Silva’s new, lovely bright blue duffel bag not only looks good but it performs well and is also as tough as old boots. Speaking of which, it’s even got a special way of stowing old, grubby boots, as you will see…
The aquamarine blue 100 per cent tarpaulin outer fabric is water resistant, and the 30-litre model we tested is compatible with airline standard sizes so it makes a great option if you like to travel fast and light.
The simple design is well thought out, with a large zipped lid opening onto an interior with several inner pockets as well as a separate shoe bag, which means you don’t have to worry about packing your shoes together with the rest of the luggage.
As well as the carry handle you also get stowable rucksack straps with sturdy aluminium buckles, although this gave us our only gripe with the bag – the shoulder straps don’t really stow away very well and tend to flop out of the pocket in which they’re stored, a problem that that could have been easily alleviated with a small Velcro fastening strip.
It’s strange that this design feature was overlooked since little touches such as the ability to attach a light to the inside of the bag so you can find your gear in the dark show Silva did put some serious thought into this product.
That one small gripe notwithstanding Silva’s new duffel bag (which also comes in 55-litre and 75-litre sizes) is a well-made, versatile piece of kit that should give many years of service.
