Hitting the road for a few days of riding one of the great joys of life, as long as you have a suitable way to carry your gear.
You may have noticed that that middleweight nakedbike test team is wearing matching Nelson-Rigg backpacks. Link International fitted up each rider with a choice of the adventure orientated Hurricane pack or the urban-style Journey pack. We were comfortable the whole time and looked great doing it.
The Journey backpack is designed for daily urban use. It has a shell-like Ultra-Max construction with EVA Foam preformed shape. The 25.5-litres of storage is split into two zippered compartments with internal pockets for smaller items. There also a collection of outer pockets for things you need to get your hands onto regularly. The design is wide and high enough to comfortably take a laptop as well as a heap of other stuff, and the whole thing is water resistant. Should big kilometre rides be your thing, there’s a pocket for the optional hydration bladder.
The more adventure-orientated Hurricane is available in 20-litre and 40-litre capacities – we tested the 40-lite option. It has a 100 per cent waterproof roll-pack design and is manufactured from tough Tarpaulin PVC with heat-welded seams. Most of the team went with this design as most partake in a bit of off-road riding. The purge air escape system allows you to maximise storage capacity while minimising bulk. The Hurricane’s 40L of storage is mostly made up of a single storage compartment, and there is also a pocket for the optional hydration pack. The Hurricane pack is also part of a modular system which can in integrated into the Nelson-Rigg tail bag via quick-release straps.
Every member of the test team has continued to use their pack on a daily basis.
Chris Dobie (Journey)
Pro: In addition to the multi-day ride, I have also taken my pack on a couple of overseas launches. It holds everything I need for carry-on, and I can wear it all day in comfort.
Con: The internal zippered pocket needs to be bigger for items like wallets and hard drives.
Phil Harlum (Journey)
Pro: The Journey swallows everything I need for a few days on the road with plenty of room to spare. It’s super comfortable, and I forget it’s there most of the time.
Con: The bottom strap makes me look fatter, but that’s is not the backpack’s fault.
Paul Andrews (Hurricane)
Pro: The air purge valve is brilliant for folding the backpack down to its smallest possible size. The straps are wide, and the back padding allows you to wear it all day fatigue free.
Con: The straps are quite long and can flap around a bit when riding if not tucked in or tied.
Alex Penklis (Hurricane)
Pro: The quality of the backpack is outstanding, with thick material and super-strong clips. The two side-mounted bottle holders offer an alternative to the bladder.
Con: There are no compartments, everything is loose, making it difficult to find smaller stuff.
Paul Treverrow (Journey)
Pro: A good-looking, comfortable, spacious pack with practical chest straps that hold it in place while riding. I didn’t bother to take it off all day; it’s that comfortable.
Con: Needs a waterproof cover or pull-out liner so you know your laptop and change of undies are dry.
Matt O’Connell (Hurricane)
Pro: The lower back support and comfort is superb and taking the weight off my shoulders and placing it around my hips. Construction is super tough and watertight.
Con: The solid construction does mean the top flap is a little bulky, and also makes it a little heavy.
Gareth Jones (Hurricane)
Pro: It’s got a 100 per cent waterproof design with hydro pack integration, ample storage space and adjustable straps. It’s perfect for riding any bike all day.
Con: Additional internal and externally pockets would help. High vis reflective strips would add an extra bit of safety.
Link International
Journey
$139.95
Hurricane
- 20 Litre $159.95
- 40 Litre $189.95
linkint.com.au (07) 3382 5000
Link International