<p>Since we will be flying out with our son to college, we need some big duffles for stuff. Any recommendations? We don’t want the wheely kind since they will stay at college and need to fold down pretty flat.</p>
<p>Www.badbags.com I think these are the best. We’ve had ours for years. Learned about them from a Wall Street Journal write-up many years ago.</p>
<p>Years ago I got a great duffle for $20 at WalMart. It was one of their own brands. The zipper has held up well and it collapses flat when it is empty. I’d suggest a stroll through the luggage section at Target as well. I have a bunch of smaller flimsier duffles from there that I use in the car or as carry ons.</p>
<p>Can’t do better than LL Bean’s duffles. And free shipping.</p>
<p>[L.L.Bean:</a> adventure duffle](<a href=“Search results for "adventure duffle" | L.L.Bean”>http://www.llbean.com/llb/search?storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&init=1&freeText=adventure+duffle&nav=s2-hp)</p>
<p>I STRONGLY recommend the lightweight duffel bags from Cabelas. I got 2 for this exact purpose when my son was a freshman and they are terrific. They hold a ton of stuff, fold down to nothing so easy to store in a dorm room or take back folded up inside another suitcase and they’re inexpensive. [Cabela’s:</a> Cabela’s Ripcord™ Duffel Bags](<a href=“http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Ripcord8482-Duffel-Bags/713753.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dduffel%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=duffel&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products]Cabela’s:”>http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Ripcord8482-Duffel-Bags/713753.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dduffel%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=duffel&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products)</p>
<p>For cheap but sturdy and folding up small, look at Target. DH and I used them on a Grand Canyon rafting trip and other rugged trips. They are NOT waterproof but are easy to store and are very cheap.</p>
<p>I second blackeyedsusan’s recommendation. The Cabela’s bag is great. I bought S2 (college jr) one for Christmas. He has the Large size. He can pile an unbelievable amt. of stuff in that bag. It got great reviews on the Cabela’s site so we gave it a try. The price is less than the LL Bean bag and is lighter weight but still sturdy. Easily folds flat for storage.</p>
<p>LL Bean, Lands End, or Cabela’s. Have all of them and all of them seem to be indestructible.</p>
<p>slightly different opinion/approach here</p>
<p>The duffles listed above are, indeed, great and they look handsome (and I’d also look at [eBags</a> - Largest Selection Of Handbags, Backpacks, Luggage & More - eBags](<a href=“http://www.ebags.com%5DeBags”>http://www.ebags.com)). But I find that they are often small for making a major move; and some of them are still fairly bulky when empty.</p>
<p>I recommend supplementing the attractive duffles suggested above, with some from at a standard army/navy store, or a place like [BagsToGo</a> - Soft Trunks, Duffle Bags, Soft Luggage At UnBeatable Prices! Summer Camp Luggage In Many Shapes And Sizes!](<a href=“http://www.bagstogo.com%5DBagsToGo”>http://www.bagstogo.com) that sells luggage for college or summer camps (google: college summer camp luggage duffle); the sizes of these items are much more generous (40" and up) and more suitable for big bulky items. They aren’t as attractive, but they are very servicable.</p>
<p>I also strongly recommend using FedEx Ground for shipping some of this stuff (check with the destination college about this too) rather than taking it all on the plane.</p>
<p>I ended up getting two LLBean adventure duffles - just under the size limit for extra charges from airlines, in school colors and monogrammed to boot. I’m figuring on using BB&B for a pile of stuff that we’ll have shipped to the local store as well.</p>