Urban Transport

Olaf combines backpack, scooter, roller luggage and skateboard

Olaf combines backpack, scooter, roller luggage and skateboard
Removing the backpack
Removing the backpack
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The Urban works as four different pieces of gear
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The Urban works as four different pieces of gear
Olaf at ISPO Munich 2014
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Olaf at ISPO Munich 2014
Olaf's Business model is a three-in-one design with scooter, trolley and backpack functions
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Olaf's Business model is a three-in-one design with scooter, trolley and backpack functions
It doesn't look like the most comfortable backpack with scooter hardware attached, but it picks up and goes when and where you need
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It doesn't look like the most comfortable backpack with scooter hardware attached, but it picks up and goes when and where you need
An Olaf rep shows us how the Urban scooter-pack wears
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An Olaf rep shows us how the Urban scooter-pack wears
The 4 in 1 Urban can drop the pack and roll as scooter only
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The 4 in 1 Urban can drop the pack and roll as scooter only
Removing the backpack
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Removing the backpack
Fold the handlebar down and the Urban becomes a skateboard
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Fold the handlebar down and the Urban becomes a skateboard
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It seems that every year manufacturers add a new function to the backpack or carry-on. In 2012, it was the Micro Luggage scooter. In 2013, it was the Glyde Gear Fly backpack-trolley-scooter. And in 2014, it's the Olaf backpack-trolley-scooter-skateboard. This 4-in-1 pack offers some serious flexibility for transporting you and your belongings.

Like the other models mentioned, the Olaf Urban has a fold-down scooter platform that allows the rider to scoot his haul across the airport floor. The single wheel affixed to the rear of the board combines with the two front wheels integrated below the pack itself.

When scooting is no longer feasible, the scooter can be quickly folded and the pack worn on the back or pulled along as wheeled luggage. The backpack can also be separated from the scooter hardware completely, which provides the user with a lighter, more comfortable pack and a standalone scooter.

The Urban's last trick, and the one that separates it from similar products we've covered, is that the handlebar folds flat around the scooter platform, transforming it into a skateboard. It doesn't look like you'll be flying over staircases or off vert ramps with this particular board, but it should be adequate as a means of wheeling across campus.

Fold the handlebar down and the Urban becomes a skateboard
Fold the handlebar down and the Urban becomes a skateboard

In addition to the 4-in-1 Urban scooter, Olaf is working on a 3-in-1 Business model. In place of the soft backpack, the Business version uses a more rigid, carry-on-style pack. It can be pulled as wheeled luggage or scootered via its short, folding platform. The "3-in-1" is a bit of a stretch since the third function is simply hauling it by its handles. The wheeled hardware does not remove, so it doesn't offer any skateboard capabilities.

Olaf is still setting up production and distribution. At last month's ISPO Munich show, it told us that it hopes to launch its packs in about three months for a starting price around €250 (US$340). The price is a little steep for what appears to be a cheap scooter/board and backpack, but if they can bring it down a bit, it seems like an interesting, multifunctional piece of kit.

Source: Olaf Scooter

View gallery - 8 images
2 comments
2 comments
The Skud
Surely, if you already have a stiff or rigid framed backpack, you could strap a skateboard to it and there you are! Wear the backpack, roll with the board if you need to. A second strap would be your tow-along handle.
epochdesign
Wondering, what is the point of being a copycat if you're not making a better mousetrap?