GOMATIC 30L Travel Bag, Packing Cubes and Navigator Sling 6L – Review

By Richard Jones

What GOMATIC say:

“We aim to create products that inspire confidence for life on the move. Whether you’re using the GOMATIC Planner to achieve your goals or the Travel Bag to get to your destination, our objective is to give you the tools you need to make it happen – in the best way possible. We use quality materials and top-of-the line manufacturing to give you peace of mind. Each feature-packed product is designed thoughtfully to be the most functional of its kind. We create products that adapt to every situation – whether you’re at the boardroom or the beach.”

Although it is enjoyable and eye-opening moving from place to place when you’re travelling, it can throw up a bit of a problem.

Despite the general pre-holiday excitement, I find the process of packing dull, and when I’m living out of a suitcase and having to unpack and repack every couple of days during the trip, that can also be annoying.

Thankfully, GOMATIC’s spacious travel bags, with their multitude of hidden compartments and genius packing cubes enable you to pack smartly and separate your belongings, depending on when you’re going to need them.

GOMATIC first came about when a pair of cousins – Jon Richards and Jacob Durham – designed an innovative wallet and launched it on Kickstarter.

Initially, the duo were expecting to get about 50 orders, but over 6,000 people backed their campaign, and the rest is history. Since then, GOMATIC have continued to listen to consumers and launched dozens of products which combine quality with functionality.

Keen to find out what all the buzz is about, I road-tested one of their best-selling travel bags, with an accompanying packing cube, as well as a fashionable sling bag.

GOMATIC 30L Travel Bag

gomatic.co.uk/products/gomatic-30l-travel-bag
Price: £279.99

Key Features:

• Weight: 1.5k
• Capacity: 30 Litres
• Outer Dimensions: (H/W/D) 23 x 48 x 33cm
• Laptop Compartment: 39 x 28 x 4cm
• RFID Safe Pocket
• Roller Bag Sleeve
• Underwear Pocket
• Cord Pass Through
• Easy Access Pocket
• Water Bottle Pocket
• Innovative Strap System
• Waist Straps

Whether you’re heading to the gym, the office, or on a weekend getaway, the GOMATIC 30L Travel Bag is designed to hold everything you need. With over 20 features, this light-luggage game changer is made from durable, water-resistant materials, while the patented strap system allows you to go from duffel bag to backpack instantly. The organisation of this travel bag is nothing short of amazing and, as it fits precisely in an aircraft’s overhead compartment, you can use it for anything and everything, anywhere. Everything you pack into it has an allotted space – the hamper is perfect to keep your dirty clothes separate from clean ones, while the shoe compartment has a ventilated door with a water-resistant flap depending on whether you want to keep water out or need some ventilation. Meanwhile, the quality of the materials and workmanship is top notch, as is the style – I have received a number of compliments on it.

Verdict

Super lightweight and sturdy, the innovative GOMATIC 30L Travel Bag is a go-anywhere, do-anything bag, perfect for a weekend traveller. Although there are slightly cheaper, and inferior, alternatives on the market, upgrading to this is worth every penny.

GOMATIC Compression Packing Cubes

gomatic.co.uk/collections/packing-cubes
Price: £19 (small); £29.99 (medium); £39.99 (large)

Key features

Medium Cube: (Length x Width) 29.2 x 19.7cm. All cubes are 13cm deep and compress down to 6.4cm
Litre Compression – Medium Cube: 5.5L to 2.5L Compressed
If you’re one of those people who tends to pack too much when you travel, GOMATIC’s packing cubes make you conscious of what you’re putting in. A must have with the 40L travel bag, they use a zippered compression system to condense your clothes and maximise your space by up to 50 per cent. Much easier to use than a vacuum bag, the cubes come in different sizes – the large is ideal for separating jeans and shirts, and the small is good for socks and underwear. The cubes’ main benefit is that you can see what is in each through the mesh, while the handles also make them easy to carry and access. When unpacking at your destination, the cubes allow you to put things straight into drawers without having to take each item out. Plus, you’ll be surprised with how little ironing is required afterwards.

Verdict

Simply put, GOMATIC Compression Packing Cubes enable you to pack more than you think is possible, and if you’re someone who likes order to your packing, they are a god send. You may never have thought packing cubes were necessary, until you try these.

GOMATIC Navigator Sling 6L

gomatic.co.uk/products/navigator-sling-6l
Price: £129.99

Key features

• Weight: 1.3 lbs | Capacity: 6 litres | Outer Dimensions: (H/W/D) 34 x 23 x 10 cm | Strap Circumference: 76 cm Contracted, 152cm Fully Expanded
• Device Pocket: iPad Pro 11″: 25 x 18 cm. Max Rectangular Device Size: 29 x 17 cm. Max Square Device: 25 x 17 cm
• Two external handles
• Breathable back panel
• Reflective Bars
• Tamperproof pullers
• Water resistant zippers
• Card holder in shoulder strap
• Hidden bottle pocket
• Hidden stabiliser strap
• Key Leash
• RFID Safe Pocket
• Organisation Pockets
• Pen Holder
• Cord
• Tablet Pocket

A stylish, practical and extremely comfortable alternative to a standard rucksack, the Navigator Sling 6L combines superior organisation, with quick access and functionality. In the main compartment, there are four pockets for storage, including mesh, zipper, and an RFID safe pocket, while the cord management system allows you to charge devices between pockets on the move. In the back pocket, you can fit an 11” tablet, while the external hidden pocket also includes a key leash, and the card slot also provides quick but secure access. The water bottle pocket hides it away when not in use, the bag’s zips are water resistant and tamper proof, there are reflective bars for visibility in the dark, and the stabiliser strap gives you added support when on the move. As with all the GOMATIC products, it keeps its shape brilliantly and doesn’t collapse, meaning you can put a lunch box, snacks, phone, wallet, keys, sunglasses, umbrella, change of clothes and anything else in it, without it looking lumpy. Last but not least, the sleek Navigator Sling looks good with any outfit – you will turn the head of anyone who sees one over your shoulder.

Verdict

Size-wise, the Navigator Sling falls in between a backpack and a bum bag, but it is much more than that. Whether you’re a commuter, errand runner or adventure seeker, this “irrefutable everyday companion” will become your new sidekick. Again, it’s on a higher price point, but you pay for what you get.

For more information on these and other GOMATIC products, see: gomatic.co.uk