Paravel Main Line Duffle: Is It Worth The Money?

I have been a fan of Paravel’s travel products for years now. My love for the brand started when I pulled the trigger and splurged on one of their bestselling products, the Aviator Carry-On (aka the first carbon-neutral suitcase!).

Since then, I’ve expanded my Paravel collection to a total of five different bags/suitcases. Obsessed? Just a little bit.

Of these five bags, one of them is the Main Line Duffle. If you’re considering buying this bag as your next duffel or weekender bag, check out my review and experience of it below.

Paravel’s duffel bags aren’t the cheapest around, so I want you to be confident with your decision before buying it!

This post may contain affiliate links. You won’t be paying a cent more, but in the event of a sale, the small affiliate commission I receive will help keep this blog running/pumping out useful and free content. Thanks a lot!

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What’s So Good About Paravel Over Other Brands?

Other than the fact that their products are simple, elegant, and plain gorgeous, I also love that the products are sustainable. This sentence says it all: “Paravel is the sustainable travel brand dedicated to exploring the world while minimizing our impact on it.” Love that.

Paravel Main Line Duffle

Size: 20″ x 11″ x 10″ (51cm x 27.9cm x 25.4cm)
Weight: 3lbs
Price: $285 USD
Colors: 2 total (Domino Black and Scout Tan)
Material: Made of durable, spill-proof EcoCraft Canvas®
Fits in overhead compartments
Removable woven shoulder strap, two interior zip pockets, and a two-way lockable zipper
You can get extra personalization on the bag by getting the bag embroidered with your initials or adding a Cabana Strap for a pop of color

What I fit into this duffel: 4 pants, 5 tops, 1 sweater, 1 dress, a bag of undergarments, 1 pair of shoes, makeup bag, toiletries bag, external battery, digital camera, travel umbrella

Paravel Main Line Duffle: What I Like (Pros)

Perhaps the biggest positive about this bag is that it’s made with Paravel’s standards in mind: high-quality, sustainable, and eco-friendly.

The duffel bag is made of high-quality recycled materials (durable, spill-proof EcoCraft Canvas®), meets TSA carry-on requirements, and is sized perfectly for trips of 4 to 5 days.

It’s the perfect amount of spacious and compact, meaning it actually fits quite a lot of stuff but isn’t so big that you over-pack and have trouble carrying all the weight of your belongings.

It’s also simple, elegant, and gender-neutral. It comes in two colors, both of which are gender-neutral (meaning both my partner and I can share this bag in scenarios where we’re not traveling together).

The EcoCraft Canvas® material of the bag is also a pretty huge plus. This bag is so clean and bright to begin with — without the stain-proof feature, I’d be so scared to use it in public!

Paravel uses natural cotton fiber combined with thread made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles to create a durable canvas, finished with a silicone coating to protect it from stains. Perfect for messy and careless people like me!

Paravel Main Line Duffle: What I Don’t Like (Cons)

The first thing that I noticed was the lack of external pockets on this duffel bag. I’m someone who loves pockets on bags, so I was actually quite bummed that there wasn’t at least a small zippered pocket on the backside of the duffel. An external pocket would be good for temporarily tucking things like a phone, travel documents, water bottle, or snacks.

While there are 2 zippered pockets on the inside (there’s a large zippered pocket on each side of the bag), I do wish there were more.

For me, it’s not a dealbreaker as I like to pack everything in some sort of packing cube anyway, but I do wish there were more functional pockets both on the inside and outside.

If you’re someone who also likes pockets, Paravel has another duffel option that might be better for you: the Grand Tour Duffel. This bag has the same interior pockets as the Main Line Duffle, but ALSO 2 exterior pockets!

Paravel Grand Tour Duffle vs. Main Line Duffle: Which Is Better?

The second thing I noticed about this duffel is that it doesn’t have a built-in trolley sleeve on the backside (like what the Monos Metro Duffel has), which I always love for hands-free carrying.

A trolley sleeve, also known as a luggage pass-through or luggage strap, is a slip or sleeve located on the back of a bag that allows it to securely slide over the handle of a rolling suitcase or luggage, making it easier to transport both items together while traveling.

This feature helps distribute weight and keeps the bag stable on top of the suitcase, making it convenient for travelers to maneuver through airports, train stations, or other travel hubs.

Without a trolley sleeve, the duffel bag still sits on top of my suitcase pretty securely (no wobbliness), but there’s always a chance of it toppling over or falling off if I hit a big bump with my suitcase.

The duffel bag handle is at least large enough for me to slide over the rolling luggage handle, so that makes it less scary when transporting! There’s also the shoulder strap that could be looped around the luggage handle, too.

The Bottom Line: Is The Paravel Main Line Duffle Worth It?

The Paravel Main Line Duffle is a very elegant, yet simple duffel bag.

Its simplicity and minimalisticness may work for some people out there, but I personally prefer a travel bag with more pockets because I like knowing where all my belongings are without having to dig for them.

For a duffel bag that’s over $250 USD, I’d expect more functionality paired with the elegance.

Within the Paravel product line, I actually like Paravel’s Grand Tour Duffle way more than the Main Line Duffle. There are at least the two extra pockets on the outside of the bag, perfect for when you need to slip your loose belongings into while going through airport security.

If you were to ask me, I’d recommend you opt for the Grand Tour Duffle instead, even though it is a tad more expensive.