The Best Garment Bag

Our Top Pick for 2019: WallyBags 40 Inch Garment Bag
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Whether you are a frequent flyer or a casual traveler, a garment bag can make keeping your clothes neat and sharp easy. It’s important to find a bag that is large enough for your clothing, made with high-quality materials that will hold up to the rigors of traveling and has the storage space for your needs. With the right combination of space and materials, you’ll be able to keep your clothing in good condition where ever you go.

Let’s Have a Quick Look of Our Top 4 Picks:

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The WallyBags 40-Inch Garment Bag (Wally) has good quality construction with the right features that make it easy to use. It measures 22 inches x 40 inches x 3 inches, which provides plenty of room for a suit, dress, or other delicate clothing. The bag itself is lightweight so that you won’t be weighed down by a heavy piece of luggage on a trip.

The Wally is made from 600 denier polyester. Denier is a way to denote the fineness of the fabric fibers, the higher the number, the stronger the fabric in comparison with other fabrics of the same type. A 600 denier polyester, like the Wally, is stronger than a 450 denier polyester fabric. At 600D, this garment bag is made of higher quality, mid-grade polyester that will withstand a lot of wear and tear before you need to replace it. The polyester is also water resistant so that it can protect your clothing in any kind of weather.

A unique WallyLock secures your hangers at the top of the bag so that they don’t fall causing your clothing to wrinkle. By using your own hangers you save yourself the time of having to take your clothes off their regular hanger to be placed on a special hanger inside the garment bag. The WallyLock has a rubberized band on either side that snuggly holds the hangers as a buckle secures the bands together. This design also helps you fit more garments in the bag at one time.

Designed to hold six or more garments at once, the Wally allows you to keep a week’s worth of wrinkle free clothing with you. While you may need a separate suitcase for personal items and accessories, your large pieces will stay relatively flat and protected during travel.

A full-length center zipper gives you easy access to the bag. This opening also makes putting your clothing into the bag fast and simple. You can lay out a suit and dress before zipping to make sure there are no areas that may cause a crease.

There are two handles that fasten together to make the Wally convenient to carry. They also allow you to attach it to other luggage. You can attach the Wally to your rolling luggage and keep everything together, while in an airport, checking into a hotel, or walking down the street.

If you are looking for a simple, well-constructed garment bag, the Wally would be a good choice for you. Construction and design are solid, making for a durable piece of luggage. It comes in five colors – black, navy, purple, royal blue, and red. There are no exterior pockets for additional storage. The Wally comes with a three-year limited warranty.

The Travel Select Amsterdam Business Rolling Garment Bag (Amsterdam) is a solid piece of luggage that has a variety of features that make it easy to take with you while you travel. It is 23 inches x 44 inches (22 inches when folded) x 7 inches, making a larger bag that can hold a lot of clothes.

The solid construction starts with 1200 two-toned denier polyester, which makes up 40% of the bags total construction. The other 60% is a lesser grade polyester that is still quite durable. It also has an EVA enhanced front panel, adding to the overall durability. High-quality polyester, like that found in the Amsterdam, is going to be weather resistant and resilient enough for the frequent traveler. The thick polyester does make it weigh in at 9.3 pounds, more than twice that of the lightweight Wally.

However, the Amsterdam is designed to move that extra durability and weight with an extendable internal handle and inline skate wheels. Trudging through the airport with a garment bag slung over your shoulder can leave you fatigued and sweaty by the time you get to your destination. With the Amsterdam, you push the handle inside the bag when you get on the plane or put it in the trunk of your car, then pull it out again when you need it. There is also an adjustable shoulder strap with a no-slip pad if you need to carry it. The strap will fit any sized person and offers you the versatility you need to make your traveling smooth and worry free.

The main compartment has a fold-out design to fit suits. When folded out it reaches its full length of 44 inches providing adequate length, even for those of greater height. There are tie straps to secure clothing in place inside this compartment. You can be sure that if you take the time to straighten the clothing before you close the bag that it will come out in good condition. The main compartment also has three zippered, mesh pockets to hold accessories and other personal items. This will help you keep things in place while the bag is moving.

Two outer pockets give you more room to pack. A bag, like the Amsterdam, works well for someone looking for an all-in-one traveling garment bag. It is large enough for a weekend getaway or to hold more delicate clothing for a week-long trip.

You can also carry the Amsterdam like a briefcase with the top handle. This handle is also useful when loading it into a car or carrying it from your car into your house. There is also an extra strap on the top that allows you to attach other luggage. Moving large amounts of luggage can be difficult but if you can keep everything together, you’ll stay organized and get to your destination without incident.

The Amsterdam comes in four colors – black, gray, red, and navy.

The Olympia Deluxe Garment Bag (Olympia) has the durable construction that can withstand frequent travel. It measures 22 inches x 44 inches x 4 inches making it a good size to carry both suits and dresses.

Made of tough, durable 1200 denier polyester it is made to last. This heavy polyester will keep your clothing protected and in place for wrinkle free travel. Checking in your luggage to an airline feels like a gamble at best because you never know what conditions it will be kept in. Having the extra durability of the 1200D polyester will give you some peace of mind knowing that you’re carrying your clothing in a strong fabric that will hold up to rough handling.

The main compartment folds out to the full 44 inches, giving you enough room to hold even large suits and long dresses. With two buckled tie down straps, you’ll be able to keep your clothing in place during extended travel. A full-length zipper provides access to the entirety of this compartment.

There are four pockets on the exterior of the main compartment – one mesh with a zipper closure, two regular with zipper closure, and one with a Velcro closure. These extra pockets give you some versatility in the use of the bag. You’ll be able to hold enough items for a weekend trip, including personal hygiene items and accessories.

A front pocket on the exterior of the Olympia features an organizer to keep all your important supplies easy to reach. It has a place for three pens, a cell phone, notebook, and other supplies you may need access to in a hurry. This extra organization is ideal for the traveling business person.

For those times that you need to carry the bag through a crowded airport or on your way to a hotel, a detachable, extendable shoulder strap is there for your convenience. When you don’t need the strap it can be removed and stored in the bag itself. There are also two handles on the top of the Olympia that can be hooked together for easy carrying.

On the back of the Olympia is a strap that can be slipped over the handle of rolling luggage to keep it attached. Keeping your luggage together can leave your hands free to carry other items while you travel. On the back of the exterior of the Olympia, there is a zippered pocket for even more extra storage. You can slip airplane tickets or other important information in this out-of-the-way, easy-to-access pocket.

There is a metal holder within the main compartment in which you can put hangers through to keep your clothing organized while you travel. Some users would have preferred some kind of hanging hook, but one can be purchased separately if you find you need one.

The Olympia comes in two colors – black and gray.

The Pro-Mart DAZZ Canvas Gusseted Suit Garment Bag (Pro-Mart) is made of rugged cotton polyester canvas. The dimensions are 24 inches x 42 inches x 5 inches giving you plenty of length for suits and most dresses. There are two other version available, a dress and a gown version each with an additional 12 inches of length for these types of garments.

The Pro-Mart is a very basic garment bag that can be used to store your expensive or delicate clothing. It can also double as a traveling garment bag in a pinch.

The materials used to make the bag allow it to breathe to help prevent the buildup of odors and moisture. The front is made of vinyl, giving you a view of the clothing so that you don’t have to do extra sorting and you can check to see what’s in the bag from time to time.

Wide 5-inch gusseted seams give you far more room than other garment bags. The gusset is the side fabric added for extra width. If you have a lot of clothing you want to transport or keep safe, this bag can accommodate a high volume of garments because they can be pushed together to make more room when needed.

A travel loop located at the bottom of the bag allows you to fold it in half and slip the hangers through to create a traveling garment bag. This isn’t the type of bag that you want to take with you on an airplane but it certainly could handle the rigors of traveling in the car where you could either hang it in the back seat or fold it over and lay it on top of suitcases.

There are cedar inserts included to keep your clothing safe from insects and other pests looking to eat away at the fabric. It also works to keep down mildew and other things that cause problems for stored clothing.

A full-length zipper gives you access to the entire compartment at one time. You can put your clothes in on their original hanger, slipping it through the hole at the top. Open access lets you get everything arranged before you hang the bag so that there aren’t any unexpected creases when you take the clothing out.

The Pro-Mart comes in beige or natural canvas colors.

Pre-purchase considerations

SIZE

Garment bags need to be the right length to accommodate suits and dresses. You will probably need at least 40 inches of length when the bag is folded out to fit most clothing. If you are tall or carry maxi dresses, you may need as much as 44 inches.

If you plan to carry the bag while you travel, you’ll want to look at the weight of the garment bag as well. Some bags can weigh as much as 10 pounds when empty. You may want to consider a bag with wheels if you are looking for a heavy duty option. Another option would be to look for a bag that can attach to rolling luggage so that you can keep everything together while you travel.

MATERIALS

For the frequent traveler, you will need a garment bag made with heavy duty materials. Look for bags with high denier numbers. High mid-grade polyesters start around 600 and go up from there. Zippers, pockets, and straps should also be made of high-quality materials that can withstand the rough treatment they may get at an airport.

PORTABILITY

Examine how you plan to use the garment bag. If you travel on an airplane regularly, a rolling garment bag will probably save you time and prevent shoulder or back problems. If you don’t want something quite that heavy, a garment bag that can attach to rolling luggage would be a good choice. For those that only want to use a garment bag occasionally, look for a bag that comes with a durable, adjustable shoulder strap for the easiest way to get around with your luggage.

EXTRA POCKETS

The purpose for your bag will determine whether or not you really need extra pockets. If you plan to use the garment bag in addition to extra luggage as a way to carry easily-wrinkled clothing, you won’t need many pockets because the extra items will be contained in your other luggage. On the other hand, if you want a bag that can be used to carry everything you need for a weekend getaway, extra pockets are going to be essential.

Look for pockets with zipper closures to be sure that any stored items will stay in place while you travel. Some bags have organizational pockets to keep your accessories close at hand and will help you stay organized for the duration of your trip.

Conclusion (Wrapping it up)

All garment bags are not made alike. Finding the right bag for you is a matter of balancing your needs with durability and quality construction. As you search for the right fit for you, keep in mind how much you travel and what kind of travel you do most often. For example, there is no need to purchase a wheeled garment bag when you will be mainly traveling by car.

As you examine your needs, you’ll be able to eliminate the bags that are not practical for you. Always look for quality materials used in the construction to be sure you’re getting a durable product that will last.