A Legendary Backpack Maker Just Got Serious About Travel Duffels

A brand whose name had once been stitched onto backpacks in every American middle school hallway and, before that, was first known for making mountain-worthy adventure packs, quietly dropped a convertible duffel that deserves a serious look from travelers who’ve never once thought to check its website for gear like this.

Out of the hallway and into the terminal

Jansport

JanSport has been making bags since the late 1960s, when it launched out of Seattle as a genuine outdoor gear company before pivoting hard toward the lifestyle market.

Now it’s making a move back toward its roots, and the JanSport Good Latitude Convertible Duffel is the most compelling evidence yet that the brand is done being pigeonholed.

Jansport

The Good Latitude doesn’t look like anything JanSport has produced in recent memory. Gone are the bright color blocking and boxy silhouettes associated with the brand’s heritage.

This bag reads clean, structured and intentional. It’s available in a muted palette that skews toward navy and black, and the overall aesthetic leans toward a premium travel brand.

Jansport

The bag converts between a duffel and a backpack, with padded, stowable shoulder straps that tuck away cleanly when you want to carry it by the padded top handle or adjustable shoulder strap.

The main compartment opens wide for easy packing, and a dedicated laptop sleeve makes it a more practical option right away for any trip that involves a work computer compared to the more rugged North Face Base Camp Voyager Duffel or the burly Patagonia Black Hole.

A front zippered pocket, internal mesh organization and a dedicated water bottle sleeve round out the feature set.

Jansport

It’s worth being direct about the trade-offs. The North Face and Patagonia build their flagship duffels from bombproof TPU-coated fabrics designed to survive a river crossing or a cargo hold without flinching.

The Good Latitude isn’t that. JanSport is working with lighter, less technical materials here — a decision that keeps the weight and price down but means this bag isn’t the one to grab if your trip involves anything rougher than a commuter rail or an overhead bin. Think weekend travel, gym-to-office, carry-on capable trips — not base camp approach hikes.

Jansport

For the traveler who prioritizes organization and versatility over expedition-grade durability, the Good Latitude actually carves out a more functional niche than either of its tougher competitors. The laptop sleeve alone changes the calculus for anyone heading to a conference or working remotely.

Availability and pricing

Jansport

The Good Latitude Convertible Duffel offers a 40L capacity and retails for $125, which puts it in a competitive position relative to the field.

The Patagonia Black Hole and North Face Base Camp Voyager and the Peak Design 35L Travel Duffel are all somewhere between $20 – $50 more expensive.

Jansport

The bag is available now directly from JanSport’s website. For everyday travelers who want a bag that does more than one thing — and don’t need it to survive a kayak roll — the Good Latitude is worth a hard look from a brand you probably wrote off a long time ago.

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