Okay, sure, you could easily take this 21" x 12" heavy duty duffle bag on a train, too. But that’s just another version of a plane and an automobile. We like using ours for travel because of its heavy duty polyester shell, but we picked up a second one for the gym since it also has a large main zippered compartment with an interior mesh pocket, a front zippered pocket in between two rows of looping accents and a side zippered shoe compartment with ventilated grommets, and a side (2)-section mesh pocket. Has wrapped carry handles and an adjustable/removable padded shoulder strap, and comes in a nice silvery gray with red accents and a black bottom. And it’s from Koozie®, the folks who make the beer holders, but this bag won’t keep your clothes cold.

Let’s say you don’t need a full-on, heavy-duty tool bag but you do need something to hold your smaller hobby tools. In that case, you’d need this super-nice, zippered tool-type bag. Measures 14" x 9-1/2" x 3", and has a triangular shape as it tapers from the 3" base to flat at the top zipper. Looks kind of like a small briefcase, or, more accurately, an attache. Has more than (15) elastic straps to hold things like pliers, tweezers, small screwdrivers and the like. In bad-to-the-bone black to let the world know you’re serious about tool storage and totage, even if they’re small tools.

Both spellings are acceptable, it turns out, but duffle is a British corruption of our duffel, so pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and spell it “duffel” like an American. Our duffel is polyester with black handles and an adjustable and removable black shoulder strap. Measures 18” long x an 11” dia cylinder, and has black canvas strap handles on both ends for your hanging and toting convenience. Everybody needs a good duffel, even the Brits. Comes in Red (a favorite of the Brits), or Blue (a close second). We'll pick which you get because thats how surplus is.

Laundry stinks. It’s also a job we dislike. But back to that stench. This white mesh bag, approx 18" x 12", has a way of dispersing the stinkiness of our laundry, which makes the whole job less stinky in more ways than one. Has a drawstring with a ball stopper. Made of polyester, which means it’s strong enough to hold a big load of clothing or beach toys, shoes (which can also be stinky in our experience), or sports equipment.

These red satin-finish zipper bags have a vinyl interior and measure 20” long x 10” tall x 4” wide when you open the gusset on the bottom. Sort of the proportions of a giant pencil holder. Made for some specific purpose that nobody has shared with us, but think giant clutch bags, travel organizers, dressy briefcases or cash deposit bags to impress your bank. 

This sturdy messenger bag from Wanderer Tech is made of durable black 1680 denier ballistic nylon with royal blue piping. Measures approx 15" x 12" x 3" when empty, but is eminently stuffable. Has an adjustable padded shoulder strap, front flap with hookenlooper closures, zipper compartment on the flap, (2) side mesh pockets, pen slots and a pocket inside, along with a 15” a 10-1/2” removable, padded laptop sleeve.

We walked to and from school, uphill in both directions, carrying our books and a brown paper bag of lunch that got wet when it rained and snowed, which was every day. You have it easy these days with collapsible nylon lunch bags like these. In purple or orange, the 9” x 6” x 6” bags have black trim, a zipper, a handle and a 4” x 7” pouch on the front.

They may move your cheese, but the rest of your lunch should be safe when you tote it in this insulated white bag with “HUMAN ORGAN FOR TRANSPLANT” printed on the side. Measures approx 9-1/2" wide x 7” tall x 6" deep with a padded handle and a zipper around three sides on the top. Has a small mesh pocket and organ-donor information card inside. Our favorite part? The bottom says “Warning; not for transporting human organs” because you can't be too careful.

In soft poly-foam and a pretty powder blue color, we think this case was made for standard smart phones, although goodness knows you could keep any number of things in it. (Badness probably knows that, too.) Measuring 6” x 3-1/2” x approx 3/8”, it has a slot with black piping 1-1/2” from the top, and a small tab at the top corner with a removable, silver carabiner on it.

Le Rouge et le Noir, a French novel by Stendhal, and Al Gore’s favorite. Sadly, we never see surplus copies, but we do have these insulated red and blue insulated cooler totes. Measure 14” x 12” with handles long enough to slip over your shoulder, so you'll look like the French do when they’re toting a vin, fromage & baguette lunch. We’ll pick a red or blue one to go with your wardrobe; you add le déjeuner.