Ortlieb Duffle 40L waterproof travel bag and backpack

Ortlieb Duffle 40L — the bag you stop worrying about

Most travel bags are rated water-resistant, which is a way of saying they will be fine until they are not. The Duffle is rated IP67: dust-tight, and sealed against immersion in a metre of water for half an hour. Drop it off a boat and your clothes stay dry. That is a different category of promise, and it is why this bag turns up as often on rafting trips as in airport queues.

What makes it liveable rather than merely watertight is the opening. A full-length TIZIP drysuit zip runs along the top, so the bag opens flat and you can see everything at once, instead of excavating a roll-top from the neck down.

Bag, or backpack

The padded handles detach and become shoulder straps. Carried on the back, the zip sits between you and the bag, which puts the opening somewhere a stranger in a crowd cannot reach. Joined together, the same straps make a single central handle for lifting it into a car boot or an overhead rack.

Built to outlast the trip

The body is PD620, a PVC-coated polyester Ortlieb has used for decades. The base is PS620C, a reinforced Cordura that takes the abrasion of being dragged across gravel, station floors and boat decks. A wire loop at the zip pull lets you fit a padlock, which is not included but which we sell.

Inside

• Two zipped interior pockets
• One exterior mesh pocket with zip — outside the sealed volume, not waterproof
• Two daisy chains along the top for lashing extra gear
• Volume marked on the side of the bag
• Wipe-clean interior

Waterproofing, precisely

IP67 means dust-tight and protected against temporary immersion, up to one metre for thirty minutes. The rating depends entirely on the TIZIP being closed all the way to the end stop — a zip left a centimetre short is simply an open bag. The zip needs its lubricant occasionally; Ortlieb sells the stick and so do we.

Specifications

• Volume: 40 litres
• Dimensions: 22 × 53 × 31 cm (H × W × D)
• Weight: approximately 986 g
• Material: PD620 PVC-coated polyester, with a PS620C reinforced Cordura base
• Closure: full-length waterproof TIZIP zip, with wire loop for a padlock
• Waterproofing: IP67, dust-tight and immersion-proof to 1 m for 30 minutes
• Padded removable shoulder straps, also usable as handles
• Colours: black, olive, sunny yellow
• Country of manufacture: Germany
• Warranty: 5 years

Frequently asked questions

Will it pass as cabin luggage?
At 53 × 31 × 22 cm it is within the cabin allowance of many airlines, but not all, and the limits change. Check your carrier before you fly. The 60 and 85 litre versions are hold bags.

Does the 40 L have the internal compression strap?
No. Ortlieb fits the internal compression strap to the 60 and 85 litre versions only. If you want to cinch a half-empty bag down, that is a reason to look at the 60 L.

What does IP67 actually mean?
Dust-tight, and protected against immersion in one metre of water for thirty minutes. It is a genuinely higher rating than the IP64 on our roll-top bags, which covers splashing only. It is not a rating for prolonged submersion or for diving.

Is the outer pocket waterproof?
No. The mesh pocket sits outside the sealed volume. Keep documents and electronics in the main compartment.

Can it be repaired?
Yes. Ortlieb supplies replacement straps, buckles and TIZIP lubricant, and the bag carries a five-year warranty. Our workshop at L'Hirondelle Bike Shop in Meppel handles repairs and can order parts.

Which size should I pick?
40 L is a week for one person or cabin-sized travel. 60 L suits two people for a weekend or one on a long trip. 85 L is expedition territory. All three exist on wheels as the Duffle RG if you would rather pull than carry.