For most people the answer is 20 or 24 inch. A 20 inch duffel holds two to three days of clothes and is the size worth checking against cabin allowances. A 24 inch covers four days comfortably. The 28 and 32 inch sizes are for a full week, or for packing on behalf of more than one person, and neither is going in an overhead bin.
Duffels are sold by length, in inches, and that single number is a poor guide to capacity on its own. A 24 inch bag that is 8 inches deep and a 24 inch bag that is 10 inches deep are not the same bag. Below is what each size in our range actually swallows, measured against real trips rather than litres.
Start with the trip, not the bag
The usual mistake is buying one size up "to be safe". It rarely works out. A duffel that is bigger than your trip gets packed loose, the contents shift, and a soft-sided bag full of air is heavier to carry than a smaller bag packed properly. Buy for the trip you take most often, and accept that the occasional longer trip needs a second bag or a tighter pack.
So count nights first. Two or three nights, three or four, a week, or more than one person's worth. That number maps cleanly onto a size.
20 inch: the weekend, and the cabin
Twenty inches of length with an 8 inch depth is the smallest useful duffel size. It takes a gym kit and shoes, or two to three days of clothes with a washbag on top. This is also the only size in our range that is worth measuring against airline cabin limits, which sit at roughly 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm) on most full-service carriers and tighter on budget airlines.
Both the Jupiter Duffel and the Orion Duffel are made in 20 inch (20 x 8 x 10 in). The Jupiter carries our engraved weave pattern and is built to take a daily gym routine; the Orion is the quilted, more formal-looking one. Either works as a cabin bag, though you should still check your own airline's published limit before you fly — we cover the reasoning in more detail in our guide to choosing a leather bag for travel and carry-on.
24 inch: the one most people should buy
Twenty-four inches is where a duffel stops being a weekend bag and starts being luggage. In an 8 inch depth (Jupiter and Orion) it takes a proper multi-day trip. In a 10 inch depth (Alpha and Shusha) the same length holds noticeably more — a gym kit with room to spare, or four days of clothes.
What it will not do is fly in the cabin. A 24 inch duffel exceeds standard allowances in every direction that matters, and a soft bag only compresses so far. If you have read elsewhere that a 24 inch duffel passes as carry-on, it does not. This is a checked bag, a car bag, or a train bag.
28 inch: a week, without rationing
At 28 x 10 x 10 in you are into full-week territory. This is the size for the trip where you want options rather than a capsule wardrobe — a jacket you might not wear, a second pair of shoes, something for an evening out. Both the Alpha and the Shusha are made in it.
A word on weight. A 28 inch full-grain leather duffel is around 5.5 lb (3 kg) empty, and packed for a week it will be heavy on one shoulder. Use the detachable strap across the body rather than the handles for anything longer than a walk to the car.
32 inch: for more than one person
The 32 inch is the size people buy for a reason, not by accident. Family trips where one adult carries for two. A month away. Kit that has to travel with you rather than around you. It is the largest bag we make and it behaves like a piece of checked luggage, because that is what it is.
Between the two 32 inch options, the difference is organisation rather than volume. The Alpha is a clean-bodied single compartment. The Shusha adds twin buckled flap pockets on the outside, which at this size matters more than it sounds — finding a charger in a 32 inch duffel without external pockets means unpacking the whole thing.
The sizes side by side
- 20 in (20 x 8 x 10): gym kit, or 2–3 days. Worth checking against cabin limits. Jupiter, Orion.
- 24 in (24 x 8 x 10): a multi-day trip. Checked. Jupiter, Orion.
- 24 in (24 x 10 x 10): 4 days, or a gym kit with room over. Checked. Alpha, Shusha.
- 28 in (28 x 10 x 10): a full week. Checked. Alpha, Shusha.
- 32 in (32 x 10 x 10): a week or more, or packing for two. Checked. Alpha, Shusha.
The full range sits on the leather duffels page. If you are choosing between a duffel and a backpack for the same trip, our tote versus backpack comparison covers the carrying trade-offs, most of which apply to duffels too.
Frequently asked questions
What does the inch measurement on a duffel refer to?
Length, from end to end, excluding handles. Depth and height are quoted separately and matter just as much — two inches of extra depth changes capacity more than two inches of extra length.
Is a 24 inch duffel carry-on size?
No. Standard cabin allowances are around 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm), and a 24 inch duffel is over that. Only the 20 inch sizes are worth measuring against cabin limits.
Which duffel size is best for the gym?
The 20 inch takes a kit and shoes and fits a locker. If you want the same bag to handle weekends away as well, the 24 inch is the better compromise.
Does a bigger duffel mean heavier leather?
The leather thickness is the same across sizes; there is simply more of it. The 20 and 24 inch bags in the 8 inch depth are around 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) empty, and the 10 inch depth bags around 5.5 lb (3 kg).
Can I have a duffel monogrammed?
Yes, on every size, at no extra cost — choose your initials at checkout. Engraved pieces are final sale unless something is faulty. Every duffel ships free to 29 countries, with a 1-year warranty; the full country list is on our Shipping & Returns page.