Product Review: The “Hobo Roll” by Gobi Gear CheapOair Staff November 4, 2013 Travel Tips Let’s face it: organizing and getting ready for a trip isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Whether you’re traveling solo for a backpacking adventure or looking to lighten the load for a family of four, our frustrations remain the same. Investing in travel gear to get your stuff organized can save you lots of time, space and money in the long run. Enter Gobi Gear’s Hobo Roll to change your travels for the better. (Travels that you can book for less on;CheapOair, of course.) What is Gobi Gear? Who better to design a bag than travelers themselves? Chez Brungraber; founder of Gobi Gear loves to travel and designed the Hobo Roll for all travelers in mind. So much that she used her item for 3 months while traveling through Asia. Save Space with a Hobo Roll The Hobo Roll is designed to reduce your packed volume by up to 50%. This means, you'll have lots of extra space to put other important necessities, or to ease your fears when bringing your heavy bag on board. (No more extra baggage fees!) There are 5 interior compartments that allow you to separate your items, like shoes, clothes or other miscellaneous necessities. How to Use your Hobo Roll The bag is easy to use, that even a child could pack their own belongings. You open the unit to stretch it wide and to stuff with your personal items. Whether you’re using it for your carry on or your check in luggage, you can put items like flexible shoes, sweaters, shirts and toiletries. You may be stifled at first when you see there is bottom layer underneath, which will make you think everything will spill out- but keep packing. Once you’ve packed your Hobo Roll, compress it using the straps to allow the bag to tighten together. This will essentially close up the bag and compress the air to tightly keep your personal belongings in the Hobo Roll. Our favorite step: Once you are done, you can actually stuff it inside a bag (Your suitcase, backpack or carry on), or you can use it as a bag itself. It has a tool loop to attach your water bottle, so the hobo roll can even be a light carry-on bag on its own. Why we love it As travelers at CheapOair, not only do we love to be on the road, but we love tools to make our travel lives easier. The Hobo Roll is simple to use and does its job without any fuss. The Hobo Roll surprised me particularly because of how small and lightweight it was, but is surely packs a punch (literally) by fitting a lot of my crazy, random items. As a native New Yorker, I can use it to pack snacks, a sweater (The weather is always changing lately!) and a book to read when the subway is delayed. It can travel with me to Europe when I need a day pack, and possibly as far as Asia when I’m living off a backpack for a 6-week jaunt. We also love that the folks at Gobi Gear also have environmental sustainability at mind by constructing the Hobo Roll from recycled nylon. Even your shipment and invoice comes on recycled paper! The Hobo Roll comes in a few colors, Alaskan Blue (A sky blue), Pine Green and a Bright Orange. I wished the Hobo Roll came in a bright pink (Perfect for little girls, or myself who loves pink) or even neutral colors for travelers who may want to match their suitcases. Nonetheless, it is still an excellent and necessary item for travelers looking to get their bag under control. Specs Dimensions: 15″ long x 10″ diameter (38cm x 25cm) Weight: 3.5 ounces/100 grams Capacity: 1160 cubic inches/19 liters Price: From $28 If you’d like to get your own Hobo Roll, save 15% with the code: Cheapoair13. This discount will last until 5/31/2014. Disclosure: I received a complimentary Hobo Roll for the purposes of reviewing this product. All opinions are my own. Photo credit: Gobi Gear
