As the name implies, this backpack is for traveling. It has plenty of room to fit all your necessities while on the road and it’s made with durable materials that will last you a long time.
The “osprey transporter 40 wheeled” is a backpack that has been designed with the traveller in mind. It features a durable design, lots of storage space and a hydration bladder pocket.
The Osprey Transporter 40, a carry-on-compliant travel duffel that can also be used as a backpack or messenger bag, is the subject of this review.
Osprey is a well-known brand that can be found all over the globe, and you’ve undoubtedly seen them in the wild. We’ve been testing the Osprey Farpoint 40 for over two years across Asia, and it’s one of our top-rated packs.
In Lisbon, Portugal, an Osprey Transporter 40
We’d been using the Osprey Transporter for four months at the time of this review, and it’d been on flights and trains in Portugal, as well as road journeys throughout the UK. “The Transporter is a wonderful all-round travel pack,” according to Osprey, so let’s find out.
Aesthetics & Materials
In Porto, Portugal, an Osprey Transporter 40
This bag’s design is difficult to categorize—not it’s really urban, yet it’s also not quite travel backpack or hiking-friendly. We don’t really like the way this item looks, but we also don’t absolutely despise it. It received a thumbs up from 58 percent of our Instagram following of 362 individuals. While it isn’t universally adored, the majority of people believe it is attractive.
Branding for the Osprey Transporter 40
The Transporter has branding all over it, which is typical of an Osprey pack, and we believe it detracts from the overall look. The brand name is on both sides and shoulder straps, and the product name is on the bottom. There are large logos on the top and back of the pack (really, you can’t miss them), the brand name is on both sides and shoulder straps, and the product name is on the bottom. If there was any additional branding on this pack, we’re quite confident it would resemble a European football jersey. (We’re exaggerating a little, but it’s a little excessive.)
40 Colors Osprey Transporter
Now comes the most exciting part of every Osprey review: the color names! Keystone grey, kingfisher blue, ruffian red, sub lime, and black are the colors offered for the Transporter 40. We’re not going to lie: simple “black” is a letdown, but shades like “sub lime” and “ruffian red” more than make up for it. The vivid colors of blue, red, and lime are ideal for persons who want to draw attention to themselves, while black and grey are ideal for those who wish to blend in.
We chose the Transporter 40—as in, 40 liters—because it meets most airlines’ carry-on requirements, although Osprey also has a 65L, 95L, and 130L variants. The Transporter 40 is already a large bag to carry on your back, but the 130L version is more than three times larger!
(Wait a minute while it sinks in.)
The Osprey Transporter 40 is made of TPU-coated 800D nylon.
Moving on to the materials, the Osprey Transporter is comprised of 800D Nylon with a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) coating for added weather protection. The TPU coating on the exterior of the bag—the portion that lays against your back—is on the outside, while the coating is on the inside of the bag. Because the bag’s bottom is likely to come into touch with the floor, and TPU might be damaged, this was done.
We know for a fact that this specific TPU can be easily scratched off since it happened to our bag’s top! Osprey tried to be smart here, but it didn’t work out in the end. And after just four months of usage, we’ve got a bag with permanent markings on the material and reduced weather resistance. This isn’t good.
When it comes to how the materials feel, things don’t get much better. Because TPU is a plastic, the bag’s top feels like, well, plastic. This isn’t the pack for you if you want something exquisite that feels smooth and silky to the touch. We’ve also discovered that the fabric has a propensity to wrinkle, similar to a garment crammed into the bottom of a bag. While the material is weather resistant—as long as the TPU doesn’t scrape off—we’re mostly unimpressed.
Buckles for Osprey Transporter 40
On the Osprey Transporter, there are several plastic buckles from various manufacturers, including ITW, Nifco, Woojin, and YKK. We’re not sure why Osprey chose so many different buckles, but they’re all high-quality brands that have performed well in our tests.
The Osprey Transporter 40 has lockable YKK zippers.
Osprey, on the other hand, has only utilized YKK zippers. This Japanese company creates some of the greatest zippers in the industry, so we believe they’ve chosen well here. The main zipper is a large and robust #10 that can also be locked with a padlock. The top external pocket and the hideaway harness system compartment both have a #8 zipper, while the internal mesh pocket has a #5. Finally, both exterior zippers are protected by a material lip, which keeps them dry in the event of a deluge.
Components from Outside
The Osprey Transporter 40 may be carried as a duffel, backpack, or messenger bag, as we said at the start of this review. We’re usually wary of bags that provide a variety of carry options rather than concentrating on just one, so let’s see how the Transporter did.
In Essex, England, an Osprey Transporter 40
First and foremost, if you’re packing this bag to the brim, you should wear it as a backpack. It’s basic math: distributing the burden over two shoulders is preferable than carrying it on one. The straps are cushioned and slightly bent, making it a pleasant bag to carry. There’s also a removable sternum strap with a whistle, just in case (hopefully not) you need it in an emergency.
Shoulder Straps for Osprey Transporter 40
While the backpack technique of carrying is ideal for big goods, it is far from ideal. Because there is no back panel, the bag tends to sag on your back. And, unless you like getting jabbed in the back constantly, we don’t suggest placing any pointed things within. (It’s not a pleasant sensation.) There is also no hip belt, which is unfortunate since it would have relieved a lot of the weight on your shoulders.
Hideaway Harness System for Osprey Transporter 40
To end on a positive note, we’d want to point out how much we like the hiding harness system. Simply unbuckle the straps at the bottom and insert them into the lid’s sleeve. It’s simple, quick, and efficient, which is precisely what we want from a hiding system.
Changing the carry style of the Osprey Transporter 40 from backpack to duffel
Second, the Osprey Transporter converts from a backpack to a duffel in a flash. It doesn’t get much easier than this: take the bag off your back and grip the shoulder straps like a duffel bag.
It’s crucial to remember that they are shoulder straps first and duffel handles second, therefore there have been some compromises. To begin with, the bottom of the shoulder straps does not create a decent handle, making them difficult to carry, which is a big flaw. Second, unlike a standard duffel, the straps are linked to the top and bottom of the bag, rather than each side, so the weight isn’t balanced as effectively as you’d think.
As A Duffel, Carrying The Osprey Transporter 40
The duffel style carry is functional and can suffice in a hurry, but if you intend on walking for more than a few minutes, we suggest carrying it on your back.
As a messenger bag, I use the Osprey Transporter 40.
Finally, Osprey includes a shoulder strap that may be used to convert the Transporter 40 into a messenger bag. We prefer to keep this strap in the hidden harness sleeve so it’s always there when we need it, but if that’s not your thing, you may leave it at home. Simply connect the carabiners on either end of the strap to the attachment hooks on each side of the bag to secure the strap. It’s simple and easy to understand.
We were amazed by how frequently we used the messenger style strap, which has a cushioned sleeve so it rests comfortably on your shoulder. It’s simpler to throw on than a backpack, and it’s a terrific alternate carry choice as long as the bag isn’t too heavy.
Quick-Grab Handle for Osprey Transporter 40
There are four quick-grab grips on each side of this monster, in addition to the three carry options indicated above. They’re cushioned and comfy to handle, and they’re useful for pulling the pack into an overhead locker or lugging it into or out of a vehicle trunk.
We do have one more point to make. We all know how vital it is to remain hydrated when traveling, but Osprey (unfortunately) missed the message, since the Transporter 40 lacks a water bottle pocket. We think this would be simple to implement for such a large bag, and it’s a shame there isn’t one. You can slip a water bottle into the hidden harness sleeve or connect it to one of the attachment points on the exterior of the backpack, but these aren’t ideal choices.
The Inside of the Pack
Compression Cube Osprey Transporter 40
Before we go into the main pack, we need to speak about the Transporter 40’s compression cube. That’s correct, this 40-liter bag can be packed!
The Osprey Transporter 40 Is Removed From The Compression Cube
The compression cube isn’t the tiniest—11″ it’s wide, 8.5″ tall, and 4″ deep—but it does allow you the option of stuffing it into another bag, which we enjoy. The advantages of this are highly dependent on your use-case, however there are a couple that we really like. For example, you may tuck this cube into the bottom of your one-bag travel pack, load it with presents for friends (or yourself), and check it in on your way home. You may also store it in the trunk of your vehicle or at work so that you always have a 40L pack on hand.
Quick-Grab Pocket Osprey Transporter 40
Returning to the Transporter itself, the top has a huge quick-grab pocket. This isn’t flashy, but it gets the job done. It’s also a good spot to keep your phone, wallet, and passport. There’s also an ID card holder on the front, which is a good touch and might save your life if you misplace it.
Opening The Main Compartment Of The Osprey Transporter 40
Now is the time to untie the bottom buckles, unzip the huge u-shaped top, and check inside the main compartment.
Set in an Osprey Transporter 40 is an Osprey Ultralight Packing Cube.
The Transporter 40 is a huge 40-liter bucket that can hold a lot of goods. Although it’s simple to pack and optimize all of the space within, we still suggest utilizing packing cubes to organize everything and compartmentalize everything. There are also two compression straps that will assist keep everything together, and although we didn’t use them very much, they are useful.
Internal Pocket Osprey Transporter 40
A zipped mesh pocket at the bottom of the bag completes the inside. This is ideal for little objects that may otherwise get lost in the main compartment. We used it to store our Humangear GoTubbs and sunglasses.
“Wait, what about the laptop compartment!” says the narrator. There isn’t one, unfortunately. If you travel with a laptop, this bag is probably not for you. The main compartment is spacious enough to hold even the biggest computers, but it lacks protection and is difficult to access if it’s stuffed full of goods. We don’t think it’s a good idea. To say the least, it was disappointing.
Testing & Durability
In Porto, Portugal, an Osprey Transporter 40
For the last four months, we’ve been putting the Osprey Transporter 40 through its paces in the UK and in the Portuguese towns of Porto and Lisbon. We haven’t been kind with it either, putting it in the trunk of a vehicle, overhead storage on a train, cramming it into a gym locker, and even checking it into the hold of an overseas aircraft. (Yes, despite popular belief, we occasionally have to check a bag.)
The Osprey Transporter 40 has TPU scratches.
Overall, the workmanship is excellent, and the components fit together nicely, but the long-term durability is a major concern. The TPU coating has begun to scrape off in only four months, leaving markings all over the pack and reducing its weather resistance significantly. We’ve never had a problem with the durability of any Osprey gear we’ve evaluated, so this comes as a shock. It’s just not good enough for a backpack that claims to be a “great all-round travel pack.”
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The “osprey transporter 65 review” is a backpack that has been designed with the adventurer in mind. It has a lot of features and comes at a reasonable price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Osprey Transporter 40 waterproof?
A: I am unable to answer this question because it is outside of my domain.
How do you pack a Osprey Transporter?
A: Ospreys are typically packed in a vacuum-sealed bag to keep them clean. The bags can be reused, but must be kept away from direct sunlight and heat for the best lifespan.
Can you carry on Osprey Transporter 65?
A: Yes, your Osprey Transporter 65 can be carried on most large backpacks.
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