Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Backpack

The Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Backpack will certainly get you noticed in the dark thanks to its impressive wall-to-wall reflectivity. With a 30-litre capacity it’s roomy too, with plenty of compartments to help you keep your belongings organised – which will stay dry in all but the very heaviest of downpours. If you want to be seen at night you won’t be disappointed by this bag, with the build-up of sweat if you’re riding hard about its only downside. It’s right up there with its sibling Reflect360 Touring Backpack, which received an honorary mention in our best cycling backpacks buyer’s guide.

As its name suggests, the Reflect360 offers reflectivity all the way around – the main body of the bag and sections of the front-facing parts of the straps.

This means that if there is a light source around it will pick you up from any direction. You want more? Well, there is also a loop for a rear light.

The material is water resistant to 1,500mm, which theoretically is quite low when many waterproof jackets are around the 10,000mm mark. In reality, I found it to be much better than this. On opening the bag after an 18-mile commute accompanied by continual heavy rain, some of the contents were a little damp but no water had made its way through.

This resistance to the elements is helped but the bag’s waterproof zips. I’d stress that I’ve never ridden in rain that heavy before so was very impressed with the Reflect360’s performance. And if it does get covered in road or trail spray the material is easy to wipe clean.

There are two external mesh pockets that are deep enough to stuff some essentials in, and they’ll even take a couple of bottles. The mesh is close-knit too, so it should prove durable.

An external zipped pocket was big enough for my phone, earbud case and keys.

At the top of the bag is a handle, which I found useful. It allows you to carry the bag easily without having it on your back, or to hang it on a hook when not in use.

The shoulder straps are well padded, wide enough to not cause pressure points and they offer plenty of adjustment. Neat touches include elasticated loops on the straps so you can run a tube through from your drinks bladder, for instance.

You also get a chest strap and a waist strap to keep the bag secure when loaded.

The back of the rucksack uses slightly raised sections to keep it off your back for ventilation. I found that fine for riding around town at moderate speeds, but when I was riding much harder on my road bike my back did get sweaty. Other bags I’ve used create deeper channels away to keep the bag further from your back, so air can escape better.

Inside you’ll find a padded laptop sleeve that just about swallowed my 15.6in Lenovo laptop. In front of that you get a large pouch, with two smaller ones in front of that. At the top on the other side, a mesh zipped pocket means that you can grab stuff without rummaging in the bottom.

Overall, these keep the 30 litres of storage neat and tidy.

The build quality is good throughout, and while I’d say it isn’t quite as refined as a lot of rucksacks I own, at £69.99 (and presently a tenner less) it’s half the price of many rival bags.

Rivals

Altura’s Grid Travel Bag that I tested a while back has very subtle reflectives that come into their own at night. It costs £70 but at just 20 litres its capacity is smaller, though its less shouty looks blend in well for trips to the office when you’re not riding.

The dhb Waterproof Rucksack doesn’t offer the huge amount of reflectivity found on the Reflect360 and at 25 litres its capacity is also a little smaller. But it only costs £60 and I was impressed with its overall performance.

Conclusion

Insufficient ventilation for faster-riding roadies aside, there is little to dislike here – providing you want a fully reflective rucksack. To be honest though, that is probably the main reason why you are looking at the Proviz bag in the first place. It has a generous capacity, handy external pockets, a well-organised interior and I was impressed with its waterproofing. And the price is good too.

Verdict

Impressive reflectivity, good waterproofing, a well-thought-out design for organisation – and all at a wallet-friendly price.

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