Quince Duffel Bag Review: Why the Neoprene Duffel Wins Out

Quince makes travel duffel bags as part of their travel accessories and luggage lines. The Quince duffels are kind of like new kids on the block, and among the current collection, they’re all pretty different.

In this explainer, I’m going to tell you about the different types of Quince travel duffels, how my expectations compared to reality and which ones I’d use for which occasions. Then, I’ll tell you which one seems to win out among the others.

Make sure to breeze through my photos and take a look at exactly how the features of these bags work, in this review.

What to know about Quince’s duffel bags

So, for one thing, as a traveler with a specialty in all the travel bags I’ve reviewed, I get to know a duffel bag best when I have a clue on how many liters of volume it holds.

One thing that surprises me is that the only duffel bag of these four from Quince that has a volume in liters listed on the product page is the Neoprene Duffel (and, spoiler: I think that one is the best Quince duffel for travel). With this volume in liters noted in the specs, I can visualize how much will fit, or which of my backpacks to compare it to.

Regardless, the four duffels from Quince are all good-looking bags, made with Quince’s sustainable practices and with lots of pockets. What I’m most excited about in this review is comparing them all for you, to let you know about the highlights and why I’d choose one over another.

I’ll let you know that I listed two of the duffels above (the ones I own) in our travel list of the best duffel bags for travel. The reason is mostly because of the price.

All-Day Neoprene Duffle Bag

Quince’s Neoprene Duffel is by far the most popular of the bunch, mostly because travelers are comparing it to the Dagne Dover Neoprene Duffels. The Dagne Dover duffels have a signature look to them (especially the heather gray one, and I can’t explain why), but: they come at double the price. And we’ll definitely get to that.

Features and highlights

In exploring this bag, I had a few first thoughts:

• It was actually heavier than I’d expected, but thicker, too.
• It has quite a few useful pockets—ones I want to use when I travel through an airport, for stashing stuff quickly.
• It came out of the package and looked like a big carryall tote, so I was confused. (But then, I figured out that with the snap-down sides, you get that square traditional duffel shape.)
• No leather trim here, so it’s perfectly vegan and animal-product-free.

Here are a few more travel-friendly features you’ll want to know if you’re perusing this duffel for your next trip, getaway or personal item for a flight.

Zipper pouch attached by a cord

There it is, the detachable zipper “pouch” that Quince has made characteristic of various bags in their Neoprene travel bag line. I touched on how trip-savvy this little feature is in my Quince neoprene backpack review as well.

While of course having a pouch attached by a cord is a theft-proof measure for avoiding pickpockets during travel, it’s really another way for me to find my small accessories in a jiffy when the rest of this duffel is jam-packed with my stuff.

Fat zippers

I’m calling them “fat” because I’m not sure how else to refer to the wide-toothed zippers that are snag-free. They feel signature to the neoprene travel bag style, which I suppose originated with the Dagne Dover bags. Quince pulled it off, though: the All-Day Neoprene Duffle Bag is easy to close and open, which is useful if you’re choosing it as a personal item for flight day.

Padded laptop pocket

Let’s get my MacBook Air in here: it fits, and the Quince Neoprene Duffel fits “most laptops up to 16”.” That should work for the large majority of travelers.

Luggage pass-through

I never used to look for “trolley sleeves” on travel bags, because I used to never travel with a suitcase. Oh, but times have changed, if you’ve seen my Quince Hard Shell Luggage review, where I report on the reasons to get one of Quince’s famous and affordable suitcases.

Now, I want to make sure all my backpacks and duffels have a luggage handle sleeve, for attaching to my carry-on rollaboard when I’m zipping from security to the gate at home or abroad. And the Neoprene Duffel has a generous one (while, note: the Revive Nylon duffel does NOT!).

Little stash pocket

There’s a tiny phone (or wallet) pocket nestled on the exterior of this duffel, and I decided it’s ideal for when you’re going through passport control or security and you just need to stash your phone or wallet somewhere for a second. (For all other times, I’d probably not use a pocket this small, as something may fall out.)

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Style and use

I think because of the Dagne Dover popularity trend, neoprene bags have become somewhat the norm for small totes, backpacks and duffels. The Quince Neoprene Duffel fits the mold just right: it’s cute, with rounded corners, the tucked-down corners, thick handles and monochrome snaps and hardware.

It’s a playful style, and a casual one: I really can use this duffel as an oversized tote for the day, as a pool bag, a gym duffel or my personal item in-flight.

Criticisms

I think that anyone buying a neoprene product should know about how neoprene can crease, either in storage or while the product is being shipped to you and smushed a little in the box. I noticed that throughout the shipping, and then some storing, of my Quince Neoprene Duffel, that there’s kind of a vein-like crease in the fabric and I’m not sure if it’s going to come out.

I’d keep this in mind if you’re hyper-concerned about the look of your neoprene.

Price

Ooh, let’s talk about price! Talking cost is one of the most fun parts of reviewing any Quince product, as Quince is under-pricing the competition. So, whereas I would likely NEVER blow $215 on a Dagne Dover duffel of the same size, a Quince duffel priced under $100 seems about right.

Quince also compares pricing to brands like Stoney Clover Lane, and Alo Yoga (one of my favorite prenatal YouTube channels, actually). The savings is around 50% if you were to choose Quince.

A good buy?

The Quince Neoprene Duffel surprised me in that it looks a lot like a day bag, but it performs for taking a trip. Like I mentioned above, I really did think it was a large tote bag when I unpacked it for the first time, and that was until I tucked down the top corners and got that squared-off duffel look.

Otherwise, yes: it’s a bit of a giant neoprene tote bag, and maybe some people will like it for that! At 29 liters of volume, it fits what you’d expect a bag under 30 liters to fit: a few sets of clothes, maybe a pair of slim shoes, some accessories, a book and a little bit of your tech (laptop, phone, a charger, headphones).

With the removable crossbody strap, there are certainly a few ways to use this duffel bag, so I think for the versatility, I give it a 4.5/5 rating and I do recommend it.

Next, we’ll compare it to the Revive Nylon Duffel.

Revive Nylon Duffle Bag

The Quince Revive Nylon Duffle is a bit of a different thing altogether. It was a bunch smaller than I expected, and it doesn’t feel like it has the expandability that the Neoprene Duffel enjoys.

However, it really is chic: minimalist, timeless, business-travel-appropriate and more.

Coming (currently) in three dark bold colors, it makes me think that it’s for fall, winter and early spring.

Features

The Revive Nylon Duffle is pretty simple, all in all. The front side has two zipper pockets with metal hardware that glides nicely. On the backside, it’s simple: just the tacked-in fabric for the two grab handles that meet up top.

Interior pockets

It’s got lots of them. The one I like the best is the zipper pocket along the interior side that has the same quality of zipper as the exterior one.

Laptop sleeve (mesh)

The mesh laptop pocket inside has a Velcro closure, and looks like it would also hold a 16” laptop, although Quince’s product page does not specify this.

Exterior small stash pocket

I was confused by this one. There’s an exterior pocket that’s flat, and kind of looks like it was made for holding a phone for a second, but it’s not very deep. I also wouldn’t put my wallet there, because it might fall out. It’s like a stash pocket for something flat or tiny (maybe a passport?) if I wanted to hold something there for just a moment.

This pocket is not specified on the product page either, and it’s probably my only real confusion area with this duffel bag.

Crossbody strap

The Revive Nylon Duffel comes with a detachable and adjustable crossbody strap, for crossbody wear. And in this instance, because this duffel is small (I’m still trying to estimate the volume), this is even good for someone my size (I’m 5’2”).

Style

I think style is what this duffel has going for it most. I certainly would carry it on a business trip, and I’d also take it on a short trip, like a road trip, a weekend getaway or a day trip somewhere when I was taking the car. It’s also a good bag to have if you just need to transport some “stuff,” like bringing some layers along for a hiking trip when you could leave this duffel in your ride.

I’ll also mention that it is completely unisex: for a she, a he or a them.

Criticisms

I just don’t think this duffel packs in quite enough to make it a great travel bag. With no trolley sleeve, no real phone stash pocket on the outside and no clarifier on how much it holds, something feels missing to me about calling this a great duffel for travel.

Price

And it costs more than the Quince Neoprene Duffel. Of course, it’s a different product: I think this one has more of a refined style, a classic look and a different use. Quince compares the price to the duffels of the same sort from Away and Michael Kors, and the savings is 51-80%.

Transit Quilted Duffle Bag

The great news about this duffel is that it’s the cousin of my Quilted Transit Carry-All Tote, and I think this is a great travel bag as well as a great gift from Quince.

The Transit Quilted Duffle Bag wins in my book for cute style, tall shoulder-appropriate grab handles up top, a convenient large zippered front pocket, a detachable zipper pouch AND a trolley sleeve for luggage “stacking.”

That’s just the beginning of this one: the fact that it’s very lightweight, just like the carry-all tote of the same design, means it can be folded up and smushed down to fit into a suitcase or a larger duffel or backpack. In this way, you could take it on a trip where you know you’ll come back with stuff (souvenirs, clothes from markets, handicrafts or maybe just a ton of food)—more stuff than you came with.

This puffer-style duffel also has a laptop sleeve. The only difference is you may find it a dab less protective due to the softness and puffiness of the duffel itself: it’s definitely not a work bag or a tech bag.

Italian Leather Triple Compartment Weekender

The last Quince duffel bag for travel worth taking a second to discuss is the Italian Leather Triple Compartment Weekender. It’s an elevated bag that’ll be in style this year, next year and in 10 years.

Coming in at a different and higher price point (because it’s made from Italian leather), this duffel fits more than all the others (though, because Quince has not noted volume capacity, I’m not sure by how much).

This Weekender is more than business-appropriate, and would be a welcome sight at a business meeting, or when flying with colleagues. It’s stylish, fashion-forward, classic and useful, on top of everything else. There’s a trolley sleeve for use with your suitcase, a removable crossbody strap and pockets in the interior, as well as the exterior zipper compartments.

The Italian Leather Triple Compartment Weekender is a Quince best-seller, and it often goes out of stock in certain colors. With lots of five-star reviews, it looks like there is not much reason to complain about it.

The best duffel from Quince is…

After deliberating, I think it’s a clear answer: the Quince All-Day Neoprene Duffel Bag is a steal. Priced affordably, perfectly versatile for lots of use throughout the year and through the years, and travel-friendly with its handy travel qualities for being in transit.

I think the Quince All-Day Neoprene Duffel Bag is growing on me, because of its medium size and option to also be a large tote bag. Plus, I like knowing that when compared to the competition, it’s kind of “50% off” at its regular price.

I hope this Quince duffel bag comparison review was helpful for you as you decide on what you’ll check out next from Quince.