Kriega R20 Backpack

I read all the reviews and finally bought the backpack a few weeks ago.

After it arrived I was wondering why I bought it, being that it's a pricey backpack. I took it on a ride with the group and it still seemed that I paid a bit too much for a backpack.

But I decided to make a run to San Francisco from Long Beach and wanted to put the backpack to the test. And it was great.

I rode straight through, taking the PCH all the way up to San Francisco. It is roughly a 10 hour ride from my location and I was making great time until I hit a few miles outside Big Sur and it slows down.

I loaded the backpack down a bit and thought I would be hurting soon after I started my run. But it fits and distributes the weight pretty accordingly. I did have a slight lower back hiccup, but that's because I was leaning over to cut through the choppy wind for so long. And I'm slightly out of shape... :)

I can't comment on how it does in a full pour over, but it was damp and misting and everything seemed pretty well off.

Overall I'm pretty happy with my purchase and I had to take it out on a serious ride to fully appreciate it.

Loaded Contents:

*Clothing:
- 2x pants
- 3x t-shirts
- 1x shoes
- 3x underwear
- 3x socks
- 1x shorts

* Electronics:
- 1x netbook
- 1x netbook charger
- 3x gopro batteries
- 1x camera
- 2x camera batteries
- 1x charger battery pack
- 3x usb cords

*Misc:
- 1x motorcycle tool kit
- 1x electronic air gauge
- toiletries

Had this backpack for several months now and really am glad I went with it. I was torn between this and the American Cargo Trooper (hi-viz version).

I ended up choosing the Kriega because of the excellent reviews and the harness system. I am female and felt the Kriega harness would be more accommodating for a shorter/smaller frame. I was right, this pack stays in place perfectly! I adjusted it to half way between the single dot and double dot indicators and that works out awesome for my size.

I mostly use it for commuting so it fits a pair of flipflops (or smaller sneakers), jeans, sweatshirt, cosmetic bag, headphones (larger style like Beats), external hard-drive (WD Passport style), my re-usable Starbucks cup (are you laughing at me yet?), and some other misc smaller items (cables, Surface Pro, snacks).

Sometimes I wish I got the R25 just for the extra space but I've currently never run out on the R20...I just don't like packing things too tight. The Kriega is so well made though it never feels like I'm stressing it out when I zip it all up. I love how easy it is just tighten down too when I don't have it full of items.

My only complaint is that it's totally black with only small amounts of reflective material. I ended up modifying it some to make me feel more confident in my visibility. Pictures added.

Very happy with purchase and will continue to by Kriega items due to their high quality.

I commute with a fairly minimal pack: just a MacBook Air, a light jacket, a few other small items. The Kriega R15 (which I own, but isn't available for sale from Revzilla) is a little too small for commuting and the R25 (which I also own) is a bit too big - the compression straps don't cinch down enough for such a big bag that's mostly empty. I wish I had just gotten the R20 in the first place and a US-10 to add to the available capacity, instead of having this strange collection of 3 backpacks. If you're trying to decide, you can probably just knock the R15 off your list of options.

I have always preferred to use a backpacks rather than luggage on my bikes, but I have always relied on cheaper standard backpacks. Spending over twice the money just seemed flat-out wrong, but over the past 6 months I began looking at motorcycle backpacks. I looked at a few of the local shops, reviews here at Revzilla, and several various web forums. I finally decided on the Kriega R20, and I am glad that I did. I have read a lot of positive reviews about Kriega, and they appear to be justified. This backpack is incredibly stable at highway speeds. The quadloc harness and the straps allow me to cinch down the load no matter if its full or partially loaded. The weight is evenly distributed and it doesn't shift around affecting my control. It's monsoon season here in Phoenix and the swirling afternoon winds can be obnoxious. This backpack makes them much easier to deal with by keeping the load where it is supposed to be. With the monsoon comes rain, and I rode in some light rain this morning on the way to work and everything stayed dry. It appears to be very well made. Time will tell, but with a ten year warranty I'd say Kriega is standing by their products. If you're thinking about a motorcycle backpack I'd say do it; this could be one of the best and most useful pieces of gear I've bought in quite some time. Very happy

I purchased the Kriega R20 after many hours of deliberating on various other backpacks, and you know, I think the decision was a good one. Absolutely zero issues with the construction and materials after copious amounts of use.

I am a light packer so the size was of no issue. In fact I found that I had ample room for extra things if I were so inclined to pick up something on my travels. Very comfortable to wear for long journeys given that you adjust the straps to fit you right proper.

I even use this as a grocery getter. It fits everything I need for the week, unless I do something like purchase a pie, which is really no issue with the bag itself but with my own priorities. Did I need a pie anyway? Probably not, but can I forgo some essentials and get the pie(s) anyway? Yes. Yes I can.

There was even a time I fit 12 masonry bricks in the bag (not recommended) and rode home with no issue other than that there were about 90lbs of bricks in my bag. Point is, the bag held up and is still holding up and doing an admirable job.

However, keep in mind that the bag isn't waterproof. If that is a concern for you get the more expensive bags that Kreiga produce.

I commute every day with a backpack. Most days just a few miles to my office, but sometimes quite frequently up to an hour away to my job site. I really thought it was that freeway ride that was killing my back and shoulders… two hours in the saddle dealing with the stress of notorious Bay Area traffic and obnoxious drivers. But no, it was my pack. I did some research and found this Kriega R20 and was really skeptical about its claim that it takes the weight off your shoulders, but wow! It really does work. I wasn’t looking to spend nearly as much as I did, but it is worth every penny.

Fresh out of the box I didn’t think I’d be able to put much in it, but it has proven me wrong. Bottle of water, 11” laptop, extra layers, notebook, small purse, disc lock. Might be halfway full at that point. I love how expandable/adjustable it is. If you don’t need to carry that much, just cinch it down and it lays flat and tighter to your body.

FOR THE LADIES: The only BIG initial concern I had was the chest harness. I have tried on many different kinds in the past and they always hit the “no zone” across my bust, either pressing down or pushing out in all the wrong places. However, the QUADLOC system is very comfortable, looks great, and the girls are quite happily nestled within. :-)

If you're anything like me, you have accumulated backpacks over the years and have one for just about any occasion. But the way I see it, a tactical backpack is made for tactical uses, a hiking backpack is made for hiking (etc.), but I've never owned a motorcycling backpack. The R20 fills that void perfectly. It's an awesome looking backpack, for starters. You can tell it's made of high quality material. In addition to looks, the fit is an extraordinary feature of this backpack. The curved straps make it easy to put this pack on over your riding jacket and it won't cut your circulation off when riding in a forward leaning position (for the sport bikers out there). The front clasp/strap configuration centers the pack weight and is extremely secure. You won't even know you have a pack on. The formed shoulder area minimizes any strain so you won't even feel it after a few hours of riding. Finally, the compression straps are solid and hold strong so you can really cinch the bag down to almost nothing.

So criticism: This is not a waterproof bag.......just water resistant. After riding about 40 minutes in a complete downpour, the contents of the bag were still dry, so that was good......but any longer and you'd have a damp inside, for sure. The main compartment only has a single zipper, so loading can be a bit awkward and isn't the best when having to grab things/put things away quickly with the clasps. Though the straps are high quality, the bag's material doesn't seem to be made the same way, but only time will tell how strong the bag really is. I think this bag should come with the Kube Pocket for content handling while on the bike (when stopped, of course). The Kube is great for ID, phone, toll money, etc. I bought it separately and like how compatible it is with the R20. But again, it's an extra cost. Finally, it's ridiculous not to include a hydration bladder with a $139 (non-waterproof) riding backpack. DO NOT pay the absurd $49 for the Kriega hydration bladder (sorry, Revzilla, I know the bladder pricing is not on you!). You can get one of better utility and quality from Amazon for a third of the price. Here's the one I have and it fits perfectly in the R20:

http://www.amazon.com/CamelBak-90352-Omega-Water-Reservoir/dp/B002QX3UJ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413035781&sr=8-1&keywords=camelbak+3+litre+hydration+bladder

Buy this bag. I love it and it has served multiple purposes. The piece of mind of knowing that if the bike and I separate in an unfortunate incident (and I'm conscious) that I'll have the essentials I need on me instead of in a pannier or tail bag.

I bought this with the Kube Pocket and the 3 Liter Hydropak. Honestly I don't think you should ever get this pack without those add ons. With those it becomes a useful backpack on or off the bike. Sure it's a little pricey, but you get what you pay for and you are paying for the best backpack for everyday use. I take this with me to school whether I take my bike or not. It holds my days books or it can hold the Kube 4 laptop case with one or two smaller books. I fill up the Hydrapak with Ice and water and take it with me so I always have a drink. I took it to my local fair for the day and in the hot weather, it was a life saver. It is comfortable enough to wear all the time. I've done all of this without even having it on the bike. It doesn't suffer at all on the bike though. It is great to have the Kube Pocket to store my phone and wallet and the Hydrapak is great when you are thirsty on the road. It fits great and my back hurts a little when having it full of heavy stuff but that is most likely because those specific back muscles for holding the pack up aren't as developed as they could be. It still fits great and is comfortable. My only complaint is I don't really know what size to put the straps of the shoulder (one dot, two dots or three dots) I have it part way between 2 and 3 dots but I'm not sure if the adjustment is totally right, but it fits. Overall I would definitely buy this again and I will certainly be buying more Kriega gear in the future.

Perfect bag for a college kid riding to and from class, also perfect for riding to and from work. The 20L size is awesome it's comfortably big, it holds just the right amount of stuff. The fitment while riding is superb, Kriega knows their stuff.

The R20 is nice and slim and great for commuting. What does it hold?

Option 1: commuting and coming home after work: the main compartment holds my 14" laptop (it would hold a 15"), extra shoes (although I tend to leave a pair at work), and clear shield. Still have room for shorts and t-shirt for whatever reason you'd need to bring them! The smaller compartment on the outside is bigger than the small zipper opening would lead you to believe, it basically fills the entire front of the bag and expands out 3-4 inches or so, and could hold another set of gloves (e.g. winter gloves), neck gaiter, ear plugs, wallet and keys, and any other small items you need to throw in there.

Option 2: commuting and going out after work before riding home. This assumes you ride wearing kevlar jeans or armored pants that you'll take off at the restaurant. You "can" fit the kevlar jeans in the bag with the laptop, and the armor will fit in the outside pouch. The clear shield should fit if you need to swap out your smoke shield. I doubt you'd fit your riding boots, so you'll have to wear those out.

So for commuting it fits all my needs and I'm glad I didn't get bigger. For weekend riding, it could serve as an overnight bag if you pack judiciously. For same day riding where you'll go hiking, as mentioned above it should fit your armored pants--but definitely not your jacket, you'll need to tie that down to the bike with your cheap walmart bicycle cable (I put it through the sleeves).