Apidura City Backpack 17L

Waterproof and rugged but light, the Apidura City Backpack is impeccably designed and built and has a lot of great features geared up for the needs of the commuter. It is quite an investment though.

Made by long-trusted bikepacking gear specialist Apidura, this backpack marks a foray into the arena of more urban-focused load-carrying.

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With a stated 17-litre capacity, the backpack is made from waterproof fabric and has a curved and shaped lid that fastens with a hook closure and Velcro patches to secure it against the body of the bag.

The padded fabric straps are adjustable in length, there's a height and length-adjustable chest strap, and an adjustable waist strap.

The rear of the pack is padded in three sections and there's a handy carrying loop at the top.

Inside, there's a roomy main compartment, a padded laptop sleeve that will take a 15in laptop, a zipped pocket and a mesh pouch pocket. There's also a zipped side pocket on the outside with an internal key fob strap.

It's a good-looking bag, with clean lines and doesn't scream out cycling pack, so is a good choice if you're after something smart and versatile rather than a high-vis, brightly coloured shouty thing. It does feature very subtle reflective accents at the base, though, along with an LED tab.

In use

It's very comfortable to carry, with good adjustment in the length of the straps, which are well-shaped for a variety of chest configurations. The height-adjustable chest strap is nicely considered, but those with a larger bust or chest may find there's not quite enough length in it.

The waist belt is basic but with plenty of adjustment and a nice secure buckle (as has the chest strap).

The padding of the shoulder straps is just the right balance of firm and cushioned, even with a heavily laden bag. The back padding is fairly basic but does the job, and the shape contours well to the body – if there's no rigid laptop in the rear pocket that is.

The overall fit is stable and secure, with little movement, particularly when the pack is full, and there are no issues with the top interfering with the back of a helmet, or impeding over-the-shoulder vision.

I found the capacity just about spot on for a pretty standard commute, with space for a change of footwear, a few items of clothing and some bits and bobs for the day, along with a laptop.

The lid design works well whether the pack is fully loaded or not, although there are only two different attachment points and the shape of the lid also means you can't cinch it down if the bag really isn't very full.

Clever folds at the sides of the bag that interact with the shape of the lid prevent rain from getting in through the top, even though there's no drawcord or anything. Again, the bag works much better when at least moderately full. The contents of the bag stayed good and dry even in heavy rain during testing.

Value and conclusion

At £159, it's at the expensive end of a very crowded spectrum of commuter rucksacks. It's more than both the (admittedly larger) Thule Pack 'n Pedal Commuter Backpack at £137 and Evoc Commuter 18L backpack at £130, both of which are similarly waterproof and effective.

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It is incredibly well made and nicely featured, but the others are not noticeably less well made. The Apidura does have a distinctive low-key style, and the kudos attached to its adventurous branding, but it's hard to justify an extra £20-£30 on top of an already high price tag – especially when you can get perfectly serviceable waterproof commuter packs for a lot less, such as the Oxford Aqua V20 Backpack at £54.99.

The Apidura looks great, performs well and is comfortable in use, but it really is a lot of money.

Verdict

Superb quality, comfortable, effective, well made and stylish, but very expensive