The Voortrekka Cape is a clever travel bag designed to keep clothing organised and easy to access on fishing trips, camping adventures and road-based travel.
As anglers, we probably spend about 98% of our packing time organising tackle, rods and the boat, and maybe 2% thinking about our clothes. But the reality is clothing matters a lot. Depending on where you live in this country and what season you’re fishing in, there’s a surprising amount of gear that needs to come along. Rain jackets, bibs, UPF shirts, T-shirts, thick socks — the list grows quickly when you’re packing for changing conditions. Here in the south we get that strange seasonal mix once autumn arrives where mornings and evenings are freezing cold, yet between 11am and 3pm it can easily be shorts and T-shirt weather.
Once the gear is packed, we then have the challenge of actually finding what we need at our destination. We’re often up well before sunrise, running on very little sleep, and the last thing you want is to be digging through a messy bag in the dark trying to find socks, a hoodie or the shirt you want for the day.
GET SMART
That’s where a well-organised clothing bag makes a huge difference, and the Voortrekka Cape bag we’ve been reviewing over the past six months solves that problem in a really clever way.
Over the years I’ve travelled with plenty of different bags on fishing trips. Duffels, backpacks, soft luggage — you name it. The problem is they all tend to end up the same way: you’re constantly digging through them trying to find something. Socks end up mixed with shirts, clean gear ends up with dirty gear, and if you’re in a tent or swag it becomes even more frustrating. The Voortrekka Cape solves that problem with a simple but very smart design. Developed by an ex-Australian military armoured vehicle driver who is also a keen camper, the Cape takes a completely different approach to packing. Instead of a traditional duffel design, the bag is built around a semi-rigid rectangular layout with dedicated compartments and sections. When you open it up, everything is visible and accessible from above. You’re not rummaging around in a dark hole trying to find things — you can see exactly where everything is. For fishing trips, it works brilliantly.
WHAT I CAN FIT
Despite its compact footprint, the capacity is impressive. Even with my larger clothing (I’m 100kg and wear XL sizes), the bag easily swallowed everything I needed for a multi-day trip. Here’s what I managed to fit inside:
• 8 hooded UV fishing shirts
• 6–7 T-shirts
• 6 pairs of socks
• 6 pairs of jocks
• 2 large hoodies
• 3 pairs of pants (two fishing pants and one for the pub at night)
• 1 crew neck jumper
• 2 button-up shirts
• Salty Crew bib and jacket in the large side pocket
That’s quite a lot of gear for a bloke whose clothes take up some serious real estate. My 45kg wife could probably fit twice as much.
COMPARTMENTS
At the top of the bag there’s a smaller compartment which I use for socks and underwear, making them easy to grab without digging around. Beneath that are two deeper compartments that easily hold the rest of your clothing with normal folding. If you wanted to roll your clothes tightly for maximum space, you could probably fit even more.
The bag also comes with two removable Velcro toiletry bags, which I really like. On shorter trips you might only need one, but having two actually keeps things far more organised. For example, you could use one as a wet shower bag and keep the other dry, or separate your toothbrush and personal gear from the rest of your toiletries. It’s a small feature but it makes staying organised on the road much easier.
Both toiletry bags attach to Velcro pads inside the lid, so when you open the bag they’re right there and easy to access.
Under the lid there are also mesh pockets that are perfect for smaller items you want to keep handy — things like head torches, chargers, cables or other small bits that normally disappear inside a traditional bag.
One of the larger compartments, accessed via a side door, is designed as a boot pocket. Personally I don’t use it for boots because fishing boots can get pretty stinky and I’d rather keep them separate in the back of the ute or tub. Instead, I use that section for bulkier clothing like hoodies, which works perfectly.
ON THE ROAD
Another clever feature is how the bag can be set up while travelling or camping.
The handles allow it to be seatbelted securely into a car seat, and when you open the lid there’s a strap designed to go around the headrest of the front seat. That allows the bag to hang open with everything visible and accessible, which is fantastic if you’re living out of the car on a road trip. The same setup would work hanging from a tree while camping or sitting neatly at the end of your sleeping bag inside a tent. On my trips so far I’ve mostly been staying in houses and cabins, where I simply rest the open lid against a wall which keeps everything easily accessible.
DIRTY LAUNDRY
The bag also includes a separate dirty laundry bag, which is something I’ve really come to appreciate. As clothes get dirty during a trip, they simply go straight into the laundry bag. At the end of the trip you can throw that bag straight into the car without even putting it back inside the main bag. Alternatively you can fit it back inside, meaning you get home with a half-empty bag of clean clothes that can go straight back into the wardrobe, while the dirty laundry bag goes straight into the washing machine.
BUILD QUALITY
In terms of build quality, everything feels tough and well thought out. The handles are reinforced, the zippers are large and easy to use, and there’s a shoulder strap for carrying when needed. The bag also ships flat-packed, which keeps postage costs down and makes it easy to order online.
ONE BAG TO RULE THEM ALL
After years of using all sorts of travel bags on fishing trips, this is easily the most organised clothing bag I’ve used. It’s not designed as airline luggage — it’s built for car-based adventures where you’re travelling from the car to a cabin, tent or swag. For anglers who already like keeping their tackle and gear organised, the Voortrekka Cape fits perfectly into that mindset. Packing and unpacking becomes quick, everything has its place, and you’re never digging around looking for gear. Quite simply, it’s the best clothes bag I’ve used for fishing trips, and with plenty of camping planned this autumn it’s going to get a lot more use. The Cape is available in three different colour options.
VOORTREKKA CAPE TECH SPECS
Design: Structured rectangular travel bag with multi-compartment layout
Best use: Car-based travel, camping, fishing trips, cabin or swag stays
Compartments: Multiple clothing sections plus side-access boot compartment
Internal storage: Mesh pockets under lid for smaller items
Toiletry storage: Two removable Velcro toiletry bags that attach to lid
Dirty laundry: Separate removable laundry bag included
Access: Full top-opening design allowing clear view of all contents
Travel setup: Lid strap allows bag to hang from vehicle headrest or tree when camping
Carry options: Reinforced grab handles plus adjustable shoulder strap
Construction: Heavy-duty zippers and reinforced stitching throughout
Shipping: Ships flat-packed for easier postage
Website: Voortrekka
