Kriega USA Luggage Q&A

[team ftb]

Originally Posted by Balkan Boy

Since we are all in the mood for sharing, here are some pictures of R25.
My first complaint about it was for lack of pockets and compartments, but I adapted.
It's also a bit heavy - 1500g empty.

FTB,
Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the size.
I think the size is just right.

13'' laptop with a pair of gloves for reference.
This one will not fit in the sleeve.




With the 2l bladder (puffy one) and a pair of gloves. A lot of room left.
There is a hook to tether the bladder or some other load, but everything stays in place when you compress it with outside straps.
You can thread the the water hose trough one of the metal rings in the front. Works well enough. A new hole on the top of the pack would be nice, though.




Same load compressed down.



This pack has a thick foam padding in the back (and a sort of plastic spine that gives it rigidity). So you'll get hot wearing it. Really hot if you wear a back protector. Chest harness also restricts air flow and cooling.




Pack hangs pretty low on your back. Depending on your hight it may interfere with aggressive off road riding. I'm 190cm and it's about right.

Balkan Boy - Greatly appreciate your insight into the R25 and pics. That pack does sit low with your picture. I worry since I have a short torso and am only 165CM.

Does the top main compartment have one or two zipper pulls?

Does anyone wear the R20 or R25 with a traditional chest/back proteector? How does it perform wirth the tradtional protector versus pressuit suit?

[Balkan Boy]

There is only one, one-way zipper for the main compartment.

I use the pack with Dainese back protector with absolutely no interference. Except for the heat.

Give me a few days and I'll tell you how it works with Leatt's pressure suit.


Here's another for you. You may recognize the content.
I've tightened the straps a bit. In the above picture it's set up for the jacket and back protector.


Left to right: Change of clothes, 3/4 UQ, WB hammock, WB tarp+pegs, tools (enough for wheels and general maintenance) and 2l of water.
All well balanced from side to side and mildly compressed. There's still a bit of room for food.

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by gots_a_sol

Is there some kind of key ring/clip in the Hydro-3 that I am blind to? Considering I never noticed the strap in my R25 for the hydration bladder (it is just a buckle in mine?), it is entirely possible I just don't see it somewhere


One of the things I liked about my old camelbak was not worrying if my keys were going to randomly fall out while digging around in the pocket. It isn't enough of a concern to go back to it though

No...



... But (like all our other backpacks) this already butchered R25 does...



... So...



... And...



That should do the trick.

It's in the main compartment and not in the outer pocket, but it'll definitely do the same job. Happy to send you both the clip and a key fob, if you want the same mod. Although that fob is a bit overkill for this application, it would be a shame to remove the loop.

Oh, and in case you were wondering why I didn't just attach the ring and clip to the Velcro loop on the right, it's because that is used to secure the top of the reservoir. That's not to say you couldn't just put the Kriega key ring directly on to that as well, but there would be the chance you could lose it if you removed the reservoir on the trail. I opted to thread it onto the stitched loop with the female QR clip on it because that would only be used if you had an older version of our reservoirs or a non-Kriega one (same as in your R25 - older ones had QR clips, newer ones have Velcro). With the latest equipment we ship, it is not required, so you could even cut the QR clip clean off and only use the loop to keep keys safe.

Anyway, you get the idea.

Hope that helps!


Cheers,



Michael

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by Droptarotter

Ready for the RTW trip;

US10 on the tank.....US20 on the tail and OV30 on the sides.............
















It might be better with a US5 on the tank and the US10 on the tail??

It's nice that I have a few options.



Cheers

That is brilliant!

Funnily enough, I just saw one of these exact photos pop up on the Kriega UK Facebook page. Guess one of the lads must've been keeping tabs on me!

Thanks for sharing your lovely little Wombat with us.


Cheers,


Michael

[gots_a_sol]

Originally Posted by amanlikemike

No...

Is that a pic of an older hydro-3 then? Mine only has one larger velcro strap (less than a year old)

It isn't a major concern, was just making sure I wasn't missing something that was already there. Maybe that is something that can be added to them in the future? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes to not lose my keys out on the trail



I was thinking about getting a Kube and a tank bag adapter, so I might snag one of those key fobs off ya then.

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by team ftb

Thanks for the details Mike. I understand Kriegas view of pockets, they just make life easy on me and if going Kriega I just have to adapt. I do most of my riding in Southeast Asia and heat is ever present so a full 3 liters of fluids is always in whatever pack I have. The idea of having the weight of the 3 liter bladder packed into a pocket that is hung outside of the axis of the body (off the spine) like I'm thinking the R25 is designed does not interest me. If I'm mistaken about the location of the water bladder of the R25 please correct me.

The R20 then would be a better choice assuming i could get my goods loaded into it properly. Soooooooooooooo a couple questions. How much room is left in the R20 once a full 3 liter bladder is installed and a 13 X 9 X 1 laptop do you think? Is it a true 6" depth the full length of the pack or does it taper a lot? Another option you mentioned is adding a R3 below the pack, Would this work for someone with a torso measurement (from the top of the hip bone to the top of my trapezoid) of only 17"?

If an US 5 is attached, is access to the side zip pocket still possible?

I would order the R25 without a doubt for the bomber suspension set-up if it had a hydration sleeve. Why Kriega chose to omit such a basic feature I'm not sure. OK now onto another potential mod of mine of a Kreiga product. Is there any reason why I could not use the sleeve in the R25 for a hydration bladder and then punch a port through the top of the pack for the hydration tube? Tell me why this would be a poor idea?

Again thanks for your time.

I hear you mate. But despite the R25 housing the reservoir in the outer pocket on this model, it still does a bang-on job, as evidenced by these intrepid chaps taking part in the Tuareg Rallye in Tunisia. But no worries, if that's not for you...



As for the R20; obviously, with a full 3-liter reservoir, that leaves you with 17 liters of space. I don't have an R20 kicking around in the office right now (an Inmate actually swung by to grab my sample off me a little while ago and I haven't got another), but I'll post a photo to illustrate this in real terms when I do. In the meantime, here's what I do have :



That there is an R15, so only 3/4 the size of the R20. But this one still has a full 3-liter reservoir in it, along with quite a few other items.

Below is a shot of it stuffed with - if I remember correctly - a large lunch for two (plus half a dozen carrots for the horses), digital camera, bug spray, sunscreen, cap, phones, wallet, pocket knife, sunglasses cases, small medical kit and various other hot-weather horsey stuff for the missus and I. You'll see it's got a fair bit in it, but it is by no means full.



The pics might be a little off topic, but they just happened to be on my phone. Gotta get some more motorbike shots on there!

Hopefully they give you an idea of the relative capacity of the R20, as well as showing how high these smaller packs can be positioned (due to the additional adjustment they have over the R25) and that - while the measurements of our gear are accurate they are not absolute. In all of them, you can fit something far larger than the bag is deep (notice the items in the middle of Mrs. Kriega's R15) and the bag will accommodate it.

In the case of a the R20, the minimum depth is 6" - it is actually is around an inch deeper at the top to balance out the fact that it is slightly wider at the bottom. The very slightly graduated shape also gives a larger area for packing heavier stuff at the bottom of the bag and lighter / more delicate / frequently accessed / smaller items of gear at the top.

Wearing the R20 on the highest setting should be fine with the waistpack. Both the R3 and R8 actually sit extremely comfortably on your hips i.e. below your belt line, as opposed to at it. Like so:



That said, if - for some reason - there was a bit of interference, you could always spin it around, like this gent has (probably for quick access):



Attaching a US-5 does make it a bit more involved to access the outer zip pocket, but not much at all - the full length of the zipper can still be used.

Now that I have your back measurement, I would almost certainly suggest the R20 over the R25.

The reason the larger pack it doesn't have a hydration sleeve is because it was primarily designed as an all-rounder / day / touring pack. The majority of R25s sold to street riders, who in general, had more use for the additional space in the main compartment, over the ability to put a reservoir in there. The R15 and R20 fulfilled hydration and hauling duties for off-road riders, who generally prefer the minimum amount of gear on their backs.

The upper harness on the R25 is also different to that of the other packs - without going into too much detail, the bottom line is that you would damage the structural integrity of the R25, by simply punching a hole through the back plate / outer material / upper harness. The R25 is also a bit more water-resistant than the R15 and R20, because it does not have the [well-placed and very slim] tube routing ducts opening into the main compartment. Hence the discreet stainless steel eyelet in the base of the smaller off-road packs.

That said, with the growing popularity of mixed-terrain ADV touring, there has been talk of a version of the R25 with more adjustment in the upper harness system and a fully integrated hydration system. I do not know when that might happen, but Inmates will be the first to hear if it does.


Hope that helps,



Michael

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by gots_a_sol

It is actually surprisingly roomy.

I carry a small pelican case with my gopro batteries and memory cards, keys to my truck, and some snack bars. I can put my gopro in there too and still have some room left for small stuff.

I shoved a 30 oz MSR fuel bottle in there before also, but I only had the bladder about 2/3 full.



And for shits and giggles, US-5 as a number plate bag. Main purpose was to hold the batteries for my light (they are in the mesh back pocket)

Couldn't have put it better myself! Thanks for chiming in, bill.

Nice US-5 adaptation too!

Originally Posted by bill1960

Thx for the feedback
I'd be looking to carry a light rainjacket in there.
Seems like it should fit going by your post.

Yup - that'll work. As long as it is just a lightweight one. Rolling it up will help.

Cheers,


Michael

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by gots_a_sol

Is that a pic of an older hydro-3 then? Mine only has one larger velcro strap (less than a year old)

It isn't a major concern, was just making sure I wasn't missing something that was already there. Maybe that is something that can be added to them in the future? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes to not lose my keys out on the trail



I was thinking about getting a Kube and a tank bag adapter, so I might snag one of those key fobs off ya then.

Ah.

Good point. That's my personal Hydro-3 there, which was one of the cross-over models. They do now just have the Velcro.

Bugger!

But, like I said, the Velcro could be used and I'll have a word about future production runs.

Key fob; no problem!

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by Balkan Boy

Since we are all in the mood for sharing, here are some pictures of R25.
My first complaint about it was for lack of pockets and compartments, but I adapted.
It's also a bit heavy - 1500g empty.

FTB,
Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the size.
I think the size is just right.

13'' laptop with a pair of gloves for reference.
This one will not fit in the sleeve.




With the 2l bladder (puffy one) and a pair of gloves. A lot of room left.
There is a hook to tether the bladder or some other load, but everything stays in place when you compress it with outside straps.
You can thread the the water hose trough one of the metal rings in the front. Works well enough. A new hole on the top of the pack would be nice, though.




Same load compressed down.



This pack has a thick foam padding in the back (and a sort of plastic spine that gives it rigidity). So you'll get hot wearing it. Really hot if you wear a back protector. Chest harness also restricts air flow and cooling.




Pack hangs pretty low on your back. Depending on your hight it may interfere with aggressive off road riding. I'm 190cm and it's about right.

Thanks for helping out with that feedback, Balkan Boy.

To address your concern about the weight; the R25 is the lightest we could get it, using the materials necessary for it to do its job i.e. handle as much as you can stuff into it without splitting open or being uncomfortable, and last for at least 10 years [guaranteed].

As you mention, in your pics you have it set up for wearing over your riding gear and yanking the upper and lower alloy sliders forward will lift it up considerably. That said, the idea is to distribute the weight between the chest and lower back... I expect that you've found that this positioning does lighten the load considerably, making the packs 'dry' weight pretty much moot.

Likewise, the back panel is only as thick as it needs to be in order to provide comfort and protection against the contents poking you in the back. But cooling is maximized through the use of the Airspace mesh fabric and molded channels which enable air flow / evaporation. The harness on the R25 is heavier duty, because of its intended use / potential payload, yet it is still designed to avoid as many potential vent placements on riding jackets as possible. But not at the expense of the primary function of making load-bearing on a bike far more than just bearable. Basically, you'll work and sweat a lot less than you would with a regular backpack.

The QUADLOC-lite harness on the R15 and R20, which are designed for more strenuous off-road shenanigans, is even less restrictive.

... OK: tube routing!

Let me know if you want me to send you one of these, free of charge:


The male tab with the label wraps around the webbing on the upper harness of the R25. The curved female Velcro part wraps around your drinking tube. Together they secure the loose end of the tube to the front of the pack, so it doesn't fly around, all over the place when not in use. But it can be detached and reattached with one hand to take a sip on the fly.

I wouldn't advise threading the tube through the alloy slide adjuster. But you can place it under the elasticated webbing guide on the upper harness if you like (see the photo in post #591). Also, putting the reservoir in the outer pocket, as intended, instead of the main compartment, will allow for more direct tube routing, so that it's not hanging way over to one side, like in your photo.


Here to help!


Cheers,



Michael

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by team ftb

Balkan Boy - Greatly appreciate your insight into the R25 and pics. That pack does sit low with your picture. I worry since I have a short torso and am only 165CM.

Does the top main compartment have one or two zipper pulls?

Does anyone wear the R20 or R25 with a traditional chest/back proteector? How does it perform wirth the tradtional protector versus pressuit suit?

Both will work fine with pretty much any body armor. But the R20 is better suited to folks wearing neck braces.


Michael

[Stagehand]

Originally Posted by amanlikemike

I hear you mate. But despite the R25 housing the reservoir in the outer pocket on this model, it still does a bang-on job, as evidenced by these intrepid chaps taking part in the Tuareg Rallye in Tunisia. But no worries, if that's not for you...


Michael

These look great. You supporting the RMS crew? Its so good to see good consistent support from awesome vendors. Thanks very much, Mike.

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by Balkan Boy

There is only one, one-way zipper for the main compartment.

I use the pack with Dainese back protector with absolutely no interference. Except for the heat.

Give me a few days and I'll tell you how it works with Leatt's pressure suit.


Here's another for you. You may recognize the content.
I've tightened the straps a bit. In the above picture it's set up for the jacket and back protector.


Left to right: Change of clothes, 3/4 UQ, WB hammock, WB tarp+pegs, tools (enough for wheels and general maintenance) and 2l of water.
All well balanced from side to side and mildly compressed. There's still a bit of room for food.

There we go!

Nice fit and excellent packing skills!

[Stagehand]

Just this past weekend at the Sandblasty rally, I realized I had misplaced the ziplock bit that holds the bladder closed. I scrounged around the hotel room and used a couple of paper clips to hold it shut Got through the day, so I guess it worked pertty well

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by Stagehand

These look great. You supporting the RMS crew? Its so good to see good consistent support from awesome vendors. Thanks very much, Mike.

Aye. That's the lads back in the UK, so I can't take credit for it. But to be fair, Dom and Mike never take credit for most of the support they give either.

Top blokes.

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by Stagehand

Just this past weekend at the Sandblasty rally, I realized I had misplaced the ziplock bit that holds the bladder closed. I scrounged around the hotel room and used a couple of paper clips to hold it shut Got through the day, so I guess it worked pertty well

Aw, c'mon on now, mate. Can't have that. You've got my phone number!