Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

EDIT 9/22/15: Used this duffel on a recent 10 day trip to Iceland, where I was allowed 1 carry on that weighed no more than 11-lbs. This little dude was awesome. I used packing cubes to keep everything organized, but still had plenty of room to bring home any souvenir we wanted! Bag easily held 2 medium sized cubes for my clothes and rain gear, 1 small cube for my socks and undies + sneakers, flip flops, camping towels, a mini-backpack, and a big wool blanket (on the way home). My only wish was that there was a padded piece on the shoulder strap so that it wouldn't dig in so much, but even without that, I would still use this bag again and again for any other vacations. If I could give the bag more stars, I probably would, ha! ---------Original review: Perfect size for a daily gym bag. I was looking for something to hold the essentials - workbook, gloves, towel, gym shoes, etc.. and didn't want to lug around a giant bag and didn't want to spend a ton of money. This fit the bill. Purchased one bag for my husband (Defender II) and another (Defender) for myself. Both bags are pretty identical, not sure what the real difference is between the regular Defender and this Defender II. They're made from the same material, are the same size, and have the same "features." His was $5 more. The side pockets are quite useful, and I like that they are just pockets, not a separate compartment for shoes (though, if you have small enough feet, I am betting you could fit a pair of shoes or sneakers in one of them). Could fit a water bottle, small purse, or your wallet and keys, etc.. One side pocket has a mesh panel, the other does not. The main part of the bag would easily fit a change of clothes and a shower bag. I've been stuffing my sweatpants and winter coat in it easily. It's not a rigid bag at all, it tends to fold in on itself if not full, especially if you have something in the small inside pocket (like your keys) but honestly, who cares about that? Depending on your gym locker, you might have to stand it up vertical to fit, or if its partially empty, it will fold flat enough to fit sideways. Bag could be used as a weekend bag too, if you're not taking your entire closet with you :) I'm very happy with both bags. They will serve our daily gym needs perfectly, and we can even use these on camping trips or short weekend holidays if needed. Tried to show how spacious the bag is with photos. The shoes are a size 13 for reference.