I’ve come across many different backpacks, packing cubes, and compression sacks over the years, but it’s rare to find something that tries to combine all three.
The GobiGear HoboRoll is a 20 liter sack that can be worn or put inside other luggage, has multiple compartments to keep everything separate, and includes compression straps and buckles to keep overall size down.
In fact, I’ve been using a HoboRoll since the first version came out in 2013, and the company recently sent me the updated model for review. Here are my thoughts after a couple of weeks of solid use.
Design
The cylindrical HoboRoll has five internal compartments, with a cord at each end. I’ve long been concerned that without zippers or a proper base my gear will fall to the bottom after a while, but that didn’t happen with the old version and it hasn’t happened with the new one either.
Made from ultralight 30D nylon, the new HoboRoll is much thinner than the previous model. That’s a good thing – it takes up a lot less space in my bag and folds up when not needed.
The compression mechanism is nice and simple, in fact much more than in the previous version. A pair of metal buckles are sewn onto the bag, with a strap threaded through them. Once everything is inside the HoboRoll, simply hook the buckles through a pair of matching little loops on the other side, tighten the strap, and you’re done.
That approach is easier and more reliable than the previous mechanism, which used plastic buckles that often opened under pressure.
A new addition for 2015 is an optional shoulder strap, which can be attached to the bag using two metal snaps to wear the HoboRoll on the back. Since I use mine inside my backpack, I don’t need the strap, which means it can be left at home and use the space for other things.
Real world tests
I had the perfect opportunity to put the HoboRoll to the test during a week-long hike in which I was only carrying a 30-liter backpack. I needed some kind of compression system to make everything fit, along with a way to hold clothes together and separate dirty items from clean ones.
Traveling light, she carried two changes of clothes, plus extra gear for wet weather and warm layers for those chilly mornings being kept away. Everything easily fit into the HoboRoll, and when it was tight, everything took up minimal space in my backpack.
This is definitely the best way to use it – when overloaded it bulges outward and leaves extra space around the edges that is difficult to fill with other things.
I found that rolling my clothes was the best packing technique, especially for larger items like T-shirts and pullovers – underwear and socks didn’t matter as much. On nights I couldn’t wash what I had worn, it was easy to keep dirty things separate in a compartment or two, and packing everything into the HoboRoll each morning took less than a minute.
Being able to remove a single item to get to the other things in my backpack, rather than pulling out a dozen individual items, definitely sped things up at the beginning and end of the day.
To update
Two years after this review was first written, it is time for an update. As the Hoboroll performed well on its initial week-long outing, I gave it a bigger challenge later in the year: a five-week trek through Spain, inside the same 30-liter backpack.
It worked equally well, keeping clothes separate and compressed, without the “popping” problem I had with the buckles on the previous model. At the end of the hike, noticeable wear was noticeable where the drawstring goes into the bag, but it was still working fine.
Since then I have continued to use the Hoboroll regularly, mainly for weekend trips. Now it’s nearing the end of its life, with the waterproof coating on the inside peeling off and peeling off, but it still has to withstand another few trips before it finally bites into the dust.
The verdict
The HoboRoll is a specialized, yet versatile piece of luggage. For hikers, campers, and those who just want to cram a little more stuff into a backpack that’s already bulging at the seams, the HoboRoll is a worthy addition.
For under $ 40 it’s not going to break the bank, and extended testing shows it lasts longer and is more useful than the original. Recommended.
