TESTED: Kathmandu Amphi Water Resistant Pack v2

What is a backpack to you? For some it’s part of their ‘look’, others a necessary evil for lugging things – it might even be part of your identity, how are ‘backpackers’ identified after all?

I’m fussy with backpacks. I like them, they’re useful, they mean you can take what you need when you’re going somewhere. The Kathmandu Amphi bag is a water resistant model from the big New Zealand outdoor company. Thanks to the roll-top opening and seam sealed laminated ripstop nylon material, if you close the bag properly, the contents are highly unlikely to get wet.

That feature, on its own, already makes this bag worth looking at for MTB day trips or commuting to work. Wet clothes, or belongings, aren’t much fun.

But the useful features don’t stop there. The bag has a breathable padded section on the back, along with generously proportioned waist and sternum straps (with a whistle!). There’s room for a 2L water bladder, with the straps to hold the hose in place over either shoulder.

Nicely padded straps with a hose guide.

On the front, there is a compression bungee cord, so you can attach some bulky extras if need be.

In use, it wasn’t too hard to get the bag to sit comfortably. It doesn’t have a rigid frame like some mountain bike bags, so if you really failed at packing it it wouldn’t be comfortable. The straps allowed me to get the bag to sit where I wanted it to, so it wasn’t a fuss to ride with. That’s perhaps one of the most important things, along with the water resistance.

The size is large, it’s 24L. More of a big day ride bag than something for a trail pootle. You might not ride with it at all – a comfortable and water resistant backpack is a very useful item afterall. The straps can also be held against the back pad, or tucked behind it – great if you do actually do a bit of water based adventure.

What the bag doesn’t do is organise your gear. There are no internal or external pockets for separating bits and pieces. For a point to point commute that’s ok, but it does involve some digging around to find your keys, or wallet, or phone, when you stop. That’s about the only downside with this bag. The form is very similar to the Boreas Topaz 25 we played with last year, but the function is a world apart due to the water resistant material and design.

It’s nice and light at 550g, and could be a great companion for those in need of a water resistant backpack. But as a general use mountain bike bag, it’s a bit big, and a bit low on the useful features like pocket separation and easy access.

Hits:

-Water resistant

– Bright

– Well made and comfortable

Misses:

– No gear organisation

Price: $159.98

From: Kathmandu