Ive travelled internationally for my job for over a decade and I've come to expect a lot from the bags I use. In my early days, I had entire packs come apart flinging my stuff everywhere. I decided a long time ago that the bag you trust all of your priceless personal items and expensive gadgets to should not be a cheap piece of junk.
I've used Osprey packs for years, yet they have never had a day pack/computer pack that worked for me, mostly because of their ultralight design approach. The Momentum 34 hits a new high. It has a nice stiff back that protects your laptop and props the bag up on its own without losing comfort. It has great organization and really shouldn't be confined to the bike commute. The two pockets on the shoulder straps are amazing, however, the key zip attachment needs a quick clip and not a O-ring.
My only gripe is that every decent pack needs at least one dedicated bottle/thermos pocket. The momentum has two side pockets at the bottom that are actually very nice for keeping a power brick, cliff bars, etc... i.e. items too for the main compartment of the bag, but too small for the pen/key pocket. When you open the side pockets there is a little mesh lining that keep the items from falling out yet handy at the same time. It's really a great idea. The problem is that these two side pockets are not large enough to keep a bottle/thermos mug. They will fit a can of soda or a 12 oz water bottle, but that's it and not conveniently at all. The thing that saves the Momentum for me is the rear "dump" pocket. It is high and narrow with a bit of stretch to it so a 16-20oz bottle slides in very nicely. It's just wide enough that I can slide my thermos mug in there too. This pocket is dedicated for a U-lock so I'm not sure what Osprey was thinking by not having a water bottle pocket; however, whether by accident or intent, the dump pocket is perfect for people that need to keep liquids at hand!
Honestly, if you want a pack that is well thought through buy from a company that is primarily a pack company like Osprey. NOT The North Face, or many others. Marmot makes great jackets, but horrible packs.
I've had this pack (S/M) for about a month and have used it daily for bicycle commuting and once for a weekend air-travel trip. I'm really happy with it. Finally a backpack that is made to use when riding a bike, that has a bunch of pockets, and that holds enough for a day at work, to the gym, to the shower, and back. There are a few changes that would make this pack perfect, but overall it's been worth my money.
Features:
I love the rain fly. It is bright yellow and comes out and on in about 10 seconds, and even has an attachment spot for a blinky. The lid lock works perfectly to snap my helmet (or a neck pillow)on the outside of my bag. The shoulder straps can be tucked into the bag and zipped away, and there are handles for carrying from the top or side of the pack. I've removed the detachable waist belt, but would put it back on for longer rides with heavier/bigger loads. The pack expands with a zip-around zipper, giving me enough room to easily fit a pair of running shoes when the bag had been too full to fit either before. The compression straps keep the load from being floppy (and were a must-have after my last pack). The sternum strap is adjustable and comfortable but I find I actually have to use it, which wasn't always the case with other packs. It may have something to due with my poly/nylon winter jacket, but the straps are slippery and don't seem to stay on unless I have fasten the sternum strap. This might be a good thing too, but I've never had a problem with chafing from shoulder straps on a bike(upper body doesn't move that much on a bike). The back panel is comfortable and does a great job at keeping any bulky or pointy items from jabbing me. In the winter, my outer layer is windproof and I always appreciate the added warmth of a pack, so I really have no comment on ventilation it allows.
Storage:
It holds more than I thought it would, I've packed running shoes, skirt, shirt, lightweight sweater, heels, along with a 14" laptop and a couple magazines, and was able to zip it up with no problem.
I love the compartmentalization. This pack has enough organization that I can fit all of my essentials (first aid, u-lock, snack bars, patch kit, mini-pump, micro-fiber rag, resistance bands, toiletries, chamois towel, wallet, makeup, pens, watch, jewelry, flip flops, etc.) without putting any of them in the main compartments. This is important both because I want to be able to access this stuff quickly, and also because I'm packing and unpacking daily with a change of clothes (or two).
The shoulder strap pockets (phone on the left (note: on S/M, it is not big enough for an iPhone, don't know about M/L) and keys (with a retractable key ring) on the right) are great, and don't get in the way at all for me.
I have to preface the next piece by saying that this is the best pack I've had for commuting. Osprey makes great packs. Having one of their other backpacking packs, I was thrilled to see their entry into the bike commuter market. That said, here's my biggest complaint about the Metropolis: The positing of the auxillary pockets could be better for everyday commuting use. When my pack is only lightly loaded, since I have the extra pockets full, most of the load is at the top of the pack. Even when it shouldn't be an issue, I still see the pack when I'm looking over my shoulder. (I'm on my bike, so this is important.) Whatever I put into the auxiliary pockets reduces the amount I can put into the main compartment. With the exception of the marsupial pouch and the shoulder strap pockets, the smaller storage pockets all expand into the main compartment instead of expanding outside the bag. So, when I have the auxiliary pockets filled (which I usually do), it means the main compartment isn't an approximate rectangle. I have to squeeze stuff into the bottom of bag where there is space the top is full with contents from the top pocket. I should say almost-the-bottom of the bag either side of the bottom of the bag is full with contents from the side pocket. What makes packing it especially annoying is the fact that the panel access (better than top load!) only unzips the top half of the bag. Getting a pair of dress slacks in without bunching them up is possible, but challenging.
If you want to carry a water bottle on the pack neither my nalgene or stainless steel bottles fit in the side pockets (28 oz range), and when I put a small 12 oz water it, it kept wanting to slide out. All of these bottles fit in the marsupial pouch. But of course, then they aren't accessible without removing the pack. I miss my old pack's mesh pocket. It held a water bottle or whatever else I stuffed in there a bandana, some candy, a pair of gloves. It was really nice to have one-handed access to a pocket on the fly. The size zip pockets have a little mesh webbing, but the webbing is loose so you still need to zip to keep anything from falling out.
There is a second compartment behind the main compartment that holds flat things, like a laptop. It has (what looks like) a waterproof zipper, and inside it has both a fastened pocket for a laptop and another inch or two deep pocket. I bet I could fit two laptops in it! Anyway, it works laptops and papers/books. I love that the laptop pocket is positioned toward the middle of the bag (instead of against the back). It gives the laptop a little more protection. Also the rain fly is in a pocket on the bottom of the pack, also offering a little protective padding down there.
Air travel:
Stuffed to the gills, it fit in the overhead bin (sideways). I had to take the neck pillow out from under the elastic helmet clip (lid lock) and had to pull my winter jacket out of the marsupial pouch, but that probably goes without saying. The fact that I could zip away the shoulder straps meant that I didn't dangle them in another passengers face as I put my bag up. (Sorry for not doing that the first time!)
Summary:
So, overall a great pack. Holds a ton, has awesome bike commuting features, has great compartmentalization, and feels secure and comfortable. I wish the main compartment were easier to load and unload, and that I didn't see it when I looked over my shoulder, but I don't think there is a better bag out there. (Note: immediately after buying this bag, I noticed that Osprey came out with a new cycling pack. Haven't fully investigated, but it may have some improvements over this one.)
Buy Osprey Momentum 34-Litre Commuter Pack Now
This pack has all the bells and whistles you want in a pack. It has a pocket for everything located in the right place and you won't run out of room with it's capacity. My only gripe about this pack is the back panel. It's up against your back and doesn't allow any airflow between it, which means that your back will get sweaty quick. If the next iteration of this pack allowed some airflow or spaced padding to keep the back of the pack away from your back and allow airflow it would be a winner. I've returned the pack and will wait and see if Osprey will make that change. I bought both sizes when I considered purchasing the pack and at 5' 7.5" I decided to go with S/M. I felt the M/L was a little too big. Try both sizes if you can before deciding which size to purchase.
Read Best Reviews of Osprey Momentum 34-Litre Commuter Pack Here
I've been using the pack for about a year for my bike commute in Oregon, USA. The pack is an absolute life saver both for comfort and features.
The back of the pack is relatively stiff which may not sound like the most comfortable thing, but it keeps any stiff items in the bag from poking you (i.e. books laptop chargers, water bottles etc), provides a wide and balanced platform for your load, and allows for the natural contours in your back to act as channels to bring air between you and the pack keeping you cool and dry.
Speaking of dry, Oregon is a wet and rainy place and if you're commuting with a few hundred or a few thousand dollars worth of books, electronics, and other important papers staying dry is key. The fold away rain flap does a great job of this. It has its own pocket at the bottom of the bag and can fold out and cover the bag in a matter of 15-20 seconds (great if you get stuck in a flash downpour). The cover also has a bungee cinch that keeps it tight to the bag, keeping water out and keeping the cover from turning into a sail. I use the two small outer pockets to carry my rain pants and a light rain coat so I'm always prepared to do battle with nature.
Like every thing else on the bag, the straps are well thought out. The shoulder straps are well padded and help to balance the load. A nice feature of the shoulder straps is that they can be unclipped at the waste and tucked into the bag so if you ever want to check the pack you won't have to worry about the straps getting caught on something and damaged. There is also a chest strap and a waist belt to keep the bag secure on your body if you're trying to ride fast. A pair of straps at the top of the shoulder straps allow you to adjust how high the bag rides on your back and a pair of cinch straps on the cargo compartment let you compact the bag to fit what you're carrying.
Size wise I like the bag a lot. The 34L bag is big enough for several books, a computer, a sweater, and probably some lunch. There haven't been many times that I was unable to fit everything I needed for a work day into the bag and honestly the few times I have run into issues it was probably for the better. At a certain point putting too much stuff on your back and going on a bike ride is probably verging on dangerous.
Finally Osprey's customer service is amazing. The bag comes with a lifetime warranty and they will replace broken clips and zippers even if you're probably at fault. I broke (stepped on) one of the waist strap buckles, sent an email to customer support showing which one had broke and had a new one within a week. I like a company that knows that they have a quality product and is willing to stand behind it even if it does cost a bit more than the other products on the market. They stand behind the product, I stand with them. I can't imagine I'll need to replace it for quite some time, but when that time comes I will look to osprey again for another quality product.
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I love my yellow S/M pack it holds so much stuff when its expanded (once held three shoe boxes on a trip from work) and can zip up small and still hold my laptop. I am 5'9" and about 160 lbs and it fits me well. I actually have to tighten the chest strap just a couple inches from its tightest setting I would bet that the M/L bag would be way too big for me.
I have a Mac 15" laptop which is technically too small for the flap that holds laptops, but I put it in the gap right next to it which has an inch or more length. BUT this space is not padded when I put the bag on the floor sometimes I can hear the laptop banging on the floor. I solved that problem by keeping my spare tube in the bottom of that slot.
I hate that this bag doesn't have a place for a water bottle. If you commute by bike and train, which I do, I really want a spot to keep my bottle on the outsite of the bag because the bottle sweats i the summer.
I love the helmet clip! Love the rain cover. I love all the pockets I use every one of them for headphones, laptop power cord, building ID card, sunglasses, bike lock etc..
NOTE: the yellow looks sharp but I am halfway into my winter and its a dirty mess from all kicked up dirt on the roads, the occasional puddle and from the dirty subway trains. I wish I could trade it in for a black bag.
Follow up: almost 2 years later...
