Recommend to a Friend:
Yes
Age:
25 to 34
Describe yourself:
Casual / Recreational, Avid Adventurer
How often do you use this product?:
Daily
Great Bike commuting pack
This pack has many pros, and a few cons. I am a dedicated bike commuter. This review comes after a month of daily use of the pack to commute a total of 50mi/day to and from school. I average 18mph and am training for a triathlon. What can I say, I'd rather be riding :). I would recommend this pack to a friend, absolutely. It has a few really nice features designed specifically for cyclists, but it could use a few more. I am a bonded gearhead, so this is a lot of review. Hope this helps!
PROS:
- perfect size. Fits everything I need, with a bit extra just in case.
-Very supportive. The straps distribute the load excellently, making a heavier load feel light, and well positioned on my back. Also, even if pack is not full, stuff is not clanging around and putting me off balance. It sits at just the right spot on my back to not be in my way while riding, either on the hoods, drops, or aero bars.
-Ideal amount of cushioning. I got this pack after having severe pain from my laptop bruising my back while riding. I can’t notice the hardness of my laptop, and the Air Support does a decent job at keeping me less sweaty.
-Side pockets are sleek, yet accommodating. I use these for a water bottle once I get to school, my phone sometimes, and full size U lock. I am never worried about items falling out of the side pockets.
Aero! The pack has no odds and ends that can flail around in the wind, nor any spots that stick out and slow me down.
Organization. It has just the right amount of places to put things. Main load zipper is big enough to get stuff out, but small enough to operate with just one hand. I love the sunglass pocket. Its big enough for my Smith Attack Mags, plus an extra lens if its raining. I like the option to put accessory items on the inside of the lid, or lower down zippered compartment. This helps keep my phone charger separate from my pens, keys and ID badge. The laptop sleeve is well padded, and stays off the ground when the pack is resting, so can’t break if you drop your pack.
The pack stands up all on its own! Very underrated feature, but I love not having to always be picking up my [ack off the dirty floor to get something out of it. It always stays up.
Tons of reflective material helps me feel confident at night.
Rear light holder holds my light securely, and keeps it pointing straight out so cars see me.
Price point. There are no other packs that have this many features at this price.
CONS:
-Be a much more appealing pack if the seams were taped, making it fully weatherproof. I bought the rain cover for it. That being said, I appreciate the minimal zippers and the fact that the zippers are weather resistant. To be clear, I haven’t fully tested how water resistant it is, but because of how much material there is inside the pack, if it was pouring, I think water would get in, but it would stay in causing mold.
- Wrong side of the Velcro sticks out on the laptop compartment! If I forget to secure the laptop roll, the teeth of the velcro stick out, and snag on my expensive bike shorts, leaving pulls in the fabric. Just swap the Velcro so the soft side sticks out.
Wish the pack came in brighter colors, more cyclist visibility.
The command center design of the shoulder straps are just ok. The actual edge of the fabric on the straps are heavily contoured, supposedly for the harness pockets, which seems really unnecessary to me. Rather, keep them streamlined, and have more of a wraparound design with the mesh. I get way sweatier because the shoulder straps are so wide at the chest (the straps are not uncomfortable, just hot) If the mesh was wider, you could actually fit a phone in one of these pockets (realistically, most phones will only fit in the shoulder harness if you jam it in, and it will be uncomfortable while wearing the pack). All I know is that my running vest has way more accommodating pockets with far less bulk on the straps.
Terrible design with the helmet holder. The loops are so small, which makes it really difficult to get a helmet onto the pack. Once it is on, it will jiggle all around because it can't be tightened. I don't use this feature much, so I don't care about it much.
Below are a few pictures of the capacity of the pack. It fits a lot of stuff! I went grocery shopping and bought what I thought would be too much, but it all fit. There was even a bottle of protein powder in there!
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