This is not something I am known for but
the commuter/biking series from Osprey has been very useful to me over the last
couple of years. I have had to do a bit of travelling in the UK and
internationally for work. Living out of a bag and keeping things constantly packed,
it's like camping, everything needs to have its place so you know where it is when
you need it and you can make sure you haven't left anything behind.
For me Osprey are known for their
functionality and these packs are no different. The Momentum has features to
the extent of Alpine climbing packs! The Flapjack is simple and functional. That’s
not a criticism, it's what makes it brilliant.
Osprey says this pack is "born to
commute". I tend to agree. lt has 30 litres of volume, it feels like it
swallows double that! It has enough space for a long weekend in Holland or
filing cabinet for a travelling consultant. It comes under the biking series on
Ospreys site, truth be known I've never had it on whilst cycling. However I
have used it in several guises. It has never let we down.
I’m not going to list its features, it has
already been listed here ..... It has enough nooks and cranny's to tuck away
all sorts of bits and bobs.
The laptop sleeve has a top opening has a water
resistant zip. I wouldn't necessarily trust it to keep persistent rain out but it’ll
defend the enclosed tech well enough in the short term. When there is a laptop in the sleeve, the
back panel is obviously very flat and rigid. The Airscape system is not very
thick so the comfort factor drops. Accepting this the shoulder straps, sternum strap and the minimal waist belt, which is removable, allows the pack to sit comfortably whilst carried. In with the sleeve there is a secondary
pouch that will hold a 10 inch tablet.
The main compartment is cavernous and neat
at the same time. There is a document sleeve, individual netted pocket along
with the main void. On the outside near the bottom there are two pockets for small items, they
have net barriers to catch/hold the items in. The issue I have with these
pockets is when the main compartment is jammed full (which has happened) these
pockets become redundant as they are squeezed shut.
There is a small organiser pocket on the
front which is good for storing keys and other handy bits. Just above the zip of
the pocket is Ospreys Lidlock bike helmet attachment, as I said this hasn't
been involved in any 2 wheeled activity but with its elastic pull cord I'm sure
it works just fine.
Stitched to the front is an elastic stretch
panel, it’s good for stuffing a jumper or lightweight jacket in when it’s not
needed.
Last but not least there is a highly visible
rain cover tucked in the bottom of the pack - glowing!
Does yellow and orange not clash?
I have used this bag for nearly 2 years, it
is with me every day with varying uses. Each time it's done what I have required
of it. On a daily basis it carries useful stuff: chargers, note pad, tablet, water,
a magazine, head torch, earphones.... The list could go on for the full blog.
This should also give an indication of its carrying capabilities, Ospreys site
doesn't give a volume but I'd estimate 18/20 litres with the usual Osprey
doocots to keep everything separate but still together.
It could have many descriptors too: courier,
messenger, laptop, go or man bag. Me, I just call it my bag. The colour of this
pack is specced as black, well it’s not is it? Its graphite or grey. It was a
bit of a sticking point when I was buying it but I'm not fussed now, well, I
say that I would prefer it to be black!
Anyway, the shoulder strap has a padded slider
on it which is obviously essential when the weight of the bag mounts up, the
downside of it is there is a grippy rubber section that spells ‘Osprey’ on the
underside. It's designed to help keep the slider in place whilst walking. It
does this, what it also did was pull at the nylon shell of a down jacket completely
ruining the shoulder. Fortunately now the rubber has pulled off with use, so no
more destruction. My advice pick it off when you buy it.
The waist strap is useful for keeping the
bag behind you. I've used it a couple of times when I've had to move hastily
somewhere. Late for a train! It's removable but I've never felt the need as it
doesn't cause any discomfort.
The flap has a little pocket which is
useful for stashing small items quickly. The flap is mainly held down with the
velcro panel and its strong! It hasn't failed to hold even at its heaviest when
lifted by the carry handle. The clips, which are interchangeable with different
colours provided, I only use when I've stuffed so much in that it's the only
way to keep the lid down.
Once the lid is open the first thing that stands
out is the green interior. At first it seems a bit garish, eventually it dies
down, probably due to dirt but alongside this the light colour becomes a
benefit. The depths of the bag don't seem so dark and it makes stuff easier to find.
I don't think the underside of the flap needs to be green but it’s nothing
major.
The main compartment is split into three.
The rear slot will take a smaller lap top, mine has a travel wallet and a
notepad with Sidetrack magazine for inspiration. The centre divider is a padded
pocket which is padded with a zip closure. My 7in tablet lives in here on its
end with room to spare. It's designed for 10in versions. The front part is the largest portion and holds all the bigger items.
The larger zip pocket has individual slots. I use these for earphones, usb sticks, a torch and a multi tool. There
is plenty of room at the bottom of the pocket for dropping other nick nacks in
to.
The front pocket is quite thin so it’s
quite limiting to what you can put in here. It has the key clip which I use
regularly. The pocket is however useful.
On the side there is a dedicated water
bottle pocket, it fits my Camelbak Eddy bottle perfectly. Another casualty of
time has been the zip pull loop snapping, I've replaced it with a bit of string
which gets me by.
So, a different element to my gear closet.
Both very useful bags, as a duo and individually. The Flap Jack is a great carry-on
luggage bag but it just works for me every day. The Momentum could do a day
hike and be very comfortable, without a laptop being pressed up against your
back. For a daily cycle commute, even with a laptop, it would carry everything
you need comfortably with the usual robust quality of Osprey.
Unfortunately I don’t spend the majority of
my time in the outdoors, so this kind of kit is something I use regularly. I
will continue to use the Flap Jack daily and the Momentum will be in support of
it when required. So let’s go to work…
The full range of all Osprey's packs can be found at
www.ospreyeurope.com There are a lot of new packs and updates to the existing range.
