A few years back, Israel-based Fugu ran a successful Kickstarter campaign for its Influx suitcase that expands from carry-on bag to check-in size suitcase using an inbuilt electric pump. Now the company is back with the Rollux, a more traditional-looking piece of baggage that achieves the same space-expanding feat without requiring a pump.
With shopping being one of the main activities enjoyed by travelers, a carry-on bag may be enough for the start of a journey, but fall well short of space requirements when heading home. Or maybe you're carting a heap of presents to friends and family and will have plenty of free baggage space on the way home and don't want to have to check a half empty suitcase. It is these problems that the Rollux is designed to address.
In carry-on mode, it measures 19.6 inches long, 15.7 in high and 8.6 in wide (50 x 40 x 22 cm), and boasts a volume of 41 liters, meeting airline requirements for carry-on luggage. But undoing a clip at the base of the bag and pulling the suitcase up sees it expand to a height of 33.4 in (85 cm), more than doubling the bag's volume to 93 L. In both configurations, it weighs 8.5 lb (3.9 kg).
The luggage comes in a variety of colors and is made from a durable elastic fabric to help you squeeze in that last few items, while the four spinner wheels on the base are detachable to ensure the bag fits in that overhead compartment in carry-on mode. It also includes a USB charging port with two cables for keeping mobile devices powered up on the go, with a powerbank and inbuilt GPS available as optional extras.
Fugu has also designed a smaller sibling for the Rollux in the form of the Minilux. This is a side/laptop bag that can fold out to form a desktop complete with cup holder. It also has deployable straps to convert into a backpack and, like its bigger brother, it also offers a built-in powerbank.
Having constructed finished prototypes and completed testing, Fugu says the Rollux and Minilux are now ready for mass production. Having delivered on its previous Kickstarter campaign for the Influx, the company has already exceeded the US$50,000 goal of its Rollux Kickstarter campaign by more than $20,000 with a month still to run. Mass production is slated for July, with orders to be shipped in September.
Pledges range from $225 for the basic Rollux expandable suitcase, up to $499 for the Rollux and Minilux with powerbank, GPS and other accessories.
You can check out the Rollux and Minilux in Fugu's pitch video below.
Source: Fugu, Kickstarter