Hey guys, I'd like to share my experience with this duffel I just purchased in case anyone was thinking of going with this brand.

Bought 2 weeks ago for a mountain biking/truck camping trip. I usually use my NorthFace 100L duffel (which I've had since 2016) for these trips but wanted some extra space as this trip was a bit longer in duration than my usual expeditions. Based on the description the MEC Outpost Duffel 120L seemed like a good option.

When I got home from the trip I noticed two holes, one of them roughly 5-6cm in length on the bottom of the bag, which is supposed to be the most durable part of the bag (MEC's website describes it as "extremely rugged 1680-denier, polyurethane coated for abrasion resistance"). I could understand if the bag was old and the fabric was worn but this is literally a brand new bag. The hole isn't a clean cut like it got caught on a sharp edge, it's just worn through.

I've used my NorthFace bag countless times on trips just like this one and it has never shown anywhere near this type of wear or damage.

I tried returning the bag but they refused, citing "wear and tear". Apparently, MEC's "Rocksolid Guarantee" is pretty much worthless. I have sent an email to their customer service department, but I'm not expecting much. If they make it right I'll update this post.

Anyway, if you're in the market for a rugged duffel bag look elsewhere, this ain't it.