Duffel bags have been around for centuries in one form or another.  In fact the term duffel or duffle dates back to the 17th century from a town in Belgium.  During the World Wars duffel bags were popular for carrying soldier’s gear and clothes.  WANDRD known for making cool carrying gear for photographers, travelers and commuters knew the duffel needed a bit of an update.  Thus the WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL was born.

What makes the WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL rather unique is it’s ability to be carried as a normal duffel or converted into a backpack.  Combining the HEXAD “catch-all” compartment, backpack straps, padded laptop sleeve, leak-resistant toiletry pocket, and other versatile pockets make it incredibly useful for travel and adventure.

It should come as no surprise that we would contact WANDRD to get our hands of the HEXAD carryall.  A few weeks later the HEXAD was on our doorsteps waiting to be reviewed.  Our original intention was to take the HEXAD on a trip to Jamaica, but the timing just wasn’t there.  We did however take the WANDRD PRVKE backpack and had an absolute blast with it.  The PRVKE met all our expectations and carried our camera gear in style.

WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL UNBOXING

This might be the quickest unboxing overview because I somehow forgot to take the unboxing pictures.

The duffel arrived in a large box with some plastic wrapped around it.  Nothing too special.

WANDRD sent the 60L HEXAD.  The HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL comes in both a 40L and 60L version.  Backpack straps are included to convert the duffel into a backpack.

WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL REVIEW

When I first started looking over the WANDRD HEXAD it was a bit confusing as to how to get into the main compartment.  The bag is black and the entry zippers tend to blend into to all the blackness.  I would have liked to see some color added.  Maybe blue or red or something to help you identify the zipper pulls.  Once found however, unzipping the HEXAD was quite easy and revealed a large spacious compartment.

The duffel contains 5 main entry points, including 2 main side entries, 2 smaller pocket entries and the main compartment entry.  The backpack contains 4 handles, which are soft and feel great to the touch.  Black military grade webbing is used along the sides and provide hoops to attach gear to.  The duffel comes with 4 cinch straps allowing you to tighten up the load and make for a smaller overall footprint.

The duffel contains a see through bag identification compartment, but it is opened on one side with no way to close it.

For material WANDRD uses Tarpaulin and Ballistic Nylon with Army Coating which gives the bag a rugged no nonsense military look.

Inside the main compartment provides access to 2 mesh pockets and 2 leak-resistant toiletry pockets and a 15″ computer pocket.  On the outside of the bag there are 2 smaller pocket entries for storing sunglasses and gaining access to the internal mess pocket.

On either end of the bag there are large sections for storing larger items and when opened contain an assortment of smaller pockets for misc items.

The HEXAD comes standard with 2 backpack straps that can be removed when not in use.  The backpack straps have cutouts allowing the duffel to be carried as a traditional backpack or by using the backpack straps as a carrying handle.  There are 4 cinch straps, 2 on each side allowing you to cinch the backpack down when fully packed.

WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL Positives

The 61L HEXAD has loads of room for traveling and supplies enough pockets to sort all your gear.  The padded backpack portion is comfortable and provides the right amount of cushioning.

The backpack straps are super easy to install or remove and give you options that many duffels don’t offer.  The military type webbing that circles the duffle, provides ample attachment points to carry other items and feels very secure.

Overall the duffel with it’s Tarpaulin and Ballistic Nylon design should last many years without any issues.

WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL Negatives

While the overall design of the HEXAD is good, there are a few quirks or design issues that could be addressed in a future update.

The backpack straps while good, don’t feel as nice or as supportive as WANDRD’s PRVKE backpack straps.  I would like to see WANDRD come out with a second set of straps that are a bit beefier.

The see through bag identification compartment needs to be sealed, so that any identification can’t accidentally fall out.  In it’s current form, the potential is there for the ID to fall out.

When accessing the laptop, you have to open the entire main section, exposing what’s inside.  This could be problematic while taking the laptop out at the airport and exposing things you may not want people to see, such as underwear and other misc items.  I would like to see some type of secondary access that doesn’t require the bag to be fully opened and the main compartment exposed.

Lastly, I would be nice if WANDRD developed some type of travel luggage cart.  Currently I own both the HEXAD and PRVKE and carrying both while fully packed is a lot of weight.  Having the ability to set them on a wheeled luggage cart while traveling in the airport would be really ideal.

 

WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL specifications

WANDRD HEXAD Specifications include

• Tarpaulin and Ballistic Nylon with Army Coating
• High-Quality Weatherproof Zippers
• Designed To Fit Most Carry-On Dimensions
• Fits Up To A 15 “Macbook Pro
• Weight (40 Liter): 3.9 lbs (1.8 kg)
• Weight (60 Liter): 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg)
• 60L Retail: $249.00
• 40L Retail: $229.00

Does the WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL come with a waist belt?

NO.  You can purchase a waist belt separately.

Would you recommend the HEXAD CARRYALL to carry photography gear?

NO.  I would recommend purchasing the WANDRD PRVKE or HEXAD ACCESS DUFFEL or the PEAK DESIGN EVERYDAY BACKPACK.

Does the HEXAD CARRYALL Have Wheels?

NO.  You would need to purchase a luggage cart or something like that.

Does the HEXAD CARRYALL Have internal cinch straps?

NO.  There are 4 cinch straps located on the outside of the duffel?

Can the HEXAD CARRYALL hold the WANDRD Camera Cube

YES, but it isn’t designed for the Camera Cube.  You would be better off purchasing the HEXAD ACCESS DUFFEL

Is the HEXAD CARRYALL Airline compliant

Maybe – The 40L certainly is, the 60L may be pushing the upper limits.

Will the HEXAD CARRYALL Fit under an airline seat?

Maybe – It really depends on the airline.  I would say the 60L should either be stored in the overhead compartment or taken as checked baggage.  The 40L should be able to be stowed under the seat.

WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL DUFFEL Bottom Line

If you are big into travel and are looking for a duffel to travel with, the WANDRD HEXAD CARRYALL should certainly be on your list to considered.

Check out WANDRD’s website (https://www.wandrd.com/) for more information on the HEXAD CARRYALL and other great WANDRD products.

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