4.0 out of 5 stars
Great bag, with a few improvements, it could be amazing
Reviewed in Germany on March 25, 2019
I bought this bag as a bike commuter bag, aiming for something in between the 20 and 30 liter mark, since one is too small and the other is too large for everyday carry. I decided to get this bag because of its sleek exterior and rolltop design, which allows to expand the bags capacity if needed.
I will try to divide this review into three categories: Performance, Design and Overall Feel.
Performance:
The bag overall has a great capacity, it seems to fit so much more gear than the 20 Liter bag it replaced, I feel like it fits twice as much although in theory it is only slightly larger. Access to the main compartment bag is somehow restricted given that it is strictly a top loader. However, access to the laptop and tablet compartment is excellent and I must add that the laptop compartment is SUSPENDED, which means, your device will not touch or hit the ground when the bag is put down.
Regarding organization, the bag has one external pocket, with a lanyard to attach keys and a smaller, zippered pocket, just below the flap, where I stow objects that need to accessed quickly. These pockets have a fairly slim profile, so if the bag is full, bulky items will not fit very well. The exterior pocket is great for a U-lock; since I commute every day on a bicycle, this was a requirement for me (see pictures 2,3 and 4. Lamy Pen and 7" U-Lock for scale). Inside the main compartment is a smaller mesh pocket which I use for valuables. The separate, padded laptop compartment, and tablet sleeve work just great (see pictures 7 and 8, again, Lamy Pen for scale).
Not for everyone in terms of organization, however, if like me you used packing cubes, a set of gym clothes, sneakers an additional set of fresh clothes, and the unexpectedly bought after-work groceries will fit without any problems in this bag.
As for comfort, the shoulder straps and back panel are very well padded, although not exceptional in the ventilation department. The shoulder straps have a top and lower slide adjustment straps, which work well for load management. The chest strap has three different positions to accommodate different users. The fact that the bag is slightly wider on top means that heavier objects should be packed towards the bottom as much as possible to avoid the bag "pulling" too much.
Design:
As previously mentioned, the overall aesthetic of the bag is what made me decide in its favor. It is a clean design and the material (no specs on the Mammut website) makes a very good impression and has yet to let water in. The rolltop closure however, must be folded twice in order for it to keep the bag closed; one fold will let the top open and items could potentially fall out. The addition of a quality zipper could solve this issue. The rolltop closure is fixed and does not have any buckles, rather just a sliding mechanism, which could probably be improved with the addition of buckles in my opinion. There are no compression straps yet the bag holds its compact shape pretty well and does not feel clumsy, nor does it interfere while riding a bike. One bonus feature of the rolltop closure is that, when the bag is not too full, the folded top will actually cover the laptop compartment zipper. Extra confidence for rainy commutes in a city like Hamburg.
I thought it was an overall sturdy build, yet after only a little over a month of very moderate loads (10-12 kg) the left shoulder strap seems to be separating from the bag (see picture 6), which is a big disappointment.
The bag is well thought out, however it lacks some features for it to live up to its name of "Courier". There are no safety light attachment points or reflective elements. Accessibility due to the fixed rolltop closure is not very fast, but makes up for it by reducing fumbling with buckles when wearing gloves. There are no external attachments for a U-Lock. One more external pocket above the existing one would provide a lot more small item organization without disrupting the lines too much. A mesh back panel would definitely aid ventilation.
Overall Feel:
So far I do not have any complaints on the overall feel of the bag. Small details like the bag not being able to stand up on its own or the perceived lack of organization are trade-offs for the slick design. I use other organization methods like packing cubes and smaller pouches, which I already use on my other bags and I do not have any issues. Also, it keeps everyday carry free of clutter.
Still, a couple of more "courier-oriented" features would be great: light attachments, U-Lock storage, an additional external pocket and maybe even a small pocket for valuables hidden in the back panel, like other bags offer.
Exterior quality is great, and the bag seems to be very water-proof, which, again, is great in a city like Hamburg. Hopefully the warranty will solve the ripped strap issue.
As mentioned, capacity is great and can handle an after-work run to the supermarket to pick up a few groceries as well as gym clothes, sneakers and an additional set of casual clothes.
Overall great, yet only 4 stars because of a small quality issue and "perceived" lack of features.
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