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Viking Bags 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack |
Greetings loyal MotoReaders! It's time for another...
MotoReview!
Today, I'll be talking about the new Viking Bags 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack. This is gonna be a super fresh review, too... because I'm writing this from my hotel room in the hometown of Harley-Davidson motorcycles- Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The squeaky cheese is frying and the pretzels are baking as I type this... so let's not waste any time!
Full Transparency
You guys already know that I believe in full disclosure, and as such- I'll tell you that I did not buy this pack. Honestly, I wasn't even looking for a new pack, so when Viking Bags reached out to me last month and offered to send me their new Extra Large Tactical Backpack, I was a little shocked, to say the least. But, I was happy to accept the offer since I'm pretty familiar with them and the quality of their products. Besides... one of the best ways, for me anyway, to truly give my MotoReaders an unbiased review of a product is when I do get it for free.
I know what you might be thinking... if I get something for free, wouldn't I be biased in favor of the company that gave it to me? Nope. Not at all. Don't get me wrong- I won't bash the companies that send me stuff to test and review- after all, they do trust me to do a fair and honest review of their products and they're showing that trust by sending the stuff to me for free-zies. When I buy a product, by comparison, I've already done the research before I shell out my own hard-earned cash-ola, so when I review a product that I bought, it will inherently have some bias- either good or bad, based on how much I've invested, as well as, how happy (or unhappy) I am with it. Everyone gets a fair, honest, and unbiased review from me on their product... but I won't beat up a company that is asking me for my opinion.
45L - Tactical XL Motorcycle Sissy Bar Backpack
That name is a mouthful, I know. I got this bag after I got back from my recent trip to Daytona so I didn't get to use it for that trip. I did, however, get it in plenty of time for my trip to Milwaukee... and what better way to beat up a brand new pack, and put it through it's paces, than on a multi-flight trip a thousand miles from home? I mean, what's the worst thing that could happen- catastrophic failure of the backpack causing my worn-out socks and questionable condition underwear to spill out in front of hundreds of strangers at an airport? Sure, that would be less than ideal... but so far, we're in good shape and the pack is holding up great.
Updated already
Now, one thing I've noticed already, is that it looks like Viking Bags has already updated/upgraded the pack from the design I have. From what I can tell, the newest version has two extra straps/buckles on each side, to sort of cinch it all tight when packed- a feature mine does not have. Everything else looks to be the same, but I think it's really cool that someone at Viking said, 'ya know... let's make this a bit better real quick.' Now, I don't know how long this pack has been out because, well, like I already said- I wasn't looking for a new pack, so I haven't been perusing the sites lately. But, regardless... the new version is what you'll get if you start shopping for one now.
The materials
First and foremost, the most important feature of any good product is the materials it's made of. Cheap materials will make any product useless, regardless of how well those cheap materials are put together. This pack is made of strong, really strong, thick Cordura. You can feel the quality in the body and straps of the pack. I haven't taken a stab at it, but I'd be willing to bet it's puncture resistant and ripstop, too.
The second most important feature of any product, is the way that it's made- the stitching, the reinforcements, the gussets, the padding and so on. This pack, again, doesn't disappoint. It's really well made. I don't like to check my luggage, so I tend to pack what I need into the smallest, most carry-on-able luggage that I can. With that said, I had this pack STUFFED TIGHT. I'm sure the good folks at Viking Bags might discourage this... but I had to lean on the closed bag, just so I could get the zipper closed.
Let's back up a bit
I feel like I need to quantify my last statement a bit by explaining this bag's capacity. They say it's XL... or 45 Liters. I don't measure bags like that, so I'll give you my measurement method, instead.
My typical retirement wardrobe now consists of jeans, t-shirts, and riding boots, pretty much on a daily basis. I do like to dress a little nicer for certain occasions, so I will also wear some button-down garage shirts (don't judge me- I'm retired). I'm in Milwaukee for 3 weeks and the hotel I'm staying in has an on-site laundry facility, so fortunately, I have the ability to wash and rewear my clothes during this stay. I don't, however, want to be in the laundry room every other day, so the goal was to pack a week's worth of clothes.
In packing for this trip, I initially tried stuffing everything in my other name-brand backpack which, normally fits everything I need... but I guess this trip was one day too long, and it couldn't handle the job, so I decided to take a chance and try the Viking Bag. This is what I was able to get inside the new pack:
- one fresh pair of Levi's blue jeans,
- 6 of my favorite T-shirts,
- 2 button down garage shirts,
- 6 days of fresh socks,
- and, because I'm not an animal- 6 days of fresh underwear.
I also packed charging cords and cubes, an external SSD for my laptop, a card reader, earbuds, a bathroom bag with all the necessary essentials to not look or smell like I'm living out of a backpack for 3 weeks, reading glasses because I'm getting old, and some over-the-counter medicines because I'm prone to migraines (and I refuse to take Rx meds to control them) and I'm just getting over a cold that has been wreaking havoc on my sinuses for the past week. This pack does have a laptop sleeve, but I chose to carry my laptop separately because I knew I was gonna be crushing this pack to close it and I didn't want to risk damaging my new 'puter.
Carrying Options
The carrying options are, somewhat, limited for what I'm using it for on this trip. But... remember that this was designed as a sissy bar backpack and not as a piece of airline luggage. When I first got it, I did attach it to the sissy bar on my Dyna Street Bob... and it fit well and was easy to secure, but this was a fly-not-ride trip, so here we are.
As for carrying- it obviously has two backpack straps, but, it also has a chest strap, too. I think they may have redesigned the waist strap, in the newest version, too... because while mine has straps at the waist, they look a little different than what's shown on the new pack. Either way, I don't usually use a waist strap when I use a backpack, so that's a non-issue for me. There is a strong, well stitched and padded handle at the top of the pack, too, for when you need to take the pack off and carry it. The backpack's shoulder straps tuck away inside a compartment on the back of the pack, too for whenever you want to mount it on your bike. This is especially important because you don't want the shoulder straps of a backpack flopping around in the wind while you're riding.
Pockets, Pockets and Pockets Galore!
I like pockets and compartments on a pack. The more the better and this pack has plenty. It has mesh pockets on the inside of the main compartment, one even has a zipper closure. The secondary compartment has mesh pockets in it, and the third, exterior, compartment has some sewn-in pockets on the inside of it. The smaller, top exterior compartment is easily accessible and, all of the compartments of the pack have dual heavy-duty zippers with rubber coated zipper pulls, on each one. There are two bottle pockets, one on each side of the pack, each with a toggle-locking drawstring-closure. The front and sides of the pack also have molle style attachment slots to accommodate anything else you might want, or need, to attach to the outside of the pack and, as an added benefit- the top of the pack has a velcro panel to attach your personal identifiers such as nametapes, flag, or your favorite tactical unicorn patch- do your thing, I don't judge. The pack even comes with an embroidered US flag patch and a rubberized Viking Bags identifier patch to start you off.Other Cool Features
Another really cool feature of this pack is the way the main compartment opens- a full 180ยบ, which makes packing (and unpacking) this pack a breeze. The bag also has a cord pass-thru grommet at the top in case you need to run a cord through the pack for any reason. The pack also has loops sewn into the webbing in case you want to adjust any of the mounting points, or add extras. Another cool feature is the TSA approved lockable main compartment. Unfortunately, the main compartment is the only one that has the interlocking padlock zipper pulls but if you need, or want, you can run a small cable lock through the rubber zipper pulls to secure them. Viking Bags also includes, at no extra charge, a hard-sided sunglasses case and a stowable wet bag, both of which can be stored on the molle and the sunglasses case even has a clip so you can attach it to one of the D-ring loops on the pack.
Speaking of TSA, the bag is just the right size... if not a little bit too big for standard airline carry-on sizing regulations. Height and width is well within the standards, but it's a little thicker than the standard 9" requirement, at about 11-ish inches deep... just enough for a rookie TSA officer or an overzealous boarding agent to jam you up and make you check it. I was fortunate enough to have some really cool, laid back folks that I dealt with at boarding, though... so I had no issues.
Pricing & Value
Okay... let's get down to brass tacks on cost and value of the pack. The folks at Viking Bags offer two options of the "Tactical Large Motorcycle Backpack"- the XL 45L, and the L 30L. Both packs look to have, almost, all of the same features but the 30 is just obviously a bit smaller. The 30 is priced at $149.99, currently marked down to $126.99 for their Spring sale; while the 45L has a regular price of $168.74, and it is currently on sale for $142.99.
Personally, I like to compare products to products when determining price to value. Doing so gives me a tactile, real world value that I can quantify easily... kind of like asking, "what else can I get for the same price?" So, by comparison... my other backpack, that I have been using for the past couple of years as my primary bag, set me back a smooth $140. Apples to apples... they are both really great, well built, bags. Now, my other pack is closer in size to the Viking Bags 30L, so capacity is about the same, too (although the Viking is a little easier to sort and organize than my other pack and it has more features). My point here is that the price of the 30L, and the 45L, Viking Bags are priced appropriately compared to their other, high quality, competitors.
Can you get a bag that is less expensive? I have no doubt. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of retailers online that offer cheaper products... but rushing through the concourse, trying to make your connection... or worse... running down the interstate at 75 mph... isn't the place to discover how poorly that cheaper bag is made. The bottom line is, what it's always been, you get what you pay for. Good products aren't cheap and cheap products aren't good. That's not to say that you have to spend a ton of money to get a good product, but high quality materials cost money and highly skilled workers don't work for free.
Final Thoughts
Overall, even though I didn't buy this bag, and I wasn't looking for a new bag when I got this one, it's proving to be a high quality bag that is priced fairly. Honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this bag... especially for the current sale price of $149. Another great thing about Viking Bags, too... is that they are always having sales, so bookmarking their website, and checking on their current promotions from time-to-time, could help you keep some of your hard-earned dollars in your pockets.
At this point, I've done quite a few of my MotoReviews on a variety of products and I know you guys might be thinking, "geez, when is he gonna give us a stinker review?" Well, if I'm being completely honest- hopefully never! I know that a product that sucks will eventually find me, but this one isn't it. I like this pack, quite a lot, actually. As a matter of fact, it might be my new favorite piece of luggage.
The local cuisine of the 414 is calling my name, and I've got some motorcycles to see, so until next time MotoReaders....
Ride safe and make good choices!
(Just a subtle reminder, too... I embed links in my posts and I encourage you to check those out as you're reading. Also- don't forget that you can click the links on the upper right hand side of the page to save some money on products like First Mfg, Sena and Unik by using my affiliate links and discount codes. Keep an eye on that sidebar, too... as I'm hoping to add more affilates, too)
