Postiez
April 11th, 2011, 03:35 PM
This is a bag clearly designed for motorcyclists and every aspect, good or bad, seems or reflect that. It retails for about $150 but you can easily find them for around $120. I have the black/red version but it also comes in all black, black/gold, and some custom brand supported versions exist as well.
Quality:
I am pretty hard on my bags. In the years prior to getting the No Drag I would usually make a $40 bag unusable after about a year. So I was thinking I would need to get about 3 years of use out of this bag to get a similar cost to life ratio. I have had this bag for a year and a half and from what I can tell it will easily hold up for another year and a half. Aside from a few chips on the outside and some fraying it is still in new condition. I couldn't imagine a bag being in better condition than this one is with the hell I have put it though.
Overall Quality 10/10.
Motorcycle Features:
The "helmet hoot" is a feature I really wanted from a bag. Although it does exactly what it says it does and does a good job, I have only used it 1 time. It's kind of a pain to set up, far less useful than I expected it would be. That said, if there was ever a situation where I needed to keep by helmet with me for an extended period of time it would be super handy to have.
http://i.imgur.com/OE9cpl.jpg
Another feature that I was really excited for but haven't found much use for is the camelbak integration. Again, this feature works as described and was fun to play around with but not really usable on a normal basis. I do plan on taking a trip to the U of A when they play Utah in football this year and I hope it works as well as I think it will when I make that trek.
The "shoe holders" on the inside of the bag don't work at all. They are WAY too small to fit shoes but I don't know who really plans on using them. Just know they don't work whatsoever.
http://i.imgur.com/vsE8Nl.jpg
The padding on the inside of the bag is SUPER NICE. Very thick and slightly rounded that really fits the arch of your back when on the ninjette while still being comfortable to wear while walking around.
http://i.imgur.com/yUpdzl.jpg
There is also some reflective strips that I assume works pretty well. They catch the light when I look at it and shine pretty bright but I haven't seen it from 3rd person on the road.
One other thing that's not really a feature per se but should be mentioned. My favorite part of this bag is how secure everything is on your back. With one zipper everything is completely secure and closed. The stuff inside the bag has straps that holds everything down and keep it from moving when you shift your weight. It also has body straps for chest and waist to keep it secure to your body.
Everyday Feature Use 8.5/10
Roadtrip Feature Use 9.5/10
Backpack Features:
First of all, it is small. Quite a bit smaller than say, a jansport or basic backpack and has far less pockets. The bag can hold a laptop, 2 thick notebooks and 1 textbook very easily. In fact, it doesn't seem much different empty or full or anywhere in-between in this range because it is so well balanced. Unfortunately it can't go much beyond this point, you could probably add one more soft-back textbook and it would feel quite full and I wouldn't go beyond that. You could probably get a lot more in there but the shape prohibits it.
As far as pockets go, the laptop pocket works really well. I added some extra velcro so it holds my 13" macbook that is smaller than most securely. There is 1 pocket with velcro and 1 with a zipper and some pen slots. There are also the pockets designed for shoes and the big pocket used for the camel back.
http://i.imgur.com/4fr91l.jpg
One more thing, the straps that normally go around your waist kinda get in the way if you don't want to strap in. I usually tighten them and connect it behind me but they are still a bit annoying. I really don't feel like strapping myself in if I'm not on the bike. Not a huge deal but they should have set up some way to hold the straps when not in use.
This bag really comfortable but quite small so I would say its only about average when the motorcycle aspect is ignored. 7/10
Verdict:
Overall I would say if this bag fits your needs you will really enjoy it and you will get your money out of it. 9/10
** Apologies for the dorm room bed pics :p
Quality:
I am pretty hard on my bags. In the years prior to getting the No Drag I would usually make a $40 bag unusable after about a year. So I was thinking I would need to get about 3 years of use out of this bag to get a similar cost to life ratio. I have had this bag for a year and a half and from what I can tell it will easily hold up for another year and a half. Aside from a few chips on the outside and some fraying it is still in new condition. I couldn't imagine a bag being in better condition than this one is with the hell I have put it though.
Overall Quality 10/10.
Motorcycle Features:
The "helmet hoot" is a feature I really wanted from a bag. Although it does exactly what it says it does and does a good job, I have only used it 1 time. It's kind of a pain to set up, far less useful than I expected it would be. That said, if there was ever a situation where I needed to keep by helmet with me for an extended period of time it would be super handy to have.
http://i.imgur.com/OE9cpl.jpg
Another feature that I was really excited for but haven't found much use for is the camelbak integration. Again, this feature works as described and was fun to play around with but not really usable on a normal basis. I do plan on taking a trip to the U of A when they play Utah in football this year and I hope it works as well as I think it will when I make that trek.
The "shoe holders" on the inside of the bag don't work at all. They are WAY too small to fit shoes but I don't know who really plans on using them. Just know they don't work whatsoever.
http://i.imgur.com/vsE8Nl.jpg
The padding on the inside of the bag is SUPER NICE. Very thick and slightly rounded that really fits the arch of your back when on the ninjette while still being comfortable to wear while walking around.
http://i.imgur.com/yUpdzl.jpg
There is also some reflective strips that I assume works pretty well. They catch the light when I look at it and shine pretty bright but I haven't seen it from 3rd person on the road.
One other thing that's not really a feature per se but should be mentioned. My favorite part of this bag is how secure everything is on your back. With one zipper everything is completely secure and closed. The stuff inside the bag has straps that holds everything down and keep it from moving when you shift your weight. It also has body straps for chest and waist to keep it secure to your body.
Everyday Feature Use 8.5/10
Roadtrip Feature Use 9.5/10
Backpack Features:
First of all, it is small. Quite a bit smaller than say, a jansport or basic backpack and has far less pockets. The bag can hold a laptop, 2 thick notebooks and 1 textbook very easily. In fact, it doesn't seem much different empty or full or anywhere in-between in this range because it is so well balanced. Unfortunately it can't go much beyond this point, you could probably add one more soft-back textbook and it would feel quite full and I wouldn't go beyond that. You could probably get a lot more in there but the shape prohibits it.
As far as pockets go, the laptop pocket works really well. I added some extra velcro so it holds my 13" macbook that is smaller than most securely. There is 1 pocket with velcro and 1 with a zipper and some pen slots. There are also the pockets designed for shoes and the big pocket used for the camel back.
http://i.imgur.com/4fr91l.jpg
One more thing, the straps that normally go around your waist kinda get in the way if you don't want to strap in. I usually tighten them and connect it behind me but they are still a bit annoying. I really don't feel like strapping myself in if I'm not on the bike. Not a huge deal but they should have set up some way to hold the straps when not in use.
This bag really comfortable but quite small so I would say its only about average when the motorcycle aspect is ignored. 7/10
Verdict:
Overall I would say if this bag fits your needs you will really enjoy it and you will get your money out of it. 9/10
** Apologies for the dorm room bed pics :p