Apr 15, 2019 BY Luke Rees
Looking for a robust, spacious and lightweight snowboard bag with wheels? Then checkout this review of Thule RoundTrip Roller 165cm. It has been tested over three trips from the UK to the mountains.
In 16 years of snowboarding I have only owned two snowboard bags. My first didn’t have wheels and didn’t last very long. Since then I have had a Dakine High Roller which is still going strong.
As a snowboard journalist I go on many press trips each season meaning get the bag gets a lot of use. Through flights, trains, coaches, buses, ferries and many transfers the Dakine has experienced a lot and never let me down.
However the Dakine is very big and weighs around 6kg. On most press trips I am only away for three or four nights so I don’t need anything as big. Plus it’s extra size makes it unwieldy and difficult to transport.
Finally the weight is often an issue. Typically you get either 23kg (British Airways) or 20kg (EasyJet) allowance on flights. So if more than a quarter of that allowance is the bags weight you can’t pack as much as you’d like.
So I wanted a lightweight snowboard bag with wheels that is still robust. It also needs to be big enough to take two boards and all my gear for a one week trip.
Up step the Thule RoundTrip Snowboard Roller 165cm. Weighing just 3.3kg it is certainly lightweight. It has wheels and on first inspection seems a sturdy bag that will protect my gear.
The first test of any snowboard bag is can you fit everything in. Compared next to my Dakine High roller I was initially concerned. The Thule bag measures 173 x 34 x 19 cm but it can comfortably fit inside the Dakine.
However the inner length of the Thule is 165cm and can easily accommodated two boards, one of which is a 163. On my first trip I was only going away for four nights. But in addition to my own gear (boots, gloves, helmet and outerwear) I had a spare helmet, goggles, and outer gear for a friend.
I also packed my off the slopes clothing, wash bag and first aid kit (mainly medicines in case of illness, injuries or hangovers) into the Thule. At first I wasn’t sure the bag would do up… but the interesting S shape zipper did its job with just a minor squeeze.
I have since been on two other trips. On one of these I managed to pack my bulky Pieps Jetforce Avalanche Airbag and other avy gear into the pack. On another trip I knew I would be doing freestyle so packed my crash pants, back protector and knee pads.
The point is that is is easily big enough to fit everything I need for a week long snowboard trip. Although I would struggle if I wanted to take both my freestyle armour and my avalanche gear. However I could always put some clothing or helmet into my hand luggage.
My only slight complaint is the lack of separate pockets. There is one netted pocket on the inside but nothing on the outside. However the S shaped zipper means you can easily open one end to get something out.
A review of Thule RoundTrip Snowboard Roller 165cm wouldn’t be right without a section about how well it travels. The wheels are smooth and it rolls really well with good manoeuvrability.
I usually get public transport to the airport which begins with a 25 min walk to the train station. The Thule RoundTrip handled the ‘hike’ well bumping up and down kerbs without a problem. Although I would say the wheels are slightly louder than the Dakine, but they seem robust enough.
As it is a lightweight snowboard bag with wheels I was not as hot and bothered after the walk as I would be with my larger bag. The 3kg weight saving is only half the story as the smaller size makes it much easier to deal with.
A huge plus was the lack of sagging in the Thule. It stayed nice and rigid due to the structural reinforcements at the top and bottom of bag. Unlike the Dakine bag which often bends making it harder to deal with. It also rolls very well on snow.
I found the external compression straps very useful. Not just for compressing the bag to stop movement of the gear inside but when manhandling the bag. They make perfect grab handles to pick it up two handed and are incredibly useful at about a quarter of the length in from either end.
The durable YKK zippers feel like they will last. For security they can be locked with any standard padlock.
One thing that is missing is a luggage label. Obviously this is not essential as you can attach one but there is something reassuring about having one incorporated into the bag. After all it contains around two grand of gear so it is nice to put your name and contact details on it.
The Thule RoundTrip Snowboard Roller comes with two board sleeves to put over the ends of your snowboard to help avoid damaging any of your other gear. This is a nice idea but not something I have used before. I ended up using them for my clothes instead.
The final bonus with this Lightweight snowboard bag was when collecting luggage. Nearly everyone has a black snowboard bag and many of them are Dakine, but even if it’s another brand they all look alike.
But this blue Thule RoundTrip Roller really stands out. This makes it less likely someone will take my bag by mistake or that I’ll get excited thinking someone else’s bag is mine (which always happens in baggage claim!).
My main concerns when I started this review of Thule RoundTrip Roller 165cm was fitting everything in. Ok so it is a lot smaller than my high roller but I can easily fit everything I need for a one week trip.
The huge advantage is it weights nearly 3kg less. This makes it easier to manoeuvre and helps avoid excess baggage. Plus the smaller size means it is much easier to deal with on public transport, in a car and even when putting it away at home.
The wheels are great. The straps and handles very useful. The entire Thule bag feels well made and I do not expect it to let me down.
In conclusion it’s a robust, spacious and lightweight snowboard bag with wheels that ticks all the boxes. I will definately be using it for all my shorter trips and most of my longer holidays depending on how much gear I need to take.
I hope you found this review of Thule RoundTrip Roller 165cm useful. It can be purchased online or in store. Find out more at Thule: www.thule.com
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