Osprey Transporter 40

Paul Horta-Hopkins

A preview of the Osprey Transporter 40

Travelling by plane with your bike? Then there’s a good chance you’ve booked on one of the cheap airlines and that means no hold luggage. Cramming a couple of weeks kit into a bag that will fit into the overhead storage is always challenging. Finding a bag that does it comfortably is another challenge. I’ll be trying out the Osprey Transporter 40, to see how it performs.

The Osprey Transporter 40

First I’ll need a trip abroad, to give the Transporter 40 a proper run. The UCI’s Granfondo World Championships in Varese, Italy, should do. It’s a six day trip and I’ll need to squeeze four lots of cycle clothing and six days ‘normal’ clothes. Add in lap-top, kindle, shoes, a bag full of chargers and a wash kit. That should be enough and hopefully there’ll be room to bring a couple of pressies back for the kids!

I reviewed Osprey’s Momentum 26 a while ago and have been really pleased with it. It’s been all over the place, lugging clothes and race-kit around. The kids have also taken it away and I can’t think of any more rigorous test than letting a ten-year old loose on a product. So Osprey’s build quality is more than up to standard. While the Transporter 40 won’t be subject to the full brunt of the airport baggage handlers, it will have to deal with a lot of stuffed being forced in to it; I’m one of those “I’ll take it, just in case” kinda guys!

Adjustable shoulder and sternum straps 

Osprey say the Transporter range is “AdventureProof”! While my trips will probably be a lot tamer than the ones on the Osprey website, having an “expedition-style” duffel bag means I get all the benefits. Benefits such as being constructed from durable, water-resistant materials and offering a choice of carrying methods.

Speaking of carrying methods, while Osprey also offer a wheeled Transporter duffel, I wanted one I could carry on my back. Wheeling a bike box and a bag is just too much of a coordination test for me! Also this year I’ve found myself tramping long distances to hotels on broken tarmac and gravel, up endless medieval cobbled stairs. On theses kind of trips dragging a wheeled suitcase would be a pain. So I prefer a back-pack option to my duffel.

Osprey offer the Transporter in four different sizes

The Transporter 40 hides it’s shoulder harness under a pouch on the top flap of the main compartment. It comes with a sternum strap, but no hip-belt, the larger sized Transporters have one. Also included is a detachable shoulder strap, handy if you’re carrying another backpack. There are multiple grab-handles all round the bag.

The main compartment has a large U-shaped flap and one big compartment. Two sets of compression straps should mean I can keep everything from moving around while I’m carrying it. At the bottom is a small netted pocket with a zip, perfect for hiding your sweets! At the top is a zipped pocket, that will probably be stuffed with travel documents and my kindle.

And it all fits into it’s own handy carry bag

As you’ve probably guessed the Transporter 40 is a forty litre bag, the other sizes are 65, 95 and 130. So plenty of options. The most important dimensions for carry-on luggage though are; 53 (l) x 31 (w) x 27 (d) cm. These mean it fits within the standard EU Airline Carry-On measurements. It’s constructed from a tough laminated 800D Nylon and TPU material. The closures all have rain-baffles to help keep the rain from getting past your zips and the zip toggles are big, so easy to use with gloves. 

There are five colour options, so you can choose one that matches your mood, or team kit. Don’t be surprised if you order your bag online and a very small parcel arrives. The Transporter 40 packs down into it’s own small carry case, that looks perfect for carrying your wash kit; a nice touch. As I said I’ll be taking the Transporter 40 on a few trips and I’ll let you know how it performs soon.

Buy Transporter 40

Osprey