Journal · The North Face
A travel bag you can also carry on your back.
The Base Camp Duffel is the bag from The North Face you recognise from a distance: tough fabric, a D-shaped zip and two shoulder straps that turn it into a backpack. At ECRU we have two of its sizes, the XS and the S, and also the Base Camp Voyager Duffel 32L, a separate line inspired by it and designed for travel, with more pockets.
In short
What is there? From the Base Camp Duffel, the 31-litre XS and the 50-litre S. Separately, there is the Base Camp Voyager Duffel 32L, a different line, lighter and better organised.
How do you carry it? All three by hand with the side handles or on your back with the shoulder straps, which detach on the XS and S and tuck behind the back panel on the Voyager.
01 · The bag
From base camp to the baggage belt
On its official website, The North Face explains that the Base Camp Duffel was created for Himalayan base camps. The idea is still the same: a water-resistant fabric bag with double stitching and reinforcements at the stress points, which opens wide thanks to a D-shaped zip under a flap.
Today it is made from recycled materials. On the S, according to the brand, the body is 1000D recycled polyester with a phthalate-free PVC coating and the base is 840D recycled ballistic nylon with a PFC-free DWR finish. If you want to know what that finish does and how to care for it, we explain it in our article on The North Face DWR.
02 · Two sizes and a separate line
Base Camp Duffel XS and S, plus Voyager 32L
31 L
Base Camp Duffel XS
The most compact: 27.9 x 45.7 x 27.9 cm and about 970 g. Inside there is a zipped mesh pocket and another at the end; outside, four compression straps and an ID window.
50 L
Base Camp Duffel S
33 x 53.3 x 33 cm and about 1,195 g. It adds a zipped end pocket to keep wet clothes or trainers separate.
32 L
Base Camp Voyager Duffel
57.6 x 35 x 22 cm and about 910 g. Lighter and better organised: a padded sleeve for laptops up to 15", a removable inner divider and an outer pocket for your passport or phone.
03 · What we have
Versions and colours at ECRU
- Base Camp Duffel XSBlack · Grounded Plum / Endless Dusk
- Base Camp Duffel SBlack
- Base Camp Voyager Duffel 32LShady Blue / Summit Navy · Black · Burgundy Crush
- Voyager wash bagShady Blue / Summit Navy · 4 litres, unfolds into three sections and has a hanging hook
- Base Camp toteCaraway Seed / Sycamore · on the shoulder, by hand or as a backpack
- The whole brandThe North Face at ECRU
04 · How to carry it
By hand, on your back and on the road
The two padded side handles let you carry it by hand or over the shoulder for short trips. For longer walks, the alpine-cut shoulder straps adjust and the bag becomes a backpack; on the XS and S they come off completely, and on the Voyager they tuck behind the back panel. The Voyager handles also keep the bag away from your body so it does not rub as you walk.
If you plan to take it on the plane as hand luggage, bear in mind the official dimensions: 27.9 x 45.7 x 27.9 cm for the XS, 33 x 53.3 x 33 cm for the S and 57.6 x 35 x 22 cm for the Voyager 32L. Each airline sets its own limits, so it is worth checking yours before you fly. To complete your luggage, the Voyager wash bag is made of 300D recycled polyester with a TPU coating, and the Base Camp tote works as an everyday bag with a front pocket for a tablet.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the Base Camp Duffel
What is the difference between the Base Camp Duffel XS and S?
Capacity and size: the XS holds 31 litres and measures 27.9 x 45.7 x 27.9 cm; the S holds 50 litres, measures 33 x 53.3 x 33 cm and adds a zipped end pocket to keep wet clothes or shoes separate.
How does the Voyager differ from the classic Base Camp Duffel?
The Voyager 32L is inspired by the Base Camp Duffel, but it weighs less and is better organised: a 15" laptop sleeve, a removable inner divider and a zipped outer pocket for your passport.
Can it be worn as a backpack?
Yes. All three have padded shoulder straps: on the XS and S they are adjustable and detachable, and on the Voyager they tuck behind the back panel when you carry it by hand.
Does it fit as hand luggage?
It depends on the airline. The official dimensions are 27.9 x 45.7 x 27.9 cm for the XS, 33 x 53.3 x 33 cm for the S and 57.6 x 35 x 22 cm for the Voyager 32L; it is worth comparing them with your ticket allowance before you fly.
Where to buy the Base Camp Duffel in Tenerife?
At ECRU: in our stores in La Laguna, Santa Cruz and La Orotava, and online at ecru.es with shipping to all the Canary Islands, mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands.