There are two ways to rig up the carry handle. You can connect it to the narrow ends of the bag, which makes accessing the storage compartment easier, or in an X shape across the wider sides of the bag for increased stability while carrying. There aren't any buckles, carabiners, or D-rings for the handle. Instead, there are nylon fabric loops, with vaguely fish-hook-shaped plastic pieces on the ends of the handle that slip into the loops. It's something I've never seen before.
On the downside, there's no shoulder strap as on the Red Oxx. Given the choice between the two, I'd much rather have the backpack straps, but sometimes it's convenient to just throw a bag on my shoulder for a moment to free up my hands. But I get it. Too many straps would clutter up the bag. The bottom and sides of the duffel are made of 1,680-denier recycled nylon. That's thick, tough stuff to resist wear and tear from being picked up, put down, and slid around. The rest of the exterior is water-resistant, though not waterproof. But I carried both bags through damp, drizzly Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and the skies splashed both bags repeatedly without a drop soaking through.