It’s a (Riut) Riot!

A COVID-safe, fully secure, waterproof daily-carry pack for commuters. Introducing the RiutBag+.

Please note: This is my unsolicited, unprejudiced opinion. I bought these bags with my own money, and the only reason I write about them is that I genuinely think they’re so good that you need to know about them. There are no affiliate links to RiutBag products here. If you’re moved enough to buy one or more, I won’t make any money out of it. Having happy readers and supporting an innovative small business, is what it’s all about.

Grumpy

I was shown a RiutBag earlier this year, after moaning about the series of backpack failures I’d been through. The key differentiator is that all the zips are securely held against your back. In other words, you have take it off to get it open – which means nobody else can open it while you’re wearing it. This simple change in thinking impressed me so much ordered my first RuitBag, a 15.3. The bag arrived the day COVID lockdown started, so it’s never actually been used as intended – i.e., a safe and comfortable way to commute daily across London with an expensive laptop and personal items. However, I’ve given it a good going-over and can confirm it’s absolutely the highest-quality build I’ve ever seen on a backpack. I’ve also loaded it up with a hefty amount of weight… it’s still comfortable to carry. It almost makes me look forward to commuting again. Almost.

But not content with just re-inventing the backpack, creator Sarah Giblin has gone and done it again, with a COVID-safe variant that can be easily wiped down with strong disinfectant without concern over damaging anything. Also featuring easy-access hanging points for your face-mask and hand-sanitiser, the RiutBag+ is now available to order, and is absolutely worth a look. While I’m not a fan of shiny silver backpacks, I’ve ordered one anyway to support the project. I figure either I’ll get over myself and use it, or find it another home through gifting or maybe a charity raffle. In fact, I think my gorgeous wife will get it, if we’re ever allowed to go back to work, as she can carry off the bling much better than I could 😉.

I recently picked up a couple more of Sarah’s products: the RiutBag Sling (a small cross-body bag perfect for traveling with passports, phones, keys, etc., keeping them handy and secure, watch the demo video), and the RiutBag Crush, which is a lightweight collapsible backpack (with the secure-side zips again). Both of these will live in the top-box of my motorbike. The Sling will be handy to hold my phone and wallet (I don’t trust the pockets on my riding jeans) and the Crush is useful insurance against the odd occasion I might unexpectedly need additional cargo capacity – and when packed away, it’s small enough to fit into little spaces (would probably go under the seat if I didn’t already have a pile of crap stuffed in there). Expect further reviews on both of these in the near future – with a focus on how they might help out bikers.

All product images shown here are © RiutBag, reproduced with permisssion.


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Grumpy

grumpyoldfart.org

I'm a grumpy old fart. I know a lot about leadership, culture & agility, something about wellbeing, and a little about woodworking.

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