You know, they can be washed.

A regular top-loading washing maching with an agitator will not be kind to the straps. (Not sure about a front-loading tumble washer.) I put some warm water and laundry detergent in the sink and let the pack soak for few minutes. Then gently scrub, squeeze and knead it a bit--especially the padded bits like the back and the straps. Rinse thoroughly, let it air dry and re-treat with water repellant.

My oldest pack is 11 or 12 years old, worn every day until I got the new one in the spring, and except for a little wear, still looks and smells good. It's now my weekend recreation/training ride pack.

Wow, what an awesome topic. I was thinking of asking almost exactly the same question, but ended up forgetting.

Anyway, I tried paniers, and they just didn't work for me, because my bike handled like crap, and I had serious heel strike problems. So, I have gone the backpack route. Being cheap, I have been using my Spalding backpack from college for the last year or so, but I want to get a new bag that has better airflow/circulation/wicking/whatever on the back.

A lot of you have mentioned the relative comfort of your bags, but few of the backpack wearers have directly addressed the breathability. So, if you wear a backpack that you think does a great job of getting rid of the back sweat, please tell us what it is.

I have a backpack made for hiking/mountaineering from Vaude. They don't make it any more but here are some that are similar:

https://www.vaude.de/hps/client/vaude...hbs/outdoor/en

Rather than concentrating on bike-specific vendors, I'd strongly reccomend people check out places that cater to mountaineering or hiking. Our needs as bike commuters are very simular to people involved in active mountain sports, and bags made for those sports typically have a very high level of adjustability, along with designs geared towards distributing weight off your shoulders. They're typically very good at ventilation, too, which keeps your back dry.

I have my bag adjusted so that when I'm on the bike, the weight is more or less distributed across my back - I get absolutely no shoulder discomfort at all. Capacity-wise, the bag is much bigger than I really need, but I've found it's often much nicer to have an under-loaded bag rather than one stuffed to the gills. This bag is pretty long, and it has compression straps along the sides - so I can basically keep the items I'm carrying tight to my back, rather than having a small bag making a single big lump sticking up off my shoulders.

Then again, these days I almost never commute with a bag at all. I only have 17 miles roundtrip, and I store clothes and other essentials in my office, which is equipped with showers and locker facilities. So in the morning, I put my cell and wallet in a jersey pocket and off I go.

Oh, one other note - I don't use the waist belt on my bag, I find that it puts too much restraint on my breathing.

I do, however, use the sternum (chest) strap. I've found that adds greatly to comfort - it keeps the shoulder straps from sliding apart and cutting under my armpits.

I use an Ogio back pack I got that I also used on my motorcycle. tons of room for work clothes in it, nice padded shoulder straps, chest and waist straps. Ebay was the best price wise for it.

read this:
https://www.deuterusa.com/advac_system.html
They have an air comfort sytem that puts a mesh panel on your back with 3 small non-mesh areas that come into contact with your back. Now, NO pack will keep you 'dry' but some are definately better than others at keeping you drier. Charlie

As a followup, I ended up picking up an Osprey Stratos 24 at EMS. This bag has a mesh compartment that sits against your back and maintains a 3-4 inch gap between you and the rest of the bag. The airflow is great, it has definitely solved my issues with riding with a backpack. The only downside is that it is kinda tall, so the top of the bag interferes with my peripheral vision a bit. So, if anyone is still looking for a bag to solve the sweaty back problem, give this one a look.

I wrote to Deuter asking about the differences in their back ventalation systems. Here's their excellent response:

As for the back systems, the Aircomfort back system provides a maximum
of ventilation, since only the mesh has direct contact with the back
whereas the pack is kept in some distance. However, when the pack is
loaded heavily it is possible that the metal frame may be uncomfortable on
the hips.

The Airstripes back system with it's contoured foam stripes on the back
is more flexible and adapts better to the differnt back positions when
cycling. The pack has closer contact to the back, which may be of
advantage for balance when cycling in difficult terrain or when carrying
heavier load.

Good info on which system to choose depending on how heavy your load is.

Level III Assault Pack...perfect

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=217052

What's the difference between waist vs hip straps?

Pearl Izumi Velocipak





I have been commuting with this going on three seasons. It is holding up well and I can't think of anything about it that I would change.

RE Sweaty back: How well does the Blowfish fare???

That's what I was going to try next! I tried an Osprey Focus for a while but it just got my back too sweaty. Great pack for upright riding like on a cruiser or just walking around.

Then I tried a Deuter TransAlp but it didn't fit my torso. I have a Deuter Air Race (love that system - very similar to the Osprey Stratos system) and it works great but it is only for summer use as it is very small. Also have a medium Timbuk2 messenger but it can't handle large loads like a laptop plus clothes plus it likes to swing forward unless you have the waist-strap on.

I own some Madden panniers as well so I could go that route but I hate having to deal with taking them on/off when I go shopping or to lunch. Also screws up the handling of the bike and makes it feel like a truck. Still I put them on when I need to.

My favorite system so far is both a messenger bag and a backpack (but not at the same time). Backpack for carrying just a change of clothes and essentiels. Messenger for same plus laptop and/or anything else large like groceries. I currently use a Deuter Cross-Bike for the backpack and a Chrome Metropolis for the messenger bag with a padded laptop insert. The Chrome carries the heaviest loads best but it feels like you are really WEARING it. In a racier position like on my road bike a lot of weight ends up on my lower back/hip. When I tried the same load with the Osprey Focus it just sat on my middle back and felt like someone was pulling on my shoulders. I think that the suspension systems are not designed for a forward lean riding position. It worked fine when I sat straight up on my cruiser.

So far I use the Chrome bag all the time now. I look like such a poser when I head out though. No, I am NOT a messenger and I AM afraid of 'fixed' bikes.

I use the Targus RakGear myself. Damn good bag with lots of room for a laptop, folders, and spare clothes/small-shopping (more shopping room if you empty the bag). Thisis my bag https://www.login.co.th/images/middle/RBND05J.jpg

The outside has reflecting strips for night riding and also it works well in holding the helmet outside if you carry it wirh you. In between the two reflecting stripes there is a -o-o-o-o-o- loop holders sewn in vertically which if you use a string or better yet what I use is a old shock cord tied to two caribiners (make sure one carabiner is smaller to pass through the helmet hole) which is what I use to hold my helmet. The outside of the bag has two fastex buckles which cradle your helmet. I attach one bine to the sewn in loop on the bag then pass hte smaller biner through my helmet and clip it on the carrying handle. It secures the helmet very good that I was able to jump around without the helmet coming out. All the other pockets are setup in such a way that would make a geek happy. Quick access pockets on the left and right with jus tthe right size to hold a cellphone (has it's own pouch. Tho it's more for the longer candy bar type phones but your folder phones will fit), pump, spare tube, repair kit, outside two pockets (far outside, first layer) can hold 2 x tall gatorade bottles, outside front pocket can hold log book, mini first aid (I use a coghlans Pack II and works well), flashlight, etc.

The top of the bag has a built in sleeve to take in a 14-15in laptop with spare room on the top for folders/magazines/comics. That's where I store all my magazines/comics whenI buy them and want to keep them in collectors mint condition. The main compartment features a plastic removeable rack (thus the name of the bag "rak") which if you keep it in you have three shelves you evenly distribute your weight. That's the thing Targus was going on when they made this bag which I just found to be good for biking. If you take the rack out you should be able to hold 3 x 1.89L Tropicana OJ jugs then about a 6 pack of beer on top of the OJ (this you'll have to carefully configure to fill up the space of the bag).

The waist strap holds securely and works under load. The shoulder straps are easy to adjust and work well. The shoulder straps have vertical loops in them as well so you can clip your keys, camera (or quick access), cellphone, radio, or add your own chest strap to ease some of the weight off the shoulders.

I'll add some photos later this week on this so people can see how I have this configured. Love rack design tho I don't use it so I can hull more kit. Oh yes beforeI forget if you don't use a laptop you can drop your camelbak into the laptop area and you got h2o on your back. Just make sure you use some small carabiner clips on the zippers to keep all your gear in so it does not spill out.

Here are some other companies to check out.

https://maxpedition.com/ - Very well made stuff with mil-spec. stitching. Thier stuff is made with civies and those that serve in mind. I own a Thermite Versi-Pack that can be conifgured to be a drop down leg holder w/leg strap or fanny pack or shoulder bag. Girls would find it a good purse with quick access to cellphone/flashlight/multitool via the two outside pockets (which originally are used to hold pistol mags). There is a good site with a review if people are interested I can post the video review.

https://maxpedition.com/product/catalog_backpack.htm - Thier backpacks are here. Lifetime warranty on all thier stuff.

https://eagleindustries.com/mainprod.asp?scv=0 - Mil-spec and issued gear to the troops so you know it'll hold up to anything you can dish out on the road. I've heard a lot of praise on the Becker Patrol Pack (small one) that it can take you throught hell and back and still hold together like you bought it on day one. I've heard good things on thier return and replacement policy to back up thier claim. I don't own anything from them.

https://blackhawk.com/ - I've always considered Blackhawkto be second to Eagle Industries but some people say the same to Eagle Industires to Blackhawk. *shrugs* Again issued gear to the troops tho I don't know about how good thier bags are and only going on the issued tot he troops part would mean to me they hold up tot he armies needs which means for civie use it should last 5 times as long. Lifetime warranty as well. I only own a watch cover off them and the quality is good.

All items sans the Blackhawk stuff can be found at https://www.davesarmysurplus.com/. I forgot how much of a discount you get but if you mention Sean Kennedy's name you will get discounts and service/shipping is prompt.

I've used some camo backpack before jsut for the bladder holder but it did not work well with me for there was no helmet holding area. It's jsut a basic camo backpack with a shock cord in the front for jackets and an outside bag for small stuff and main compactment for clothes and such.


Zero_Enigma

^^^^
I have a Blackhawk Three Day Assault bag in which the stiching came undone around the main zipper. I wrote to Blackhawk international custiomer service several times about it, waiting more than a week between emails and never got a response. Finaly I wrote thier sales division who responded to my emails and gave me an RMA number.

The bag is great for hauling stuff on foot, but it is very uncomfortable on a bike.

Hmm , seems that i yoiu don't want the one strap courier bags and want a full backpack it may be better just to look at the daypacks people use for hiking? Agreeance/non-agreeance?

Those panniers are awesome, Benjiman. You did a great job on those.

I use a Dana Designs backpack no longer in production, as well as an earlier version of the Lowe Alpine Contour series:

https://tinyurl.com/24wpqj

My back sweats with or without a pack, so I can't really help with that. But if you're looking for good bags under $100 US that do well for cycling, they're out there.

And like SaabFan, I don't use the waistbelt, just the sternum strap on the shoulder straps. That allows me to use the drops in more comfort.

+1 rack and panniers

could anyone post a picture of the chrome ivan while they are wearing it. the bag has great specs but it looks bulky.

when i was carrying school books a backpack got pretty heavy. Racks are real cheap though and you can strap a backpack or messenger bag to them, just strap 'em well.

IMO... Jandd makes the best backpack ever. From 7th grade through college, the thing is still perfectly stiched.

I have a timbuk2 and am totally sick of it. I have the shoulder pad and use the stability strap and all it does it slide under my arm less than before. I'm moving back to my regular backpack.
However, I was thinking last night if my timbuk2 is just too small? I think I have the next to largest size and I'm wondering if it was overloaded with stuff and couldn't achieve a good balance on my back.

Thoughts?