There’s no point beating around the bush, packing the wrong kinda bag can be just the worst. 😄It’s not obvious initially why it is, it just kinda seems to sneak up on you as you travel and before you know it quite literally becomes a burden to carry on your travels.
Trust me, I’ve had first-hand experience of this! I remember vividly feeling pleased as punch with myself after packing a backpack for a trip to Marrakesh!
“Nice and light!” I thought… and then I hit the souks!
Suddenly, I found myself buying lamps, slippers (which I still haven’t properly worn yet), teapots and even tagine dishes. I then went ahead and bought even more tagine dishes when we went to the Atlas mountains a few days later. (I’m yet to make a single meal in the said tagine. 😄).
By the end of the trip, my ‘convenient’ and ‘lightly-packed’ backpack was so full that even professional weightlifters would have vehemently declined to carry that bag.
All of this was ‘fine’ (well as fine as it could be), up until the backpack ripped (just a bit on the side) which then ripped the zip right open. Frustrated doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt by the end of it all.
Chucking that bag away back at home, I decided once and for all that my travel bag was something I would prioritise henceforth! At this point, we were already travelling quite a fair bit so this was not an experience I was keen to have again.
That’s where my love of Osprey comes in! I think it was when I met up from drinks with a friend in London that I first saw the bag I currently travel with and decided to give it a try. It’s been perfect! I’ve been using their bags for years as they’re durable, light and built for travellers (for instance, on our trip to Madeira and whilst travelling and hiking around Peru).
My latest find is the Osprey Rolling Transporter and in the hopes that this helps you on your travels, here are the 5 quick reasons why it’s just the perfect bag for weekend trips! 😀
1.) It holds a lot more than you’d imagine
It’s perfect for those long weekend trips away and fits a good 40 litres of stuff inside (that’s about 10 Moroccan teapots, I’ve tried). 😉
My Osprey rucksack carries just under 30 litres and it’s always handy to have that extra space with the Osprey Rolling Transporter for souvenirs, treats and goodies.
2.) It fits as hand luggage on most airlines
One of the biggest advantages of my Osprey bag is that it actually fits within the cabin allowance for most airlines.
This alone is a massive win as for a lot of folks (myself included) cabin luggage usually involves something you sling on your back or shoulder so it’s super convenient as you don’t have to do any of that! (Plus, it does mean that I’m not spending extra money on checking in bags that instead could be spent on wine. 😉🍷).
3.) Bigger wheels make it easy to roll on cobbled streets
The Osprey Rolling Transporter has some extra large wheels that mean you can easily roll your bag over cobbled streets, dirt paths, and even up gravel roads (like we just did in the Peak District).
Trust me when I say, this a game-changer when traipsing around the cobbled streets of Europe. Those big wheels glide over them.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve rolled smaller wheeled suitcases over historic cobbled streets and it’s tiring. It gets to the stage where, after the wheels getting stuck in the cobbles, I just end up carrying it…thankfully, no more!
4.) It’s water resistant
Another thing about the Osprey Rolling Transporter is that it’s water resistant. It has a glossy lining on the outside of the case that means that your belongings inside are kept nice and dry.
This is a lifesaver if you’re travelling in the winter months (or even the UK where I always get caught out by the rain).
The laminated nylon design which means the water rolls right off the bag and away from your MacBook, camera or iPhone inside. It’s one less thing to worry about when travelling from A to B.
5.) It has concealed pouches
Another feature that had previously stopped me taking rolly luggage onto planes is the lack of pockets to grab things out of easily. Especially when it comes to grabbing the passports for boarding or money for a cab.
Right at the top of the Osprey Rolling Transporter is an almost secret pouch that acts as a spot to scurry away all your passport, earphones, chargers and other little bits and bobs you travel with.
For me, more than anything, I just always wanted a bag that made our trips easier, without having to stress about water, those pesky cobbled paths or a bag that doesn’t fit in an airline cabin (and other concerns of course) so finding that bag that fits the bill perfectly is something I’m more than thankful for every time (and especially so when I remember that Moroccan bag episode). 😀
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