TESTED: Thule Chasm 90L Duffle Bag

Words and photos: Georgina von Marburg

Thule are best known for their bike and roof racks, but the Swedish travel giant also produce an extensive selection of luggage. Their range includes the typical carry-on and checked-in roller bags, but it also includes a host of duffel bags from 40L to 120L capacities. I had the 90L Chasm sent to be just before setting off on a 2-week trip around Tasmania, the perfect opportunity to test its features and practicality! 

Need a bike bag to go with that duffle? We review the Thule RoundTrip here.

While roller bags are ideal for airports, I and five friends were boating/driving to and around Tasmania, making a duffel bag an ideal choice. Duffel bags can be easily thrown in a ute tray and the lack of a rigid structure means the bags around it won’t be crushed. We received the bag in ‘Autumnal Orange’ –  or, as some of us like to call it, Factory Orange.

Features

Firstly, the Chasm includes a carry case in which the entire bag can be stuffed inside for storage at home. This carry case also happens to be the perfect size for grubby mountain bike shoes, so I used this to store my shoes inside the Chasm while traveling. Both the carry case and bag itself have a hardy, weather-resistant TPE laminate exterior akin to faux leather. This also makes it more tear and abrasion resistant. 

The Chasm has a padded bottom to protect contents, and a generously padded top strap, duffle straps, and – uniquely – backpack straps. Yes, the Chasm can be converted into a backpack by pulling out two strong and comfortable shoulder straps. 

Inside the bag, there are three internal mesh pockets for separating your socks from underwear, and gloves from guards. The usefulness of these compartments cannot be underestimated on long trips! 

On the road

With two-weeks worth of mountain biking gear, spares, and everyday items, I was worried the 90L would not have enough capacity. However I was slowly proven wrong as I gradually added more and more to the bag. This included: 4 sets of trail and downhill kit, 2 knee guards, a chest plate, 2-3 sets of casual clothes, 2 hoodies and a rain jacket, 2 spare tyres, 2 brake rotors, a spare derailleur, 3 pairs of shoes, an open face helmet, and more. In summary, the Chasm can hold a remarkable amount of awkwardly sized gear – and then some. 

The small zipped compartment at the top of was a relieving feature, allowing me to store my wallet and chargers for quick access. Each zipper on the Chasm is also large enough for a travel lock for that extra security on long hauls. While using the bag for a solid two weeks in Tasmania (and the following week in Melbourne), I did note some pros and cons to a duffle bag. It would be an inconvenience traipsing through airports without wheels, and carrying it through doors into accommodation can be awkward. However, if you don’t mind backpacks, this feature on the Chasm does eliminate these hassles; you just need to be aware of packing it properly, so all the weight doesn’t fall on a spare derailleur at the end of the bag when flipping it to backpack mode! And while the Chasm is a very large duffle, I found the backpack straps to have enough padding and strength to match the size of the bag. 

The pros of a duffle such as the Chasm might be subjective, but I do love the practicality and unobtrusiveness of an unstructured bag. Its malleability makes it much easier to pack in crowded cars and store when not in use; however, there’s still enough structure to the Chasm to keep its contents upright. Personally, I would prefer to travel with a duffel on moderately sized trips such as what I took it on, and I foresee many more years of use and abuse for this bag.

RRP: $329.95

From: goactiveoutdoors.com.au 

Hits

• Practical
• High quality, weather-resistant materials
• Lockable zippers
• Backpack straps

Misses 

• Can be difficult to carry as backpack if contents are very heavy