Ortlieb, as the name may or may not suggest, is a German company. They are most famous for their panniers, which have long been the golden standard in urban bike transport. Waterproof, functional, and incredibly stylish, Ortlieb products are popular among everybody from office commuters to bike messengers to even motorcycle tourers.
The Velocity the small bag in Ortlieb's line of messenger backpacks. With a capacity of 20L, it is slightly smaller in capacity than a Chrome Citizen or Buran, but slightly larger than a Timbuk2 medium sized messenger. It is made out a waterproof performance fabric, which is basically a urethane rubber layer on top of a clothlike Nylon fabric. Totally waterproof, and it has an interesting look. Not the bright vivid colors of Cordura, but it's not quite shiny like fresh urethane.
The waterproof nature of the fabric is supplemented by the roll-top enclosure. There is a small rigid plastic bar at the end of the opening, which gives something to grip while you roll down the top. This lets you get an incredibly tight roll, and definitely prevents water from getting in. I've seen people submerge their Ortlieb rolltop bags and panniers and come out fine, although they are not necessarily designed that way. Nonetheless, the Velocity will definitely hold up in the heaviest of rainstorms.
There is very little (if anything) in the way of pockets in the main compartment. A rigid board backing is an ingenious way of preventing sharp objects from poking you in the back. This also means you don't have to really think about the order in which you pack the bag. Although it is not space efficient, the board gives the bag an incredible degree of structure. You can literally throw everything you need into the bag, and it'll work out. Awesome.
The back panel of the backpack is closed cell foam. Super stiff with very little give, so it doesnt have a disconcertingly squishy feel. Instead, the purpose of the foam is diffuse a little shock, but also to hold open a channel for air across your back. This prevents the "sweaty back" that many messenger bags result in. Although the weather is getting colder, sweaty back definitely remains a problem. Kudos to Ortlieb for coming up with a solution for it.
The Velocity is just an incredibly solid and well constructed bag. I chose it because of this, but also because of its simplicity. There were two ways that I could have taken One Bag, One Month. One way would have been to use an incredibly complex bag (the Shed, for example). That way, I wouldn't get bored with the bag. The approach I have chosen to take with the Ortlieb, though, reflects a more simple way of approaching portage. Your choice of bag SHOULDN'T be something you think about everyday. Rather, your bag should be an extension of what you need to carry. You use bags to carry things, not to use their features. I definitely feel that a simpler approach to carrying things is definitely an improvement.
Stay tuned as I give regular updates on my progress through One Bag, One Month. I might go crazy. I sure hope not.
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