The North Face Base Camp Gear Field Evaluation

Bottom Line

For road warriors who love a good adventure (and traveling with all the requisite gear), there may be no better storage solution than The North Face Base Camp Gear Box, which featured high on our list of favorite duffels this year. It might not look like a traditional soft-sided duffel bag, but we don’t mind odd looks when a gear hauler like this is as functional as it is. After all, part of the reason some folks opt for duffels instead of traditional luggage is to stash bulky gear for long trips.

The box comes in multiple sizes, so you can pick one that suits you best, since the duffels have rigid sides, they’re also stackable, which means you can maximize every inch of storage space in the back of your vehicle. We loved bringing this duffel on gear-heavy road trips when we needed a place to store tents, sleeping bags, and even snowshoes. In fact, this clever twist on a duffel bag is our top pick for storing all kinds of bulky or random gear when traveling by vehicle, so all your gear is always within reach. Bonus: plenty of interior pockets make small items easy to locate.

Carry Comfort

There are really only two ways to carry this duffel: via grab handles on top and comfortable padded grab handles on every side (so one or two people can help cart it from point A to point B when necessary). That means it can’t be carried like a traditional duffel. Not that you’d want to since it has more rigid sides and sharper corners. If you do need to carry it farther, it’s more convenient to grab a buddy to assist, at least when using the larger versions of this gear box.

Compressibility & Packability

When packing this box with everything we needed for a camping trip in Utah, we found it fit all our gear and then some. There are no compression straps, but since the box is so capacious, we didn’t feel any were required. We had no problem pressing down on the rigid lid to keep everything contained and zip it shut.

The boxes also pack down almost completely flat. Thanks to two lightweight metal kickstands–one on each side–that pop into place and raise the sides to keep them in place. They can then be collapsed to let the sides collapse in on themselves. We found them supremely easy to lock into place with the attached Velcro and then slide down again when it was time to pack the box away.

Durability

When testing the bag for durability, we let it topple down stairs, dragged it across campsites, and chucked it in and out of vehicles and sheds. Through it all, it barely picked up a scuff, and the kickstands and rigid base and top ensured it kept its shape. The bottom is lightly padded, so gear inside stays moderately protected.The sides aren’t padded, so keep that in mind when packing delicate items.

The exterior zippers were plenty burly, and we were never afraid of popping a tooth, even when the box was fully loaded.

Weather Resistance

We wanted to know how this gear would fare when left out in the rain – given we can’t always ensure picture perfect weather on every outing. So we left the box out in the rain for an hour to see if what was inside stayed dry.

While most of the inside was dry, water was starting to seep in near the zippers and along the sides, meaning extended periods of exposure to wet weather may result in damp gear, at least near the edges of the duffel.

Organization

When it comes to small item organization, this duffel shines. There are a total of six pockets in the duffel, ranging from mesh drop-in pockets to small zippered pockets. That means there’s a place for everything you need quick-access to. In fact, it was one of the easiest bags in which to locate small items like sunscreen, headlamps, and first aid kits.

There’s no gear separation or oversized compartments for dirty clothes or bulky items like shoes, but we can forgive this transgression given the number of small organizational pockets included.

Should You Buy The North Face Base Camp Gear Box?

Those who tend to travel with lots of bulky gear and absolutely must keep it contained and organized will likely fall head over heels for this duffel-adjacent gear box. Given how many capacities it’s available in, there’s guaranteed to be one for every trip and type of traveler. It’s especially suitable for vehicle-based exploration, including light overlanding and adventure-heavy road trips. Their stackability helps users get the most out of the space available in their vehicle, and the items inside are still largely accessible thanks to the stiff lid.

It’s less suited for other types of travel that include carrying bags through cities, airports, or over long distances since there aren’t as many comfortable carry options. That means it’s not quite as versatile as some other duffels we’ve tested. What it does, it does well. And for the price, it’s one of the most capable and portable gear boxes we’ve used.

What Other Duffels Should You Consider?

If you’re not sure The North Face Base Camp Gear Box is right for you in any available size, you may want to consider one of the other stand-out duffels we’ve tested.

Nemo Double Haul Convertible Duffel and Tote Review: If you like the idea of a gear hauler and duffel in one, but would prefer a bag that packs up smaller or offers a few more carry options, check out the Nemo Double Haul.

Gregory Alpaca Wide Mouth Duffel Review: Similar to the Nemo Double Haul in function but different enough in design to be intriguing, the Gregory Alpaca Wide Mouth Duffel doesn’t fold down as small when empty, but the semi-rigid sides stay open for easy packing. It functions as a duffel and gear hauler, and the denser walls keep gear protected.

REI Roadtripper Review:If you need a large bag to store lots of clothing and gear but with soft sides instead of rigid ones, consider this duffel. It doesn’t have many bells and whistles or organizational pockets, but it excels at containing multitudes.