International adventurer? Meet your new favourite travel bag. The fantastic Osprey Rolling Transporter 90l, £220, is a durable duffel on wheels that can travel has hard as you do.
Review Osprey Rolling Transporter
Product description: “AdventureProof on wheels. By taking everything that we’ve learned about duffel bags and combining it with our expertise in rolling luggage, Osprey has created a travel pack which is truly AdventureProof, and this time it’s wheeled. Rolling Transporter is an ultra-durable, high performance duffel with all-terrain wheels, designed to go where other packs can’t.”
If you’re feeling too lazy to read to the end of this review, let me save you time. I love this travel bag. The Rolling Transporter 90 litre is roomy, seriously sturdy and rolls along like dream. Perhaps that isn’t surprising – I’ve yet to review an Osprey rucksack I didn’t like, and I think all of their travel bags are worth the splurge. One indicator of how much I like this duffel/rolling luggage hybrid is how much I’ve used it – I’m writing this review from a hotel room on a cycle trip across Japan, and my Rolling Transporter is at the foot of my bed. In the month I’ve had it, the bag has been on an Alpine skiing trip and a British road trip and we’re off to Sweden next week.
Packing: The reasons I always reach for Osprey’s barrel-like luggage when I’m off travelling? First, packing. The Rolling Transporter happily fits in 22kg of kit, which is usually all I need for bigger adventures. There’s a large mesh pocket for toiletries on the inside of the zip-open top flap, and a roomy interior (with compression straps, which if I’m honest I never use) than can seemingly take oceans of gear. It’s one of those Mary Poppin bags that just keeps taking what you chuck into it, and strong zips make it easy to close and feel like they’ll last and last (I’ve probably just jinxed my zips, haven’t I?). I’ve currently got the bag full of cycling kit and helmets and it’s taking it all in its stride. My only critisicm is that when full, it’s hard to use the small pocket on the outside of the Rolling Transporter.
On the road (again): The Rolling Transporter rolls effortlessly through airports on big, robust wheels, and has thick padded handles on the sides if you need to pick it up. The retractable pull handle feels sturdy – in fact, the whole bag feels sturdy, well-designed and well made, and is a pleasure to use. I love the half duffel, half solid luggage feel to the Rolling Transporter – a soft top means you can cram more gear in and also makes the bag easier to store. The cherry on the cake? The whole thing is waterproof, so your stuff is safe in a downpour.
Verdict: Yes the Rolling Transporter is expensive, but you get what you pay for – this bag is totally worth spending good money on if you travel regularly and need a good quality, durable bag for your adventures. Osprey also make the Rolling Transporter in 40l litre (good as a cabin bag) and 120 litre (good for bigger sports kit) sizes. After a rucksack? Find more Osprey gear reviewed on my kit pages.
