Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus

The Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus is essentially an upgraded version of the German company's Back-Roller pannier. Its extra bells and whistles include an additional roll-top storage pocket at the front, and the use of a more substantial Cordura fabric. It's pretty expensive, though, and Ortlieb's cheaper Back-Roller pannier will probably be enough for most of us.

The 23L bag offers a decent amount of space for your stuff, and an internal organiser allows you to stash extras such as keys in the zipped pocket. There's a section you could use for a 15in or smaller laptop, though it's unpadded. Ortlieb does offer a Commuter Insert that's a quite pricey £44 if you want to add a padded laptop compartment.

The Back-Roller Plus features reflective panels on either side and comes in four different colours: the Black we tested, Moss Green, Dark Chilli, and Denim. It weighs in at 935g, not far off Ortlieb's 910g specification.

As with most Ortlieb bags, the Back-Roller Plus uses the Quick-Lock2.1 system, which allows you to quickly attach it to (and detach it from) a pannier rack; the included adaptors will accommodate racks with a variety of tubing thicknesses, and they're easily fitted simply by sliding them into the mounting hooks.

Attaching it to your rack is as easy as pulling up on the handle and slotting the pannier in place, and doing the same to remove it. The mounting hooks are adjustable along a rail, fore and aft, and an adjustable plastic arm at the bottom helps to keep the pannier from bouncing around over bumps.

The Back-Roller Plus is made in Germany from an upgraded Cordura fabric that has a slightly more rugged aesthetic to it than normal Ortlieb bags – and it certainly adds durability. Having owned several Cordura bags in the past, I can attest to the material's robustness, no matter how much you abuse it. Ortlieb's offering will certainly be a good option if you're looking for added insurance against wear and tear.

Ortlieb says that the material is also anti-scratch and PVC-free, and overall the bag is rated to IP64, as with most Ortlieb roll-top bags. This means it's not only dust proof but 'protected against splash water coming from all directions', which essentially means it's as waterproof as you're going to get for a bag. I've never had an issue with water ingress on any of my older Ortlieb pannier bags.

An adjustable carry strap, connected to the bag via the side release buckles, allows you to carry the bag when you're off the bike. A plastic section relieves pressure on the shoulder, but it's not very comfortable. When not in use, you can clip it to the front of the bag to keep it secured in place, or you can clip it to the top if you prefer – though I couldn't figure out why you would want to do this. You can also remove the strap altogether.

One of the main USPs of the Back-Roller Plus is the addition of a front roll-top pocket, adding extra storage that you can access quickly without having to open the main section. Though it looks diminutive, it's actually surprisingly capacious – 3 litres, says Ortlieb.

Unlike the Ortlieb Vario I tested, which closes with a buckle hooking into a loop, the Back-Roller Plus uses a more conventional side-release buckle for the main compartment, but the small compartment uses a buckle hooking into a webbing loop to hold the roll-top in place, with two loops giving you some adjustability to suit how much is stored within.

As with the main section, the small section is fully waterproof unless you decide to dunk it into a river.

Value

The Back-Roller Plus gives you more than other varieties of the Back-Roller, but at £105 you have to pay a premium for it: the Back-Roller Core is £35 less at £70, the Back-Roller Free is £82, while the standard Back-Roller Classic, which Simon thought very good, is £150 (for a pair). So if you're not interested in the extras then you'll probably be better off with one of those models. Not that any of those are exactly cheap – you can get the Oxford Aqua V20 for £44.99, and the Altura Heritage 16L, though it has a smaller capacity, for £55.

Another option offering solid waterproofing and the ability to carry the bag as a backpack when you're off the bike is the Craft Cadence Metro Pannier Backpack, a good, albeit heavy, alternative. It's also slightly cheaper at £99.99 (and currently on sale at £49.99). 

For more options, check out our guide to the best bike pannier bags and racks. If you think you might prefer a backpack, we have a buyer's guide to the best of those too.

Conclusion

The use of Cordura fabric and the additional front storage compartment certainly inflates the price over the standard Back-Roller. While the fabric might be overkill for most, the pocket is certainly useful for those times when you want to quickly access certain essentials. The rest of the bag is classic Ortlieb: well made, fully waterproof and easy to use.

Verdict

The Plus gains some nice extras over the standard Back-Roller pannier bag, but it's pricier too