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15 sturdy canvas bags that’ll last through the long haul

By Christopher Blomquist May 20, 2016 4:05 AM

Leather is luxe and nylon can be neat but when it comes to bags made from said materials they are often either exorbitant (the former) or affordable but hardly eye-catchers (the latter). Well-made bags constructed from sturdy cotton canvas, on the other hand, offer a happy medium between the two: they’re usually in the mid range price-wise, are virtually indestructible, easy to clean and have a rugged handsomeness about them that harkens back to when seafaring and prospecting were a guy’s best career options. Waxed canvas and sailcloth are especially durable, which is exactly why military suppliers and sailors have turned to them time and again for centuries now.

Shown here are 15 of my favorite canvas carryalls from a variety of brands in two classic shapes: the duffle, which gets its name from the Belgian town of Duffel which produced the strong cloth to make the first models in the 17th century, and the tote, named for the verb that means “to carry” and a bag style that first achieved mainstream popularity in the 1940s and ’50s after L.L. Bean launched its now iconic Boat Bag pioneer.

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Take a look and then decide whether you want to pack your gear into an oblong or square-like valise on your next journey, whether that’s an exotic weekend getaway or merely your daily jaunt to the gym. Either way, with a canvas bag you’ll be sure that it will last that trip and many, many more to come – so you can literally keep calm and carry on….

Barking_Irons_Bowery-Bag-natural-white — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Navy-inspired Bowery Duffle by Barking Irons (available June 6, the 72nd anniversary of D-Day), $325

Barking_Irons_Harbor-Tote-Cherry-Red — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Harbor Tote by Barking Irons (available June 6), $135

Belber_Greenwich-Oyster-beige-B.-Brown-front — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Greenwich Tote by Belber, $480

Billy_Kirk_No.233_Duffle — Image used with permission by copyright holder

No. 233 Duffle Bag by Billy Kirk, $275

Bradley_Mountain_Rambler_1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Rambler by Bradley Mountain, $279

CockpitUSA_Gym-Bag-WWII-Navy-canvas-navy-back-Cockpit-USA-Z96P005 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

WWII Navy Gym Bag by Cockpit USA, $425

Ernest_Alexander_Aiden_Wax_Utility_Tote — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Aiden Wax Utility Tote by Ernest Alexander, $245

Filson_Medium_Duffel — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Medium Duffle by Filson, $395

Filson_Tote_Bag_with_Zipper — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Tote Bag with Zipper by Filson, $170

Fred_Perry_ — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ventile Canvas Duffle Bag by Fred Perry, $225

Hudson_Sutler_a--Yorktown_tote — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Yorktown Tote Bag by Hudson Sutler, $70

Hudson_Sutler_Butler_weekender — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Butler Weekender by Hudson Sutler, $120

John_Varvatos_PEACE-ROCKS-TOTE-001-A_0242 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Peace Rocks Tote by John Varvatos, $65

Workers_Supply_journalist — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Journalist Folio Bag by Workers Supply, $205

Workers_Supply_pilot — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Pilots Weekend Bag by Workers Supply, $329

Christopher is a native New Yorker who lives and works (mostly) in Manhattan. A longtime fashion journalist, he served as… Read Full Bio

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