Douglas Davidson spent 25 years designing gear for some of the biggest brands in the outdoor industry before founding The Brown Buffalo. Now, he does everything his way, crafting a range of everyday carry and utilitarian bags with the highest-quality materials, reinforced construction, and thoughtful designs. The Brown Buffalo’s bags are built to last and are backed by a lifetime warranty — “If it fails, we fix it. Period.”
The Brown Buffalo makes a modest range of bags, from rolltop backpacks and slings to totes and duffel bags. All the bags share a similar modern, minimalist aesthetic, robust, durable materials, functional designs, and near-perfect customer reviews across the board. The high-end materials and top-notch craftsmanship are also reflected in their relatively high price tags. These bags aren’t cheap. They are aimed squarely at those who don’t mind spending more for quality products.
As someone who appreciates durable, high-quality gear, I was stoked to get my hands on the Duffalo, a 50-liter duffel bag made for gear hauling and travel. With a large main compartment, a lid that opens wide, a separate shoe compartment, and mesh organization pockets, it’s proving to be a great bag for carting around my cycling gear. I like it so much that it has also become my go-to travel bag for shorter trips without the bike. It looks great, and it truly does feel built to last a lifetime.
The Brown Buffalo Duffalo Details
The Duffalo has a classic cylindrical, barrel shape and a 50-liter storage capacity. The main compartment has what the brand calls a “butterfly-style opening,” which is a large zippered flap that essentially opens the entire top of the bag. For organization, the underside of the lid is home to a large zippered mesh pocket, and there is an additional internal mesh drop-in pocket at one end of the bag. The inside of the bag is lined with bright orange material, which provides plenty of contrast when locating and identifying your gear.
The Duffalo also has a fully separated compartment ideal for shoes, dirty/wet clothing, etc. One end of the bag zips wide open to reveal a collapsible compartment that fits shoes up to US men’s size 14. There is an additional mesh organization pocket inside the shoe compartment. On the outside of the bag is a large zippered pocket, along with 11 Hypalon loops per side to attach accessories or other gear.
The Duffalo has grab handles at both ends and carry straps in the middle, which are joined by a full-grain leather handle with snaps. It comes with a removable, padded shoulder strap, which is adjustable between 62” and 44” in total length. The shoulder strap features a slick and secure one-handed adjustment system. The Duffalo weighs 3.9 pounds and has external dimensions of 22” L x 14” W x 14” H. It comes in Black Multicam, Ranger Green Ballistic, Black Ballistic, and Black Grid.
Materials
I mentioned durable materials numerous times in the intro, and here’s what those are. The bag’s exterior is made from Cordura 1050D Ballistic Nylon with an extremely dense weave designed to stand up to heavy-duty applications. It’s weather-resistant with a DWR coating and has a PU2 backing (double polyurethane coating) to add water resistance and structure.
Inside, the Duffalo is lined with Challenge Sailcloth EPX400, a durable 400D polyester fabric with 70D ripstop backing and built-in cross-ply reinforcement. Fluorocarbon-free and made from recycled materials, this eco-friendly fabric features a C0 DWR coating for weather resistance, along with 45° Blue CrossPly to add structure and durability. The bright orange color makes it easy to find items inside.
The main compartment, shoe compartment, and external pocket all use premium YKK RCPU2 Zippers. These heavy-duty, weather-resistant zippers are designed for longevity and smooth operation with frequent use. They are, in fact, very smooth in operation, with large pulls that are easy to locate and grasp.
Using the Duffalo
When I first saw the price of the Duffalo, I definitely thought $279 for a somewhat basic-looking duffel bag seemed a bit expensive. Actually, the “Black Multicam” version that I have retails for $299. Regardless, when I received the Duffalo, I quickly realized that this was, in fact, a very high-quality piece of gear. Heck, the Duffalo even comes in its own bag — which my cats have since chosen as one of their favorite spots to sleep.
It’s one thing to read about Ballistic Cordura, Sailcloth, and all of the other materials used in high-end bags like this, but it’s another to see and feel them. These materials are, in fact, super tough, and I think I could probably throw this bag off a large cliff and it would be totally fine. Additionally, the craftsmanship and attention to detail are absolutely impeccable. There isn’t so much as a single loose thread end to be seen anywhere on the bag.
Great for Cycling Gear
With its 50-liter capacity and separate shoe compartment, I picked up the Duffalo because it looked like it could be great for cycling gear, and that’s mostly what I’ve been using it for. I really appreciate that I can keep my stinky shoes separated from the rest of my gear, and I can fit my sweaty bibs and jersey in there with them post-ride.
Even with my shoes (in the expanding sleeve) taking up a large portion of the main compartment, there’s still plenty of room for the rest of my riding gear. I can easily fit my helmet, sunglasses, gloves, hydration vest, and apparel, with plenty of room for some post-ride clothes and extra layers. Between the internal mesh pockets and the external zippered pocket, I’ve got plenty of options to keep my snacks, sunblock, and smaller items separated and organized, and the bright orange lining makes it super easy to find what I’m looking for.
I also really like that the lid of the Duffalo folds all the way open, making it easy to see everything inside instead of needing to root around to find things. And the zippers are all very, very smooth to operate, which is not always the case with big, burly, weather-resistant zippers. The shoulder strap is also super comfy, and the one-handed slide adjuster is very easy to use.
Honestly, the only thing I can think of that would make the Duffalo better as a cycling gear bag (or gym bag) would be an external (possibly hidden) bottle sleeve (or two). That said, this bag wasn’t made specifically for cycling gear, so…
Good for Travel, Too
Everything that makes the Duffalo a solid cycling gear bag makes it a great travel bag, too. It’s the perfect size for weekend outings, fitting everything I need for a couple of days on the road. Again, I’m a fan of the shoe compartment and keeping my casual and running shoes separated from my clean clothing.
It also doesn’t hurt that it’s a damn good-looking bag. It fits right in whether I’m walking through the airport or tossing my bike gear in the back of my buddy’s truck. And it shows virtually zero signs of wear after a few months of use — I expect it to look pretty much new for the next several years.
My Takeaway
The Brown Buffalo Duffalo has quickly become one of my favorite bags for transporting my cycling gear. It’s well-made, thoughtfully designed, and has plenty of room for all of my gravel or mountain bike gear, no matter the season. I really appreciate that it keeps my dusty, smelly shoes and wet clothes separated, and it’s generally just a pleasure to use. I’ve also found it super versatile and great for travel, too.
Of course, the $279-$299 price tag puts it at the upper end of premium duffel bag territory. But, in my opinion, this is one of those buy-once, cry-once products. Yes, the up-front cost is undoubtedly high, but it won’t seem that way when you’re still using it a decade or two from now.
Check out the Duffalo and the rest of The Brown Buffalo’s lineup at thebrownbuffalo.com