Ortlieb Dry Bag

I was going on a 10 day trip and knew, based on how I pack on previous trips, that my saddlebags and topbox were not going to be enough to haul all the necessary clothes, camping equipment and the general bike junk I normally carry. I also knew I was going to get rained on so some kind of watertight bag was going to be necessary.

I've been eyeing the Ortlieb Drybag for some time now. So with this impending trip I broke down and gave Riderwearhouse a call and ordered a big one. I went with the bright yellow color for a couple of reasons. First I thought another big blob of bright yellow on the bike might help it stick out a bit and keep me from being run over, and second I thought that since the inside of the bag is the same color the yellow of the bag would help reflect light inside and make it easier to see the contents. Try looking in a black lined bag - it's like looking into a black hole.

I like the way it opened lengthwise vs the end opening I've seen on the normal river drybag. With those you practically have to empty the entire bag to get to the items you want. With the side opening of the Ortlieb bag, getting to my stuff was simple.

Another nice feature of these bags is the included detachable shoulder strap. This helps immensely when you've got the bag loaded to the gills and you need to carry it, as well as your tankbag, helmet, and riding suit, up to your hotel room.

The waterproofness of these bags cannot be faulted. During my 10 day tour I was hit with rain that made cars pull over. Not once in all that time did a single drop of water make it through to the inside of the bag. The waterproof material used to construct the bag seems very tough and able to take a beating. During the week I used it, the bag suffered normal wear and tear and except for looking dirtier that when I left, appears to have faired well. I have no illusions about the bags toughness though, packing a sharp object or resting it against a hot exhaust would easily ruin the bag.

I put all my clothes for the week as well as a polartec blanket in the bag and still had room for more. I then strapped the bag to the passenger seat and let the ends flop over onto the hardbags. The setup worked quite well. So well that I think I'll use the drybag in lieu of my Givi topbox when I only need one or the other. Using the drybag will allow me to keep the weight centered over the rear wheel as opposed to hanging off my ass end.

I heartily recommend this bag for those that do extended bike trips. I also plan on using it on my other non-bike trips. I can't count the number of times I've had a friend spill a beer on my stuff or have a cooler leak water onto my clothes - you get the picture.