Gregory Alpaca 60 Duffel Bag Review

Bottom Line

The Gregory Alpaca 60 is a tough, no-frills duffel that is built for people who are hard on their gear. We tested it on overland trips in Colorado, threw it in the back of a pickup in the rain, and hit it with a garden hose on purpose just to see what would happen. Overall, it handled our abuse really well. 

The big zipper runs smoothly even when the bag is loaded down, the expandable end pocket is handy for keeping dirty clothes separate, and the different carry options make it easy to deal with depending on how much stuff you’ve crammed inside. The daisy chains are useful too, especially if we wanted to tie it down in a truck bed or clip extra gear to the outside.

It doesn’t have a ton of internal organization, and we wish it had compression straps. We also had some water leak in through the bottom during our hose test, so this is not a fully waterproof duffel. Still, for the price, the build quality is excellent. If you want a bag that’s built for the long haul (literally), the Alpaca 60 is a great choice amongst our guide to the best duffels.

How We Tested

The Gregory Alpaca 60 came with us on a week-long overland trip through the Colorado Rockies, rode in the back of a pickup through rain, and got a thorough soaking with a garden hose back at home. We evaluated it over several weeks of repeated loading and unloading, and generally treated it pretty poorly, paying close attention to how the carry system, weather resistance, and organizational features held up over time.

Carry Comfort

The Alpaca 60 carries well across all three of its carry options. The top grab handle is sturdy and reinforced for quick lifts, the end handles make loading into a truck bed or overhead bin easy, and the removable padded shoulder straps are comfortable enough for longer carries. Even with a full load, the bag stayed relatively stable and didn’t flop around too much as we sprinted through Denver International Airport because we overslept for a flight. 

Overall, we find the Alpaca comfortable for extended carries across parking lots and campsites and notably easy to remove and reattach compared to other duffels we have tested.

One ergonomic note worth knowing: there’s no dedicated stow spot for the top or end handles when you’re using the shoulder straps. This isn’t a major issue for us, but it can make the bag feel a little messy when flying. It’s always best to secure any loose straps before checking a bag to prevent damage. Ask us how we know. It’s a minor inconvenience, but we always appreciate a cleaner strap-management system, especially when flying.

Compressibility & Packability

The Alpaca 60 doesn’t compress down much, and there aren’t any compression straps to cinch it tighter when it’s only partially packed. At 60 liters, it’s also larger than most airline carry-on limits when fully loaded, so it’s not the most flexible option for air travel. But for overland trips, road trips, and gear-heavy weekends where space isn’t as tight, that extra capacity is more of a perk than a problem.

We also appreciate the included stuff sack, which pulls double duty. It works as a packing cube inside the duffel to help keep smaller items organized, and when the bag is empty, the whole duffel stuffs into it for easier storage or transport. It’s a simple, useful feature that adds versatility without adding extra bulk.

Durability

The Alpaca 60 is built to last. The recycled polyester ripstop fabric with a TPU coating held up really well during our abuse testing, and the heavy-duty stitching at the stress points gives us a lot of confidence in its long-term durability. After multiple trips, repeated loading and unloading from dirty truck beds, and being dragged across the rocky ground by a four-year-old, the bag still showed no meaningful signs of wear.

We were also impressed by the reinforced daisy chain loops running the length of the bag. They feel sturdy and well-anchored, and they handled tie-down stress without stretching, pulling, or showing any give. Overall, this is the kind of duffel that feels like it will outlast a lot of the gear you pack inside it.

Weather Resistance

We found the Alpaca 60 to have better-than-average weather resistance for a standard duffel. Most duffels, even really nice ones, are water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, and the Alpaca lands on the more protective end of that spectrum.

We left it in the back of a truck during a four-hour drive in moderate rain, and everything inside stayed dry. That’s exactly the level of protection we want from a road-trip and overland duffel. It can handle wet truck beds, rain showers, and damp camp mornings without much fuss.

Our garden hose test was less forgiving. After giving the bag a more direct soaking, we did see some water get in through the bottom, but only after an extended, thorough soak. The three-layer padded base with an internal coating adds durability and a helpful layer of moisture protection, but it’s not a bathtub floor. We wouldn’t leave this bag sitting in standing water or trust it through a sustained downpour without extra protection.

Organization

Organization is pretty straightforward on the Alpaca 60. The main compartment is one big open space, which makes it easy to load bulky gear but doesn’t offer much built-in sorting. There are two mesh pockets in the lid for small essentials like cables, toiletries, or travel documents, but otherwise this duffel works best with packing cubes or your own system.

The expandable end pocket is the most useful organizational feature. It gives you a separate spot for dirty clothes, wet layers, shoes, or ski gear, and we found it really helpful on multi-day trips when we wanted to keep the gross stuff away from the clean stuff.

The catch is that the end pocket expands into the main compartment. If the bag is already packed tight, that pocket loses a lot of usable space. It’s easy enough to work around if you plan for it from the start, but it does require a little more thought than a true external pocket. For most people, the setup is simple and functional, but it’s not a duffel we’d choose for maximum organization.

Should You Buy the Gregory Alpaca 60 Duffel?

If you need a tough, weather-resistant duffel that can handle overland trips, ski weekends, and airport travel without looking beat up after a few hard miles, the Gregory Alpaca 60 is an excellent value. The biggest selling point is the build quality. It’s durable, dependable, and thoughtfully reinforced in all the places that usually take the most abuse.

If you need a fully waterproof bag, extensive interior organization, or a bag that compresses for carry-on travel, other options in our lineup better serve those needs. 

What Other Duffels Should You Consider?

If you are not sure the Gregory Alpaca 60 is the right bag for you, here are a few other top-performing options from our guide to the best duffel bags worth considering.

Patagonia Black Hole 55L Review: A similarly tough, weather-resistant bag with a cleaner, more streamlined design. It lacks the Alpaca’s expandable dirty gear pocket and daisy chains but is slightly lighter and packs down a touch more compactly. A strong choice for travelers who want durability without the rugged expedition aesthetic.

Nemo Double Haul 55L Review: Our top-rated duffel overall and the better option for anyone who needs a bag that compresses down small and converts between duffel and tote modes. It does not match the Alpaca on raw durability, but its versatility and packability make it a more well-rounded choice for many travelers.

The North Face Basecamp Waterproof Duffel Review: One of only two fully waterproof choices in our lineup. If our garden hose test results give you pause and you need guaranteed dry contents in wet or submerged conditions, the Basecamp is one of the only bags that can promise that.