Osprey Shuttle 130 Rolling Bag Review
I’ve used a couple of Osprey’s day packs and have always found them incredibly hard-wearing so I decided to try out their larger luggage for a recent trip to Bali. I chose the Osprey Shuttle 130 and as a videographer I needed the extra space up from the Osprey Shuttle 100 to pack tripods and other pieces of large equipment. The extra 30 litres that comes with this bag made all the difference as I usually end up with about 5 litres for my clothes after all of my equipment is packed in there!
So this is a great bag if you’re travelling with a purpose, for example on a SCUBA diving trip where you need space for fins, masks, wetsuits etc that can be quite bulky or even if you just don’t like to pack light!
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Osprey Shuttle 130 Review
So how did the Osprey Shuttle fair on my trip…
Size and Weight
Considering its size, sturdiness and wheels, at 4.14 kg it’s fairly lightweight and doesn’t eat in to a huge amount of your weight allowance. With size dimensions totaling 171cm just be aware that this bag does exceed some airline’s maximum size allowances for checked luggage.
The likes of Lufthansa, KLM and Delta have a maximum size allowance of 158cm for a single piece but other long-haul airlines such as Emirates, Etihad and Norwegian have higher allowances where this bag is fine. I travelled with Malaysia Airlines who states they have a max allowance of 158cm but I didn’t have any issues but it could be hit-and-miss with varying airlines.
Wheels
Previously I’ve always favoured backpacks with straps as I’ve visited many countries where the roads or pavements aren’t tarmac or I’ve had to carry my bag over water so I was a little dubious about trying a bag with wheels but I absolutely loved it! I put the bag through its paces when searching for a hotel on the Gili Islands where the pathways are mostly rock and sand and my friend’s bag lost a wheel as a result!
The HighRoad™ chassis made of aluminum keeps the bottom of the bag well off the ground and the sturdy polyurethane wheels glide over rocky terrain with ease. I felt very smug when my friend was dragging her broken-wheeled bag across the floor…
The chassis has a supporting stand so you can stand the bag upright which is very convenient and takes the hassle off lifting the bag up off the ground for rolling. If you just can’t sacrifice straps then you could go with the Sojourn 60/80 which has wheels and straps but you will have to compromise significantly on the extra space you get with the Shuttle 130.
I’m sure everyone has experienced it when a wheelie suitcase just doesn’t seem to want to roll on 2 wheels and it jerks up onto one (usually hitting one of your ankles at the same time!). Well you’ll be happy to know this never happens with this bag as it consistently rolls firmly on two wheels and is super easy to maneuver along with the very comfortable, retractable ErgoGrip™ handle.
Material and Durability
Sometimes I have to carry reasonably fragile and expensive equipment in my checked baggage due to size restrictions on hand luggage and I was impressed with how secure and protected my gear felt as the bag material is really durable would take a lot to cause anything to rip or tear.
Even though the Osprey Shuttle 130 is a soft duffel bag, the padded side walls and protective bumpers made from ballistic nylon makes it incredibly study. Coupled with the StraightJacket™ compression system with three external compression straps this keeps everything snuggly in place and protected with any mishandling in transit.
Compartments and Pockets
There are an array of pockets including a top compartment for keeping liquids separate from the rest of your gear, a mesh divider in the main compartment great for separating clean from used items and a separate large section at the bottom of the bag perfect for storing shoes.
There are also mesh pockets along each side of the internal compartment which helps in locating smaller items that might otherwise get lost in the abyss that is this 130 litre bag and sneaky pockets on the underside of the bag which allows easy access to items without having to unzip the main compartments.
Zips and Security
I love that the main compartment is completely accessible by unzipping the cover completely – also a major plus over a lot of backpacks with straps with only top access where it’s impossible to locate anything quickly. The zips run like a dream which may sound insignificant but I’ve had countless zips get jammed or break on me in the past so this is very reassuring.
The main compartment has zips which are lockable with a padlock which is very handy especially carrying and storing expensive equipment. There are three grab handles in total – one on each long side and one on top so if you had to carry over water you could share the load with a friend (if they’re willing!)
Final Thoughts
Overall, I was really impressed with the Osprey Shuttle 130. It’s a really slick, stylish looking bag and extremely functional for travellers who go off the beaten track. The additional space up from the Shuttle 100 is useful for longer trips or transporting additional equipment and has all of the lightweight benefits of a soft duffel bag but with durable protection. With Osprey’s lifetime guarantee you can be confident that you’ll have an Osprey bag for life.