Review: Tasmanian Tiger – TT Duffel 45

Introduction

This year Tasmanian Tiger released two Duffel Bags, the TT Duffel 45 and 65. Over the last few months I was able to use the TT Duffel 45 on a regular basis and can give you my personal impressions and insights. Designed as an equipment bag with 45l, it offers plenty of features to not only carry the bag itself, but also a variety of items inside – all neatly organized.

So let’s do a quick overview and check the specs, before going into more detail.

Overview

The Tasmanian Tiger TT Duffel 45 is a versatile travel and equipment bag with a 45-liter capacity, made from durable, water-resistant 700 denier Cordura fabric. It features padded handles and adjustable shoulder straps for easy carrying, making it suitable for both outdoor and everyday use. The interior includes mesh pockets for organized storage and easy access to gear. This duffel combines practicality with versatility, making it an excellent choice for sports, travel, and various transportation needs. Its robust design ensures reliability in diverse environments.

Specs

LxWxH: 58cm x 31cm x 24cm
Weight: 1,2 kg
Volume: 45 l
Material: 700den Cordura, TPU 420den Nylon, WJ Hardware

The Tasmanian Tiger – TT Duffel 45

Already on the outside a lot is happening on the Tasmanian Tiger TT Duffel 45. On each side you have a dedicated grabbing handle to carry the bag or get it out of the trunk or compartment. On both long sides there are laser cut MOLLE/PALS areas – providing 6 channels with 3 rows of laser cut MOLLE.

Two detachable compression straps cover the top lid and are there to cinch down the TT Duffel 45 when needed.

In case you want to carry the bag on your shoulders, there are two shoulder straps available. These are ergonomically shaped, lightly padded and can also be detached, if not needed. Adjustment in length is possible at both ends, by glide buckles. Elastic webbing loops take care of excess straps.

There are two additional webbing loops on the sides to have different mounting options for the shoulder straps. That way the user can not only adjust them to his body, but also change the carrying method – e.g. on the side as a shoulder bag. The straps can easily be joined together by a padded wrap, making it also possible to carry the TT Duffel 45 as a bag in your hands.

The top lid opens up the complete top by a two way zipper with two zipper glides. These can be locked with a travel lock. As additional stress relief, there is a large WJ buckle at the bottom to make sure the top lid is closed. Said top lid features a velcro area for insignia/morale patches/name tags and it also features a zippered compartment to store the shoulder straps and compression straps, when they are detached. This compartment is also useful for flat items you need quick access to, or if you want to pad the top lid for more comfort when carrying the TT Duffel 45 as a pack.

Underneath the top lid are two zippered mesh compartments. One with an angular opening for better access to stored items, and another one with a straight zipper. There are also two elastic webbing straps to secure cables, pens etc.

The main compartment holds 45l and provides more room and organisation options than one can think of. The floor is padded to provide basic protection. Clothes, packing cubes, bags etc. can be secured by shock cord. 6 loops on the long sides of the bag provide several options to lace the cord as you need.

On both long sides there are two zippered compartments each, with the see-through nylon material we all know from TT by now. The comb structure provides the necessary strength.

The top and bottom end of the inside both feature slip pockets for smaller flat items. The one on the bottom does not feature any closure, the one on the top however can be secured with velcro.

Level of manufacture

The Tasmanian Tiger TT Duffel 45 is built clean, robust and sturdy, using some of the highest grade materials available on the market. So it is no surprise if I say that the level of manufacture and the materials are good to go and leave no room for criticism.

The quality control of Tasmanian Tiger is among the best in the industry and in the last 10 years of using and reviewing their products, I almost never had any complaints. This applies to this duffel as well. The seams are straight and reinforced where they need to be, there are no loose threads, the whole bag feels sturdy and bomb proof.

To be honest, I could copy paste this assessment in all TT reviews, without having doubts.

The Tasmanian Tiger TT Duffel 45 in use

So far I could use the Tasmanian Tiger TT Duffel 45 during several travels and short trips, using it either lightly filled with some essentials or completely overpacked, being glad to have those outside compression straps. The TT Duffel was not just put into car trunks and carried from the door to the car, but was in fact carried by me on those straps in public transport and through cities.

Having that in mind, I learned several things about the bag. Using the shoulder straps, the TT Duffel 45 is actually quite comfortable on the back, as well as on the front (if you carry a backpack in addition). One would not think so, but the size is just right to have a comfortable carrying experience. Even though the attachment points are not as deeply embedded into the construction as one might know from backpacks that size, the buckles and straps hold. The seams are carefully reinforced and have no issues with heavier loads.

When carrying the duffel, it helps to put a jacket into the sleeve of the cover lid, creating additional padding for the back. Also it makes sense to distribute the content within the main compartment in the right order to not have it fly around, when carrying the duffel backpack style. The interior bungee cords help secure the content in an effective way. That being said it is not a full net, so items might slip. Thus it makes sense to put heavier items on the side that will be on the bottom.

Using the TT Duffel 45 in a bag capacity, the various handles on the side help carrying it or getting it into or out of trunks, storage places or compartments.

The interior mesh pockets help organize smaller items. I added several different colored zipper pulls to the zippers to quickly find my items. One thing Tasmanian Tiger could add, would be such zipper pulls.

One of the biggest advantages of the TT Duffel 45 is its volume and the various options to compress the bag and carry it in different ways, making it highly versatile. As a result, this has become my go to travel companion.

Conclusion

When it comes to modularity and versatility the Tasmanian Tiger TT Duffel 45 is a definitive allrounder. The bag is way more than meets the eye and is simply more than just a duffel. The design elements all make sense, there is nothing on it that is too much or useless.

Carrying the bag is surprisingly comfortable and even when fully loaded it is quite manageable. Fully loaded is a key word in this regard, because one might be surprised how much actually fits into this bag. Any backpack with the same volume might not be able to deliver as the TT Duffel 45 does.

The TT Duffel 45 just with as many uniforms I had at hand thrown inside

After several months of regular use, I am still surprised about the versatility and features.

When looking for a decent duffel bag, with useful organisational features, the TT Duffel 45 is highly recommended to be considered, with its high capacity and the various options to store smaller items.

With that being said, I want to thank Tasmanian Tiger for their patience and the possibility to take a closer look at the TT Duffel 45!

Many thanks for reading!

Take care!