Product review: Dry Bag 59L and lashing strap set by Ortlieb
This is the cavernous, 59-litre dry bag from Ortlieb Hepco & Becker's Travel collection. I love all dry bags, but this one is by far the best I've used. I've used this one in pouring rain and, at one point, even dunked it in a tub of water to check how waterproof it is. Turns out, very. The roll-top closure system and the welded seams make for a 100 per cent waterproof bag.
It takes a total of 59 litres, which is a large amount of space. To put it into perspective, a large backpack is usually 25 litres. So this is over twice that size. You can easily stuff two weeks' worth of clothes in this. It is really easy to pack too. You just have to throw everything down the top and you're done. Only problem is you need to be prepared to fish around for a really long time to find anything once you've thrown it in. The inside is black, so finding your belongings can be difficult.
At 59 litres, it is a large bag. And if you plan on using it as a standalone pack, then be prepared to have the sides sticking over the seat or rear luggage rack. This dry bag is actually designed to be a top pack, so if you have saddle bags or panniers already mounted, the sides will rest on them and be more secure. And if you want more secure mounting, install a universal rear enlargement kit from Hepco & Becker (also available at Moto Usher at Rs 6,950).
The outside of the bag is made of high-traction material, so once you mount it on your motorcycle, even on your seat, the bag doesn't move around a lot. Especially, if you use the Hepco & Becker straps. The straps are 1.8-metre long and have a ratchet type tightening system. The system is super solid, and once you've tied your bag down tight with it, the bag won't move an inch.
I do wish the bag came with some sort of handle or strap to carry around. Once you get it off the bike, it's handful to carry around. You have to use the roll-top loop as a sort of makeshift strap. A long shoulder strap could have sorted this out easily.
At Rs 2,800, the 59L Dry Bag is a great value for money. The product is of excellent quality, and the price makes you overlook its tiny drawbacks. The straps too are a solid piece of kit. But at Rs 1,200 they cost almost as much as your bag.
The 59L Dry Sack is available for Rs 2,800 and the lashing strap set is available for Rs 1,200 on motousher.com
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