Velomacchi 40L Speedway Backpack

Not wanting to give it away in the first sentence, if there’s a better backpack out there than the Velomacchi 40L Speedway, we haven’t come across it yet.

Velomacchi are an American brand, based in the small town of Hood River, Oregon in the Pacific Northwest. The backstory of their founder, Kevin Murray, is fascinating and well worth a read if you have the time. For those who haven’t come across the brand until now, Velomacchi make premium motorcycle luggage, backpacks and tool rolls, and are known in the industry for their quality and innovation.

Overview

This watertight and versatile 40L travel backpack is jammed with features. From the hands-free magnetic closure, to the 3-point articulating harness system and multiple compartments, the Speedway Backpack is capable of anything.

We’ve been using the pack to commute – rain, hail and shine – and have been impressed with the product’s comfort and ability to stash all manner of ‘stuff’. Laptop, tablet, wet weather gear, phone, wallet, keys and toolkit, the pack takes it all and then some.

Comfort

We kind of gave it away in the first sentence of the review – this pack is unbelievably comfortable!

The self articulating “clavicle hinge” shoulder-strap design, allows the harness of the pack to adjust and fit different body types and gear, taking all the weight off of your shoulders and allowing you to use your upper body to steer the bike.

Whether you are wearing a tee or full armoured racing leathers the articulating harness structure adjusts to fit your body. It also makes it incredibly easy to get the pack on and off, without catching on any armour or bulky items you may be wearing.

Having previously dealt with a sore lower back and shoulder caused by bulky, poor fitting or just plain uncomfortable packs, the 40L Speedway has been a breath of fresh air.

Our only complaint with this pack is that the straps can be a little fiddly to adjust, and the roll top closing mechanisms can also be tricky to do back up. But really, these are minor gripes that don’t detract from the overall quality of the bag.

Safety

A huge benefit of the pack’s harness and shoulder-strap design is that all straps are cleverly tucked away, hidden or just non-existent. This means you are far less likely to get caught or snagged when riding. The pack also comes equipped with a feature pocket on the right-hand strap for your medical card or emergency contact information – a great detail and important safety feature.

Value for money

Let’s be clear, this is a premium product. At roughly $300 (USD) at the time of publication, there are certainly cheaper options available.

However this is about value for money, and the Velomacchi 40L Speedway Backpack certainly packs in a lot of features or value at this price point. Just for the comfort alone we’d say this pack was worth it, however once you take all the extra features into consideration, it’s a no brainer.

Features:

Water-tight main compartment with magnetic roll top closure
Patent pending 3-point rotating harness system
Magnetic sternum coupler for hands free harness closure
ACQUAFORTE 500D high tenacity nylon fabric: waterproof, abrasion resistant and stable at high speeds
Ballistic quilted backpanel with tuck away shoulderstraps
Water-tight large front pocket with storage for tools, bike lock
Emergency contact information and key pocket
Hydration sleeve compatible (bladder not included)
Quick access tool / med pouch side pocket
Torso size adjustment cam lock system
Leather gripping side stabilizing pads
Motorcycle tie down anchor points
Camera/accessory mounting plate
Tyre pressure gauge elastic sleeve
Internal key and accessory leash
Aluminum hands-free helmet clip
Watertight quick access front pocket
12.5″ W x 21″ H x 10″ D (32cm x 53cm x 25cm)
40L capacity

In summary

In writing this article we were conscious that we didn’t want it to come across as an advertisement for Velomacchi. But what can we say – we love this pack!

With the features and comfort on offer, at a premium yet fair price point, if you’re looking for a larger pack to commute with or a bag for that weekend get away, do yourself a favour and check out the Velomacchi 40L Speedway. You won’t be disappointed.