Social media loves Hulken bags, but are they worth over $100? I tested one against a $12 alternative to find out

CNN

a day ago

I hate to brag, but since I moved to New York City a few years ago, I've become a top-tier schlepper. Without access to a car, I've quickly accumulated a collection of tote bags and backpacks that might help lighten my load. I've also learned that some carriers are better than others. Through all my trials (even attempting to use my hiking backpack to carry groceries), nothing has performed better than the Hulken Original Rolling Tote Bag.
Though the brand officially launched in 2020 and has had a few viral moments in recent years, Hulken is still a name unfamiliar to many. In the city, I'll often spot fellow schleppers toting their bags about, but I still field questions, comments and glances nearly every time I roll mine around. The Hulken bag has become one of my favorite products to use, but even the smallest size costs $100. With many other rolling bags on the market, I wanted to see if these viral bags were truly worth the hype and the cost, so I tested one of Hulken's bags against a $12 Target version, inspecting the durability, comfort and design over weeks of heavy hauling.
Hulken Original Rolling Tote Bag
Smooth, sturdy and structurally built, the Hulken Original Rolling Tote Bag is a dream to use. It can easily haul heavy loads over miles of city streets, and look stylish while doing it. Though the price might initially give you sticker shock, with proper care, this durable bag will be your shopping and schlepping assistant for many years to come.
Brightroom Storage Bag With Wheels
For only $12, the Brightroom Storage Bag held up better than expected. The wheels and overall build are not as robust and durable as the Hulken bag, but if you need some help toting laundry or light loads over short distances, it can save you from extra effort.
Polypropylene body
Polyethylene body
Small, medium, large
One size
2,156 cubic inches, 4,224 cubic inches, 8,320 cubic inches (respectively)
7,360 cubic inches
33 pounds, 66 pounds, 66 pounds (respectively)
Not listed
14 by 9 by 22 inches16 by 12 by 22 inches20 by 16 by 26 inches
24 by 20 by 16 inches
8
2
4 swivel wheels
5 swivel wheels
3
4 (2 long, 2 short)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes One of the major assets of both the Hulken and Brightroom bags is that they give you all the storage you want in an oversized tote, but with the shoulder- and back-saving convenience of being on wheels. Rolling totes are not just crafted for city-dwellers like me, they're also great for those with strength or mobility issues, busy parents who have to carry around kids toys or those who often need an extra hand hauling supplies or equipment to work.
My largest regular trek is my weekly run to the grocery store, which is around 60 city blocks or almost 3 miles round-trip. Some days I'll hop on the bus, but often I'll end up rolling my groceries the 30-block distance from the store to my home. The Hulken makes this commute a breeze; it rolls over uneven concrete effortlessly, hops curbs and only requires a mild tug to keep it moving. The four swivel wheels let me steer the bag around pedestrians, construction zones and up and down the aisles of crowded stores with ease. In addition to concrete, the Hulken also glided easily over other surfaces, like hardwood, tile and carpet.
The one downfall is that the Hulken doesn't always roll straight. The way you pack the bag — especially for heavier loads like groceries — impacts how seamlessly the bag moves, so you'll want to distribute the weight of your haul as evenly as possible.
I took the Brightroom bag on the exact same trek I typically take my Hulken on and we got off to a promising start. The bag maneuvered fairly easily around the store, though the handles are shorter than the Hulken's, so taller folks might need to bend down more to reach them. Once the bag was full and out on the street, it rolled without issue — at first. Like the Hulken, Brightroom's bag also has swiveling wheels, and though the wheels are smaller — about half the size of Hulken's — there's an additional fifth wheel in the center of the bag to help keep things rolling evenly.
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The first 10 blocks of my walk home went as expected, but somewhere around the halfway point, I started to feel like the bag was drifting further behind me and I had to use more arm strength to pull it along. The last five blocks of my trip, I felt like the wheels weren't even there and I was just dragging the bag along the ground and over curbs. After unloading it, I discovered that the center wheel had been damaged at some point during my journey, which likely played a part in my strained effort. The other four wheels were intact but looking worse for wear and physically hot to the touch, which was not a great sign considering this was my first outing with the bag.
Granted, I don't think the Brightroom bag was designed to roll a mile and a half over nothing but concrete, but if anything, the struggles I faced helped to highlight just how well-crafted the Hulken bag is for tough, city conditions. For $12, the Brightroom bag fared better than I expected, but when the main draw of the bag is that it rolls, you want the wheels to be ultra-durable and built to last.
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I didn't anticipate noise to be a factor between these bags, but it sure was. The Hulken bag makes a bit of sound when it's rolling over concrete or on hardwood floors, especially when it's packed full of groceries, but a little noise is expected from anything that rolls. The good news is that the noise isn't so loud that it interrupts normal conversation or would bother anyone you roll past for more than a second or two.
By comparison, the Brightroom bag sounded like a jet engine. It's inexplicably loud; so loud that not even my noise-cancelling headphones could fully block it out. I was having a bit of social anxiety strolling with it down the street because I knew other people could hear me rolling it from halfway down the block. I thought the wheels on the Brightroom bag just might not be made for concrete, but even when I rolled it through the smooth, glossy floors of the office, it still echoed down the hall.
The Brightroom bag was fine for short distances — like taking my laundry down the hall of my apartment building or moving odds and ends from room to room — but over long distances, I'd much prefer the smoother and quieter glide of the Hulken.
Currently, I rely on my Hulken bag for three main tasks: grocery shopping, laundry and schlepping products for testing to and from our office. For fair testing, I swapped my Hulken for Brightroom's bag for all my typical tasks. The Brightroom bag has a lot of similarities to the Hulken: Both have swivel wheels, long handles, zip-close tops and solid bottoms for support. One drawback is that Brightroom's bag only comes in one size option and is quite a bit bigger than the small and medium-sized Hulkens. The same amount of groceries that normally fills my Hulken took up only a third of the total space in the Brightroom bag. Even my grocery cashier commented on how massive the bag was.
In my testing, I found that the Brightroom bag was better equipped for light loads even though it's larger — I'd say no more than about 35 or 40 pounds. The more flexible structure and large capacity is especially useful for hauling cumbersome laundry and linens. This generous capacity also means the Brightroom bag has a larger base. I found the wider, square shape of the Brightroom bag more difficult to navigate through small areas (like on public transit or within store aisles) than the Hulken bag, which has a narrower, rectangular design. Hulken does offer a large-size bag that's even a little bit bigger than Brightroom's bag, but it will run you almost $115 more.
I also appreciated that the Hulken bag has a more rigid structure. Whether the bag is packed to the brim or just holding a few items, it retains its rectangular shape and stays propped up. The upright build makes the bag easier to pull and keeps it free-standing, so you can load items in without having to hold the bag open. The rectangular shape of the Hulken does slightly limit what size and shape items you can place inside, since for the best fit, things will need to be smaller than the top opening of the bag. Though this structure also prevents items from shifting around once inside and keeps things more evenly distributed than the Brightroom bag.
Hulken's medium bag is the size I most frequently use and in addition to its impressive 66-pound weight limit, I like that the bag is large enough to carry everything I need, but still narrow enough to weave through crowded store aisles. Hulken's bags feel like they're made with city-dwellers in mind; the small and medium-sized bags fit onto a single escalator step and just clear underneath the height of the subway turnstiles. The three 'unbreakable handles' on each of the bags are reinforced with a plastic coating, which provides added durability and makes them more comfortable to hold. The bags are also made of water-resistant polypropylene and have a zip-top to keep your belongings protected in drizzly conditions.
While both bags have a lot of the same design features, the Hulken feels more elevated and sturdy, so it's the better option for carrying groceries and heavy hauls. For only $12, I think the Brightroom bag is decently built. Although it's crinkled and has some scuffs from bumping against the curb, there are no holes or tears on the body of the bag and other than the broken wheel, everything is fully intact. Still, the reinforced handles, thicker sides and overall superior build of the Hulken make it feel flimsy and thin by comparison.
Though neither bag is perfect, the one thing I would add to both bags is a pocket. While I don't mind keeping essentials like my phone, keys and wallet close to me in a fanny pack, I think a slim pocket on the bags would be nice for holding receipts, smaller items or any other items you might not want to toss in the main compartment.
Both the Hulken and the Brightroom bags have collapsible designs that make them easy to store, but Hulken's design makes the process more straightforward. The Hulken collapses down in seconds and has thoughtful touches, such as the attached elastic straps, to ensure the bag stays fully folded when not in use. After you've folded the bag once (or watched a helpful video), it's easy to repeat the process.
Not only does this lie-flat design make the bag easier to store in a closet, car trunk or even an under-bed area, it also makes it easier to carry around. Even with the bag folded, you can still utilize the handles. My usual move is to loop the straps of the folded bag over my shoulder while I commute via bus, train or foot to the grocery store and then pop it open when I get to my destination. When I'm navigating busy streets or trying to squeeze onto crowded public transit lines, having a slimmer bag makes it easier to get around. Plus, the medium-sized bag only weighs 3 pounds, so it's not a nuisance to have to carry either.
Brightroom's bag is collapsible too, but it takes a little more effort to get completely flat. If you're in a rush, you can smush the bag down, but this method doesn't bode well for protecting the bag long-term. It takes a bit more time and practice to fold the bag down neatly, but the end result is still something that's slim and easy to store. Once you compress the bag down, it will stay, but unlike the Hulken, Brightroom's bag doesn't have elastic ties that help to keep it closed. This doesn't really matter if you're storing the bag with the wheels touching the ground, but it's a helpful feature if you want to store the bag vertically. It also means you won't be able to carry it folded tote-style like with the Hulken, since nothing is securing the body of the bag against gravity.
Hulken's bags are not only built to be durable, they're also built to look stylish. The brand offers all of its bags in eight iridescent shades ranging from understated black and navy, to vivid pink, violet and silver options. On the other hand, Brightroom only offers its rolling tote in gray and aqua colors.
The color of your tote might not be the most important factor, but it's nice to have options and feel that you're spending your money on something you like the look of.
I hesitate to say any product is life-changing, but the Hulken bag really is one of the greatest things to roll into my life. I no longer have to limit my carrying load for fear that I'm going to collapse before I can make it home. The Hulken smoothly rolls over any surface, makes heavy hauls easier and, though it has a $100 minimum price point, it's worth the splurge. With proper use and care, I expect my Hulken bag to last several years, possibly even a decade.
If you don't feel like spending triple digits, the Brightroom bag is a nice option for only $12, just don't plan to use it for extra-heavy loads. It's best suited for chores at home or hauling things short distances, like from room-to-room or from your car into your home. Though I was surprised by how the Brightroom bag held up, I'll still be reaching for my Hulken anytime I've got things to schlep. And if you know someone who could use help with their haul, it makes a great gift too.
Though you'll be able to find other rolling tote alternatives on Amazon that emulate the Hulken bag's design, bear in mind that these tend to have fluctuating stock, fewer color and size options and lack the intentional structural features that make the Hulken bag a true original.
How do you fold a Hulken bag?
How do you fold a Hulken bag?
First, unzip the lid on your Hulken bag and turn the bag so the front handle is on your right-hand side. Pinch the sides of the bag outwards and fold the bag away from you. The back side of the bag should be flush with the bottom. Make sure the handles are out of the way and fold the left and right sides of the bag toward the center. Secure the sides down by looping the small attached elastic bands around the black button in the center of the bag. You can also secure the side handles down by tucking them behind the horizontal black straps on both sides of the bag. If you need a visual, Hulken includes a helpful video for this on the product page for its bags.
Are Hulken bags worth it?
Are Hulken bags worth it?
While $100 or more is a steep price to pay for a tote bag, I think the Hulken bags are worth the investment. They're great for city-dwellers who need a compact bag they can tote for blocks, but will work well for anyone who needs to lug supplies, equipment, groceries, laundry or kids toys to-and-fro. My Hulken bag stands up to any task I throw its way and the durable build shows no signs of slowing down. It also doesn't hurt that the bag looks stylish too. The Hulken bag is the bag that keeps on giving; you'll find new uses for it regularly, which is also why it makes a great gift option for any schleppers in your life.
Do Hulken bags go on sale?
Do Hulken bags go on sale?
We don't see sales on Hulken bags very often, though in the past the brand has offered discounts during shopping holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
CNN Underscored has a team of writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this story, associate editor Jillian Tracy tested the Hulken Original Rolling Tote Bag and the Brightroom Storage Bag With Wheels in her daily routine — hauling groceries, laundry, products and more — for several weeks to see how they stacked up.