After falling for my BAGSMART backpack earlier this year, I was intrigued when the brand offered to send me their rolling version, the Blast Pro – a softshell carry-on suitcase with handy straps that transform it into a backpack!
I’ve always struggled to pick between packing a small suitcase or a backpack when going on short trips. Backpacks are great for being light and flexible on your feet (think busy cities), but my shoulders aren’t such a fan. Suitcases save my back, but are a nightmare the moment I hit crowds of people.
The Blast Pro 43L provides you with both options in one. You can wheel it through the airport, then pop it on your back when things get busy, or the road gets bumpy!
I’ve been testing it on my recent trips, and in this BAGSMART rolling backpack review, I’ll share how it’s held up!
TL;DR
The BAGSMART Blast Pro is a well-made hybrid bag with a huge amount of space for a carry-on. It rolls like a suitcase and converts into a backpack when you need it to. However, the frame is quite rigid, so I wouldn’t want to wear it on my back for long stretches. If you mostly plan to wheel it, with the odd stint as a backpack, it’s a great option.
Pros
- It’s handy to have both straps and wheels!
- The inside space is amazing for a carry-on
- It works perfectly with their packing cubes
- The material feels great and sturdy
- The Shade Blue colour is lovely in real life
Cons
- It’s a little rigid to wear on your back for long periods
- The detachable support strap is easy to misplace
About the Blast Pro
The Blast Pro 43L is BAGSMART’s wheeled roller backpack. It has wheels and a telescopic handle like a carry-on suitcase, plus backpack straps, a support strap to go around your hips, and carry handles on the top and side.
It measures 55 x 35 x 23cm and holds 43 litres. It also has a padded 15.6-inch laptop compartment, an RFID-blocking pocket and a cover that tucks over the wheels when you wear it as a backpack.
If you want to know more about the brand itself, I covered that in my original BAGSMART review.
My experience
I’ve been using the Blast Pro in Shade Blue. Here’s how it’s fared in terms of design, durability, ease of use and value for money.
The design
What I like most about this bag is its hybrid design. Most of the time I wheel it, but it’s nice knowing I can switch to backpack mode when I get to busy areas, like a tube station or a city centre.
The colour is lovely. The Shade Blue is darker than navy blue, with a lovely deep blue colour that is sometimes almost black-looking. It gets me many compliments!
Inside, the main compartment is HUGE. It is perfect for long weekends away. The laptop compartment is easy to access, as it is on the front of the bag.
The RFID pocket, which protects your cards and passports whilst travelling, and the water bottle pocket are also super handy. It’s the ultimate traveller’s bag – for carry-on luggage or road trips.
The space
The space is AMAZING. For a bag that fits in most cabin allowances, 43 litres is a lot of room. Plenty of space for packing your belongings. Which is probably down to the softshell design.
I managed to fit a good long weekend’s worth of clothing inside the bag using the BAGSMART packing cubes. Plus, I was able to put my toiletries, tech, shoes, and a few books in there too!
One thing to note on sizing: at 23cm deep, it fits British Airways and easyJet’s larger cabin bag allowances, but it’s too deep for Ryanair’s Priority bag (55 x 40 x 20cm).
The durability
The material feels great and very sturdy. It’s made from a heavy-duty TPU fabric, with YKK zips on the outside.
I went with the Shade Blue colour, which hides marks well. But that being said, if I do scuff it on anything, it tends to wipe off well thanks to the fabric.
The wheels are pretty sturdy (and are great to look at too!) They have taken on cobbled streets and bumpy pavements with ease. Just made sure to keep the removable support strap out of the way of the wheels (I actually removed mine completely because I don’t tend to use those hip straps on backpacks anyway – but it is good to have for those that do).
As with my first BAGSMART bag, it’s too soon to say how it will look after years of use. I’ll update this review as it racks up more miles.
Ease of use
Switching between modes is pretty simple. You just pull the straps out from behind the cover and clip them onto the outside loops. There is also a wheel cover, which is useful for when you’ve been rolling the bag around somewhere a little dirty.
As a backpack, I find it a tad on the rigid side, but I’d. say that is necessary in order for it to also be a wheeled case. It is absolutely fine for everyday wear; I just wouldn’t have it on my back for something like a hike.
Value for money
The Blast Pro costs £159.99. It isn’t cheap, but when compared with other wheeled backpacks, it is actually one of the most affordable wheeled backpacks.
The Osprey Farpoint/Fairview Wheels 36 has the same dimensions, but holds 7 litres less and costs £240. TUMI’s Alpha Bravo convertible wheeled backpack is a similar size again, with less capacity, and it costs £710.
| Brand and model | Size | Capacity | Weight | Laptop sleeve | easyJet large cabin | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAGSMART Blast Pro 43L | 55 x 35 x 23cm | 43L | 3.03kg | Up to 15.6-inch | ✓ | £159.99 |
| Samsonite Prodiver 55cm | 55 x 40 x 25cm | 51L | 2.8kg | No | ✓ | £215 |
| Osprey Farpoint/Fairview Wheels 36 | 55 x 35 x 23cm | 36L | 2.55kg | No | ✓ | £240 |
| TUMI Alpha Bravo Convertible 2-Wheeled Backpack | 55 x 35.5 x 23cm | 40L | 3.31kg | No | ✓ | £710 |
Prices are correct as of 29 September 2026.
The wheeled backpack review verdict
The Blast Pro is a great choice if you want a bag that does more than your average carry-on. It’s super handy being able to switch between carrying it on your back and wheeling it on the ground. Particularly when travelling somewhere busy.
But of course, if you plan to wear your bag on your back all day, I’d stick with a traditional travel backpack like the BAGSMART Blast 38L instead.
The space inside is insane for a bag this size. I was amazed at how much I could cram in there. And even then, everything was still easy to access, like the side and top pockets.
It’s a smart-looking bag that will work perfectly for weekends away, tight carry-on luggage allowances, adventure trips, and so much more.
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