does it still accentuate your titties as nicely?

If I could do it again, I'd get the smaller size bag. I doubt I'll ever ride with this one completely full.

God, I hope so.

My initial thoughts after a week:

I got the smaller of the sizes. It's pretty small, and tough converting to after having a large Freight messenger bag. I bought it though because I wanted to stop lugging around everything in the world, and given that, it's met my expectations. I can fit most of my school and bike stuff and have enough room for lunch and that's about it. If I want to carry shoes or groceries, then it requires emptying things to make room.

It does a great job of keeping the bag off my back. I love that. It was worth the money alone for that since I really enjoy not being completely gross when I get to work. The bag also has tons of straps for adjustability and making sure that the bag fits well when riding. I have a really low gear on my bike and spin at a high RPM and I still have found it to be comfortable. The negative to this is that there are so many straps hanging off me. I think this is mainly because I'm kind of skinny. I plan on cutting down some of the straps and burning off the edges.

The neoprene pockets fit a Kryptonite Mini like Ken Wind says and a water bottle on the other side. However, it seems like there is some tearing on these pockets. I can understand the one with the lock since it's not really designed for that, but the other pocket has only held a water bottle so that seems weird.

The pocket for the helmet carrier is really out of sight, which is a good thing. In fact, I had a hard time finding it until I randomly stumbled upon it. I haven't used the carrier though, so it hardly matters.

The zippers are difficult to open, but not too difficult. I like that it takes some effort, because it means that when I'm out at a concert or something, people can't randomly dip into my bag from behind.

Another thing I like is that I've found that when I tilt my head back a bit when riding, I can push the frame of the bag off my back. This is nice when I'm starting to sweat and want to feel some air on my back.

I think that's about it. Overall, I like this bag. It seems like it will take a beating for quite a while (aside from the reflective material on the front, which seemed to be coming off in the box it was shipped in).

-Itty

i ordered a 22L bag and i've been using it to carry my locks, my laptop (in a tom bihn brain cell sleeve), books, etc. i've noticed the same thing with the frame uncurving under load and pressing uncomfortably against my back. anyone have any suggestions for minimizing that?

other than that, the bag's quite cool so far.

Take the stuff out, and bend it back. I think that if it is flattened like that too much, then it needs to be bent back the other way. I've learned not to overpack the bag when it's really heavy.

Somebody should post a review of the new Rapha backpack. That thing seems pretty cool, but I don't think it's weatherproof. I'm confident that I could leave the Ortlieb outside all summer, and the only water that would ever get inside would be from condensation. I wonder when Swobo will make one.

Metric kittens, or British?

Both the wife and I have got the smaller version (22L) and we are both happy with it. Even if I'm a head taller than her it was easy to adjust our bags to fit both of us. A couple of notes:
- The T-zip, a previous poster commented that he had the feeling he could go swimming with the bag. Well, my sea kayaking drysuit has the exact same zippers, and I regularly end up in Arctic water and come up dry.
- I am not a fan of hip belts, and have tucked mine away behind the back mesh.
- I would have wished that the inside pockets were a bit wider.

Erling.

any updates on the long term use of the bag? i was considering this or a chrome ivan roll top bag

I thought this was posted by Ken Cox, and I thought if I could look like that at his age, I'd be way ahead of the curve.

coatcheck dude. seriously

Im a strong supporter of the ortliebs bags... i may just have to add this one to my collection.

A few posts above, I doubted I'd ever get the use out of it. Boy, was I wrong.

Packing up for an epic MTB day - 4-1/2 hour, 30-miles through the middle of nowhere - and the bag shined. I had room for all the extra layers of clothes, full camelback bladder, extra water bottle, first aid kit, tools, and food with room to spare. Much nicer than having to stuff my MULE to exploding.

Looks like a great backpack but like Ken Wind said, I too would like it to have a removable waist belt. I have currently been using the ArcTeryx Arro 22

http://www.arcteryx.com/images/popups/Arro-22-Black.jpg

but would like to know if anyone has any experience with the expensive and tiny (11L) Rapha fixid backpack?

http://www.rapha.cc/images/products/...ck_primary.jpg

I'm really close to buying one of these, but I think for the price I might be happier with 11 or 12 Jansports.

It is in excellent shape, and there is still reflective material on the back. Something I noticed is that the ortlieb logos on the straps are also reflective. The side pockets are surprisingly strong. I carry a Kryptonite Mini (probably wouldn't work with a bigger U-lock) in them almost every day, and they are great for anything that needs to be easily accessible, such as a phone. The waist straps can be tucked behind the support webbing, but I still wish they were removable.

It's not much bigger (32.75 L vs. 27 L), but My Chrome Metropolis can probably carry twice as much stuff because the chape of the Flight is weird. The bag is really meant for small loads. Sometimes I need a bigger backpack for school and commuting, and unfortunately, Ortlieb doesn't have any that I like. They did just introduce a new larger backpack this year. It looks similar to their messenger bags, but it has a zipper instead of the roll-top. I'll probably end up getting a Freight Baggage Backpack.

I have a pair of Ortlieb Back Roller Classic Panniers that I love, but the rolling and unrolling can get annoying. I wouldn't want my backpack to have a roll-top unless there was a chance it could be submerged in water. The Flight could probably withstand that just as well though.

Rapha claims that it is water resistant, which is just like every cordura bag out there. I decided when I got my Chrome Metropolis that all my bags would be weatherproof, so I would never consider the Rapha. It's pretty small too.

One year later...

The backpack is still going strong. It's been on a number of cross-country flights, and it has endured rain, snow, and general abuse. It is still completely waterproof, and there is a sufficient amount of reflective material remaining on the back.

The helmet holder is ingenious. I use it to carry lightweight packages that wouldn't be able to fit inside the bag. It is also very good for a jacket or wet clothes or (naturally) a helmet.

I've stopped putting a U lock in the side pockets because of the tearing, but it might not matter because the tearing stopped at the point where the pocket is welded on.

The zippers were only lubed twice, and they are great. I actually prefer them to regular zippers now, at least on a backpack.

Ortlieb made a fine waterproof backpack, but there is room for improvement. I want a bigger backpack without the mesh suspension system, so I can stuff as much as it will hold inside it. The neoprene pockets on the side are great, but they need more reinforcement or a better design. Even though the waist belt is integrated in the design, I would still like to be able to remove it. I'm confident this bag will last a long time.

Recent Owner - Not Happy
 

Hi All,
I got my Flight 27 recently and have done 5 commutes with it. I unfortunately will likely ask the bicycle shop or Ortlieb to take it back. I am really uncomfortable with the frame digging into my back when the pack is loaded even with just my clothing and a laptop. To no avail, I experimented lessening the load and pushing out excess air after it is loaded.
While the pack has a lot great features, if it can't hold my things it is all moot. Pretty disappointing.
I am thinking of trying an Ortlieb messenger backpack.
Paul

It's definitely not made to hold large, rigid items, such as a laptop. I recently got a medium size Freight Baggage Backpack that is awesome, but it is considerably larger than the Flight. If you like the Ortlieb Messenger Backpack, check out the Seal Line Urban Backpack as well. Deuter makes some very nice backpacks too. They aren't waterproof, but many of them do come with rain covers.

Did you try tightening the mesh? It's adjustable with a couple allen wrenches. Maybe it was just sold to you too loose.

This Deuter pack seems like a good alternative

http://www.altrec.com/deuter/futura-...:referralID=NA

or this one

http://www.altrec.com/deuter/racexai...ck-w-reservoir

I actually mistook the Deuter packs for the Ortlieb ones from this thread when I went to check them out in a store. The mesh system looks and feels like it would work very well on them.

Does anyone have experience with them?

i have been using my jansport for a while now and it holds up great and is just big enough for a change of clothes and lunch and whatnot...i will start shopping for something else when this bag falls apart
the rapha bag looks nice but it is way too pricey IMO

considering buying, i'm about 5'7"
 

Hey,

For all you folks who bought either the 22 or 27, I am about 5'7" with a shorter torso . . . I want the 27, but am afraid that i will be bothered by hitting my helmet on the top of the pack all the time. I will also be carrying a laptop in a sleeve, and wondering if anyone has any pointers or more positive experiences with that.

Anymore thoughts on this pack from those who have been using it for a while? If you had to do over again, would you buy this bag again, or a different one? I'm mostly commuting.

(also, would consider trading my black baileyworks large for one of these if I could try it for a while--looking for gray color)

sfh

I've been using a Freight Baggage backpack (medium) for almost a year now. It has become my main bag because it is much larger than the Flight. When I do use the Flight, it is obvious that the ergonomics and ventilation are much better than any of my other backpacks or messenger bags. I also like the fact that is fully waterproof, unlike most messenger bag and backpacks. All Ortlieb backpacks utilize a roll top closure or the Tizip zippers found on the Flight. I love these zippers! They are truly waterproof. The top of the suspension frame may hit your helmet, but it depends largely on how you ride. If you have drops that are well below the level of your seat, and you frequently ride in them, it will probably be a consistent problem. I notice it when I'm riding, and I get in the drops. If you do order this backpack, I recommend ordering from a local store or an online store with a good return policy, in case it doesn't work well for you.

There are a few alternatives. Deuter makes a bag, the Transalpine 30 AC, that uses a similar suspension system, called Aircomfort, as the Ortlieb (I think Deuter leases it's designs to Ortlieb). It is not waterproof, but it comes with a rain cover, and it has a slightly larger capacity. It also has the advantage of being the cheapest one out of the three. Deuter makes the same bag without a suspension frame (no AC on the end of the name). Instead it has ventilated mesh stripes, called Airtstripes, on the back of the bag, which I've heard work quite well. I don't like the idea of using a rain cover when the weather gets nasty, but the Transalpine line gets consistently good reviews.

Ergon makes a backpack, the BC3, that is roughly the same capacity, waterproof, and it also has a suspension system (it is completely different though). The BC3 looks very interesting, and the the bag is sold with different sized frames depending on the size and gender of the rider. It may work better for you than the one size fits all suspension frame found on the Ortlieb and Deuter backpacks.

fail
 

Well that was quick (< 2 years) and in a spot where I wouldn't have expected a problem. All I keep in that outer pocket are a few tools (nothing sharp), my mini pump, and a spare tube. I put the bag on today and heard some noise. When I went to look at it, I noticed the hole. Anyone know what Ortlieb's customer service is like?

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KuPYDgUhjys/Si...0/IMG_0608.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KuPYDgUhjys/Si...2/IMG_0609.JPG