Weekender Bags

Canvas bags for the span between Friday evening and Monday morning. This is the most honest end of the range: weekender bags that double as gym bags, travel bags that fold flat into a suitcase when empty, and waxed canvas that does not care whether it is thrown on a train seat or a locker-room bench. If the trip fits in a duffle, it fits in here.

Wet kit and dry kit, kept apart

The Canvas Gym Bag, Wet & Dry is built for the days when the bag has to hold both a laptop and a wet towel. A separate compartment keeps the damp side away from the dry side, which is the difference between a bag that survives a year of swimming and one that smells by Christmas. Its stablemate, the Canvas Gym & Travel Bag, covers the same ground without the split compartment.

When the bag needs to disappear

The Folding Canvas Travel Bag folds flat when it is empty, which makes it the spare bag you keep inside a suitcase for the way home with the extra boots and the bottle of whisky. It is also the cheapest way into the collection if you are not sure the weekender shape suits you.

The rough end of the range

At the other end sits the Rough Waxed Canvas Military Bag, built from a heavier, rougher canvas that starts out stiff and takes years to break in. It is the style for people who want a bag that looks like it has been somewhere before they have even left the house.

Weekender or holdall?

The two collections overlap on purpose. A leather and canvas holdall is the more structured choice: full-grain leather handles, a smarter silhouette, a bag that looks right at a station bar. The weekender is the lighter, softer, more casual end: easier to fold away, happier in a gym, less precious about being thrown around. Own one of each and you have every trip covered.

What goes in it

A weekend bag is only as good as its packing. Our what to pack for a UK city break guide runs through the list that fits in a bag this size, from the spare shirt to the bits people always forget. It pairs naturally with the washbags in the leather accessories collection.

Looking after the canvas

Gym bags earn their keep, which means they earn their cleaning. Empty it on Friday, wipe the lining, leave it open to air for the weekend, and re-wax the canvas once a year. The full routine is in our waxed canvas care guide.

Weekender FAQs

Is a weekender bag the same as a holdall?

Close, but the weekender is the softer, more casual member of the family. It is more likely to fold away, to work as a gym bag and to shrug off being squashed into an overhead locker. If you want structure and full-grain leather handles, that is the holdall collection. If you want a bag that does everything without ceremony, this is it.

Can I carry wet clothes and gym kit in it?

Yes, and the Canvas Gym Bag Wet & Dry is built for exactly that, with a separate compartment for damp things. For the other styles, pack wet kit in a waterproof bag inside the main compartment and the waxed canvas will handle the rest.

Will it fit in an overhead locker?

Because these bags are soft-sided, they compress into spaces a hard case cannot. Every airline sets its own cabin limits though, so check the bag's measurements against the carrier's rules before relying on it as hand luggage.

Can I put my waxed canvas bag in the washing machine?

No, and this is the one rule that matters. A machine wash strips the wax, flattens the canvas and undoes the weatherproofing in a single cycle. Empty the bag, wipe the inside down, leave it open to air, and re-wax the canvas when it starts to look dry. That routine is in our waxed canvas care guide.

What does rough waxed canvas mean?

Rough refers to the weave and weight of the canvas, not the finish. The military bag is cut from a heavier, more textured cloth that starts out stiff and takes years to break in, which is exactly the look some people want: a bag that appears to have history from day one. The other styles use a smoother canvas that softens more quickly.