Duffel bag

US military-issued duffel bags

A duffel bag or kit bag is a large bag made of either natural or synthetic fabric (typically canvas), historically with a top closure using a drawstring.^[1] Generally a duffel bag is used by non-commissioned personnel in the military, and for travel, sports and recreation by civilians.^[2] When used by sailors or marines a duffel is known as a seabag. A duffel's open structure and lack of rigidity makes it adaptable to carrying sports gear and similar bulky objects.

A duffel bag is often confused with a hoop-handled hard-bottomed zippered bag, known generically as a gym bag.

History[]

The origin of the name is disputed. Most sources maintain the name comes from Duffel,^[3] a town in Flanders, Belgium, where the thick duffel cloth used to make the bag originated in the 17th century.^[4]

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word dates back to 1649, used to describe ‘a coarse woollen cloth having a thick nap or frieze’. The earliest reference of the word specifically referring to a duffel bag is 1768.^[5]

In most of the 20th century, a duffel bag typically referred to a specific style of cylindrical, top-entry bag.^{[citation needed]} During the latter part the term began to be applied to a generic hoop-handled, hard-bottomed fabric holdall more commonly known as a "gym bag".^{[citation needed]} It is to this bag that additional features such as wheels, zippers, internal structure, and small organizing pockets are often added.^{[citation needed]}

See also[]

• Duffel Blog, a satirical military website
• Duffel coat
• Hockey bag
• Hold-all
• Rucksack

References[]

External links[]

• Media related to Duffel bags at Wikimedia Commons

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