I am a bit of a bag nut and I can say this, the duffle performed flawlessly during my road trip from Germany to Switzerland, to France, returning to Germany. Bouncing from vehicle to train to biped, the mesh internal pockets coupled with the oversized exterior pockets made accessing and stashing my phone and passport along with other items a breeze. The backpack straps worked great allowing me to to have my dog in tow on one hand while carrying extra luggage for my niece in the other. The expandable zips were surprisingly useful. When packing, I would expand the bag all the way, when finished packing would close all the zippers similar to a large compression sack. A best practice was to nurse the zipper along while using another finger to push the extra fabric in so it doesn't get snagged. In general, the expandability feature was a godsend. The clamshell design allowed for easy access and visibility of contents. While riding a train, I unknowingly through my duffle on the corner of a metal step, the duffle suffered no puncture. Excellently executed design with extreme practicality in mind, this duffle has all the right features with no frills. A solidly built duffle that looks sophisticated enough for business travel. Of note, I would shy away from this bag if you are looking for a dedicated backpack. As a backpack, it provides minimal breathability, but then again, it's a duffle.