Hell For Leather.com R35 Product Review

Grant and I wore these to ride from LA to Laguna Seca and back.
The idea behind the Kriega R35 is to offer a large capacity backpack
specifically tailored to the ergonomics of riding a motorcycle. As
such, the load isn't carried through your shoulders or on your hips
like with a hiking pack, but through your chest and onto your hips.
Initially, that looks and feels awkward, but once you're in a riding
position it's totally comfortable.

Update: Matrix Motosports is the official importer and distributor of
Kriega products in the US.

The R35 is the largest pack offered by Kriega and its 35-liter
capacity will be enough for most people's needs. We filled them to
overflowing with laptops and camera gear, then realized we didn't
have any space for clean undies. At least that's Grant's excuse.

Because they're designed specifically to work in a riding position,
you won't be able to use the Kriega as a day-to-day off-bike pack,
but once you've worn one on a long ride you'll appreciate the
specialization. Virtually no weight is carried through the shoulder
straps and they're cut in such a way that they leave your neck and
shoulders free to move naturally and uninhibited. That'll be a
particular boon to sports riders, who will be able to move about the
bike unencumbered, even while carrying a heavy load.

In addition to the large main compartment, there's multiple pockets
with water-resistant zips capable of carrying a variety of shapes and
weights. I filled the outer pockets with tools and zip ties so they'd
be easily accessible and stuffed my Macbook into the A4-sized
sleeve in the main compartment. There's a plastic divider between
the carrying area and the frame, ensuring that sharp corners and
hard object won't poke you in the back or prove a risk in a crash.
On the outside, there's bungees and a mesh pocket for smelly socks
or anything that needs to be stored externally, while compression
straps cinch the whole thing down securely. No straps, zips or
anything fly loose in the wind.

To secure the R35, you put it over your shoulders, zip up the main
zip then pull the hip straps tight. Once you've gotten a good fit,
there's no more need for adjustment, just zip yourself in and out as
you see fit. inside that front harness are two pockets big enough for
an iPhone, cash and cards and necessary documentation, having
them right there is really convenient.

I wore the R35 with my Alpinestars MX-1 one-piece and it worked
just fine with the aerodynamic hump.

Despite the comfort and maneuverability, the R35 can't work magic;
after a couple of hours we had to stop and move some weight out of
the Kriegas and into our tailpacks. My laptop in particular seemed
to be a stretch too far, but considering it was in there with a week's
worth of clothes, a pair of shoes, toiletries and other odds and ends,
that's still pretty impressive. Weight transfered and the packs
proved comfortable for the rest of the 800-ish mile round trip. The
$185 R35 is easily the most comfortable backpack I've worn on a motorcycle.

Wes Siler. August 04, 2009
Hell For Leather Magazine