Originally Posted by rule

Take a look at the Pearl Izumi Velocipak. It is designed for the rider and commuter in mind. It is designed to ride cool on your back, and actually does. It has a tiny upper compartment that holds a tethered, fold-out bright yellow rain cover that you can deploy if you are out in the wet. It completely envelops your backpack and snugs right up along the straps via bungie cord. I have used it a lot in the rain, including some heavy stuff. I had no issues with anything getting wet or even damp. Once it is dry, it is really easy to fold back up and zip back into its compartment. It has two hanging reflective tabs that give it some reflective material too.




Here's my set up. The backpack is visible on the left side of this picture. I bought a slow moving vehicle reflective triangle (Nathan Reflective Yield Symbol Belt - $8 from REI) and velcroed it into place behind the bungie cord netting on the back side of the packpack. It gives me great visibility day or night. I have had many drivers tell me at stop lights that it really helped them pick me up on the road. Plus I've had cops tell me that it is a really smart idea on the road in that it communicates exactly the right warning and safety message to the drivers too.

Another thing that I like about this backpack is that there are loops everywhere that are perfect for attaching rear and side flashers for riding in the dark. Otherwise, it has a laptop storage section, and plenty of compartments, internal and external, to hold your gear.

I'm really happy with mine and it is holding up really well after over a year of commuting. Hope this helps.