CALIFORNIA DUFFEL BAGS

Marcopolini: Campbell-based Marcopolini imports high-quality, hand-made leather goods from Italy, including high-end duffels.  I own a Marcopolini key wallet (which, for those who don’t know, is a keychain that stows your keys inside a coin-purse-like wallet, so your keys don’t punch holes in your pockets).  It is extremely well made, and its leather keeps looking better as it ages.

Patagonia: With Ventura-based Patagonia, you get what you pay for.  What you pay is a lot.  What you get is exactly what you want.  Patagonia’s gear and clothing looks great, it works perfectly, and it is manufactured as ethically and sustainably as reasonably possible.  I do not yet own a Patagonia duffel bag.  But I do own a broad cross-section Patagonia clothing and gear, all of which may very well last me forever.  

Glaser Designs: San Francisco-based Glaser makes absolutely beautiful duffel bags to order for "executive travelers," which I think means wealthy professionals who spend a lot of time on planes. 

Mountain Hardwear: Richmond-based Mountain Hardware has been my go-to supplier for camping-and-backpacking clothing and gear for more than a decade.  They also make duffel bags, which probably are of high quality, and which look nice, in an a-backpacking-company-made-this sort of way.

North Face: Alameda-based North Face makes pretty much everything an outdoors-enthusiast could want, including duffel bags.  Judging by everything I’ve bought from North Face so far, their duffels probably are very well made.

Olivers Apparel: Los Angeles-based Olivers makes exercise and streetwear clothes for runners and gym-goers.  Their offerings include duffel bags.