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review

Altura Meta Versa Messenger Bag and Pannier

7
£69.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Durable and smart work bag for rack-equipped commuters
Weight: 
1,540g
Contact: 
www.zyro.co.uk

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If you're looking for a smart messenger-cum-pannier bag to get your stuff to the office and back the the Altura Meta should fit the bill, assuming you don't like to carry masses of stuff. It has a few niggles which I'd like to see ironed when it's up for a refresh but overall it's a solid bit of kit for day-to-day use.

Made from fairly heavy duty tarpaulin material the Meta is a weighty bag. It's well made, with a long front flap that keeps the elements out in all but the foulest weather, for which there's a rain cover. To the rear there's a laptop sleeve that'll swallow a 15-inch device, then there's a main compartment and a multi-pocketed organiser against the other face.

There's a pocket in the flap too, accessible via a waterproof zip on the outside face, which is handy for stashing stuff as you go or keeping bits you need to have easy access to. A big velcro patch keeps the flap closed and there's two buckled straps too.

Underneath the front flap in the tarpaulin there's a lock sleeve for transporting your U-lock, closed by a thick webbing strap and velcro. There's reflective detailing and an LED light loop too, which is situated on the outside face of the bag so it's usable whichever side of the bike you fit the bike to.

The rear of the bag has a flap made of a padded mesh material held in place by magnets. Underneath there's a set of pannier fittings: Rixen and Kaul Pressure Fit ones, that just clip onto the rail with a small locking toggle if you need it. You just flip the pad up and slap it on the rack; the pad sort of sits across the top of the rack. It's simple, and it works well.

When you're carrying the bag about there's a neoprene handle for short hops or a shoulder strap for longer stints. The mesh pad means the pannier fittings don't dig into your back. There's no sternum strap as the Meta isn't really designed to be worn while riding, although it's fine for short journeys.

Overall I've enjoyed using the Meta. It's a comfy bag to carry and a simple one to stick on your rack. It's not the biggest though, and although you can stack stuff up inside and pull the long flap over the top, the buckles don't have a long enough strap to be able to secure it and the two opposing velcro pads don't meet either. That's a shame as it would make the bag more versatile if the design let you overload it a bit.

The only other niggle is the pad that covers the pannier fittings. In the rain it soaks up plenty of water, which it then efficiently delivers to your clothes when you shoulder it. Ideally that section of the bag would also be made from tarpaulin; it's not as if you need the breathability of the mesh for the kind of use this bag is going to get.

Other than that though, I liked the Meta. If you want a smart bag that you can stick on a pannier and carry into the office, and you're not after a big capacity, it's certainly one to look at.

Verdict

Durable and smart work bag for rack-equipped commuters

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Altura Meta Versa Messenger Bag and Pannier

Size tested: n/a

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

* Hardwearing tarpaulin fabric

* Rixen Kaul™ Pressure Fit fittings

* Concealed pannier fittings behind padded flap with magnetic closure

* Padded laptop & tablet sleeves

* Fits up to 15' laptops

* U-Lock pocket fits up to 230mm locks

* Internal zipped pocket

* Front flap zipped pocket

* Stationery organiser & key hook

* Fleece lined pockets

* Removable shoulder strap with grippy shoulder pad

* Shoulder strap can be stowed internally, held in place with buckles.

* LED attachment loop

* Reflective details

* Rain cover included

* Left or Right fit

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
6/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Well, with a couple of niggles.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Well made, easy to use, durable.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

cover straps need to be longer, mesh pad soaks up rain.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 190cm  Weight: 102kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium 853

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

 

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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5 comments

Avatar
Viro Indovina | 9 years ago
0 likes

I like it...but, if it's anything like my smelly old hybrid messenger pannier, I will almost certainly have to fetch it off the floor, probably in the middle of an intersection, after dislodging it with a move not unlike a heel pass that would make (insert your favourite soccer player here) jealous.

Avatar
dave atkinson | 9 years ago
0 likes

Update: Zyro emailed me to say that if it's really wet you can tuck the padded mesh bit up inside the rain cover and it won't get wet. because the bag is essentially waterproof anyway i didn't really use the rain cover much. but you can avoid wet patches on your clothes.

Avatar
Shades | 9 years ago
0 likes

I've got an earlier version of this that works well on a folding bike rack where vertical distance is an issue (most panniers would scrape the road) so I reckon this bag would be pretty good. For a full sized bike my all time favourite panniers are Ortliebs; just indestructable. My other favourite (large pannier) is the Vaude which converts into a rucksack and has different compartments (incl laptop sleeve). Been using one for a couple of years and it's very good. It even went for a major tumble across the tarmac last winter after a skid and fall; not a scratch on it!

Avatar
Jones The Steam | 9 years ago
0 likes

Pity about the minor niggles - this is almost exactly what I'm looking for! Does anyone know of other "messenger bag / pannier" type products? My commute consists of a 5 mile cycle to the station, a short train journey, and a 10 minute walk to the office - carrying a hefty laptop.

Avatar
wrevilo replied to Jones The Steam | 9 years ago
0 likes
Jones The Steam wrote:

Does anyone know of other "messenger bag / pannier" type products?

I think Vaude do one which has been reviewed on this site? The name escapes me at present.

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