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review
2021 Monton Urban Traveler Essentials Waterproof Case 4.jpg£36.00
VERDICT:
Good quality case that's durable and user friendly, but not really waterproof or even especially water resistant
Swallows a decent size phone
Ring-pull zip is great with gloves
Good quality
Not that waterproof
Weight:
50g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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- Excellent
- Very Good
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- Quite good
- Average
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- Appalling
Monton's Urban+ Traveler Essentials Waterproof Case is the ideal size for a phone and essentials like cards and ID, and it easily slips into a jersey pocket to keep your stuff safe and organised. It's well made in general, though despite the name it's really not waterproof.
I use small cases like the Urban+ all the time, whether I'm sticking stuff in a jersey pocket or putting it in a frame bag. It just helps keep small things like cash, credit cards and ID all in one place.
This one has a main compartment split into two with a divider, and a small zipped pocket which is ideal for said cards, cash or coins.
Overall dimensions are 175mm x 105mm, which Monton says can accept a maximum phone size of 168mm x 88mm. My Sony (with a protective case on) measures up at 160mm and is quite a snug fit in the zipped hole; worth bearing in mind if your phone is even closer to the limit.
The outer is PU coated for waterproofing, and you get a zip with taped seams for resistance there. The zip uses a ring pull, which makes it easy to open and close in the winter when wearing gloves.
Waterproofing
Around the beginning of the test period, I got caught in about 25 minutes of heavy rain with this in the back of a long-sleeved jersey.
After that it took another 15 minutes of road spray before I got home, where I discovered there was plenty of water inside the case. By the feel of it, the rain had seeped through the fabric itself rather than the zip, as whole the case was heavy and wet throughout.
During the hotter weather it resisted sweat easily, though.
> road.cc's Best Cycling Gadgets and Accessories of the Year 2019/20
Waterproofing aside the Urban+ looks and feels very well made, and it's durable too. It's been inside frame bags being battered by tools and the like, without suffering a mark.
Value
Priced at £36 it's just a touch more than the Craft Cadence Essentials Case, which Steve says offers great water resistance – only the zip allows a small amount of moisture through – and is actually cheaper now (£29.99) than when we reviewed it.
The Monton is half the weight at 50g, but the Craft does give you plenty of storage pouches inside.
Muc-Off's Essentials Case isn't waterproof – though arguably neither is the Monton – but it offers a huge amount of storage and is a similar size to the Urban+. It'll cost you just £15.
It's worth noting that the brown, blue or grey versions of the Monton are available for £18 at the moment.
Conclusion
Overall, the Monton Urban+ is a well-made case that holds most of the phones on the market plus the rest of your essentials. It looks smart too. Obviously the main issue is it's really not waterproof – sweatproof, yes, but it's very vulnerable to rain.
Verdict
Good quality case that's durable and user friendly, but not really waterproof or even especially water resistant
road.cc test report
Make and model: Monton Urban+ Traveler Essentials Waterproof Case
Size tested: n/a
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Monton says, "Carry your riding essentials with ease and style with this waterproof lightweight case. The PU coated waterproof material makes it ideal for protecting and storing your valuables such as smartphone, credit cards and cash. Large zipper ring makes it easy to open and multiple storage features keeps everything in place. Low bulk makes it easy to fit into a jersey pocket."
It's a good case, but the waterproofing is questionable.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
* Dimensions: 175mm x 105mm (Maximum phone size: 168mm x 88mm)
* PU coated waterproof material
* Robust waterproof internal tape to secure the zip closure
* Fits comfortably into a jersey pocket
* Carry mobile phone, tools, credit card, some cash and keys
* Soft divider and zipped pocket
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
5/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
7/10
Rate the product for value:
4/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
A good size for essentials, but a let down on the waterproofing front.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The ring-pull zip works well with gloves on.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
It lets the water in too easily.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's a similar price to the Craft model mentioned in the review, although that's better against water than the Monton. The Muc-Off version offers no resistance to the elements but is more than half the price.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes, but for dry use only
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Possibly – I'd mention the lack of waterproofing though
Use this box to explain your overall score
This has a lot of things going for it, like its quality build and easy-to-use zip. You aren't getting as many options for stashing stuff inside as others at a similar price, though, and I was quite disappointed how quickly the water came in.
About the tester
Age: 42
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,
Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.
With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.
He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.
Latest Comments
- E6toSE3 8 hours 19 min ago
I've posted before about being 69, lifelong cyclist as my main transport, much of it in, through, under, over London and how it's bicycles that...
- David9694 9 hours 21 min ago
I hope you're all checking your insurance policies, helmets, test certificates and road tax, it's the 2024 round-up...
- check12 11 hours 1 min ago
200 people out of a close by population of how many? Just build it and stop being a wuss
- Spangly Shiny 12 hours 34 min ago
To paraphrase Field of Dreams, "Build it right and they will come: and use it!"
- Rendel Harris 14 hours 55 min ago
And a Happy Christmas to you, road.cc staff!
- Rendel Harris 15 hours 43 min ago
The odds of not being able to find a single pedestrian - just one, note, "any pedestrian" - in an area containing more than about ten of them who...
- bikeman01 17 hours 22 min ago
I love how wannabe racer reviewers talk about fork flex under braking like their tyres are made of glue. I find traction gives long before fork flex.
- hawkinspeter 18 hours 29 min ago
They don't make them like they used to
- LongitudeLatitude 19 hours 19 min ago
Thanks for using my picture of chocolate in your opening picture. The original can be found here, chocolate! | LongitudeLatitude | Flickr.
- lesterama 19 hours 46 min ago
Fair comments. I'll put my hands up and say I got the wrong end of the stick with this one. ¡Feliz navidad! Here's a pic for the season of goodwill.
Add new comment
11 comments
Behold, a post truth carry case for the 21st Century: 'waterproof' but not actually waterproof, and 'essential', but not actually essential....
I really do question how this landfill can get 6/10.... or 8/10 for construction.... or did they get extra points for the little holes that let water through?
This looks like an exact copy of the Rapha version but without the waterproof outer. Same zip, everything.
For half the cost there are very good alternatives made of old tubes on sites like Etsy. Easily waterproof enough for back pocket use on a rainy day, and a good upcycle rather than yet more polyurethane from fossil fuels.
Hmm, not so sure. A worn dirty tyre, adapted for a use completely opposite to holding your phone? You'd need glue, some closing mechanism, etc and buying on Etsy from China or Eastern Europe where the only thing green is your money. Maybe buy a decent case and pay for carbon offsets if it means so much.
Me neither. A quick check on etsy suggests most/all are UK made and the "additional materials" you are so worried about are a few pence worth of thread and Velcro. Delivery and packaging are also offset by Etsy.
Pretty sure your rant was unwarranted.
Upcycle before recycle m'kay.
Reduce before any of it. Just don't buy this tat. Most credit cards are waterproof these days, so too many phones. Just stick them in your pocket.
My phone isn't waterproof and I dunno which IP rating protects from sweat. My case is UK made and lined with old t shirt material, and I also put my mask and emergency tenner in it. Before I got it, I used a succession of ziplock bags but ran out of my stock of bags saved from packaging. So either I had to buy some plastic bags that would not be the ideal size and would wear out, or get something upcycled and permanent. Seemed a fairly sensible choice.
...... My case is UK made and lined with old t shirt material, and I also put my mask and emergency tenner in it. [/quote]
Does she know you've got money hidden away?
Before recycle or upcycle...
...just cycle.
Are you getting confused ? I've seen pouches made of inner tubes, but not tyres. In fact I've had one for my cash (remember that ?) in my phone pouch for several years now. Works well. I would imagine a phone pouch would be great from it.
I've also got a waxed cotton bag from Etsy for dog treats - that has survived torrential dog walks really well. Etsy has some good stuff.
Ahaa - https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/226674704/the-soft-cell-smartphone-case-...
Half the price and properly waterproof
Cycle of Good do a range of products from upcycled inner tubes which are available in some bike shops, TradeCraft shops or online.
https://www.cycleofgood.com/