The Best Waterproof Motorcycle Luggage I’ve Ever Used
There are lots of road trip stories on this blog. Many of them describe riding in severe weather conditions. This short post tells you about the absolute best waterproof motorcycle luggage I’ve used in more than 3 decades of riding.
There’s only one thing worse than getting soaked to the bone riding in heavy rain. That’s arriving at your destination and finding all of your personal belongings drenched too. Those days are long gone for me thanks to the good folks at FirstGear USA.
The FirstGear Torrent bag in the 25 liter size
The Most Bang For Your Buck
Don’t be fooled by the reasonable pricing of the Torrent line of waterproof duffels. These bags work! They are constructed of heavy duty PVC in a dark grey color with black straps. There are reflective panels incorporated into the design for safety.
Ignore all those other pricy bags with weather “resistant” zippers and fancy air valves. Some of them cost three times as much as the FirstGear Torrent. The roll bag design has always been the best design for keeping water out. It always will be. Period.
Size Matters
FirstGear offers the Torrent roll bag in three different sizes. The first one I purchased was the 70 liter model. This thing is HUGE!!! Far too big for carrying the things I take along on even the longest road trips. This bag is probably much better suited for adventure riders who carry tents, camping gear and so forth.
The large 70 liter size FirstGear Torrent bag
I corrected my mistake by purchasing the 25 liter model. This bag is probably the best all-around choice for touring riders. It has more than enough room for all the clothes and personal items most riders will ever take along on a road trip. It takes up far less room on your luggage rack or passenger seat.
As a professional photographer and writer I do tend to carry more than “the essentials”. I carry a laptop computer and assorted peripherals everywhere I go. I also carry some additional photographic equipment that doesn’t fit in my custom-fitted top case. Therefore my next purchase is destined to be the 40 liter size. I’ll have collected the full set at that point.
Fully loaded with the 70 liter Torrent bag on a road trip through The Great Smoky Mountains
Ease Of Use
There’s no great mystery to packing a roll bag. Place your items inside and roll down the top of the bag. Fasten the two quick release clasps on either end of the bag. There are two compression straps built into the bag which also have quick release fasteners. Tug on the straps to remove all the excess air from the duffel and you’re ready to go. Integral hand straps make it a cinch to carry the duffel out to your bike.
There are D-Rings on the bottom of the bag. You can use these rings with the included straps to attach the bag to your bike. This can be a bit awkward. I choose to fasten the bag to my bike using ROK Straps. If you’ve never used ROK Straps, give them a try. You’ll never use a bungee cord ever again.
ROK Straps. You’ll never use a bungee cord again!
Additional Functionality
The FirstGear Torrent bag also has 4 D-Rings on the top of the bag. These can be used to stack and attach multiple bags atop each other. They can also be used to attach any other items you may be carrying. I use them with two carabiners to conveniently hold my Peak Design Travel Tripod at the ready.
First gear also offers a 20 liter waterproof backpack for riders that travel in that fashion. I have no experience with that particular product. If it’s anywhere near as good as the FirstGear duffels I’m sure it’s a fantastic product.
The FirstGear Torrent comes with a lifetime guarantee. I can’t speak to their warranty assistance as my bags are still perfect after 30,000+ miles of rigorous use. The very fact that I trust this bag to carry thousands of dollars worth of sensitive computer and peripherals speaks volume. However, you don’t have to take my word that this is the best waterproof motorcycle luggage on the market. Check out the reviews on Amazon. Unanimous five star rating for this product.
There’s thousands of dollars of electronics staying dry in that FirstGear Torrent bag!
Conclusion
What are your thoughts on the best waterproof motorcycle luggage? We welcome your comments below. Be sure to subscribe to Roadcraft USA to receive occasional alerts about new features. Ride safe…and stay dry!
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Coming Soon...
We’re excited that Viking Bags has reached out to Roadcraft USA to try their products. We’ll be testing their Viking Large Black Street/Sportbike Tail Bag shortly and look forward to reporting on our experience. Stay tuned.
It’s hard to beat a simple pvc roll top bag for ease of use and storage capacity. Waterproofing is a must, so finding a system that holds up to weather is nice.
True, Aaron. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. My experience with these FirstGear bags have been great!
This might be a good option to what I now use. I saw other motorcycle-specific bags for $150+, which was dumb because I found one just like it in my local Sportsman’s Warehouse for $40 and it has served me well.
A lot of folks are chiming in on Facebook about alternatives that cost substantially less than “motorcycle-specific” products. They all seem to be satisfied with their choices. Thanks for commenting.
Good informative review. Can you rate the ease of attaching and detaching the bag from the bike? 5 being easy and 1 being the most difficult. Over the years I have found packing « stuff » I need over nite in a detachable bag makes for a less frustrating trip. I ride 1200 GS Adventure LC. Enjoy this blog. Keep up the good work
I call it a “5” because I attach the bag using ROK Straps. Once you’ve used them you’ll never use a bungee cord again. The bag does have D-Rings on the bottom and comes with straps to thread through the D-Rings to attach to your bike. I would imagine that doing it that way would drop the attachment process difficulty down to at least a “3”…maybe less.