Kobi Pet Carrier - Soft Sided - Airline Approved, Mocha, Regular

I was really impressed with the build quality of the Kobi. But as other reviewers have mentioned, it has some usability shortcomings. In my case, the most serious of these is that it fails to fully retain its form and height thus further reducing the pet's comfort, already compromised by shortage of space. This is the case even with both doors zipped shut. My 9.6 pound mini Dachshund cannot stand upright without supporting some of the Kobi's weight on her back, and she strongly resents this.I was able to mitigate this by snugly fitting an arch, formed from 1/2 inch PEX tubing, inside each end of the Kobi. This worked pretty well as long as the length expander was not opened. But my pet is 21 inches nose-to-butt, and even the extra length was not quite enough for her to stretch out. Furthermore, the Kobi does not carry well using the shoulder strap when the extender is opened.Regarding the weak magnetic snaps that others have mentioned, this was not a serious problem for me. All but one of these had adequate retention if carefully fitted to its mate. It helps to use both hands for this, one on each snap member, so the alignment is precise. Realistically though, the magnetic snaps are only used is to retain the mesh covers. I don't see much need to cover the mesh at all, and doing so compromises ventilation.I really wanted to keep the Kobi, but I had to return it for a defective mechanical snap that fastens the top mesh cover to a carry handle. So I decided to replace it with a Petsfit Comfort Expandable model. This model is not of the Kobi build quality, but it is adequate and provides more room; especially height.My Kobi was the Regular size. The manufacturer also mentions a Large size, but I could not find any sellers of this model. It is possible that the extra 2-inch height of the Large size would have made a difference for my pet. The length is only 1/2 inch more though, so it still might not be Dachshund-friendly.

My cats are big. The largest is 15 pounds. I needed to find a carrier that would fit under the seat on a plane. The Kobi carrier is the exact measurements that are allowed for in cabin travel. It has a great way of making the carrier larger once the cat carrier is under the seat and through inspection. Just like a suitcase, one can unzip the carrier on one side and the carrier becomes two inches longer. I have carried one of my cats to the vets, using the carrier. I used the strap and easily carried him to the car and to the vets. I also like the tray and the insert that can be washed in a washing machine. I even bought the waterproof bowl that fits in the side pocket. Also, there are covers for the sides of the carrier. If one wants the cat to be able to look out, one can just roll up the cloth sides and the cat will have instant windows made out of mesh. My cats can be destructive and they did could not tear the mess. It is a very cleverly designed carrier.

Unfortunately, unless you are toting your pet everywhere and are hardcore about traveling with them, it's hard to tell whether this carrier will stand the test of time. The Kobi bag didn't stand the test of time and their return policy is incredibly short (30 days). There's no lifetime warranty, or a warranty of any reasonable period.My cat, who has been pretty light the last few years, has not been in this often (just some vet visits), but the zippers on all sides are already broken. She can now poke her head out of the bag. Which is a shame, as it's not a cheap bag and I think at that price, there should be some longevity to it. Now it's going from 4 stars to 1.Sorry, Kobi. I wanted to have this for the long haul but it didn't take many uses for it to become a piece of junk.OLD REVIEW from 2011:I love this bag. When I originally ordered it, there were some issues with shipping where it ended up going back to Kentucky, and I needed it to go to Seattle...my original order didn't arrive until the day after I moved away, but Amazon dealt with it immediately when I reported the issue, and sent me a replacement so I did have the carrier in time for my plane flight.I needed this for my cat, who tends to be more horizontal than vertical. She's an older, fatter cat, with some injuries, so we needed it more broad and flat and able to fit under an airplane seat in front of us. All of that worked. She was good on the flight over, but when we needed to crate the cats when we moved cross country, there were, naturally, accidents. The one modification I would make is to have the interior not be fuzzy, but to be smooth and machine washable. I had to leave the bag out in the sun quite a bit, to try to get it to be more sanitized. As much as I've tried to clean it, it still stinks somewhat. Owners can always add fuzzy blankets, etc...but once there's an accident, it can be hard to clean it thoroughly. It's a comfortable bag for your pet, but the reason it gets 4 stars is because it's not that easy to clean.

I was so certain I'd like this product that I actually ordered two. But the carrier come flat and never seems to stand up right. The frame is rather flimsy when compared to my Sherpa carrier.

Just like the title says, I love everything about this bag except the fact that it has a hard time holding it's shape when one of the doors is open. It tends to droop over to one side. Other than that, the material is very sturdy, it's easy to carry and perfect size for my chubbers of a cat. I would recommend it to friends.

This is sturdy, roomy and easy to carry. Our dog is a 14 lb. Maltipoo and she fits perfectly in the carrier. I also use it to carry our elderly cat to the vet. Surprisingly, he's more calm and comfy than in the hard case I transported him in for 14+ years.