Rolltop backpacks have increased in popularity in the past few years and many new models are available for day hikers as well as overnight backpackers. But rolltop packs have certain advantages and disadvantages that are worth considering if you’re shopping for a new a backpack or switching from a more traditional alpine style model with a top lid pocket.Rolltop packs are streamlined backpacks that close like a dry bag on top, but which are seldom completely waterproof, especially if they have a built-in hydration port. Their main advantages are simplicity and ease of use, since they tend to have fewer webbing straps cluttering the outside of the pack and are easier to open and close than a more traditional backpack with a top lid pocket.Rolltop packs make it easy to eliminate unneeded backpack volume by rolling up excess fabric when you close the backpack. This helps compress your load by making it less bulky and more compact.Rolltop backpacks have large top openings that make it easier to see what you have in your backpack, make it easier to reach in and pull it out, and make it easier to pack your gear away.

Can’t decide on buying a high volume or lower volume backpack? A rolltop pack lets you buy a higher volume pack and use it for long or short trips, since it’s so easy to adjust the volume to suits your needs.Most rolltop style packs have far fewer straps than packs with top lids since there’s no need to secure an extra top pocket over the main compartment. If you’re sick of backpacks with a dozen or more external straps, a rolltop can provide a refreshingly minimalist experience.The weakest part of any backpack are the pockets zippers which jam up with grit when they get dirty. Most rolltop packs eliminate all zippers and are therefore much less prone to zipper failures.Rolltop packs are less expensive for manufacturers to make because they have fewer parts, produce less fabric waste, and have fewer assembly steps.While rolltop packs can be quite advantageous for minimalist style trips, it’d be a mistake to assume that they’re perfect for all circumstances. There are times when having a backpack with a “brain” (top lid) or straps like the Osprey Packs Exos 58, Gregory Z40, or Granite Gear Leopard AC 58 (shown above)  can be quite advantageous.

When choosing what kind of backpack to buy, it’s best to consider what your preferences are and the types of functions you want your backpack to provide for the trips you intend to take.The problem with many rolltop packs is that they only have one main compartment for storing gear and everything gets mixed up inside it. baby equipment rental spokane waThis can be inconvenient if you go on multi-activity overnight trips that combine backpacking with photography, climbing, or fishing. muddy backpack strapsHaving multiple pockets that can be accessed independently from one another really helps to keep activity-specific gear better organized and quickly accessible when you need it. best diaper bags triplets

It’s also useful for winter trips, when you want to be able to rapidly change gloves and hats, without having to stop and open up your backpack each time.Many minimal rolltop packs have fewer attachment points and straps for attaching gear to the outside of a backpack. Packs with multiple closed compartments tend to have more seams that can be used to anchor gear loops and webbing straps, an important consideration if you want to attach skis, crampons, bulky foam pads, or a bear canister to the outside of your backpack.roxy bags malaysia priceMinimalist rolltop packs often don’t have a good way to segregate wet or damp gear and clothing from dry stuff, which can be a real disadvantage on multi-day trips where being able to change into dry gear at night or in an emergency is critical. laptop backpack checkpoint friendly

The last thing I want to do on a trip is stuff a soaking wet tent at the bottom of my backpack and pile all my dry clothing and electronics on top, even if they are separated by a plastic pack liner.Minimalist rolltop packs don’t have side water bottle pockets, so you need to store your water inside your pack using a hydration reservoir and hose. backpack with laptop compartment philippinesHydration reservoirs have many disadvantages for backpacking trips: you can’t see how much water you have left, they’re difficult to refill without having to empty and repack your pack, and they can leak.If you want to enjoy the advantages or rolltop packs while mitigating their disadvantages, I recommend you check out rolltop packs with a large rear shovel style pocket, side mesh water bottle pockets, and hip belt pockets. Packs with these features combine the best features of rolltop packs with more traditional packs, including the ability to organize multi-function gear and segregate wet from dry items.

Here are a few rolltop backpacks that I use and recommend:What’s your experience been with rolltop packs and their advantages or disadvantages?I’ve written about North St. Bags a couple of times over the years. Curtis is a great designer, and I have always loved what I’ve seen coming out of his studio.A few weeks ago, he asked me if I’d like to review one of his bags! I decided on a large Woodward backpack - a rolltop that’s right up my alley.The Woodward’s got some decent specs - it comes in three sizes ranging from 15.6 liters to 25.1 liters (I’m reviewing the latter), it’s got a floating liner (adds to the water resistance), and it has both a hip belt and a sternum strap.The outside of the bag is made of a standard ballistic nylon material (I’m not saying it’s Cordura because the hand is a bit more textured than the Cordura I’m used to, and Curtis doesn’t mention Cordura specifically on the Woodward page), which in my experience was perfectly comfortable and very resistant to staining from road dirt or debris.

It’s got reflective accents, which were nice (my bike lights die a lot), and a grab handle, which held up fine to my constant use (I love backpack grab handles - oddly enough, I usually hate them on messengers).The straps are about two inches wide and the underside of the straps is made of mesh. There’s very little padding in the straps, which could be a good or a bad thing - I didn’t find them uncomfortable at all, and in fact liked how supple they were. Padded straps can sometimes be stiff and uncomfortable. On the other hand, many people hate mesh (see Carryology) and I didn’t ever wear the straps on exposed skin, so keep that in mind. The straps pulled as tight as I wanted them to, which was nice. Some backpacks, even if you pull the straps completely tight, leave a gap between the bag and your body. I do not like this, and thankfully the Woodward hugs you as tight as you want it to.The sternum strap is, inexplicably, not tightenable. It wasn’t useless, and it could be moved up and down, but it definitely cut down on how much I used it.

Maybe it’s just me, but if I’m going to use a sternum strap, I like it extremely tight. It makes the bag feel secure on my body and not only keeps it from shifting around (and takes weight off my shoulders) but it also lets me feel the motion of the bag when I’m riding and allows me to adapt my riding style to match the way the bag is loaded. Having a bag close to my body is the best way I can get a feel for what kind of “passenger” its going to be.The back panel of the bag has more mesh and some padding. The padding level on the back is in the middle for backpacks I’ve tested. Some of them had tons of stiff padding, others none at all. I have no complaints about it having hauled a larger-than-average amount of stuff while walking, riding the 15 minutes or so to work daily, and once riding for about 45 minutes with an overstuffed pack.Outside pockets included two side pockets (one flapped and the perfect size for a 5" u-lock, sticking out, the other unflapped for a water bottle or whatever), and a front pocket with an organizer.

Both of the flapped pockets (the side and the front) were lined, but they did have some gaps on the sides where some rain could get in - so I wouldn’t put electronics or valuables in there. The front pocket was nicely spacious without being huge. The organizer was nice, and actually fit my phone perfectly (in case you’re not expecting rain), although one of the pencil slots came ripped a bit at the corner. The smaller flapped pocket also had a secret pocket that I discovered! between it and the main body of the bag. Love those little details.The Woodward comes with 3 compression straps, which I find are always good for carrying strange tubes or yoga mats or whathaveyou. It was a little jarring to only see 3 compression straps (there’s no strap where the flapped side pocket is), but honestly I don’t think it mattered TOO much. I ended up liking the aesthetics, actually, and the compression straps did a good job of readjusting the capacity and load in the bag.Inside the bag, there are just two sections separated by a rigid divider.

The smaller section closer to your back is for your laptop, and the rest is for, well, the rest. The liner is made of a stiffer, crinkly material - I don’t think it’s Dyneema, but it’s not rubbery or supple enough to be vinyl. Some sort of stiff diamond-pattern ripstop, maybe? The liner has a couple of stripes of loop velcro on it that are designed for modular add ons, which include organizers, pockets, and even a pump sleeve. I didn’t get to try any of those out, but they seem like they’d be a great addition for people that like organization in their bags (I prefer my bags bucket-like).The laptop section was padded against my pack, but only very slightly padded against the rest of the bag, so I’d recommend a sleeve for your laptop. At any case, everything stayed in place. The bottom of the divider is not sewn to the bottom of the bag, though, so if you have little things rattling around in the bag, they can go into the laptop side (another reason I’d use a sleeve).In my experience, the bag is definitely waterproof.

I have worn it in a couple of little squalls (both on and off the bike) and one giant downpour, and it’s more than sufficient.  The liner is also nice not only because it’s waterproof, but because it lends structure to the bag. I like the way the bag pops itself open - the rolltop stays upright and slightly open. It is one of the few rolltops I’ve ever used that doesn’t “fight” me when I try to load it up. I really appreciated that.All this being said, there’s a few things I will admit I wished were different about this bag. The plastic d-rings, for instance, seemed to be of lower quality. In fact, the d-ring on the main strap across the top of the bag (the one I yanking all the time) had a raised seam of plastic on the inside that was pretty uncomfortable on my finger. It’s possible that it was a fluke, considering that the other d-rings didn’t have it, but it was pretty annoying. The d-rings were also a little on the small side (sausage fingers) so they only fit a single finger comfortably.

I would have loved to see a two-inch strap (and two-inch metal d-ring) on the main strap at least.The straps were a little tough to pull, but that is because bag straps have to break in, so that wasn’t a big deal. Another thing I didn’t like (and lest you get the wrong idea, North St. Bags is not the only company guilty of this) is the fact that the strap that goes over the top of the bag doesn’t reach the buckle when the bag is stuffed. This is something I’ve brought up with other bag makers - one of the major advantages of a rolltop is that you can adjust its capacity to match your needs. Sometimes you just need to haul 50 pounds of sparkling water. But if the rest of the bag doesn’t adapt to various load sizes along with the bag, it undermines one of the greatest reasons to buy a rolltop.At any rate, I think the Woodward is a pretty solid bag. I was more than happy with the capacity, the bag is plainly waterproof, and it’s really quite comfortable. I definitely would have liked the pull rings to be bigger (or at least metal), and a longer strap over the top of the bag.