What size duffel for porters?

[jonnyz1245]

I am heading over to Nepal next month. due to some minor back issues I am switching from carrying my own pack to hiring a porter to carry my gear.

I am going to purchase a North face base camp duffel to bring my gear in (sleeping bags, clothes etc) and am wondering what size to bring. I will be doing the EBC trek with a guide and porter. I will also have a small day pack(35L) to carry my DSLR, H20, sunscreen etc)

The sizes are listed below

[Mini] 250 in3 (4 liters)
[Small] 2560 in3 (42 liters)
[Medium] 4200 in3 (70 liters)
[Large] 5600 in3 (90 liters)
[XLarge] 9070 in3 (140 liters)

Which size would you recommend?

Thanks!

[Spaceman347]

I know this doesn't really healp but it entirely depends on how much stuff you're taking. (Medium would do most people)

[Petrus]

If it is too small, problems for you. If it is too big, no problems to no-one.

When we have had 2 peoples' gear in one duffel is has been either 110 liter (with a tent in there!) or 130 liters (long trek with quite lot of gear), individual duffels have been 90 and 70 liters. Carrying the bigger one even if it is slightly empty is not difficult, as the porters usually tie the load tighter. 90 liter duffel is more usefull maybe in the future also, because you can fit a bigger (ab. 60 liter) backpack inside it for air transport. I have done this on expedition type trips, where porter carries the duffel and I also need a midsize pack. So I vote for the 90 liter one.

[jonnyz1245]

I will take the large. with my daypack this should leave enough room for gear.

Thanks

[Landfall38]

go big

and don't worry about a fancy north face duffel. Go basic -- it will get pretty dirty.

[Petrus]

There are many makes, but the North Face Basecamp duffel is the standard the others are compared against. I have also Eagle Creek duffles and Ortlieb canoe sacks & duffel. The material TNF uses is good, easy to clean and watertight. The duffels themselves are not watertight at the seams, if you want 100% watertightness you must pay almost double and get Ortlieb rolltop duffles or large canoe sacks, which are not so dear but a bit hard to load/unload. I have used the 130 liter expedition sack with carrying straps (which the porters do not use, but help me). Eagle Creek and others (Tatonka, Haglöfs etc.) are made form thinner materials and have more "features". While quite ok for civiliced travel, they really are not as tough as TNF and Ortlieb.

The fourth alternative is to buy a cheap Nepal made duffel, either a blatant TNF BCD ripoff at $25 or a nondescript expedition sack for $10. Then the only problem is getting your stuff to Kathmandu in the first place. It you plan to buy all or most of your clothing from there then this approach is the cheapest (in the short run). We have used those cheap expedition sacks for tents & other bulk expedition gear.

[netorius77]

Sorry to ressurect an old thread, but thought better to search previous posts than start a new one, and this has already provided answers to some of my questions.

Both my wife and I will be trekking the AC and ABC route (teahouse trekking)and understand that we will be travelling with a porter between the two of us. I also believe that he will carry up to 15kg each (30kg combined).

Our preference is to each have our own duffel bag, and considering a 90 litre each after the recommendations in this thread.

Question: How do the porters transport two bags? I guess this is what they always do as if I was joining a organised trek, I may be travelling with strangers, and hence we would both have our own bags anyway.

Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated.

[Lars]

Question: How do the porters transport two bags?

Normally the porter will stuff your bags into an open top basket that he will then
carry on his back.

[netorius77]

Thanks Lars,
So I guess this basket is big enough for two 90l bags... Sounds like what my wife needs for her shoe shopping!

OK, so it sounds like this is pretty much a usual arrangement and they can cope with it. Thanks.

[Petrus]

Porters either use doko (basket) or more often just tie the two duffles together. Doko is actually not big enough for even one 90 liter duffle, but the sky is the limit for the loads thy carry in them (you'll understand when you see it...).

If you are going to share a tent or lodge rooms you can use just one large enough duffle, but two separate ones are usually more convenient. 90 liter duffle is plenty big enough for one, with carefull packing it would even serve two (men at least...).

[palpasacafe]

The porters usually use the Dokos for carrying bags. And it depends up on you how much you want to carry in your bags.