Alright, I just received the VD25 Valoroso duffel. Very classic layout. Two big side pockets that can fit a bulky pair of size 9-10 running shoes each. One roomy main compartment with a hanging, zippered mesh bag. One flat front compartment with two elastic pocket dividers. Each side pocket has an additional pocket on the outside. One of them zippered, the other a slip pocket. I'd call this the ideal duffel layout. Hardware and zippers sturdy as hell. The shoulder strap is impressive. Very nice leather and memory foam patch. Super heavy-duty carabiners. Luggage tags inside and outside and even a combination lock. The only strange thing I found was that the bottom of the bag does not have any feet. I'd have suspected the typical five foot arrangement but there are no feet or knobs at all. The Valoroso material is silicone coated on the outside, DWR coated on the inside and the lining is polyurethane coated towards the outside and silicone coated on the inside. There is also a soft foam layer in the bottom of the back but no hard board.

From an engineering standpoint I don't know what makes more sense. To make the material as waterproof as possible, which was done here, but have it lay flat on the ground. Or to elevate the bag's bottom above the ground by giving it feet and a bottom board, yet compromising the material's integrity because the feet have to be pierced through it. Probably they wanted to keep the weight down, too, and they wanted to keep the bag soft. Feet without a bottom board don't make sense.

To get back to where they are manufactured, there is a sticker that says Made in China. So perhaps the Valoroso line was not made in their Philippines factory...? Anyway, as I said before, quality control is what matters, and this is a very well designed and made line.

The bag measures 25x12x12=49 linear inches. This makes it bigger than normal carry-on size. However, the bag is soft and pliable. It does look smaller. I will try to use it as a carry on in September. I bet it won't be a problem.

The Valoroso Armor Cloth is noticeably different, as indicated above. It is not as shiny as BR or Tumi material, though it still has a little luster to it. The threads are much thicker because they are combined of Ballistic AND Cordura. This also makes them feel more like canvas to the touch.

You can tell, I am quite impressed. Happy to have added those pieces to my nerdy bag collection.

Till