocket — On one side of the exterior is a small 9 x 10 inch (W x H) zipped pocket. One panel of this pocket is made of the same mesh as the interior pocket. This is a good place for any of the smaller items you need quick access too (e.g., your passport or wallet).

Additional Features

• Top grab handles — On each side of the main compartment zipper is a small, low profile grab handle. These handles do not extend away from the bag but run right along the surface of the exterior. I actually like the design of these handles. They don’t dangle off the bag and don’t get in the way of anything. You won’t accidentally snag them when you reach for the shoulder strap, but they’re easy to grab when you want to.
• Side grab handles — On the sides of the duffel bag are additional grab handles, again just simple pieces of webbing. But these are nice loops you can grab that make loading the duffel into your car or just tossing it around a breeze. Not totally necessary, since the Azimuth duffel’s exterior isn’t firm so the fabric is loose enough for you to grab onto, but a nice value-add.
• Detachable shoulder strap — The shoulder strap attaches to the bag via gatekeepers, which allow you to remove the shoulder strap if you’re not using it. The gatekeepers also fully rotate so if the strap gets twisted it’s easy to straighten out. The body of the Azimuth duffel has four attachment loops for the shoulder strap — two on each side. So, you can choose whether you want the shoulder strap to be on just one side of the main zipper or to straddle the main zipper.
• Side compression straps — Similar to the Azimuth Pack, the Duffel has side compression straps that let you pull the sides of the main opening down. This helps give the bag a slightly smaller profile but also reduces the width of the main compartment’s opening. I don’t think these compression straps are totally necessary to have. They don’t really contribute that much.

• Key leash loop — Inside the exterior pocket is a looped piece of webbings that is meant to be a key loop if you want to attach a key leash there.
• Interior attachment loops — On the floor inside the main compartment are four attachment loops for various accessories that TAD sells. Some of these accessories (e.g., the control panel) can be attached to the floor of the compartment via these loops and will provide the duffel bag with a firm “floor” and give it some structure. Without it, the Azimuth Pack is flimsy, so it will sag when you carry things in it (unless something else you’re carrying can provide that structure).

Construction and Comfort

The Azimuth Duffel is 18.5 x 10 x 11 inches (W x H x D) and 33L in volume. It comes in weighing 1 lb, which is very light for such a large bag. The material is a VX21 X-Pac, which is a highly durable and water-resistant technical fabric. Since there is no interior lining and only one layer of the fabric (though the X-Pac itself is multiple layers of materials laminated together), this is a great choice to provide robustness to the bag. The webbing straps are nylon, and the mesh used in the pockets are polyester.

The hardware is all pretty durable too. The zippers are Uretek/YKK Aquaguard #5 and #8. Though no zippers are truly waterproof, these are good weather-resistant zippers. The gatekeepers on the shoulder strap are Duraflex. I tend to throw duffel bags around more often than my backpacks, and I haven’t been using the Azimuth Duffel long enough to be able to say conclusively if it will stand up to harsh beatings in the long run. If there is anything that might concern me, it’s that the swiveling gatekeeper buckles on the shoulder strap might break when I chuck the bag onto the ground as I’m packing/unpacking the car.

The Azimuth Duffel uses a 2-inch-wide shoulder strap, which is a nice choice, the width helps distribute the weight a bit more. But there’s no padding on the strap and a fully packed 33 L duffel bag can get pretty heavy — you’re bearing that weight on a small area of your shoulder. If the adjuster buckle just happens to be on your shoulder, then it’s especially uncomfortable.

Additional Notes

One cool trick that I didn’t think of until I watched some of TAD’s videos on YouTube — you can convert the duffel bag into a backpack-style configuration by loosening the shoulder strap and running it through one of the side grab handles and then attaching the gatekeepers onto loops on the opposite end of the bag as that grab handle. This is a quick trick to use when you’ve got a bunch of other things you need to carry, since a backpack configuration will be much more stable on your back than a duffel bag, but it’s not ideal if you’re going to be wearing it for a long time as it’s not comfortable in the backpack configuration.

Summary

The Azimuth Duffel makes a great bag for those who like to travel light or those who just need a large bag to dump a bunch of gear in. I would certainly bring it on future travels where I may only need a backpack on my departure but will potentially need more space on return. I’d even use it as my primary duffel bag regularly. It’s not ideal for anyone looking for more organization. But it makes a good companion for a spontaneous adventurer. If I’m traveling with a rolling luggage, I might flatten the Azimuth Duffel and keep it in the luggage as an extra bag as well (if I expect to need more space).

Features: 3 of 5 — As it is a packable bag, the Azimuth Duffel is simple and has very few features. But overall, it’s a well-designed packable duffel, versatile, and user-friendly.

Organization: 2 of 5 — Aside from the main compartment, the duffel only has one internal pocket and one external compartment.

Construction: 3 of 5 — VX21 throughout makes this a durable bag. It also has great craftsmanship. However, it still has only one layer of material. The hardware is all reliable for regular use, but we’ll have to see if it stands up to being tossed around like a TSA agent’s target.

Aesthetics: 5 of 5 — Like the Azimuth Pack, the Duffel has a clean, minimal exterior with a very subtle logo on the side.

Comfort: 2 of 5 — With no padding on a 2" wide shoulder strap carrying 33L of gear, the bag may not be the most comfortable.

Life Integration: 4 of 5 — It’s a very easy bag to use. If you haven’t used gatekeepers on straps before, that may be the only thing you’ll need to practice a few times (the easiest ways to open and close them)

X-Factor: 5 of 5 — TAD has a devoted following because of its built tough design that is tactical, but for everyday adventurers. The Azimuth Duffel works well as an adventure travel sidekick.

As always, thanks for reading. Drop a note in the comments if you have any questions about the Triple Aught Design Azimuth Duffel and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on what bags we’re trying out.