Review: TripMachine’s Rambler Backpack Pannier

It started as a search for a good weekend backpack to replace my broken, decade-old Wildcraft backpack. Since I had also started riding, I thought a combo backpack and bike pannier would be great.

Requirements

• A comfortable backpack
• A decent bike pannier
• It should be versatile to work as a baby bag
• At least 20Ltrs, size
• It should have enough outside pockets
• It should have a laptop pouch inside
• Enough hooks outside
• Decently big opening
• Sturdy
• Waterproof or at least resistant
• Looks good
• Good Price

Solution

I had a positive experience with my first buy from TripMachine. So, I was confident about the quality. Also, the canvas material worked for me. I checked the reviews and watched videos. It all seemed promising, but the price seemed slightly higher, so I delayed my purchase. But I couldn't find anything else that matched my requirements, so finally, I got TripMachine's Rambler Backpack.

Things I like

• It's not big, it's 24 Liters. It's a standard, medium-sized day pack with a laptop pouch. ( Usually they are anywhere between 24 to 35 liters). So you need to pack well for it to last on trips that are longer than three days. I have carried a laptop, an electronics kit, and more than half a week's clothes for my trips and rides by extending my weekend backpack list. Carrying additional gear like a DSLR could be challenging.
• It looks and feels sturdy. The hooks and ties that it comes with also feel strong. It hangs nicely on the side of the motorcycle. It works well with a saree guard that is a default on Indian motorcycles, but it will work without it, too. You can also place it on the seat if you prefer. You can use the same hook and rings.
• I also use hooks and ties (quick-release snaps) to hang the bag in bathrooms and in diaper changing stations that don't have a table. Most will have some kind of grab bar(horizontal support bar) for people to which you can hang. This keeps the bag off the floor, making it easy to open and access things inside.
• It has a decently big opening, So things inside are visible, and taking them out is easy.
• It has enough outside pockets for bottles and other small kits. The two in the front can be covered and big enough to fit toolkits. I use one for the electronics kit and the other for the bathroom kit. The two on the side can take small kits, small milk bottles, etc. if they need to be closed. They have flaps with buttons. They can be extended to fit a long water bottle, standard coffee mug, flask, etc., in which case they can't be closed, like any standard bottle holder.
• Inside, it has a lycra lining. It has a laptop pouch in the front. A small zipped pocket, ID cards holder, and a key ring loop at the back. You can carry big laptops. I take my LC230 easily in it.
• The bag is waxed canvas; it can be water resistant but not waterproof. But they do give you a rain cover. There is a place (velcored pouch) to store the rain bag at the bottom, which makes it easy to deploy. I also store my windcheater there.
• The top flap is extendable; extending it lets you easily roll and fit a jacket, blanket/sleeping bag, or a yoga mat.
• The padded shoulder straps are comfortable and work well. I wouldn't take it for trekking, but I can walk a couple of kilometers easily. They have enough loops on shoulder straps if you want to attach things. I plan to use it for a chest strap.
• They have safety buttoned straps to tuck and secure shoulder straps, keeping them safe while riding and while storing them in the overhead cabin, etc. I don't like loose parts. It's a feature I love.
• It does look surprisingly well. And it fits right in whether it is a bike ride or a day out with Uma.

Things to improve

• It has only one zipper for the main compartment. It can open or close only from one direction. I found that a bit weird for modern bags, where dual zippers are standard and useful.
• The laptop pouch at the front part of the bag is a weird choice. Usually, all backpacks have sturdy and heavy stuff like laptops at the back. It's also easy to insert and remove the laptop at the back because usually the front is bulged, and the back is straight. Is this for the safety of the laptop? Because it was designed to hang on the motorcycle's side, is the front better? I am not sure.
• I'm not very happy about the rain cover they gave me. I will probably buy one from Decathalon. Also, please note rain covers generally don't cover the back of the bag much. So, if you ride in water-clogged areas or during heavy rain, water from the wheels will wet the back of the bag. This means you can't wear it on your back when you take it off the bike. So it's better to place the bag on the back seat during rain than on the side.  

Conclusion

It has survived riding in heavy rain. It has survived day trips, weekend trips, and an official 4-day trip. It needs maintenance, especially cleaning, even though it means simple rinsing with cold water and no soap. I also would want to wax it maybe once a year. Overall, it's been a great bag. I plan to use it for at least five years, but there is a good chance of using it for a decade or more. As of now, it feels like it will survive and do well.

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