I fell in love with long weekend trips over the last two years. While I thought I was temporarily subbing in long-haul vacations for road trips, local getaways, and staycations, it turns out that short-haul escapes have become one of my favorite ways to travel. It's also meant that a weekender bag has become my go-to travel essential—it's the one I reach for the most as I pack for beach retreats or a few days in, say, upstate New York. Cue the luggage I'm currently obsessing over: the classic Louis Vuitton Keepall.
Packing for a shorter trip presents a bit of a challenge for an over-packer like myself. It means finding a thoughtful design that stores all of your essentials and is actually durable enough to do so. I also want a bag that I can throw in the back of the car or stow away on a short flight easily. The Keepall is designed to keep its shape and look as good as new—even after years of ownership. I recently packed the Louis Vuitton Keepall 55 for a weekend getaway to Montauk and it was the ideal size for bringing all of my must-have swimsuit cover-ups, evening accessories, and haul of toiletries.
It has one main compartment inside, giving travelers plenty of flexibility on what and how they pack. Within that, there's a one side-zippered pocket for storing smaller essentials like a phone charger, wallet, or your favorite pair of sunglasses. The Keepall also features a padlock, luggage tag, double zip closure, and of course, the iconic logo emblazoned on the outside of the bag.
The brand was ahead of its time when it launched this classic holdall in 1930 to support the new wave of modern travel—when people began flying to their destinations for the first time. It was originally designed as an additional bag to accompany other standard luggage, but has since evolved to be one of Louis Vuitton's signature pieces, functioning as a standalone duffel for short trips of up to four days.
Travelers can choose from a few different sizes, depending on how long the trip is or how much you typically pack. In addition to its sleek handle, it also comes with a detachable shoulder strap to make carrying the bag easier—it's still lightweight to hold, which is surprising given how much you can actually fit inside. In addition to the classic brown leather version that I've been traveling with, it's also available in shades of red, black, and a recently-introduced range of florescent shades.
One other thing that sets the Keepall apart from other weekend bags I've used is how easily it can be folded down and placed into the bottom of any suitcase, making it easy to store in your closet when you're not using it. An essential quality for an investment piece of luggage as long-lasting—and timeless—as this one.