HYC00 Travel Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product
HYC00 Travel | |||||
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Awards | Best Duffel Bag On a Tight Budget | Great Value for a Rugged Adventure Duffel Bag | |||
Price | $28 List $25.99 at Amazon | $140 List $139.95 at Amazon | $30 List $28.93 at Amazon | $23 List $21.84 at Amazon | $20.00 List $18.59 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | This budget-conscious bag still provides great organization features ideal for day trips | This excellent duffel offers great features regardless of which size model you prefer and is budget friendly | This lightweight bag is ideal for the gym or practice, but not well suited for lots of gear | This budget-friendly bag can haul a ton of stuff, but doesn't offer many additional features | An inexpensive bag that is okay for a daily commute but not ideal for overnight trips |
Rating Categories | HYC00 Travel | Gregory Alpaca | Puma Evercat Contender | Amazon Basics Large... | Rockland 19" |
Storage and Ease of Packing (30%) | |||||
Ease of Transport (30%) | |||||
Protection (15%) | |||||
Construction Quality (15%) | |||||
Weight-to-Volume Ratio (10%) | |||||
Specs | HYC00 Travel | Gregory Alpaca | Puma Evercat Contender | Amazon Basics Large... | Rockland 19" |
Sizes Available | 30 L | 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 L | One size | 100 L | 19 inch, 30 inch |
Material (Main Body) | Nylon | 900D polyester ripstop (40% recycled) with TPU weather-resistant coating | 100% polyester | 100% nylon | 600D polyester |
Number of Pockets (Excludes Main Compartment) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
Backpack Straps | No | Yes | No | No | No |
D or I-Shaped Opening | I, with D-shaped opening on bottom compartment | D | D | I | D |
Laundry Compartment | No | Yes (partial) | Yes | No | No |
Measured Weight | 1.9 lb (30L model) | 2.7 lb (40L model) | 1.4 lb (50L model) | 1.8 lb (104L model) | 1..5 lb (19in model) |
Calculated Weight-to-Volume Ratio | 1.01 oz/L | 1.08 oz/L | 0.44 oz/L | 0.28 oz/L | 0.9 oz/L |
Size Tested | 30L | 90L and 40L | 50L | 104L | 19 inch |
Our Analysis and Test Results
We found the design and organization of the HYC00 Travel duffle to be different from every other bag that we tested, in a way that helps it shine in specific scenarios. The HYC00 excels in the storage and organization of small objects or folded clothes. Whereas most bags turn into a jumbled mess once they're hauled around, you can be reasonably sure that your items will stay organized inside the HYC00.
Performance Comparison
Storage and Ease of Packing
The HYC00 is oriented differently from most duffels in our lineup and has an I-shaped zipper on its main compartment to access the bag's interior. Although we generally preferred D-shaped zippers for their ease of access, the vertical orientation of the purse-like HYC00 was still relatively convenient.
Looking past the main compartment, where the HYC00 really stood out was its numerous organizational pockets in the interior and the large lay-flat pocket on the bottom of the duffel. This bottom pocket has a three-sided zipper that allows you to fold the top of the bag back, and pack shoes or folded clothes here. We particularly liked it for a nicer shirt or pair of pants that we didn't want to get wrinkled during travel.
Ease of Transport
The HYC00 is definitely designed with travel in mind, although we were less than impressed with the included straps. It's too large to fit under your airplane seat, but it does have a slot to go around a rolling suitcase handle for airport transit.
The purse-style handles on the HYC00 are larger than most, and in a pinch, you can fit them over your shoulder for a secure carry. That said, they were not the most comfortable either in our hands or on our shoulders and had no closure mechanism to keep them secured together.
Aside from the handles, the only other way to carry the HYC00 is using the adjustable messenger-style shoulder sling. This strap does have a short, sliding padded section that helps it not to dig into your shoulder but still doesn't make heavy loads comfortable. While this duffel lacks backpack straps, it wouldn't make sense to try to carry it on your back anyway, given its purse-like shape.
Protection
The fabric of the HYC00 is thick nylon, which feels double-lined around the entire bag and is quite substantial. This is a change compared to other casual duffel bags in our lineup that trend towards thin, weight-saving materials. Given how thick the fabric is, it was nice to see that the bag had some rigidity and offered slight protection from bumps and bangs to the bag.
Despite the thicker nylon, the HYC00 achieved only limited success in protecting its contents from the elements. During a light drizzle, water slowly beaded and soaked into the fabric. On the high-pressure hose test, water flowed right into the bag via the chunky zipper.
Construction Quality
Although it didn't suffer from any issues during our testing, the HYC00 doesn't feel like it was subjected to the same level of quality assurance or durability testing as other bags in our lineup. The materials, fabric, and zipper are all adequate for daily use and unlikely to break, but it isn't designed for arduous adventures either.
The zippers, buckles, and clasps on the HYC00 are made of a thick and durable-feeling plastic with some metal components. All were easy to use and felt good in hand; we had no issues with anything breaking during our testing periods.
Weight-to-Volume Ratio
The HYC00 has one of the best weight-to-volume ratios of any of the bags that we tested. Given how thick this fabric is — double-lined compared to most single-lined options — this isn't surprising.
At 30 liters, the HYC00 has one of the smallest volumes of the bags that we tested. So, despite its higher-than-average weight-to-volume ratio, on a bag this small, it's hardly noticeable. And considering its best uses — like car trips or airline travel — a few extra ounces of weight isn't making much of a difference anyway.
Should You Buy the HYC00 Travel?
The HYC00 Travel is a budget bag that excels in terms of its storage and organization features. While we wouldn't recommend this bag for remote, rugged adventures, we would suggest it to anyone who needs a day trip or weekend bag so that they can carry a change of clothes and some other small items. It's got just enough weather protection to get you from your car to your destination but more than enough pockets and pouches to organize all the small items that you're likely to pack for your next overnight trip.
What Other Duffel Bags Should You Consider?
If the style of the HYC00 appeals to you, but you're still looking for a more traditional style duffel bag, consider the Cotopaxi Allpa. Like the HYC00, it has a full-length compartment on the bottom intended for dirty clothes and is available in Cotopaxi's signature bright colors. The Allpa can pack away plenty of gear and incredible water resistance as well. If you're searching for a similarly priced bag that's more geared for the gym or game, the Adidas Defender Small or Puma Evercat Contender are great lightweight duffels that we loved for practice. The Herschel Novel is another solid contender for a weekender bag of similar size and materials, but lacks some of the organizational features we like about the HYC00.