Review: Velomacchi 28L Roll-Top Backpack

I’ve been hopping on the backs of motorcycles since I was eight years old, and my dad first shelled out for a miniature helmet and a pair of pint-sized leather chaps. There’s no more intoxicating sensation in the world than feeling air whoosh all over you at sixty miles per hour. It’s almost enough to convince you that what you’re doing is not, in fact, incredibly dangerous.

According to the latest data available from the United States Department of Transportation, the number of deaths on motorcycles is over 27 times the number in cars. Every biker knows that they’re just one unexpected rainstorm away from disaster. Anything that you can do to reduce that risk—whether by wearing an armored jacket, or a bag that won’t swing around and tip you over at the exact wrong moment—might be worth the price.

Velomacchi’s 28L Roll-Top Backpack is designed with the specific needs of motorcycle commuters in mind. It's a slim, low-profile and weatherproof bag that uses a clever rotating harness system to cinch the bag tight, keeping your center of gravity fully intact. This bag’s patent-pending straps use a magnetic coupler that hooks over your sternum, with clavicle hinges that adjust as you wear it across your torso.

The bag includes protective features in case you wipe out, such as a quilted ballistic back panel to protect your spine and an emergency ID pocket in one arm strap. It'll also let you keep biking essentials nearby with a tire pressure gauge pocket, a helmet clip, and a camera-mounting plate perfect for a GoPro. And of course, it’s waterproof, with a magnetic roll-top closure that clasps firmly shut with a one-handed hook.

I sent this Velomacchi out with several motorcycle-riding friends over the course of a week. Overwhelmingly, riders agreed that this bag was the most comfortable thing they’d ever worn while riding. “Like wearing a piece of body armor,” one tester responded; another told me he felt “secure. It was like wearing a turtle shell.” He also noted that the bag’s weight distribution across his back felt great. A woman rider noted that the bag’s customization capabilities meant that it could be adjusted to fit her, as well, which is not a small achievement.

One of my friends called the roll-top “unshakeable”. No dangling straps and a low profile means that it doesn’t get caught in crosswinds and nothing flaps around at high speeds. The bag’s torso size adjustment system—here, implemented as side straps—were also very fast to adjust, with a large plastic loop that made it easy to operate one-handed and with gloves on. That meant that the bag was very easy to put on and take off, whether the tester was wearing an armored jacket or not.

Velomacchi

That’s not to say that there weren’t complaints. Although the bag has a carrying capacity of 28 liters, it has a tight profile which limits its true carrying capacity. One tester didn’t feel comfortable riding with more than a laptop and a couple of files in it, although in my office I was able to stretch the bag to squeeze in bulky items of such variable sizes as a pair of hiking boots and a six-pack of beer.

It's also strange that a backpack marketed as a commuter bag does not have a dedicated laptop sleeve. I posed that question to Velomacchi, who explained that they left out the sleeve to let the bag transition more easily from urban commuting to rural exploring. They do sell a suite of impact-resistant accessories to carry electronics. But the higher the price of the bag, the more annoying I find required add-ons.

Although the magnetic sternum coupler is touted as being easy to operate with one hand, several of my friends I polled did not find that to be the case. You need to be able to align the coupler for it to fasten, which is difficult to do if you’re wearing a helmet and can’t look directly down at your chest. Testers also found it exasperating to manipulate the hook closures and front pocket toggles with gloves on.

These were, however, fairly minor complaints. It’s also not insignificant that the bag is excellent-looking, made from a 1000-dernier waterproof, abrasion-resistant fabric that is also sleek and dark. If you’re a biker looking for a bag to make that everyday commute safer and a little more stylish, look no further.