Thule Landmark 40 Review: A Travel Duffel That Carries Like a Backpack

Introduction

Most duffels keep things simple: one big compartment, two handles, done. The Thule Landmark 40 takes a different route. It borrows features you normally find on travel backpacks, like a dedicated laptop compartment, an external water bottle pocket, and installable backpack straps with a hip belt, then wraps them in a proper duffel body.

The bag comes in three sizes: 40, 60, and 70 liters. The 60 and 70 liter versions include an attached daypack that clips to the front, though it is not sold separately. This review focuses on the 40 liter version, which is the only size that works as a carry-on.

Who This Bag Is For

The Landmark 40 suits travelers who want duffel-style packing convenience but also expect to carry the bag on their back for meaningful stretches. At roughly 21.5 by 13 by 10 inches, it fits carry-on dimensions, though keep in mind it can bulge slightly wider than 13 inches when a water bottle fills the external pocket.

It is also a strong option for anyone who values build quality. The body combines 420 denier and 600 polyester fabrics, and the hardware is genuinely impressive for a duffel: large number 8 locking YKK zippers and Duraflex buckles and adjusters throughout.

The Safe Zone Pocket: Good Idea, Imperfect Execution

The top pocket, which Thule calls the Safe Zone, is a large, well-padded compartment with thick padding inside and a harder protective layer on the outside. The zipper runs almost all the way around, and the pocket opens like a clamshell. Inside there are two stretchy sleeves, a zippered mesh pocket with several stretchy dividers, and a key leash.

There are two practical caveats. First, because the lid opens from the bottom, access is awkward in duffel orientation; it works best when the bag is standing upright like a backpack. Second, the pocket is fairly heavy and takes up space inside the bag. If you travel with plenty of electronics, it earns its place. If you do not, a removable padded tech sleeve would arguably have been the smarter design.

Laptop and Tech Protection

The laptop compartment itself is very solid for a duffel. It has a large side opening, a thick firm pad on the bottom, and very thick soft foam padding on top. A 15 inch laptop fits in the main sleeve, and a separate smaller sleeve inside takes a 13 inch tablet.

Carry Comfort and Straps

The backpack carry system is one of the main reasons to like this bag. The shoulder straps are wide, well padded, and not too bulky, with good back ventilation and a comfortable sternum strap. The hip belt is wide, decently padded, and uses a thick nylon cord with a large, beefy buckle. With an 18 inch torso length, the unisex version fits well.

All straps are stowable: the shoulder straps detach at a buckle and slide away from the top, and the hip belt tucks in at the sides, a little snugly. That keeps the bag clean when you check it or carry it by the side handle.

Compression is handled well too. There are two straps on each side, four in total, with sewn-in cords that pass through the buckles and connect to a hidden buckle in the lid. The slack stays contained in two fabric loops, so nothing dangles.

The bag is offered in two fit versions: a unisex version for longer torsos, available in black and green, and a women’s fit for shorter torsos, where the shoulder straps start lower relative to the hip belt. The women’s version comes in blue and red.

Packing and Interior Organization

The main compartment uses a large side opening with luggage tie-down straps, plus a large mesh zippered pocket on the lid for smaller items. Together with the Safe Zone, those are the only small-item storage areas, so the lid pocket ends up doing a lot of work.

Packing notes from real use: a standard 14 by 10 packing cube fits across the bag, though it presses the sides slightly wider than the stated 13 inches; lengthwise it fits better, leaving room around the edges. Add a smaller cube, toiletries in the end space, a travel towel, a pair of shoes, a dry bag, and a rain jacket plus a puffy jacket on the second layer, and the 40 liters fill up sensibly.

One minor frustration: the sides are not especially stiff, so the bag does not always stand on its own. You have to fluff the sides up a bit to keep its shape, which makes packing slightly harder. It is not a dealbreaker, just worth knowing.

Buying Advice

If you want a straightforward duffel for gear hauling and will rarely wear it on your back, simpler options may serve you better. But if you want one bag that packs like a duffel, protects your electronics properly, carries comfortably as a backpack, and still qualifies as a carry-on, the Landmark 40 in the 40 liter size is an easy recommendation.

Choose the unisex fit for longer torsos and the women’s fit for shorter torsos, and size up to the 60 or 70 liter versions if you need the front-attaching daypack, keeping in mind those sizes will not work as carry-ons.

Conclusion

The Thule Landmark 40 is a well-made, thoughtfully featured travel duffel with excellent materials, hardware, and one of the more comfortable carry systems you will find on a duffel. The bulky Safe Zone pocket is its main compromise, but for travelers who actually use that protection, it is a bag that is genuinely easy to live with.