Product Overview
Brand Comparison and Product Review
Children’s duffle’s, why would you or your kid want one? Well, a duffel bag features more packing space due to stretch and design than most hard-shell suitcases, and typically these duffels are also carry-on friendly and save parents a pretty penny through all phases of travel. When it comes to portability these suitcases – if packed lightly enough – are no hassle for a little boy or girl ages 6 and up to handle all over an airport or even on a walk down the block to Grandma’s house. They can also be great looking and very affordable, just take a look between Steven Joseph’s Quilted Duffel and Wildkin’s Overnight Duffel? These are both travel friendly, space maximizing, and great for carrying right onto the airplane.
How we Organized our Reviews
Of course, the real question: which duffel is better? For you parents that answer might actually differ based on your kids interests or needs, or even based on your needs – after all, you don’t want to be carrying children’s clothing in your own suitcase, right? The products under review have been pitted against each other in the fairest way possible, by listing nothing but the facts and organizing them in a side-by-side comparison under 4 main subjects: suitcase storage, materials/durability, additional features, and size/style options. It’s our belief that when presented with these facts that our readers, you parents or grandparents out there, will have no trouble seeing which of these brands offers the suitcase you and your kid are looking for!
Our experience reviewing Steven Joseph Kids Luggage has always been an enjoyable one; this is a company which packs loads of extras into its children’s suitcase designs, and usually these extras offer easier portability, more packing space, and fun little quirks for keeping your children entertained. Their carry-on duffels are especially travel friendly, easy to carry, and fun to look at; built with your toddler in mind let’s take a closer look at this Quilted Duffle.
Suitcase Storage
Steven Joseph offers a lot of carry-on duffels, but their quilted duffle is a major customer/parent favorite. This duffle offers 9 x 15-inch size with a flexible semi-stretch quilt fabric and main top zipper opening. Storage is as simple as unzip and start packing and for a toddler starting at 2 years and up to about age 4, this suitcase can easily fit 5 to 6 different outfits. Fully packed this should be a very simple bag for your toddler to carry on their own, but watch how you packed and what weights get in there, because different shoes and toys can add a bit more weight than your little one might be used to lugging.
Materials/Durability
Where soft shell luggage – rolling or carried – is concerned, the top materials with the highest durability are cotton canvas (medium durability) and nylon (highest durability). Typically, polyester suitcases offer the lowest durability on the scale. So, where would a quilted duffle rest? Well, with its crisscross patterned stitching and quilted 100% cotton material, it ranks medium-high as a cotton-canvas type material; it’s interior also includes a slicker water-tight material for added moisture protection. The shoulder straps are made from strong webbing and feature top of the line high-quality stitching.
Additional Features
There aren’t too many additional features when it comes to a kid’s duffel. At a glance these suitcases are designed to be simple and easy to carry for a quick walk straight through security, to your gate, and right onto the airplane. The most unique added feature is the cute design of the suitcase and even the highly affordable price for such a nice quilted bag that feature superior stitching. Also, the interior does include a watertight slickered lining that adds to the overall durability and protection of your kid’s clothes or packed electronics. The entire bag is machine washable, and it even coordinates with Steven Joseph’s patterned wallets and purses.
Size/Style Options
Measuring 9 x 14.5 x 14 inches and weighing only 10.2 ounces (unpacked), this duffel carry-on is certainly designed with the toddler age in mind. It’s quite small for kids 6 and up, so make sure you consider that before purchase! Style options on Amazon for this suitcase are limited to a cutesy fox quilted design with an orange fox surrounded by flowers on a pink quilted background. For other style options you can separately scroll through same-sized Stephen Joseph Quilted Duffle Bags, and these options include Princess designs, mermaids, and even owls and other animals!
Wildkin is a privately-owned business located in Nashville, Tennessee. The brand offers fantastic backpacks, lunchboxes, sleeping bags, bedding and more for all ages! Their duffle bags are very popular for camping trips and airline travel, and your kids are guaranteed to love the unique designs while you enjoy the overall quality and pricing of each bag. Wildkin is dedicated to making useful, fun, safe gear for kids of all ages, and their colorful bags and other items are designed to be safely made from non-toxic materials. Additionally, with their other coordinating accessories, many parents love to purchase other traveling extras and mix and match different wallets, bags, and backpacks with their children’s traveling duffels.
Suitcase Storage
Measuring 18 inches, this roomy design easily fits everything your child needs, while being lightweight enough to ensure that they don’t get weighed down. The spacious interior means your child can pack the essentials and then some, while the exterior zippered compartment conveniently stores the most important items so that your child can access them in a flash. The one downside as well as upside, is the overall size of the duffle. Overpacked not many kids under the age of 9 will be able to handle this duffle for very long while walking through an airport or even just walking to school packed with cleats and uniform for a soccer game. However, the size allows for between 8 to 9 children’s outfits with room to spare.
Materials/Durability
The Overnighter Duffel Bag is made from 600-denier polyester with a moisture-resistant nylon interior to ensure that whatever your child stores inside remains safe and dry. Its ultra-durable design means a little rough-and-tumble is okay because this duffel was built to handle it! However, it is worth noting that for the durability of a soft side suitcase the highest durability ratings belong to duffle’s and suitcases made from cotton canvas (medium-high durability) and nylon (highest durability).
Additional Features
The Overnighter Duffel Bag comes complete with two attached carrying handles as well as a removable padded shoulder strap, making it so that your child can wear it their way and carry more weight at a pinch. Wildkin’s overnighter duffel bags also feature different vibrant, playful patterns, so your child will love having one as a fun new addition to their school/travel gear. Additionally, each overnighter duffel is specifically designed to coordinate with other Wildkin gear such as lunch boxes, backpacks, and sleeping bags. Where safety is concerned all of the different prints for these carry-ons are rigorously tested to ensure that all parts are lead-safe, bpa-free, and phthalate-free.
Size/Style Options
Measuring in at 18 x 9 x 9 inches and sporting a easily conformable polyester design material for different unique prints, this suitcase offers plenty of different style options (up to 9 different style options). Our favorite design choices are the Aztec print, Rainbow Hearts, and Horses. These specific prints are more girl-friendly, but Wildkin also produces a unique line of boy-friendly designs as well.
Children’s Fun Travel Duffel Bags:
At a glance Wildkin’s Overnight Duffle appears to offer some of the best value for kids luggage; their duffle’s are sizable, include two different carry methods, and also include many different style options. The one major downside is that these duffle’s are often too large for kids 9 and under; there are even some 10-year-olds who the suitcases are too big for. Steven Joseph on the other hand offers a quilted duffle which is more durable but only suitable for younger toddlers and kids up to the age of 5. In the end, the final and most important review is the personal review of the parents who know the age of their kids and the needs of their children for the upcoming traveling. Where it counts, both of these brands offer excellent designs, just for different ages!
