This is the Thule Chasm duffel bag (RRP – R2300), it belongs on a yacht, stuffed with your boardies, t-shirts, sunblock, fins, zinc, snacks, trinkets, curios and every time you see it in your cupboard it should fill you with excitement, because this is a damn fine surf travel bag.
It’s got a huge opening, so you can pack it quick and easy, and comes with a set of removable backpack straps, if you need to lug it long distances between the boat, the tuk-tuk and the plane.
Where you and your Thule Chasm duffel bag want to be.
It’s also full of compartments for separating and stashing your stuff. So if you’re a little OCD on surf trips, like me, you can stash and separate toiletries, surf gear, medical aid kit, cellphone, etc. Nice and neatly compartmentalised and separated from your funky laundry.
Then let’s quickly talk about the craftsmanship and quality. The duffel bag is made from a rubberised canvas, which means its both waterproof and hard-wearing! The zips are all rubber sealed to increase the waterproofing and they have a little eyelet which allows you to lock up your goodies before you hand them over to the OR Tambo baggage handlers.
VERDICT: The large Thule Chasm 90 litre duffel bag is rather expensive at R2300, but this is partly justified by the 25 year warranty the Swedish luggage specialists have included with this particular item. Basically, buy this bag and you won’t need another one ever… and neither will your son or daughter.
Find out more on www.thule.co.za
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ABOUT THE ZAG REVIEW:
The Zag Review is an independent editorial feature on surfing hard goods, ranging the full spectrum from boards and wetsuits to tide watches and travel bags. None of the reviews are paid for by advertisers or part of an advertising deal, and we retain the right to give honest, critical feedback that is in the interest of our readers. The product is reviewed by Zag staff and everyday surfers who rip, not pros who are paid to endorse the goods. We test the gear for a minimum period of two weeks (and a month for boards) to give you comprehensive feedback for the surfing layman. We know that surfboards are not a “one size fits all solution” and different surfers prefer different aspects on a board according to how they surf, even if they are the same weight and height. In the case of surfboard reviews, we’ve made sure to seek feedback from at least three different surfers to get well-rounded input.
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