It's been a while since I last had a regular commute, but I could really have done with this backpack from Stubble & Co in the days when I used to ride across London every morning and evening from Herne Hill to my desk at the Royal College of Physicians.
It's surprising how seldom it actually rains between the hours of 8-9am, at least in London, but on the few occasions it does happen you'll wish you had a spare pair of trousers - and a waterproof bag to carry them in. The alternative is a pretty uncomfortable hour or so as you slowly dry out - although the wet and filthy butt imprint at least means no one is going to steal your favourite chair.
Anyway: the Roll Top is designed as your everyday companion for just this sort of commute. It comes in two sizes, 14L and 20L and I've been testing the larger 20L version.
It's an extremely roomy design, with easily enough space to swallow a change of clothes if you're using it for a commute. There's a separate laptop sleeve hidden discreetly to the rear, which will take up to a 16" notebook, and is lightly padded for protection.
Inside the main compartment there are several smaller pockets to keep things organised, and external side pockets which are easily big enough to carry a bidon or thermos.
There's a useful carry handle on top, and the bag feels lighter in the hand than its 1015g weight would suggest. (I actually had to weigh it three times because I couldn't believe it was the same as a kilo bag of sugar.)
Speaking of groceries, in the absence of a daily commute I've quickly adopted this as my shopping bag for regular bike trips to the local shops: it can accept for example 2L of mik, a bag of potatoes, loaf of bread, scallions, box of cereal bars and a bunch of bananas... with room to spare for any chocolate-based impulse buys at checkout.
The roll top closure means loading and unloading is quick and easy, you've got access to and view of the entire volume of the bag so no digging around blindly for That Thing You Need. It's a sturdy bag, so heavy loads (those spuds) feel well supported, also helped by the wide and well padded shoulder straps.
Like the roll-top, the straps are readily adjustable so you can get a nice snug fit and there's a chest strap with snap-fit buckle too. Once dialled in the bag will stay put on your back while you ride, which of course is handy when nipping through traffic.
It's a well-made piece of kit, I've been lugging groceries to and fro for a few months now, plus a Christmas trip to Sheffield, and the bag looks like new.
Shop trips aside, I also use this as my "event bag" for sportives and weekend trips: it's ideal for packing your cycling kit along with nutrition, lights, tools and spares for a day or two's riding.
The Roll Top comes in a wide range of interesting colours, I chose the Ember orange for visibility on the roads but more subtle options are available.
The bag is said to be waterproof, with weather-resistant seams and water-resistant zips. I've not tested it in more than a light shower but can confirm the outer material is pretty easy to wipe down and keep clean.
Room for improvement? Not much, Stubble & Co have ticked off everything I can thing of. There are a couple of small logos on the base of the bag and side, which are reflective: perhaps some larger reflective elements would be useful if you're going to be using this as a regular commuter bag - but you could always add some stickers.
On the whole, this is an impressive piece of luggage and easy to recommend. Whether for daily use on a cycling commute, or to carry your kit to and from cycling events or weekend trips the Stubble & Co Roll Top has you covered.
Stubble & Co 20L Roll Top Backpack - £110 from www.stubbleandco.com
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