I bought one of these directly from China for $15.00. But it stank of petrol, which is the typical "Chinese" smell of nylon fabric and toys. It made the bag unusable for me.
I purchased another on Amazon for $25.00, and it still smelled too strongly of petrol to keep.
cloakYes, I did think of this. I'm guessing most people would. It did not work, even after the 3rd run.
I've been buying crap from China for years. If the petrol smell is mild, and the fabric is soft, the smell sometimes comes out. But in cases like this where it absolutely reeks, and (from what I can tell) it's embedded in the "waterproof" nylon interior, washing is no help at all.
EatingPieThat is not unusual for actual military surplus gear. It kind of comes with the territory.
In the case of these bags which are made in China or India (most Rothco I see is made in India). I think it's just proximity to diesel generators or boat engines.
I purchased another on Amazon for $25.00, and it still smelled too strongly of petrol to keep.