Shacke Shacke’s Travel Duffel Express Weekender

The Shacke Travel Duffel is an attractive and affordable duffel bag that excels in some areas, but lags in others. MATERIALS The material used for the exterior of the duffel is attractive and appears to be very durable. The inside liner is similar to what you'd find inside a more well-known brand, with the exception of being significantly thinner. I'd worry about wear and tear over a few years. DESIGN If you're like me, the idea of owning a bag that has a shoe compartment is very appealing. Be advised, that this is simply an interior bag, within a bag, but with its own zipper. This interior bag is made from the same material as the liner - so again, I'd be concerned about how well it will hold up over time. A pair of size 12 men's dress shoes "just fits" but puts a strain on shoe compartment/bag. As for the bag in general, its much bigger than you think. Which is good, depending on how you'll be using. Unlike most duffel's and backpacks, this bag is un-constructed. That is, there is no thick plastic piping that helps its keep its shape and offer greater durability. This is probably so it can be folded up and tucked away inside other pieces of luggage. I have mixed feelings about this, because the bag's life will now be determined the strength/integrity of the stitching alone without piping to reinforce it, once its weighed down with clothes, shoes, etc. HANDLES, STRAPS & PADDING I love the contrast colors on the straps. It really sets it apart from other bags. But, the straps are thinner, which means they will ripple and cut into your shoulders/arms when weighted down with contents. The padding won't help much here, as they are very very thin. Also, the shoulder strap is connected to the bag by plastic carabiners, and not the big thick ones you'll find on a Jansport, Patagonia, or NorthFace. That should definitely be changed in future offerings. I'll probably change out the pads and carabiners for comfort and additional security. COMPARTMENTS A bag is only as good as its ability to carry contents and compartments keep you organized while doing so. This bag has one shoe zippered shoe compartment, one unzippered outside compartment, one zippered outside compartment and one interior zippered compartment and of course, a huge section of the bag for unorganized contents. It needs more pocket inside for suitable organizing. You may need to augment the duffel with smaller bags inside if you use it as a weekender or carry-on for flights. Nothing is worse than having all your contents lumped into one space. And if you use it for travel, you're probably like me and don't want to rely on those two outside pockets for anything valuable that can be quickly pinched by would-be thieves. If the interior zippered compartment was divided into 2 or 3 pockets or if two zippered interior pockets were provided this duffel's usefulness would be multiplied. WARRANTY This bag comes with a lifetime warranty! Which was a pleasant surprise. It means that if the stitching or those questionable plastic carabiners holding the shoulder strap break - Shacke has you covered. So, there's not a lot of risk to trying the bag out. VERDICT & PROMISE FOR UPDATES All in all, great looking bag with lots of promise. And perhaps, depending on your needs, a good value for the price. (Unless you compare it to a Jansport backpack or the like.) I look forward to seeing and using future Shacke products. I'll post an update after I've used the bag for 2-5 months.