Eagle Creek Hybrid Hauler Review

by Kevin Fonger · Published March 24, 2011 , 10:03 am · Updated January 6, 2018 , 6:48 am

For the traveler that loves adventure, but doesn’t want to mix the dirt, mud, sweat, and water with your clean clothes, the Eagle Creek Hybrid Hauler is a perfect option. With a moderate travel schedule and a knack for getting my clothes, shoes, and gear full of sweat, dirt, and grit, I really like the idea of having a separate water resistant compartment to keep my clean clothes separate from my dirty gear.

In a recent trip I took to Ponce Inlet, FL, I ended up doing a lot of running on the beach. The beach in Ponce Inlet is fine sand and hard packed which makes for a great running surface, but can be a nightmare to get the sand out of your shoes and anything else it comes in contact with. Since I didn’t get a chance to wash my running clothes, I also wanted to keep those clothes separate from my clean clothes. The “bathtub” compartment where you can store these dirty clothes and shoes has plenty of room to store a pair or two of shoes and some dirty running, hiking, etc. clothing. For smaller items that are wet, dirty, etc., there is a smaller pocket about the size of a toiletry bag. This is ideal if you just want to stash dirty socks, underwear, or want to keep you toiletries separate from the rest of your clothing. This is also helpful for those of you that tend to be the victim of exploding shampoo bottles.

The Eagle Creek Hybrid Hauler has a few carry options. There is a shoulder strap so you can sling it over your shoulder. There is also a set of backpack straps that are a step up from some of the standard luggage systems with backpack straps. The straps have plenty of padding, so if you are carrying a heavier load, your shoulders should be safe. The straps also come equipped with load lifters near the top of the shoulders which help distribute the weight of the bag on your shoulders. To keep the straps secure on your shoulders, the Hybrid hauler also has an adjustable sternum strap that helps keep the bag from sloshing from side to side. The other three carry options include a handle attached to the side of the bag, a handle on the top, and two handles attached to the front of the bag. When traveling, I usually use the shoulder strap or backpack straps for carrying the Hybrid Hauler. The other handles do come in handy for carry the bag short distances, but if you are carrying a lot of weight, these don’t always to the trick.

For easy access into the Hybrid Hauler, Eagle Creek uses plastic reinforced zipper pulls which make it easy to open and close. These are the same zippers you will find on higher end backpacking packs. Another feature that helps set the Eagle Creek Hybrid Hauler apart from other travel duffle bags is the basic organizational pocket on the front of the bag. This has been very helpful to stash boarding passes, passports, and other small items like keys, cell phones, and small cameras. For security, all zippers except for the one that is used to tuck away the backpack straps are TSA lock compatible. So if you have valuables that you want to make secure, you are in good hands.

The Eagle Creek Hybrid Hauler in a size medium fits most carry-on standards. There are two beefy compression straps that will help cinch the bag down in case the people at the airport gate don’t like the size of your bag. Not to mention, the compression straps look pretty sweet too. If you want a duffle that can fit a little extra, the Eagle Creek Hybrid Hauler also comes in a size large and retails for $175, the medium retails for $150. And while I talk about the Hybrid Hauler as it relates to airport travel, it’s also a perfect companion for car travel as well. Overall, I would definitely give the Eagle Creek Hybrid Hauler 2 BIG thumbs up as it is one of my go-to duffels for travel these days.