Matador Freefly Packable Duffle Review

Matador Freefly Duffel strapped to the rear rack of a Polygon Path 3 bicycle

I couldn't find many reviews on this bag before purchasing it (mostly because it was at a discount haha) so I thought I'd share a few thoughts here to help other folks who might be in the same boat I was!

A view from the back of the bicycle of the Matador Freefly Duffel

Why did I get this bag?
I wanted a lightweight waterproof duffle to cycle with my powerlifting gear to the gym. I prefer my bags to be multipurpose so that I can use them for many other use case scenarios to get the best bang for the buck. In this case, I thought I can use it as a carry-on duffel for travel, as an emergency stuff sack for travel as well, and maybe for kayaking or SUP-ing (although Matador says it's waterproof but not submersible, so I'm not entirely sure about this because I always assume I would capsize when paddling).

Material
Very lightweight, very very thin material. I can see the seams glued inside the bag, so they do take the waterproofing seriously. There's some concern about the durability of the thin material, but after almost a week it's at least withstanding my lever belt jammed and poking into it, so that's something. I also do not baby my bags, especially gym bags, so time will tell if it can stand abuse.

The material is so thin and flimsy (as opposed to rigid and structured) that the zipper can sometimes get stuck in it. I'd say the zipper is pretty smooth for a waterproof zipper though.

There are two pockets in the front, one of them a stretch mesh pocket. These pockets share the capacity of the main compartment. The bag is supposed to be able to pack into one of these pockets, as well as into a supplied mesh bag.

I haven't actually tried packing it--from other reviews online I gather that it's a pain, and I most likely would just flatten it inside a bigger bag for travel.

There is no other padding or structure to the bag. It means things jut out and the bag is not really comfortable to carry as the weight just makes everything sag down. I'm thinking of getting a foam liner to put at the base of the bag to help with this.

Carry comfort
The bag has two main duffle straps that are reinforced by Hypalon--they are otherwise skinny and have no other padding to speak of. There are two side grab handles that have no padding or Hypalon reinforcement. There is a pair of compression buckle straps at each side which I think might be the smartest feature of the bag--more on that later. You can join up the buckles on each side to make a pair of 'backpack straps', but they're absolutely uncomfortable and would most likely be impossible to use when you fill up the bag enough such that the top would be jutting out.

There's also a single crossbody skinny webbing strap that is not removable. I have no idea what it's not removable--seems like absolutely dumb design choice by Matador especially for a packable bag. This strap is not padded and is as uncomfortable for use as you can imagine. I might put a foam pad from other shoulder straps I have and see if that would alleviate the discomfort.

The cargo straps
The cargo straps are probably the main reason why I got this bag apart from the waterproofing. They let you strap gear to the front of the bag, and more importantly, strap the bag to cargo racks, such as my bicycle's rear rack. Initially I placed the bag vertically across the rack, but the length was too long and the bag was so floppy and unstructured that it would rub against my tire. I also used a Voile strap to additionally secure the bag this way.

I recently tried putting the bag horizontally across the rack like in the photos, and the cargo straps were enough to secure the bag fine without the need to add an extra Voile strap. I could also strap my U Lock to the bag with the cargo straps.

A closer view of the Matador Freefly Duffle strapped to the rear rack

I can't really think of many other duffle bags that come with their own cargo straps--at most they may have lash points to be used with external bungee or Voile straps.

Gotta warn you about all the extra dangling straps though. A solution would be to rig up a DIY strap keeper with velcro, but right now I just twist the extra strap around the buckle. The unremovable shoulder strap does get annoying to work around while strapping the bag to the bike.

Conclusion
I can't say I'm disappointed with the bag as it's pretty much what I expect from an unstructured packable duffle bag--it's definitely not something meant to be carried comfortably for more than five minutes, and more of a way to haul gear from one place or vehicle to another. The cargo straps are what makes it great in my eye and suit my particular use case scenario. The full price is too damn much though imo--that kind of price can get you a more comfortable and durable proper duffle from Osprey or Eagle Creek.