THE HERSCHEL NOVEL DUFFLE TECH, TESTED AND REVIEWED: ROOMY, AFFORDABLE AND COMPARTMENT-RICH
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- This duffle bag lets you travel with style and practicality while saving a lot
For those trips where a roller carry-on is a bit too bulky and just a personal item bag isn't quite enough, a weekender bag or duffle is the perfect sweet spot. Ideal for three-day trips or last-minute getaways, this bag variety is much more practical for most casual travelers than many let on.
While there are tons to choose from to fit your needs — we've even tested and reviewed a bunch of weekender bags, and listed our favorites — there's one that covers most, if not all bases for the standard traveler.
The Herschel Novel Duffle Tech is one of the roomiest options in the brand's well-known duffle bag lineup. But, luckily, that extra space doesn't come with a huge price hike. This weekender's real allure: its affordable price and thoughtfully designed compartments. Check out my honest thoughts on the bag below after weeks of testing.
Herschel Novel Duffle Tech
Our Verdict
I've professionally reviewed my fair share of travel bags and luggage pieces over the years, and with the classic Herschel Novel Recycled Nylon Duffle being my very first weekender bag as a college freshman many, many years ago, I was curious to see how the brand's grown.
So, I decided to do some digging and found the Novel Duffle Tech. To start, it has more room than the original duffle (45L to the original's 43L). It also has a more thoughtful design, complete with a trolley sleeve for easy luggage pairing, and a fleece-lined laptop sleeve to keep your device scratch free.
I also found several other compartments for easy organization and packing. The element that made shoppers initially fall in love with Herschel's affordable duffle bags, however, still remains: the dedicated shoe storage compartment.
This time, however, it's roomier than ever and even has an additional internal pocket for storing your socks.
While it's definitely a worthy purchase, the Herschel Novel Duffle Tech isn't without its faults. The polyester material doesn't have that premium feel that many shoppers seek in their travel gear. In certain areas, it can feel a bit thin and unrefined.
However, all in all, given this bag's price, overall design functionality and roominess, it comes highly recommended from me, especially for those who need a budget-friendly bag that holds quite a lot.
How we test
We put all of our products through a rigorous testing process and weekender bags are no different. We test every bag for at least a week (usually longer), and use them in our day-to-day lives for practical, trial-based testing.
We focus on durability, practicality, compartment convenience and more.
From testing if a weekender bag actually has enough space to fit a weekend's worth of clothes to if it has enough storage compartments to keep the inside of your bag from looking like filled laundry hamper, we've put it all to the test.
You can read more about how we test luggage and travel accessories on our dedicated page.
Why trust us
While implementing and enforcing a thorough testing process is essential for producing honest and well-researched content, we also believe that experience is invaluable. This is why all of our testers are experts in their field.
Moriba has been testing and reviewing travel products for over six years and formulates the testing methodologies and rubrics we use in this vertical as well as our tech and men's fashion reviews and buying guides.
His reviews are honest, impartial, direct and don't shy away from highlighting the bad as much as the good to help you make the most informed buying decision.
Herschel Novel Duffle Tech review
Roominess and compartment variety
Space and compartments are the two areas in which the Herschel Novel Duffle Tech excels most. While some bags either go overboard with pockets and supplementary compartments or don't provide enough, essentially offering you a sack with a single zipper, this bag features thoughtfully designed pockets placed in areas that actually make sense.
For example, its main internal compartment is both deep and wide, allowing you to store several days worth of clothing with room to spare. On the sides of the internal compartments, you'll find a few open slip pockets that are perfect for sliding in a wallet, portable charger or a small cosmetics case, separating it from your clothing.
There's also an extremely spacious fleece-lined clasp-secured laptop compartment that's wide enough to fit a 16-inch laptop with lots of room to spare. In front of that soft slip pocket, there's another roomy sleeve for storing an additional laptop, tech accessories or a tablet and, in front of that one is yet another pocket that's just the right size for storing an e-reader like a Kindle.
While these pockets are all purposefully designed and well-placed, the one pocket that's sure to get shoppers intrigued is the dedicated shoe compartment. Accessible from the outside of the bag, this deep pocket is large enough to fit a pair of shoes (or two, depending on the size), and even has a slip pocket for storing a couple pairs of socks.
For reference, I wear a size 13 men's shoe and was able to fit a pair of sneakers in there easily. What impressed me most, though, is that they didn't even take up the entire allotted space in the pocket, confirming my assumption that those with smaller feet will be able to fit at least another pair with ease.
Build and travel practicality
This bag is the ideal size for those looking for a handheld carry-on luggage alternative. Sometimes, lugging around a roller bag can feel like more of a burden than a convenience, especially on those trips where you're prioritizing commuting or transit speed or just don't have that much to carry.
The Herschel Novel Duffle Tech is just large enough to qualify as a carry-on on most commercial flights where the overhead bin baggage size limit is usually 22 x 14 x 9, give or take a few inches. This bag comfortably fits in the overhead bin, and since the material isn't solid, it's malleable enough to mold to the space without sacrificing the structural integrity and safety of the bag itself.
Keep in mind, though, that this bag does not qualify as a personal item. While size permissions vary depending on plane size and airline, generally, personal item bags should measure between 16.25 x 13.5 x 8 inches (Southwest dimensions) and 22 x 15 x 9 inches (Delta dimension). Since the Novel Duffle Tech measures 20.5 x 11 x 12.6 inches, it's slightly too large to comfortably fit under the seat on most commercial airlines.
If you do decide to use it in addition to a roller carry-on on a flight, be aware that you may be required to check one of the bags if the duffle does not fit under the seat in front of you.
Value for money
So, now for the golden question: Is the Herschel Novel Duffle Tech worth the investment? Based on my weeks of testing, I would say that it is.
Travelers — especially those who tend to overpack — who prefer an affordable-yet-spacious weekender bag will absolutely love this. It has tons of room and its wide range of pockets makes staying organized while on-the-go much easier than usual.
Though the quality is a bit second-rate, especially when compared to other weekender bags I've reviewed, the bag makes up for it in several ways that matter more in the long run. All in all, if you take care of this bag, its outer material shouldn't pose any issues to you or negatively affect your travel experience at all.
FAQs
Is the Herschel Novel Duffle Tech carry-on size?
Yes, the Herschel Novel Duffle Tech is technically a carry-on sized bag, but I do not recommend using this bag as a personal item in addition to a roller carry-on. Instead, use it in place of it to ensure that you don't exceed your stowing allowance which is usually one carry-on placed in the overhead bin and a personal item under the seat in front of you.
Is Herschel a good travel bag brand?
It is! The brand's Novel Recycled Nylon Duffle was my very first travel bag purchase, back in 2010. Though 15 years have passed since then, the bag remains in decent condition. All the zippers still work and the material, though a bit scuffed, has no holes or significant dents. And, it's worth mentioning that I used this bag almost every other weekend at the time for a number of years.
Though I've since retired it from my rotation, it remains a keepsake in my collection, and because of this, I don't hesitate when it comes to recommending these two Herschel duffles to anyone seeking travel bag shopping advice.
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