Our Osprey Transporter WP Duffel 100 Review explores a fully waterproof duffel suited to any adventures where water protection is essential. We hope you find it useful.
Introduction
Osprey need no introduction as an industry leading pack and travel luggage manufacturer. Their extensive range includes products for every sport and every type of travel. We have reviewed a wide selection them in the past and there are links to some of them at the bottom of this review.
Recently, Osprey have also introduced a selection of fully waterproof duffels, packs and accessories. These feature IPX7 ratings and specific features and are suited to, as Osprey describe, ‘ anywhere water protection is paramount’. We have been putting one of the duffels through its paces and are pleased to share our findings. Please read on for our Osprey Transporter WP Duffel 100 Review.
Features
Fabrics
The Transporter WP duffel range offers models in 40, 70 and 100 litre sizes. This reviews the 100 litre version. All the sizes are manufactured from Bluesign approved (details on the Bluesign accreditation system are here) GRS certified recycled main fabrics. In this case, the main body fabric is 630 denier diamond ripstop high tenacity nylon with double TPU coating. All main seams are welded for complete waterproofness. Metal buckles are corrosion resistant.
Other Features
The duffel opens and closes via a fully waterproof and durable YKK AquaSeal zipper. As waterproof zippers can be stiff to open and close, there are grab loops at the end of the zipper path. These also double as lash points. The combination of fully waterproof fabrics and seams plus the AquaSeal zipper means the Transporter WP series are IPX7 rated. This means they can be submerged to 1 metre water depth for 30 minutes.
There are padded and contoured shoulder straps which attach via corrosion resistant aluminium buckles. The straps also lock together in the middle via a velcro closing sleeve. This allows the straps to be used as a carrying handle. Further carrying options come from wide grab handles on the ends and sides. These also double as lash down points. There are additional lash points along either side of the bag. Inside the duffel there are compression straps and the duffel is supplied with a removable mesh storage pocket.
The Osprey Transporter WP 100 duffel comes in black or red colours and weighs 1.4kg. The dimensions are 85 cms high, 46 cms wide and 32 cms deep. The bag retails for £300.
In Use
First Impressions
My first impressions of the waterproof Transporter are of sleek and clutter free exterior and extremely durable fabrics. I also really like the streamlined barrel shape. As always with Osprey, construction quality also looks top quality. The YKK AquaSeal buckle appears to be extremely robust. Let’s dive in and see if the bag lives up to these early impressions.
AquaSeal Zipper
Pulling the zipper open shows how stiff these fully waterproof zippers can be. I have plenty of experience of this type on drysuits and so it wasn’t a surprise, but may be to users who aren’t familiar with them. To aid users Osprey have included handy pull loops at each end. They really help. The pull loops also serve as potential lash points.
Storage
Looking inside, there is just the large main compartment on this model. The outer has to be fully waterproof and all the seams are welded, so I imagine it isn’t practical to offer pockets and compartments inside. I do like organisation pockets in duffles, so Osprey include a removable stretch mesh pocket that can be attached to the internal compression straps. This is a really useful addition.
The interior of the 100 litre model is cavernous. This is a mega load hauler for big adventures. You’ll easily fit your clothes and camping equipment or a stack of climbing gear inside. If the bag is fully loaded it can be quite tricky to close the zip under strain. This is also not a good option with waterproof zippers anyway. So, the addition of internal compression straps is great. You can crank them tight to take the strain off the zip. it is then a breeze to close the bag. The straps also mean loads can be secured inside if the bag isn’t full.
Access
Over the years I have become used to duffels with a clamshell style U shape zipper. This shape is optimum as it allows very easy access to the bags contents. The need for a waterproof zipper means this isn’t an option on this particular bag. I have still found the length of the zipper makes access easy, but just something to be aware of. This access is helped because the length of the zipper ensures the top opening falls apart when the zipper is released.
Durability
The 630 denier fabric is extremely robust. I haven’t even begun to see any signs of wear after a number of trips this summer. In fact, nothing I have thrown at it so far appears to have taxed the fabric at all. I have total confidence this bag will stand up to a lot of wear and tear.
As previously mentioned, all the seams on the waterproof Transporter are welded and all straps and lash points are reinforced. Whether this bag is stashed to a raft, strapped on top of a vehicle or lashed to the side of a pack animal, I have every confidence you will arrive at your destination with dry belongings.
Carrying Options
The contoured and padded shoulder straps are removable via rust resistant alloy buckles. The removability is useful if you want to avoid entrapment risks or to keep the straps dry. It is also handy to remove them if travelling by air. However, do also note that the shoulder straps double as a handle and so you will lose this carrying function when you remove them. This isn’t usually too much of a problem as there are also end handles to move the bag around.
Attaching and removing the shoulder straps is simple. They thread through and double back like a climbing harness buckle. Doubling them back is important otherwise they won’t be secure. Remember the ‘O’ for open and ‘C’ for closed mantra that we teach for climbing harnesses and you won’t have a problem.
The straps are very comfortable and carrying the bag fully loaded isn’t a problem. At least, that is, over fairly short distances. This bag isn’t designed for long term carrying of course. Another factor with carrying comfort is that there is no back padding. When you wear this you the bag is resting on the material itself. So, it pays to pack carefully so you have some softer items against your back.
The comfort of the shoulder straps also comes from the contoured shape and the padding. For a company that have decades of experience manufacturing packs this shouldn’t be a surprise. Even so, Osprey have managed to strike the balance between comfort, lightweight and packability.
Grab Handle Carrying
The shoulder straps also double as a grab handle. You close up the central velcro sleeve around each strap and you are ready for action. A handle of this type is always going to be a compromise and I wouldn’t want to carry the duffel far in this style, but it works fine to move the bag short distances.
Sustainability
Osprey are industry leaders in sustainable manufacture and all their products feature recycled fabrics. The Transporter WP Duffel is made from Bluesign approved recycled nylon. It also features a durable water repellant (DWR) treatment made without poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). Bluesign is an industry standard for sustainable manufacture and details about the scheme are available via the link above.
Summary
Our Osprey Transporter WP Duffel 100 review details an extremely durable and high performance fully waterproof load hauler. It has carefully considered features and a comfortable and stable carrying harness. It is also built with longevity and sustainability in mind.
I have used many models from the Osprey Transporter range over many years and they never fail to disappoint. This model is no exception. The choice of whether you need a fully waterproof duffel comes down to what you need it for. If you don’t need this feature you may want to consider the standard Transporter range instead.
A fully waterproof duffel is going to suit anyone travelling in very challenging weather or where keeping your gear dry is paramount. For many outdoor adventures this may well fit the bill. If that’s the case I think this bag will serve you extremely well and applaud Osprey for bringing such specialised and carefully constructed products to the market. They continue to set a very high bar.
Full details on this duffel are available on the Osprey website here. Please also watch the handy video below which explains the waterproof Transporter range in detail.
We have used Osprey products for many years and this Osprey Transporter WP Duffel 100 review is one of many we have completed. For example, we have reviewed mountain focussed packs like the load hauling Nimsdai 90 here, hillwalking packs like the UNLTD Antigravity 64 here and skiing packs like the Soeldon Pro Avy 32 here. We have also reviewed travel and expedition luggage such as the Transporter 120 Duffel here. Finally, we have reviewed several packs from the Osprey mountain biking range including the Raptor Pro here. All our reviews can be found in the review section of our blog here.