SDR Traveller, makers of high-end travel gear, recently introduced a duffle designed by Jan Chipchase, the former Executive Creative Director of Global Insights at frog and Principal Scientist at Nokia. Christened the D3 for its design iteration, the pack is meant to encourage anonymity while traveling and withstand the unpredictability of a nomadic existence—whether it's the thieving glance of a motorcycle snatcher or the mindful ministration of LaGuardia baggage handlers. The duffle is nothing if not purposefully designed and constructed; among the design considerations is a body made from high-tech Cuben Fiber to withstand abuse and minimize weight; a smaller-bag-within-a-larger-bag design to ensure it never appears overstuffed (a sure sign of luggage worth stealing); and a carrying strap made from seatbelt webbing that can convert the duffle into a backpack with a clever origami twist.

The SDR Traveller as duffle and backpack. Photos courtesy of SDR. 

We took the D3 on a two week trek though Japan and Hong Kong to put the design into action, traversing cities as well as backcountry. The bag was used as the primary carrier at all times and hauled everything from camera equipment to bottles of wine. The first thing you notice about the D3 is the weight, which at 1.1 pounds, is screamingly light for luggage of any size. This can mostly be explained by how Cuben Fiber feels, not unlike Tyvek. While thin, the material has impressive structural strength and doesn't easily fold in on itself. This is a key convenience while packing as the bag easily stays open even when empty.

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While the bag is meant to be minimal, built-in zippered pouches on the opening flap and on the sides go a long way to provide some ease of organization. To keep the rest of your stuff in place, SDR Traveller recommends using packing cases and stuff sacks. The wide opening makes accessing the bag simple during flight—even if you're squished in the window seat—and the silver interior also makes it easy to see what's inside. Packing cases are essential for this duffle, especially if you're hauling hard sided equipment that can be damaged from impact and for comfort if you expect to carry this for a long period of time. They give the D3 structure that makes carrying it more comfortable. While not visible, the bag-within-a-bag design definitely shows through when the pack is stuffed—the zipper, normally a weak point, did not show any type of strain even when the bag is full.

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As the company mentions, the duffle was built for discretion in mind and the lack of any external details makes the D3 look like, well, just a black duffle. Walking through Tokyo and remote Japanese villages with the D3 on my back, not once did the bag catch any attention. The $30 LL Bean camouflage tote, however, got me stopped more than once.

The duffle was designed to make it easy to keep it with you at all times and fits within the IATA specification for carry-on luggage. The bag not only fits in the overhead bin, but also under an economy seat. I kept the bag with me for the 14 hour flight to Narita—the lack of structure meant that I was able to squeeze the D3 into the narrow space left in my overhead compartment when I boarded. As soon as we were cruising, I took the bag down and kept it under my seat for the duration of the flight. The wide opening made it easy for me to look for items in the bottom of the duffle—the waterproof zipper and Cuben Fiber body also meant less freaking out when my neighbor knocked over his dinner beer.

A quick double-loop of the carrying strap around a hidden carbon fiber rod under one of the handles converts the duffle into a backpack, coming in handy when hauling heavy loads. While in Hong Kong, I was asked to deliver a half dozen bottles of vino from an auction house. The wines, kept in a small box, fit into the D3 easily. With the bag converted to a backpack, the load was bearable and the strap was surprisingly comfortable for not being a dedicated shoulder strap.

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The D3 was designed as an all-purpose hauling bag and it does its job with (understated) style. The lack of internal structure means that packing organizers are essential. The tension points are all reinforced and not once did the bag feel like it would fail, even with heavy loads. All this strength, weight-savings and well thought-out design comes at a price—$985 at press time—but if bomb-proof and discretion is your top priority, then you might be one of the few global nomads who are already carrying one under your seat.