The Pillowy-Soft Caraa Duffel Is My Ultimate Road Trip Bag

I’m always looking for a good excuse to get out of town for the weekend, and more often than not, that means jumping in the car. From my little Brooklyn, New York abode, that generally means heading out east for beachy trips to Montauk, hopping around upstate’s Hudson Valley or Catskills towns, and taking advantage of ski mountains all over the east coast. These are the road trips I take again and again, and for almost two years, the Caraa Portobello duffel has been my go-to bag for every single one of them.I have the duffel bag in olive, a timeless, earthy shade of green that looks great with the rest of my luggage. I love its looks, but what has really kept it in my rotation is how well it suits the way I actually pack. The Portobello is pillowy-soft, and the shoulder straps are long enough to sit comfortably over my arm—an underrated quality that really matters when I’m pulling it out of the car trunk, carrying it into a hotel, or hauling it around for the day. I also love the button clasp that brings the straps together. A small detail, true—but one that makes the bag feel particularly easy to grab, sling over my shoulder, and go.Then there’s the cinched shape, which is probably the feature that makes the most sense for my weekend travel habits. Rather than your average, more rigid suitcase with one fixed silhouette, the top of the Portobello gathers in, so I can adjust the bag’s size depending on how much I’ve packed. When I have it filled for a longer weekend trip, it expands and fills out into a really beautiful shape; when I have less inside, I can cinch it down so I’m not carrying around a giant, half-empty bag. And because it’s ever-so-soft and collapsible, it’s easy to store in my NYC apartment when I’m not using it.This road trip bag shines with its pillowy-soft exterior Jessica ChapelOn the road with my favorite duffel bag for weekend adventures Jessica ChapelAnother pleasant surprise? After dozens of uses over the past two years, she’s held her darling shape and soft texture so well—it practically looks good as new, making it truly worth the splurge. And that same softness is surprisingly practical: The exterior has a cushioned feel that keeps everything inside protected when the bag is inevitably bumped around in the back of the car. I’m more comfortable packing daintier essentials, like perfume or hair clips, without worrying that they’re going to break.Even when full, the duffel is easy to grab and carry around Jessica ChapelThe bag is also made with water-resistant recycled nylon, and it’s machine washable—a feature I haven’t actually tested yet, but one I’m very excited to have. And inside, it strikes a nice balance between organization and freedom: The main compartment has enough room for about four days' worth of clothes depending on the season, while the see-through interior compartment is ideal for the little items I want to know I packed: undergarments, a quick-grab makeup product, jewelry, or smaller accessories that have a tendency to disappear in a duffel (where do all those hair ties go?).Don’t get me started on the exterior water bottle holders: These bad boys are amazingly useful on road trips. My bottle finally has a designated spot rather than rolling around the car or getting buried beneath a sweatshirt. It works as a personal item when I fly, too, thanks to the hidden trolley sleeve that lets it sit on top of a suitcase. Another nice perk: There is an exterior pocket that keeps my passport handy.There is, of course, a limit to how much weekend magic one duffel can perform. On ski trips, I bring two bags; the Portobello fits most of my clothes and softer gear, but it doesn’t hold everything I need for a full winter getaway. For a couple of nights in Montauk or a few days exploring upstate, though, it hits the sweet spot for me: enough room to pack comfortably, enough flexibility to fit into the car, and enough spruce that I can carry it straight from the trunk into a hotel without feeling like I brought a gym bag. In fact, I feel very stylish with her by my side.More colors available:More editor-recommended weekender bags:This article is part of Condé Nast Traveler's annual Luggage Week, for which dozens of suitcases, backpacks, and weekender bags were road tested by our editors.