Today I’m sharing my review of the Luka duffel bag from CALPAK.
CALPAK is known for their streamlined luggage sets, convenient packing cubes, and hold-everything-in-your-bathroom clear cosmetic cases.
I have taken the Luka duffel bag on multiple weekend trips as well as all the way to Canada and on our three week trip to Europe with our daughters. I actually use it as my gym bag now too, and it’s held up amazingly well over the last year.
I’m sharing all of the details in this post. In this CALPAK Luka duffel review, I’ll walk through all of the specs of this bag and what I love about it. I’ll also share the difference between the original Luka duffel and the Large Luka duffel. At the end of the post, I’ll share a quick roundup of my other go-to CALPAK items.
SALE ALERT: CALPAK’s Black Friday event is in full swing, and the Luka duffel is currently marked down to $102! (The Large Luka is marked down to $110!). Check out the full sale here.
CALPAK Luka Duffel Review
Today I am reviewing the original size of the Luka duffel bag, but CALPAK did recently come out with a larger version that might be better suited for longer trips (more on the size differences below).
Compartments
The CALPAK Luka duffel has nine (nine!) total pockets. On the outside of the duffel, it has a trolley sleeve, allowing this bag to sit perfectly secure on top of a rolling suitcase.
This is the Away “Larger Carry On” and you can see the Luka fits perfectly on top and is secured with the trolley sleeve on the back.
There is a huge zipper pocket that runs lengthwise on the outside of the bag, just big enough for a book, tablet, or Kindle. This zipper is hidden beneath one of the “puffs.” On one side, there’s an open pocket where you can stash your phone, wallet, or even water bottle for easy access (and for those wondering, this pocket does fit a Lululemon belt bag).
On the other side, there is a zipper pocket that extends into the body of the bag. This is designed to be a shoe compartment so the rest of your stuff doesn’t have to touch your shoes. But if you don’t need to use the shoe compartment, you can roll up the storage material with a snap inside the bag so it doesn’t get in your way.
Inside, there are a few open pockets along the side as well as one big zipper pouch. There is also one smaller zipper pouch hanging from the top of the inside of the bag.
Structure
One thing I love about this bag is the structure. It can stand up on its own, making packing and unpacking a breeze. There is, in my opinion, nothing worse than a floppy duffel bag.
Straps
There are two strap options on this bag: a pair of shorter shoulder-carry straps on the top as well as a removable longer strap that you can store internally if you aren’t using it.
Materials
This duffel is made of a “puffy” water-resistant polyester. I love the material. It’s easy to wipe down and it’s scratch-resistant.
Weight
The Luka duffel is incredibly light, weighing in at 1.95 lbs.
Price
The Luka duffel costs $128. I did a lot of browsing during my research and found this price very fair for the quality. Away, Lululemon, and Dagne Dover have bags of similar sizes that are upwards of $150-175.
Colors
I couldn’t say no to the matte black, but this bag comes in SO many other cute colors. You could spend a lifetime trying to choose! The “classic” colors–matte black, a rose quartz (kind of a light blush), oatmeal and chocolate–are the best neutrals.
And the limited edition colorways are just so, so fun–especially for spring and summer travel: bubblegum, sage, winter sky, and celery. All adorable, all Instagram friendly.
Calpak Luka Duffel dimensions
The Luka duffel bag is 16 inches long, 12 inches tall, and 7 inches wide.
This bag is TSA approved and–this is important–is technically small enough to count as a personal item with most airlines. I can confirm that this duffel bag fits under an airplane seat, even leaving a little room on the side for your feet (of course this may depend on the airplane!). The bag holds 22L.
This size would probably qualify it more as an “overnight bag” than a “weekender bag.” This size is perfect to use as a gym bag or even a commuter bag.
I’ll definitely use this as a carry-on bag for flights too–sometimes it’s nice to have the essentials with me and put everything else in my checked bag.
I also plan to use it for “day trips” up to my mom’s house where I need to pack stuff for the girls’ naps (blankets, sound machine, Lamby and Uni), swimsuits, jammies, and a book, etc.
For what I was looking for, the size of the classic Luka duffel is perfect.
CALPAK Luka vs. Large Luka Duffel
HOWEVER, if you are packing for more than two nights and need multiple pairs of shoes, etc, I’d go with the larger Luka duffel size. This larger size has a packing capacity of 45.5 L and would be better suited for a longer stay. The larger size costs $158. You can see in the photos below how much bigger the Large Luka is than the original.
CALPAL Luka vs. Stevyn Duffel
You also might consider the Stevyn duffel bag from CALPAK which holds 47L. The Stevyn duffel also has an entire dedicated shoe compartment on the bottom that can hold 2-3 pairs of shoes as well as a much bigger main compartment for more sets of clothes. The Stevyn duffel from CALPAK costs $98.
Is CALPAK worth it?
There’s no getting around it: the Luka duffel is amazing. I love the structure and how easy it is to keep organized. I’ve had those floppy, black hole-type duffel bags in the past, and those just weren’t going to cut it anymore. When I’m traveling (especially with the kids!), I need to know where everything is at all times, you know?
I love the compartments, the trolley sleeve, and how chic it looks on top of my suitcase or over my shoulder.
CALPAK luggage is iconic for a reason. I definitely think this bag is worth the price and can picture myself using it for years to come.
Where To Buy Calpak Luka Duffel
You can purchase the Luka duffel bag on CALPAK’s website.
You can also purchase the matte black, chocolate, or rose quartz color from Nordstrom.
Other CALPAK faves
My set of packing cubes has come in handy so much that I went and purchase another whole set. These are one of my favorite family travel hacks–I pack one or two for each of my kids depending on the length of our trip, and this saves me so much time and grief staying organized between stays. Each cube has a separate compartment on the back AND a little spot to add a label.
I am obsessed with CALPAK’s clear cosmetic case. I have it in the smallest size and it holds SO much stuff. I use it for every trip now and love it so much. The quality is amazing, and it is so easy to clean at the end of a trip.
Lastly, I love the tech organizer and always keep it with me. This keeps all of my chargers, cords, and converted organized and easily accessible.
On that note…
Heading somewhere warm this year? I just posted my packing list for spring and summer 2024. Check it out here.
I also wrote a review of the Dagne Dover Dakota backpack which I use for every single trip. Read more here.
Here is my full guide for packing for a long trip with kids.
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