Waterproof Backpack - Lomo?

[airsafari87]

Before I ask the question, I know the default answer is `Just buy the Kriega R30 / R35'

For the past few months I have been commuting 70 miles from home to my place of work on a Monday morning, staying in an Airbnb for the week before travelling back home again on a Thursday.

Up till now a Kriega US-30 tail pack for all my `Must keep dry' stuff and a North Face `Surge' backpack for the odd bits and pieces and my waterproofs has served me really well. Really well up until last Thursday that is when I had to ride home in biblical rain for the entire journey.
The tail pack as expected remained bone dry, however I was like Gunga Din with the amount of water that found it's way in to my back pack.

Given the rain, and the fact it's getting a little cooler now and the clothes I am carrying are thicker and there's more of them, I need to add to the US-30 and the Lomo 30l Drybag backpack looks ideal for my needs. I don't need or want multiple compartments. Just a big space to put my stuff in and for it to remain totally dry as per the stuff in the US-30.

Whilst I am sold on the whole Kriega thing, I don't feel I need or want to drop that kind of money on their backpacks.

I'm used to riding with a non bike specific type of backpack, so not having the fancy Kriega straps isn't an issue.

How durable are the Lomo's?
Are they fully waterproof and able to resist sustained rain for long distances at decent speeds?
Much moving around / buffeting when either fully or part loaded?

[Andybow]

Lomo stuff is brilliant, the backpacks are completely waterproof dry bags and the last ages

[rapide]

I’ve used a Mountain Hardware Scrambler RT 35 for the past couple of years. Comfy on and off a bike, easy to get in to with the roll top, not let any water in during all year use.

Not a whole lot cheaper than Kreiga but I use it for none biking stuff too, and not a fan of the weird massive chest straps on Kriega’s larger bags.

https://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Mountain_Hardwear_Scra...

Edited by rapide on Monday 24th September 17:44

[JulianHJ]

I’ve got the Lomo and the Kreiga R30. They’re both excellent within their respective price brackets, but I’ve not used the Lomo since buying the Kreiga.

[upsidedownmark]

Lomos last my gf about 3 years of commuting 5 days a week, all year round - i.e. a hell of a lot of use. After about 3 years they bit where it rolls starts to delaminate and let water in. Given the price, I reckon that's not too bad.

[airsafari87]

upsidedownmark said:

Lomos last my gf about 3 years of commuting 5 days a week, all year round - i.e. a hell of a lot of use. After about 3 years they bit where it rolls starts to delaminate and let water in. Given the price, I reckon that's not too bad.

I can live with that like.
I'll be using it every day too so if it lasts 3 years I'll be more than happy.

Cheers for the replies.

[SteelerSE]

I have an Osprey rucksack and a Kriega. I use the Osprey for short stuff or if the bag needs to look smarter for work. Anything longer distance and the strap system on the Kriega is dramatically comfier.

I don't know anything about the Lomo other than as dry bags but I'd check that the straps take the weight in the same way / as comfortably. Certainly for that sort of mileage.

[308mate]

If you lose sleep at night over ergonomics and the way a backpack actually sits on your back, I’d buy the Kriega. If you actually want less bks and more “does what it says on the tin and keeps my st dry”, there are better options, imo.

Edited by 308mate on Monday 24th September 22:29

[dibblecorse]

308mate said:

If you lose sleep at night over ergonomicsand the way a backpack actually sits on your back, I’d buy the Kriega. If you actually want less bks and more “does what it says on the tin and keeps my st dry”, there are better options, imo.

Like what?

[308mate]

dibblecorse said:

308mate said:

If you lose sleep at night over ergonomicsand the way a backpack actually sits on your back, I’d buy the Kriega. If you actually want less bks and more “does what it says on the tin and keeps my st dry”, there are better options, imo.

Like what?

Don’t know but I have the R35 and for what you pay, it ain’t all that.
The main zip requires undoing a strap that goes over the top of it, every time you want to open it, for example. Dumb. And it’s not waterproof. For 160 quid. More the fool me, I know.

[leighz]

I like mine (30L Lomo) - it's kept stuff dry in conditions I was convinced were going to play havoc with my bikes electrics (it didn't but still).

I don't use it as a rucksack though - just strap it to the pillion seat for light touring duties. Simple well made dry bag.

[full_chat]

Just get a Lomo rucksack liner and use it in your North Face bag

[morebeanz]

For cost effectiveness, its hard to beat the Oxford Acquapacks but they are built to a price...

[MotorsportTom]

Have a 30l Lomo rucksack I got in a bargain deal. It's lasted 2.5 years or so and a highside in that time!

It crashes well for going down the road at 40mph and if it hadn't been for that I'd probably still use it more often. Used it when touring in very heavy rain and always has kept stuff inside dry.

If trying to use it as a normal backpack (like I did for the NEC show once) it's a pain with it being a roll top but that's more me using something not built for that purpose.

For the budget I'm not sure it can be beaten IMO.

[ewant81]

Sorry, of no help to the OP on rucksack choice..but I didn't even know that Lomo did any gear that can be used with motorbikes! Their Glasgow shop is just behind my office, so I am tempted to have a look at their gear

[julian64]

I have five quids worth of lidl backpack. It has a really funky colour scheme and is just the right size not to interfere with my helmet looking left or right. Did however have to purchase a black plastic bin liner to go inside it.

The bin liner is however 100% waterproof in everything that's ever been thrown at it, and is really easy to get into in a hurry. Another plus is that after I get home I don't have to dry the bin liner, I simply have to pull another one off the roll ready for an immediate return journey. Even better is the fact that the wet bin liner can be recycled as a ...... bin liner.

I spent the saved money on oem brake levers

[sjtscott]

I've got the Lomo 30litre backpack which for £30 compared to its competitors its a bargin. Its kept stuff inside 100% dry in the most torrential rain e.g. expensive work macbook! Totally recommend. Mine's a good few years old now and until end of July had been used year round for bike commuting in London all weathers. Now using it for cycling/train into London.. totally does the job and has a ton of straps to keep it fitted to you properly.
Being completly honest the roll top can be a bit of a pain at times and I wished it had internal bracing/strips but these are small problems if like me you need it waterproof and you keep it generally full when using it.

[sjtscott]

julian64 said:

I have five quids worth of lidl backpack. It has a really funky colour scheme and is just the right size not to interfere with my helmet looking left or right. Did however have to purchase a black plastic bin liner to go inside it.

The bin liner is however 100% waterproof in everything that's ever been thrown at it, and is really easy to get into in a hurry. Another plus is that after I get home I don't have to dry the bin liner, I simply have to pull another one off the roll ready for an immediate return journey. Even better is the fact that the wet bin liner can be recycled as a ...... bin liner.

I spent the saved money on oem brake levers

I tried the lidl backpack route with plastic bags inside before switching to the lomo there is no comparison lol There is tight and then there's tight! LOL £30 for something you don't need a bin liner for vs something over £100 supposed to be biking specific by Kreiga.. thats saving money in my view. The cheap biking kit comes back to bite you time after time usually but happy to report in the Lomo's case its simply not true.
However each to their own, even the belief in countersteering LOL

[Krikkit]

Why not buy any rucksack and use a dry bag inside it? Less than a tenner from most camping shops and will be just as good as a waterproof backpack if not better.

[sjtscott]

Krikkit said:

Why not buy any rucksack and use a dry bag inside it? Less than a tenner from most camping shops and will be just as good as a waterproof backpack if not better.

I guess the same concept can be used for different standards of gortex.. one that absorbs the water and one that it just runs off. You'll still be left with a soaking wet rucksack vs a rucksack that dries quickly once out of the rain.