eBags was started back in 1998 by Jon Nordmark, Peter Cobb, Frank Steed, Andy Youngs, and Eliot Cobb. These five men had over 50 years of combined experience in the luggage industry, making them pretty knowledgeable on what customers truly want in a suitcase. What started out as a website where they sold just seven different luggage brands, they later became a go-to online retailer for travelers.
Since then, eBags has sold over 30 million bags to their customers, which is quite an impressive feat. In early 2017, Samsonite International acquired eBags.com, making the website a subsidiary of the company.
As the top online retailer for bags since 1999, eBags now offers a wide array of options for their customers. You’ll find plenty of luggage styles and sizes to suit your needs. They offer luggage with hard shells and soft shells, luggage for children, and even pet carries. You’ll also find garment bags for neatly storing your best clothing. Not only that, but their site sells travels accessories and so much more.
In this review, we’re going to be looking at a piece of luggage from the “Tough, Lighweight, & Smart” collection that eBags offers. The eBags TLS Mother Lode 29” Wheeled Duffel is a great option for someone who needs plenty of storage for a long trip away. To decide if it’s the right one for you, we’re sharing some of the key features it offers, discussing its durability, and more.
Features
The eBags TLS Mother Lode 29” Wheeled Duffel contains a fabric exterior, which comes in a few different colors. You can purchase the bag in one of four shades, including: Blue Yonder, Green Envy, Sinful Red, and Solid Black. The fabric feels durable and should hold up without any problems during your travels.
You’ll have ultimate flexibility when packing up your belongings thanks to the single/double compartment functionality. This duffel bag allows you to unzip the floor that separates the upper and lower compartments to create one extra large compartment instead. Measuring 28.5” x 16.5” x 15”, you’ll have plenty of storage for everything you need.
There’s also a zippered two-inch expansion, which gives you a little more storage space when you find that you need the extra wiggle room. In fact, this expansion increases your packing space by 19%, which will really come in handy.
Another feature you’ll appreciate are the quiet wheels that allow you to move the duffel bag around with ease. Both of the two wheels move on sealed ball bearings. Although eBags doesn’t foresee customers having an issue with the wheels, they are easily replaced if needed.
If you’re concerned about security when traveling, you’ll surely love the extra protection eBags has added. There are lockable D-rings on the primary zippers to prevent anyone from tampering with your things. It’ll also keep your luggage locks in a consistent location as well.
Weight
eBags created this wheeled duffel to be suitable for week-long trips, which is why it’s an extra-large size. It provides plenty of room for you to store all of your belongings, making it ideal whenever you’re spending a long time away from home. The full dimensions of this bag come in at 29” x 17” x 15”.
As for the weight, this bag will weight 12 pounds when empty. You’ll want to keep that in mind because packing in your belongings will obviously add extra weight and bulk to the bag. It’s still a reasonable weigh when you consider its size and should still be easy to transport. Its wheels and handles make maneuvering your bag easy while out and about, especially when you’re rushing through a busy airport.
In fact, this particular wheeled duffel is part of the eBags “TLS” collection, which stands for “Tough, Lightweight, & Smart.” These are all great qualities to look for in any kind of luggage!
Capacity & Organization
To help you keep your things organized, there are two different compartments you can utilize. There’s an upper compartment, as well as a lower compartment. What’s great about these two separate compartments is that they can actually be combined into one larger storage space. As mentioned in the “Features” section, there’s a floor you can unzip and tie up to combine both compartments with ease.
You will also find a smaller, zippered top pocket on the bag. This is ideal for adding any last-minute items to your bag or for keeping things that you’d like easy access to when traveling. There are also two curved, zippered side pockets and a zippered mesh pocket underneath the lid.
If you’re someone who likes to make sure their belongings are safe and sound when traveling, you’ll appreciate the addition of two webbing tie-down straps, which keep everything nice and secure. It’ll really come in handy and allow you to make the most of the organization within your eBags wheeled duffel.
How It Rolls
If you’re looking for four-wheeled spinner luggage, you’ll need to look elsewhere because that’s not what you’ll get with the eBags TLS Mother Lode Wheeled Duffel. This particular piece of luggage contains only two wheels, which are not multi-directional. They are, however, quiet and won’t make too much racket as you’re wheeling it about.
Even though you only have two wheels on this bag, that doesn’t mean you’ll have trouble maneuvering it. The trolley handle on this bag has three different heights, allow you to customize it to your needs. You won’t be hunched over or struggle to pull or push it around.
One downfall many two-wheeled bags have is that they’re prone to tipping over if they aren’t balanced properly. That isn’t the case with this duffel from eBags. They’ve added two small feet to the front of the bag to ensure it always stays upright.
Durability
Part of the “Tough, Lightweight, & Smart” collection, eBags has designed the Mother Lode Wheeled Duffel to be able to take a beating during your travels. They’ve created this bag out of durable 840D & 900D Twisted Poly. The telescoping handle is sturdy and the wheels seem tough enough to handle bumpy terrain. If anything were to happen to your wheels though, they can easily be replaced, which is certainly a bonus.
They’ve even added premium YKK zippers, which are important because zippers need to be strong. The last thing you want to deal with while traveling is a broken zipper that makes it difficult to get in and out of your bag. You can feel confident that won’t happen with this model from eBags.
Value
This bag is designed for someone who is going on extended trips due to its extra large size. Since it provides plenty of room, you’ll obviously have to pay a bit more. However, if you’re someone who travels quite frequently and needs the extra space this duffel provides, it’s well worth the investment.
It’s made of high-quality materials that will be able to withstand your travels from the car, to the airport, hotels, and more. Not to mention, eBags provides their customers with a Limited Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. If anything goes wrong with the bag that isn’t your fault, eBags will be there to lend their support.
Final Thoughts
For anyone looking for a large suitcase to take on their next vacation, the eBags TLS Mother Lode 29” Wheeled Duffel is definitely worth looking at. With its durability and quality craftsmanship, you can expect this bag to last you a long time. That’s what makes it great for anyone who travels frequently and needs more than just a carry-on.
You’ll be impressed with the storage features it provides as you’re able to easily organize all of your belongings. There will be no rummaging around in an endless pit of a bag when there’s a place for everything. Plus, you’ll enjoy having the expandable two inches of storage for bringing home souvenirs from your trip!