The Navali Stowaway Weekender bag in Carafe. A sturdy, durable bag at a great price.
Hitting the road (or hopping on a plane) doesn’t mean style should take a backseat. In fact, far from it. Traveling is a great way to put both your packing skills and your passion for style into practice. And getting to a final destination in style is a big part of the trip itself. That’s why what you carry with you should reflect similarly fashionable ideals. If you’re a discerning traveler or a man interested in looking presentable, it’s time to ditch the gym bag when outside the gym, and reach for something infinitely more durable, stylish rugged-looking. I found all of those traits with my Navali Stowaway Weekender Bag, and it’s definitely worth picking up, especially for under $100 (as it is right now on Navali’s website).
The particular model featured here (bought at full price) has a rich brown (or ‘carafe’) color, accented by darker brown leather straps and fastenings. It’s a sturdy bag that’s already held up fine for a cross-country trip to San Francisco, and should hold up well for the foreseeable future (Navali gives its Weekender bag a lifetime warranty). First and foremost, it’s got great functionality — it fit neatly under the seat in front of me on each plane trip, making for convenient and remarkably easy access. And as you can see from the below photo, it was packed fairly full:
Travel well: Most of the spread for a weekend music festival in San Francisco.
Throughout the trip, it handled exactly like I hoped it would. Combined with a detachable shoulder strap, the bag was easy to carry — not too heavy to lug around when filled with clothes and shoes. The strap sat nicely on my shoulder and didn’t dig in or slip, a nice bonus when considering how frequently it’ll have to be carried through airports and the like. The bag’s zipper is strong and the top of the bag feels reinforced and not nearly as flimsy as my old Everlane Canvas Weekender bag (it doesn’t look like these are sold through their site anymore? Seems as if the sturdier Twill version has taken its place). Unfortunately, the Everlane bag suffered a bad rip, and the hole worsened from there — leading me to this Navali number. The bag’s handles, which I used a decent amount of the time, are easy to grip yet don’t feel too flimsy; the leather is soft and should wear in nicely over time.
The bag comes with a lifetime warranty, and could easily last that long.
The bag features a number of handy extras, too. For starters, it has an exterior zipper pocket running the length of the back of the bag, useful for storing things like phone chargers or other odds and ends. Two exterior pockets on the opposite side combine thick brass and leather fastenings for yet more outer storage space, and an interior zipper also provides more room. An open pocket on the inside of the bag (as seen above) further adds to the utility of the piece without taking too much space away from the main compartment.
A closer look at the durable fastenings on the bag’s exterior pockets.
Notably, this bag seems like it can take even more than what I threw at it. The washed canvas exterior is malleable without being too soft, and the bag itself held enough clothes for four days on the road with room for just a bit more — exactly enough space for the stylish traveler. On top of its tremendous function, the bag is a pretty handsome-looking piece. The rich brown color, combined with the deeper brown leather finishings, stands out in all the right ways compared to a normal gym bag or even a black duffel bag. Also available in a lighter ‘natural’ color as well as charcoal grey, the brown shade (or ‘carafe’) finds the right balance between being weekend-appropriate and polished. It manages to look rugged yet refined, the absolute best way to look when traveling across the country or just up the road.
Any experience with this particular piece? Any favorite luggage pieces when traveling? Leave it all below.
The Style Guide 
[…] of usage — mine got used pretty hard across a summer in NYC, and I ended up replacing it with this bag instead. However, for those who need a true weekend bag, these pieces look outstanding and should provide […]
[…] to to be warm and still look good. Of course, I’ll be bringing all my gear in my trusty Navali Stowaway Weekender and a well-worn Kenneth Cole Reaction messenger bag. Check out the photos and line-up below to […]
[…] (a 50-minute flight from Detroit to Lansing was delayed by 4 hours), I eventually made it with my Navali Stowaway Weekender in tow and had more than enough time to hit the town both […]
[…] seen on this blog back in August of last year, the Carafe color pictured here is now gone – but it’s been replaced with an equally […]
[…] Co. in terms of smaller bags, but J+M’s larger pieces are certainly on-par with brands like Navali and Everlane, construced from sturdy twills and featuring leather reinforced handles and zipper […]
[…] the version for sale on the brand’s site right now comes in different color options than the bag pictured above, the nuts and bolts are still the same. With a Navali bag, you get a unique combination of quality […]
[…] of course, some extensive travel. Yes, this trip has it all. So I’m hoping what I throw in my Navali Stowaway Weekender (a companion on other trips) sticks. To carry the rest of my gear, I’ll be toting along a […]
I recently received this bag as a gift. Normally I’ve had a lot of trouble with bags like this breaking on me, but this one feels super rugged. They definitely put some quality materials in this bag.
Glad to hear you’ve found it to be similarly high-quality! They definitely do put some attention into that hardware, it’s a nice bag that’s continued to serve me well. Thanks for reading!
-Beau
[…] round out my luggage and grooming situation, I’m hauling everything in, as ever, my Navali Stowaway Weeekender Bag and my hard-wearing Satchel & Page Slim Mailbag, both of which have provided formidable and […]
[…] get home, my Satchel & Page Slim Mailbag and Navali Weekender were more than durable, yet that wasn’t my primary concern! Packing gear to beat the cold […]
[…] By Blue duffle bag made from solid waxed canvas. The Moss color is just different enough from my Navali Stowaway Weekender, so it’s a nice addition to my everyday travel carry. And as I’ll also be on the road […]
[…] sneakers, for example) inside, along with various other knits, sweaters and pants. Compared to my Navali Stoway Weekender Bag, it definitely feels roomier inside, which is somewhat surprising given that the Navali Weekender […]
[…] weekender bags for travel, as I rounded up five great ones. In fact, I just put my trusty Navali Stowaway Weekender to use as I hit the road to Timberland HQ in the rustic town of Stratham, N.H., for a great Fall […]
[…] shirt, dark denim, brown leather chukka boots and indigo sneakers, for example. In comparison to my Navali Stowaway Weekender, it’s got enough room for about a day’s worth of clothes more (that is, an extra set of […]
[…] bag, one with plenty of room to carry your essentials and more. While I alternate between my trusty Navali Stowaway Weekender and my durable Owen & Fred Voyager Waxed Weekender, I chose my O&F bag for this trip. […]