Gear Review – Aerostich Waxed Cotton Parcel Bag Review

Contributor Cas V. has been spending some time with one of Aerostich’s messenger bags. Here’s what he thinks:

When I was younger, and I needed something like a carry bag, motorcycle cover or canopy for my truck, I would stop by the local upholsterer who would make me whatever I needed, usually out of canvas. Everything would be double-stitched, all the fasteners would be good quality, and the item would last for decades of the toughest treatment anyone could dish-out. If it needed to be waterproof, I would wax or oil the item to keep moisture out. It was easy to see the quality that went into these things when compared with the run-of-the-mill store-bought equivalents. Sadly, those days are well and truly gone. Nowadays, these kinds of item are cheaply made and virtually disposable. They don’t last long and are not meant to.

Or that’s what I thought… When I first unpacked this Aerostich courier bag, it was easy to see it was the same bulletproof quality of times past. This thing is built to last (I’m pretty sure it will outlast me). The interior is a heavy duty vinyl which has been covered in a light waxed canvas. The strap is wide, tough and very securely joined to the bag with a strong buckle to adjust the length. Smaller buckles seal the flap which is also held closed with a generous (again double stitched) length of velcro. A wide reflective band completes the bag. As a rule, those high visibility bands look terrible but in this case, the look is not overpowering at all.

So, how does it perform? I’m a life-long biker, having ridden motorcycles for around 40 years. I rarely use a car and prefer to get around on two wheels. Shopping for groceries and other supplies can become a bit of a hassle because I need to ration my purchases according to what I can fit into my backpack. Then, pack laden full (and spare items shoved down the front of my jacket, I try to ride home.

On my first ride with this bag, I realized those rationing days are now over. I can easily fit a week’s groceries into this courier bag. It was big enough to fit a 12 pack of soda, a bottle of bourbon, ½ a gallon juice, some fruit, salad a six pack and sundry items. When I got home I weighed the contents just for fun – over 30 pounds! That’s quite a load. I’m forever taking engine parts etc to the machinist or buying strange motorcycle parts, and everything just seems to fit regardless of shape or weight.

I always thought that over the shoulder type bags would be less comfortable and move around too much when I ride. I found it to be quite the opposite. It sits comfortably on my back especially if I let it rest on the rear seat. That takes a lot of weight off your shoulders. Another welcome feature is the simplicity of putting it on. A normal backpack requires a lot more effort to do this because you need to get both arms through the straps. The very secure velcro closure combined with additional straps provide great protection for the contents which do not move around or get mashed-up on the journey home.

Most backpacks seem to come with so many pockets and zippers, it’s difficult to actually put anything inside. The lack of these useless pockets on the Aerostich bag was a pleasant surprise and allows a lot more “stuff” to be carried. Also, it is the zippers that always seem to break first. When the bag is empty, I roll it up like a bedroll and secure it to the rear seat with a couple of shock-cord straps. That method also works well for carrying when fully loaded.

Overall, this is a great, bulletproof, good looking bag. Easily suited to overnight travel on a bike or flight with plenty of room for a couple days’ stay. Sizing is very useful. My only suggestion would be that the Aerostich folks might think about adding a more “square” version of about the same capacity to their line.

[Editor’s Note: You can find the Waxed Cotton Parcel Bag here on the Aerostich site for $117.]