Alba Optics Division Bag

The Alba Optics Division Bag is an effective, simple and useful padded bag with customisable dividers to keep your valuables, electronics and glasses safely stowed. You can use it on a frame, but it's most at home as hand luggage – it's not fully waterproof.

For many the idea of a division bag is a little extravagant – after all, most glasses come with their own cases, and many cameras do too. To be honest, until recently I thought them an extravagance too. But I've now realised that easy organisation, and the time that saves, is actually quite valuable – a seven month-old baby will do that to you...

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I used this in two roles: as a place to keep glasses safe and secure day-to-day and, more importantly, as transport for cycling valuables when travelling.

The bag has three soft dividers that Velcro into any spot along its length. This allow you to very quickly and easily move the dividers or remove them completely in order to fit different things.

It also has a net pocket across the top for other bits and pieces. All of this is secured through a simple zipped top with a robust zip that doesn't get caught or pull at all.

The Division Bag can be attached to a frame with two buckled straps (on the long edge) or two Velcro straps (on the short edge). It also has a number of D-rings, loops, and a moveable cord – it's versatile enough you can strap it onto most things.

I used it on my bike, on a pram, in a bag and strapped to a bag, and it always stayed secure.

It can work as a bar bag for bikepacking too, thanks to the water-resistant ripstop material, but it's not actually waterproof as it has untaped seams and a regular zip.

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I found it easily takes four sets of glasses, each with large frames (Koo Spectros, Roka Matadors, Oakley Jawbreakers, and Rudy Project Defenders... if all these fit in, anything will).

For trips I found it useful for organisation as much as safe storage – it takes a couple of pairs of glasses, a few gels, a bike computer, my phone wallet and some sun sleeves – the kind of things that, when thrown somewhere in the back of a car (especially alongside baby kit), easily get lost.

Value

At £60.15, the Division Bag feels quite expensive given its 'hand luggage with occasional bike use' nature. Ortlieb's Ultimate Six Classic is almost the same price (15p cheaper!), but offers considerably better mounting options, is larger, and has better waterproofing, making it far more versatile. On the downside, you need to buy the dividers separately.

Meanwhile, you could do much of the handy organising with bar bag, such as the £70 Wizard Works Lil Presto! Barrel Bag, and again get greater versatility (but again, no internal organisation).

Overall

The Alba Optics Division Bag is well made and very good at what it's for, but that use is somewhat limited – yes, you can fix it on your bar or frame, but it's not tuned for serious on-bike use. That, for me, impacts the value somewhat, especially as you can get more capable bags for the same money.

However, in terms of purely organising kit and keeping everything safely apart, it's great.

Verdict

Effective for keeping safe and separated, but more at home off-bike than on