| | |  | Rolling backpacks | Home » » Rick Steves Autobahn 21" Rolling Backpack | | | | | | Colors: | | | | | Description: | | Autobahn 21 Rolling Backpack is perfect for hands-free backpacking over cobbled streets and up stairs or smooth rolling through airports and train stations, this 21 Rolling Backpack is filled with all the right pockets in all the right places to make your trip smooth and easy going. | | | Features: | |
• The most fanatical backpacker will admit that nothing beats the convenience of wheels in airports. Let the good times roll with wide-tracking wheels (13" apart vs. 10¾ for our 21" Roll-Aboard) and a telescoping handle.
• When it makes more sense to have your bag on your back with both hands free (bumpy streets, stairways, trains) ? pull out the hidden backpack straps and waistbelt, and away you go.
• The wide-tracking wheels won't bang into your hips; the backpack straps (with adjustable sternum strap) and waistbelt are contour-curved and air-mesh padded; and the hidden strap/waistbelt compartment cleverly doubles as air-mesh lumbar padding.
• The rolling backpack easily fits inside 9" x 21" x 14" cabin bag requirements ? including the wheels. top and bottom grab handles (and a weight of less than 8 lbs.) make stowing in overhead cabin bins a snap.
• The Two-Tone Polyester Fabric Gives This Bag A Sleek Look. Front Panel Zips Open To Reveal A Full-Length Compartment, Organizer Pockets And Padded Laptop Compartment. Twin Side Pockets (Perfect For Water Bottle/ Newspaper) Adjust With Compression Straps.
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 12.0 inches | | Product Width:
| 18.0 inches | | Product Height:
| 20.0 inches | | Product Weight:
| 2.0 pounds | | Package Length:
| 17.0 inches | | Package Width:
| 13.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 4.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.0 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 11 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 11 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 31 found the following review helpful:
With reservationsMay 31, 2010
By Charles R. Lockhart
Eight pounds doesn't sound like much and it's ok for rolling but when it's already 8 pounds empty and you put a few things in it you really feel it if you use the backpack feature. Also some airlines have a 22 pound limit and empty on this thing you're over 1/3 of the way there. I'm returning it to Amazon.
The above was my original review but someone replied to it and pointed out that most carryons are 8 pounds or more and it was otherwise well designed. I agree. After writing it I looked around and found that most other wheeled carryons were indeed at least 8 pounds, so I guess I'm just not a carry on candidate. Since part of the trip was going to be on Ryan air with a 22 lb limit I was particularly concerned about weight, and it did feel heavy when I put it on my back, but to other people that might be acceptable. So I've changed my review from 2 to 4 stars with the reservation described above.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Small Enough?Apr 12, 2011
By H. S. Cohn
"HSCohn"
We bought four of these for our family to travel carry-on. The goal was to be able to fit in overhead on Ryan Air whose dimensions, to avoid checked luggage fees, are 55cm x 40cm x 20cm and seem to be among the most restrictive in the airline industry (for now). This bag is approximately those dimensions, though it has the ability to get much thicker than the 20cm depth dimension with over-packing. Our 10 year old can carry it with the back pack straps that are (relatively) easily accessible. The wheels work well. The extendable handle is a little light weight so be aware that it does make some compromises.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
 Excellent Design!Dec 12, 2010
By G. S. Friedman
This is a very nicely designed rolling carry-on with backpack straps. It has lots of nice nooks and crannies that should help in packing. The backpack aspect of the bag is well designed, too, with comfortable shoulder straps and a good hip-belt. The backpack straps tuck away neatly.
The previous negative review about the weight is, in my opinion, unreasonable. At 8 lbs, this is about as light a rollable carry-on as you could find anywhere. We have several other very nice rolling carry-ons from other manufacturers that weigh in at 10.5 lbs. We have used them happily for years. The previous reviewer compared this carry-on to a non-rolling carry-on. That is an apples-to-oranges comparison that should not be used to denigrate the design of this one.
I haven't used this on a trip yet, so I have no idea how rugged it will prove to be, but in all aspects it seems to be high quality, so I hope for good results.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 probably better than other brands - I hope (Below is new opinion after traveling with it)May 23, 2011
By lili
So far I like it. But the real test will be when I have to travel (rely) on it! (that will be soon!)
I had a different brand several years ago, and after the trip i used it on I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. Hope this one is better. That's why I bought Rick Steves this time.
==============
well, that's what my expectation was... but reality was quite different.
I relied on this bag (and the small Rick Steves' backpack also) for a 5-month trip. The only really good thing about this bag was that the material and wheels are rugged and sound (I dragged them through some really rough terrain and they are still fine). But the zippers are tenuous at best(the small backpack zipper broke before I even got to my destination -- that was a daily headache!! for 5-months).
The organizational features on this bag could have also been better. It didn't fit (vertically) in many overhead compartments. The handle falls in at the slightest touch. Compression straps were useless -- risk blowing the zippers. Etc.
I understand that it is sized to be a carry-on on most planes -- but in reality I never had enough room for all the things I needed to bring. (And I don't pack the kitchen sink.)
If I were to invest in another bag (similar to this one), I would only go with a different brand if the wheels were as good as they are on this bag.
This bag is probably best for a trip where you stay at hotels, and get a rental car, etc -- not for low-budget travelling where you are moving around a lot, are jumping on/off public transportation and have to carry everything yourself.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
problem with the handleJun 10, 2011
By Gary C. Mosier
"OldFoggy"
After I purchased this bag I took it on a weekender with no problems. Nice bag, rolling stock worked well, shoulder straps for backpack option acceptable. Only problem was that the compression straps won't compress anything. All in all though, not bad. Second trip was a month in Greece. Arrived at the Athens airport, pulled out the handle, and something went "ping". The handle would not lower more than half way without major intervention after that. Finally got the handle down by pushing in the "pins" with two pencils. I realize that the handle is the weak point of all roll on bags, but I really expected more than three days of use before it broke. A real shame, since other than the wonky handle, it's a nice bag. On it's way back to the nice folks at Amazon.
See all 11 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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* Estimated shipping rate for US 48 states. Final rate calculated at checkout. |
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