Eagle Creek ORV Wheeled Trunk Review

1. Introduction

For former backpackers who have turned into full-time digital nomads, there’s something reassuring about a wheeled duffel. It has the hardiness and flexible storage capacity of a backpack, while also allowing you to carry more without actually having to strain to lug it around on your shoulders!

As regular travelers, we also appreciate how wheeled duffels tend to be easier to lift and cram into spaces – even if they aren’t necessarily as maneuverable through airport hallways as four-wheeled suitcases.

Eagle Creek has been around since 1975 making exactly the kind of sturdy wheeled duffels that are great for remote workers who love their outdoor adventures. Founded in California, the brand has since spread across the world, selling its products through outdoor clothing and equipment outlets throughout the world.

The Eagle Creek range encompasses several different checked luggage designs, but we decided to go with the ORV Wheeled Trunk, self-described by the company as its “most robust luggage option.”

2. Size, Capacity & First Impressions

The ORV Wheeled Trunk comes in two sizes, 30” and 36”. It also comes in two colors, black and beige.

We went with the 30” (because it’s a more manageable size for short people like us) in black (because the beige looked like it would show more dirt).

Our first thought was: where’s the telescopic handle? Had we ordered the wrong piece of luggage? Turns out, it’s cleverly concealed in its own pocket – guess we should have read the description a little more closely beforehand!

We were also immediately impressed by the hardiness of the bag, especially the durable feel of the fabric. This is a duffel that looks like it could survive being chucked off a cliff.

In terms of dimensions, it’s 30” H x 16.5” x 15” (76 x 42 x 38cm), with an empty weight of 9lbs 14oz (about 4.5kg). That’s well within the limits for all airlines.

Like a lot of wheeled duffels, the ORV has an impressive 97l capacity, which is better than most hardshell suitcases of similar dimensions.

3. Features & Functionality

One area we sometimes find that wheeled duffels come up short is the storage design, but the Eagle Creek ORV is more organized than most.

Storage & Interior Design:

There’ an external top compartment with a mesh zippered pocket and an external bottom compartment that has a waterproof lining.

We found the bottom one particularly handy for shoes, but you could also squirrel away dirty laundry here as well. It expands all the way into the bag, so it’ll fit quite a lot of stuff – just bear in mind it’s obviously eating into the interior.

The inside is one big open space with a couple of small side pockets that can fit cables or smaller items, as well as a large, zippered mesh pocket that runs the length of the bag.

You’ll also find a cargo net inside that you can use to compress clothing. Alternatively, you can take it out and attach it to the front of the bag and use it to store a water bottle, an extra pair of shoes, or other larger stuff that you want easy access to.

Finally, there are numerous lash points on the outside, as well as the trademarked Equipment Keeper, so that you can strap a helmet or other medium-sized item to the top of the bag. This is secured down using another proprietary design, the Porter Key, which doubles as a bottle opener for when you want a brewski.

Wheels & Handling:

Like a lot of wheeled duffels, the ORV Trunk has oversized wheels, which make them better suited to rolling over rough, uneven terrain. The bag isn’t as smoothly maneuverable as a four-wheeled suitcase with 360-degree spinners, but the wheels can take more of a beating, especially since the wheels are protected by plastic housing.

The telescopic handle is concealed in a compartment, so that you can zip it away during transit. We love this feature, since we’ve had the handle crack on a couple of suitcases in the past while they have been checked. The telescoping functionality itself it pretty limited,

Security:

The bag doesn’t have a built-in TSA-approved lock – most wheeled duffels don’t. However, it does have a lock point at the top of the bag designed so that you can seal the zippers for the main compartment together using your own padlock.

Tech & Smart Add-ons:

No fancy tech in sight, just pure utility.

Mobility & Ease of Use:

There are handles on the top, bottom, and sides of the bag, making it as easy as possible to lift.

4. Durability & Travel Performance

So, does the ORV Wheeled Trunk live up to its rep as Eagle Creek’s “most robust luggage option?”

In one word, yes, it does. The Bi-Tech fabric is billed as water resistant and tear resistant, and it lived up to both those promises during our tests.

We often have concerns about how well fabric bags can protect our delicate items. While we took extra precautions to make sure we didn’t damage things like our camera, it’s reassuring to see there are so many protective features on the Eagle Creek ORV, including a kick plate on the bottom, runners on the back, and bumpers on the corners.

The bag can become a bit unwieldy if it’s fully packed, but that’s true for most wheeled duffels.

One thing we weren’t overly impressed with were the compression straps on the outside, which we were worried about snapping because they don’t seem up to the task of properly cinching down the bag.

However, if they had broken, we would have been able to apply for a repair or replacement under the No Matter What warranty, which covers buckles, fabric tears, handles, zippers, frames, and wheels.

5. Pros and Cons

Pros

• Massive capacity
• Robust exterior fabric
• Waterproof compartment

Cons

• Expensive for a wheeled duffel
• No built-in lock
• No smart features

6. Eagle Creek ORV vs. Osprey Sojourn Shuttle vs. Patagonia Black Hole

We’ve tried several wheeled duffels in the past, so we have a pretty good idea of how well the Eagle Creek ORV stacks up to similar products such as the Osprey Sojourn Shuttle and the Patagonia Black Hole.

All three have a very similar capacity of around 100l, but the Osprey Sojourn Shuttle is the lightest of the bunch. At $395, it’s also a bit cheaper than the Eagle Creek ORV ($439) and the Patagonia Black Hole ($419).

In our opinion, where the ORV justifies its slightly higher price tag is with its expanded storage options, such as the boot bin and the various external straps. The Patagonia Black Hole especially has a very simple storage design.

We also felt the Eagle Creek bag had better protective features than the Osprey and the Patagonia, as well as feeling like it was made from a more robust fabric.

On the other hand, we found the Osprey to have the best compression system of the three, allowing us to buckle down our luggage to the minimum possible size.

7. Who It’s For (And Who It’s Not)

Perfect for: outdoor adventurers, long-term nomads

Not ideal for: digital travelers with tech setups, remote families

We managed a three-week trip with this bad boy without having to do laundry. This included colder weather clothing like jackets and waterproofs, as well as a couple of pairs of shoes. Feasibly, we’d imagine you could even get up to a month’s worth of apparel in here – just so long as you’re not packing lots of bulky equipment alongside.

8. Final Verdict & Rating

For our money, the Eagle Creek ORV Wheeled Trunk is a great buy. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive than some of its direct competition, but we would argue the quality of its storage design and materials means it’s very much a long-term investment.

Of course, it’s not for everyone. Nomads who spend most of their time in and around cities with well-paved roads would probably be better served by four-wheeled suitcases with smoother rolling. Plus, it’s never going to be as stylish and chic as luggage from cosmopolitan brands like Away or Monos.

However, a wheeled duffel is arguably a better choice for anybody whose life abroad often involves trips to places like Cambodia, where the roads can be a bit more rough and ready. In Siem Reap, for example, the oversized ORV wheels are going to get you out of a jam.

There’s also something to be said about the fantastic capacity that you get with the ORV Wheeled Trunk, which will keep you in fresh clothes for up to a month.

Rating: 4.5/5

9. FAQ Section

What’s the warranty policy?

All Eagle Creek products are covered by the company’s No Matter What warranty, which offers lifetime coverage on functional elements of the bag. That includes the buckles, handles, zippers, frames, and wheels.

Is the luggage waterproof?

The Bi-Tech fabric is water resistant, rather than waterproof. It’s not going to become saturated in your average spell of rainy weather, but we didn’t try throwing it into a river or anything!