Brown Travel Bags

Travel bags come in all kinds of styles, shapes, and sizes. But as for color? You can’t go wrong with a classic brown travel bag. Choosing the right one can make all the difference, so check out the 5 types of brown travel bags we offer – all in our signature Buffalo Jackson style.

GARMENT BAGS

Headed somewhere special? Get yourself a garment bag. Garment bags offer clothing organization and protection that other types of bags simply aren’t made for. Our Dakota Reserve garment bag is crafted with durable, light brown waxed canvas and features a spacious T-zip interior with scratch-free nylon, plus exterior pockets and reinforced copper rivets.

PILOT BAGS

Originally, pilot bags (also called flight bags) specifically referred to the document bags carried by pilots and their flight crews. Historically, flight bags would feature the airline logo and include zippered outside pockets. They were a staple for every pilot. Today, a pilot bag actually means any bag carried on an airplane – but, the best ones preserve the classic style with pockets and organization. Among our favorites are the Roosevelt buffalo leather pilot bag and Walker leather pilot bag.

WEEKEND BAGS

Aptly named, a weekend bag is just right for a weekend away. Carried over the shoulder or in the hand, leather weekenders have a classic, vintage style to them. A weekend bag can be sized modestly enough to meet carry on requirements, or it can be large and oversized—perfect for an extra long weekend. Some of our favorite brown travel bags are our Walker leather weekend bag and our Dakota oversized weekend bag, available in light brown waxed canvas or dark brown leather.

DUFFLE BAGS AND BACKPACKS (AND DUFFLE BACKPACKS)

These travel bags are ideal for trips where a rolling bag just won’t take you where you need to go. Backpacks offer multiple compartments and padded straps that make carrying and organizing your load more bearable. For this style, check out our light brown Dakota waxed canvas rolltop backpack. Duffle bags feature a spacious interior that can hold impressive amounts of clothes, shoes, and gear. For a sharp-looking brown duffle bag, check out our Jefferson leather duffle. Or, of course, you could opt for the best of both worlds with our Dakota military duffle backpack in light brown waxed canvas.

RUCKSACKS AND DAYPACKS

Maybe you need a travel bag that’s compact and highly mobile. Look to a rucksack or daypack to get the job done. Although these bags won’t hold enough for a longer trip, they offer enough space for a weekend’s essentials. (A book, a change of clothes, and some basic grooming essentials will fit just right.) Choose a pack like our Dakota waxed canvas rucksack when you need something organized and compact.

PACKING TIPS

So, you’ve locked in on the perfect brown travel bag for your weekend away. Now, what? Well, when it comes to packing that bag, there is definitely a right way. Follow these 4 steps for happy packing:

1. MAKE A LIST + GATHER STUFF

Making a list will help you not forget any necessities, and gathering all of your stuff first (rather than stuffing it in as you think of it) will help you make the most of the space you have available.

2. PACK HEAVY + LOW–PRIORITY FIRST

If you don’t think ahead, you’ll inevitably end up throwing heavier items on top at the last minute. That means you crush or wrinkle everything underneath – or you end up having to dig through a layer of low-priority items to access your essentials at the bottom.

3. TUCK + ROLL

Roll your shirts into cylinders to save space and prevent extra wrinkling. Then, place your rolled shirts and other items in a row in your bag. Tuck smaller and lighter-weight items (like socks) inside shoes and other small remaining spaces. 

4. HIGH PRIORITY + ESSENTIALS

Add things like toiletries, medications, and food to the top of the main travel bag compartment, or tuck them into zippered pockets if your bag has those.

If you still have more to pack, give your bag a gentle shake to help settle the contents. That will hopefully give you a little more space to work with. If it’s still not enough, you may need to revisit that packing list.

BROWN TRAVEL BAGS: WAXED CANVAS VS. LEATHER

We offer brown travel bags in both waxed canvas and leather because they are both excellent materials. But that can make it tough to choose! What is best for you depends on how you’ll use your bag. We suggest considering these four main points: 

1. WATER RESISTANCE

The starkest contrast between waxed canvas and leather is how they handle water. High-quality leather - the kind that is not treated with a synthetic coating - will absorb water, causing it to deteriorate. That means choosing a leather bag gives you a soft, supple material that you’d better dry quickly if it gets wet. Choosing to treat your leather bag with a water-resistant coating means compromising the natural patina that would otherwise develop with age. Waxed canvas, on the other hand, is known and loved for its water resistance. The wax coating repels water, making this a popular material for sails, tents, and outdoor gear that has stood the test of time. However, the wax coating also tends to make the material more stiff as compared to soft, high-quality leather.

2. CLEANING

Oil and residue transfer easily to leather, so leather should regularly be wiped down with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Once a year or so, it should be thoroughly cleaned with a leather cleaning product. A few scuffs and a little dust isn’t going to kill waxed canvas, so regular cleaning is not required. If you’ve got some mud or major dirt to deal with, let the mud dry and then gently scrub it away with a bristle brush. If you’re dealing with a tough spot that you really want to clean up, you can use cold water and a small amount of mild soap (NOT DETERGENT). Then rinse and allow it to air dry. Do NOT dry clean or machine wash your waxed canvas bag. 

3. MAINTENANCE

Leather and waxed canvas both require maintenance. Real leather will dry out over time, so at least once a year, a high-quality leather conditioner should be applied to your leather travel bag. You can massage the conditioner into the entire surface of the leather with a soft sponge or cloth; then wipe off any excess with a clean dry cloth. (If you live in an arid climate, you’ll want to do this every couple of months.) Maintaining waxed canvas means re-waxing the canvas. Over time, you may find the wax coating beginning to thin, or notice spots where the waterproofing has broken down. You can restore your bag by re-waxing it. This is a fairly simple process which only requires a bar or tin of wax and a hair dryer to help soften the wax when applying.

4. DURABILITY

Both waxed canvas and high-quality leather travel bags far outlast their counterparts in long term endurance. Truly, the more you use them, the better these brown travel bags will look. Given the proper care, the same wear and tear that would wear out and tear up another product will instead develop - in both leather and waxed canvas - the character and patina that make them even more valuable and desirable over time.

Bottom line:Our brown travel bags, whether crafted of waxed canvas or leather, use durable materials with rich histories that age well when cared for properly. Make your choice, treat it well, and enjoy it for many adventures to come!