If you had asked me a month ago whether I thought it was possible for a company to differentiate itself by creating a motorcycle specific backpack I would have confidently said “no way.”

After 1100 miles on a sportbike with the Kriega R30 on my bike I can now confidently say that I am a believer. I have always avoided riding with a backpack as they are so uncomfortable. Regular backpacks carry all the weight on one’s shoulders causing discomfort and fatigue. The Kriega system, while simple in appearence, keeps the weight off of one’s shoulders via an innovative strap design.

Fit:
The key components are the front clips, independently adjustable upper and lower straps, and a grippy material on the chest and lower straps. These work surprisingly well to transfer the weight from shoulders to chest and back.

Waterproof:
The R30 comes with a removable waterproof membrane in the main large compartment. Even though I didn’t get any more than a misting on my journey I appreciated the piece of mind knowing my clothes and laptop would be dry in the event of a downpour. The R30 is the only Kriega backpack offering a waterproof main compartment. The external zipper pouches feature weather resistant zippers but make no claim of water protection.

Size:
Regardless of where you stand on the “size matters” debate the R30 is large. It may be more accurate to classify it as XL. I had plenty of room for my week’s clothing and toiletries. In addition to my laptop, tools, and gifts for friends.

Configuration:
The R30 consists of one 30 liter roll-top main compartment, featuring the aforementioned waterproof membrane, two fannypack sized outer zipper pockets, three sinching straps, and plastic D-rings onto which the smaller Kriega US bags can be strapped.

The hardest part of the single main compartment is packing and keeping the weight up high which helps create a comfortable weight distribution for those longer rides. I found jamming my clothes at the bottom and then sinching the lower strap tightly kept my laptop from sliding down the way gravity wanted it to.

Conclusion:
The Kriega line of bags (I also used a US-10 on my trip) are an appropriately pricey accessory that is worth paying if you intend to use it regularly and without too much pampering. The quality is superb and the function outstanding.

I am a believer.