I’ve known for a while that my Longchamp Le Pliage tote bag was no longer cutting it for my long-haul international flights. I’ve been using it as a personal item for years since I know it’s safely under the measurement limits, but every time I do, it’s overstuffed and I can’t even close it!
So as I began my search for a travel duffle bag that works as a personal item, I came across the Etronik travel bag on Tiktok.
Some people even say that it’s the best Beis Weekender Bag dupe they’ve found online. This bag is certainly a lot cheaper, coming in at less than half the price of the Beis!
So what are my thoughts on this viral travel bag? I’ll tell you below.
Where to Buy this Viral Travel Bag
On Amazon, the Etronik bag is very cheap, and it’s quite simple to purchase it from a well-known retailer.
Nevertheless, I know that some Amazon products can be bought for even less on AliExpress and Temu so I looked on those sites to see if I could find it for even cheaper.
Sure enough, I found the viral Amazon travel bag on AliExpress for much less including shipping. Amazon prices change often but right now, it’s selling for about half.
Plus, I prefer unbranded products and this bag doesn’t have the “ETRONIK” logo that the Amazon bag has.
I ordered the bag from AliExpress on June 15, 2023 and the bag arrived on June 26, so 11 days later. The bag came packaged in a simple plastic bag wrapped in a larger shipping plastic bag. It was folded up neatly and didn’t have any damage that I could see.
Why the Bag is So Popular
The design of this viral Amazon travel duffel bag is what makes it so popular. It has a spacious main compartment for clothes and essentials, in addition to a lower zippered compartment for storing shoes and perhaps harder or heavier things.
There are two main handles where you can hold the bag as well as a velcro handle wrap to keep them together. There is also a longer shoulder strap for wearing it crossbody or on your shoulder that you can detach if you want.
Inside the main compartment, there are two slots on the wall of the interior which could hold your phone and wallet for example. On the other side of the interior, there is a long zipper compartment, but not large enough for a laptop.
The duffel bag comes with a small pouch in the same color as the bag and a large drawstring shoe bag for organizing.
The exterior of the bag has an open pouch on the front and another long zippered pouch on the backside. The backside also has a strap for sliding onto the handlebars of a rolling suitcase. There are two elastic water bottle pouches on either side of the bag, too.
It also has a small USB sized opening on the side for charging your phone on the go. The bag comes with a USB wire that you attach to the interior and plug into your own portable charger device. The bag doesn’t come with the actual charger itself, you need to supply a small one yourself.
What it Can Fit
This bag can easily fit a ton of stuff. It’s easy to see that you could fit several pieces of clothing in the main compartment, two pairs of shoes in the lower compartment (or more if you’re packing sandals), as well as the basic toiletries you would need for a weekend trip or even a bit longer.
Disadvantages
The downsides to this bag is that some reviewers have complained that the metal parts attaching the shoulder strap to the bag break off easily. For this reason. I don’t plan on using the long strap which is attached by the thin metal closure. I’ll probably opt for the handles and just sling it over my shoulder that way.
The misleading of the bag is that it is structured – it’s not. The photos always show the bag perfectly upright and smooth. That’s not the case. It’s made of a flexible nylon fabric and has no structure to it whatsoever. I think it has a nice shape when fully packed. But if it’s partially empty, it will flop inwards since there’s nothing to hold it upright. Not a big deal, but good to know!
Other reviewers noted that the zipper jammed within a few months. Some people said that the bag only lasted 6 months before breaking entirely.
So this may not be a family heirloom product!
Final Verdict
Overall, I think if you enjoy traveling with heavy duffle bags and want to save some money, this is going to be a good product for you.
But, if you’re like me, and can’t stand a heavy bag on your shoulder, then you’re better off traveling with a wheeled carry-on suitcase!
