Ortlieb Vario 20

The Ortlieb Vario might just be the bag you've been waiting for – part pannier, part backpack, it can be attached to your bike when you're riding, and put on your back when you get off. The innovative flap system makes it easy to transition from one to the next, and, as you might expect from Ortlieb, it's fully waterproof.

Our best bike pannier bags and pannier racks buyer's guide rounds up our favourite on-the bike luggage options, while our best cycling backpacks buyer's guide is the place for backpacks.

As bicycle commuting goes, you can't go wrong with an Ortlieb pannier attached to your rack. My wife and I have both been using them for the last seven years, without a single issue. The only gripe I've ever had with it is when you get off the bike – carrying it with the built-in handle is awkward, while the shoulder strap is pretty uncomfortable, the plastic back protectors digging into your back.

Ortlieb actually produces a Carrying System for your pannier, which gets around this by converting your standard pannier into a backpack. It's pretty neat, but Ortlieb's new Vario is a more elegant solution.

A hybrid design, on one side it has all the gubbins to work like a regular pannier, including the tried-and-tested quick-lock 2.1 system, allowing you to attach to your rack like you would normally with an Ortlieb – pull the handle up, lock it on and away you go.

The bag comes with a variety of adaptors for racks with different tubing thicknesses. Fitting the adaptors is just a case of slotting it into the quick-lock mounts. As usual with an Ortlieb pannier, you can adjust the mounts along its rail to suit your rack, and an adjustable arm near the bottom keeps the pannier in place while you're riding.

On the other side of the bag is a full-on backpack – that is, chunky padded shoulder straps that are adjustable, as well as a chest strap to keep it in place, and a decent amount of cushioning along the whole panel. It's as comfortable to wear as any other backpack I've used, and I'd happily walk around wearing it for a whole day.

But the really clever thing about this system is the built-in rotating cover that keeps things looking neat and protected on the side you're not using.

When you want to swap the cover around, you simply unfasten the hook and rotate the cover around to the other side. Doing so feels a little clunky at first, but the swivel mounts on either side allow the cover to rotate with ease.

Three loops allow a modicum of adjustment to the tightness of the cover, depending on how full the bag is, and the only negative I found is that the hook that keeps the cover in place occasionally snags when you're trying to unfasten it. It tends to work better when you're not being too ham-fisted though...

Inside, the usual Ortlieb rules apply – it's a big open space, allowing you to store up to 20 litres of stuff (or 26 litres if you go for the bigger model), and thankfully you also get a padded laptop sleeve that will happily carry a 16-inch MacBook, if you need to, while a zipped storage compartment in front of this will also serve to carry your phone, wallet or whatever.

On the outside, you'll find Ortlieb's PS33 material, which is a medium-weight nylon fabric with a PU coating (it's PVC-free, and made in Germany, according to Ortlieb), in four different shades: black, dark sand, rooibos and the petrol blue I tested, which looks lovely in the flesh.

There are reflective panels on either side of the bag, along with reflective elements on the zippered pocket side of the cover, and on the shoulder straps, meaning you're reasonably well covered in all orientations.

Along with the roll-top closure, fastened in place by an adjustable loop and buckle, the same type as used in the rotating cover, the bag has excellent resistance against inclement weather.

Plastic protection on the bottom protects the fabric when the bag is on the floor.

The cover also features a handy waterproof zipped pocket for storage when the bag is in backpack mode. Although the pocket isn't fully waterproof, it's turned around in pannier mode, protecting it from the elements.

The only slight downside to the hybrid element of this bag is the weight – at around 1,400g (40g heavier than claimed) it's not the lightest option.

A standard Ortlieb pannier weighs about 900g, so you're adding another 500g for the backpack functionality. Most commuters probably aren't going to quibble about an extra half a kilo on the run to work, though.

Value

The Vario is available in a variety of configurations. At its most basic level, it costs £178 for the 20-litre variant, or £192.50 for the 26-litre option. Quick-lock 3.1 options are more expensive, at £195 and £210 respectively.

Considering you can get a pair of Back-Roller panniers for less than the price of a single Vario, it's not cheap, though I'd argue the versatility makes it worth it, even more so if you tend to walk quite far off the bike. I've even been using the bag as a regular backpack. Being an Ortlieb, it's likely to last a lifetime too.

The bag doesn't have that many natural competitors, but there are a few out there, such as the Altura Grid Morph, which is much cheaper at £85, though it isn't fully waterproof, and the Two Wheel Gear Pannier Backpack Convertible 2.0 Lite that Mike reviewed – and liked – a couple of years ago. It's gone up to £139 now, so still a saving over the Vario. We also liked the Craft Cadence Metro Pannier Backpack, which was £79.99 but is no longer available. 

Another option could be the Specialized/Fjällräven Coolcave Pannier paired with a waterproof roll-top backpack like the Elops Cycling Backpack Speed 520. The pannier costs £45, while the backpack is just under £70, and both are really good products – put them together and it would cost £63 less than the Vario.

Conclusion

Ortlieb's Vario works really well if you're looking for a pannier and backpack in one neat package. The only sticking point is the price, although if you consider the use you'll get from it, along with its potential longevity, you might just be able to see past that.

Verdict

Great design that works both as a pannier and backpacker, and does a fine, albeit pricey, job of it