Oxford AQUA T50 Roll Bag

The Aqua T50 Roll Bag is actually part of Oxford's motorcycle-specific range, but since it sent it to us we decided to test it anyway and found it a useful waterproof hold-all for sporting events and holidays.

The bag is made from a vinyl-like material in a welded construction. The seams are broad and flat and, if a little untidy in places, were certainly strong and completely watertight. Fastening points and buckle mounts are reinforced with an extra layer of material.

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The bag is closed by means of a roll-down top. Ortlieb pannier users will recognise this, though the details are different. The top of the closure is stiffened with webbing strips stitched along the whole length and these are brought together and rolled down. Two turns is enough to prevent any water ingress. This system makes it much easier to pack and unpack than a conventional hold-all. Another advantage is that, if the bag is only half full, you can roll the top down further to take up the excess space and it stays well packed and holds its shape.

Once you have the top rolled down to your satisfaction you hold the bag shut with the clip-fasteners, which snap into corresponding clips secured with a webbing strap at each end of the bag. This was quick and secure, but would have been better if the clip fastenings were symmetrical. As it is, if you turn the top over three times you will find it won't clip in – it has to be two, four or six turns. There are also two more webbing straps and clips that run over the top of the bag and allow you to cinch everything down nice and securely.

You now have a tight, well-shaped bag and the contents won't move about, so it's nice and stable. You could certainly consider using this for touring, especially if you like to carry a lot of kit, but the 580mm width means it would need to sit cross-wise across a rear rack, supported at either end by your panniers.

The version of the T50 that Oxford sent us has one carrying handle in the middle. Depending on how full the bag is and how many times you have rolled the top over, this sits more or less on top of the bag. While this webbing handle has a fairly crude cover stitched over it, this is quite short and I found, with my big hands, that the unprotected part of the webbing could rub my little finger. The Oxford website shows the latest version of the Aqua T50 includes handles at each end as well, and this would be a welcome addition.

The shoulder strap is made from wide webbing with tough nylon spring clips at each end. I was a bit puzzled about how to fasten this, as the photograph on the product ticket shows it attaching to loops at each end of the bag, while my bad didn't have these. Instead, I clipped it to the D-loops on the top straps, which also stopped any tendency for the bag to go banana-shaped when being carried (a simple plastic board included in the bottom of the bag also helps maintain rigidity). Again, the website shows the latest version having D-loops on the ends of the bag. The shoulder pad is free to slide along the length of the strap and was wide and quite comfortable.

The bag comes with a broad Velcro strap on the base which is designed to go under the pillion seat on a motorbike and keep the bag in place. This could also conceivably be pressed into action on a bicycle pannier rack, too, though with a pannier rack being a skinnier construction it would be difficult to pull it tight enough to stop it sliding from side to side. A collection of webbing straps is also included, which can be used to run through the various loops and hold everything secure. These are neither as simple nor quick to use as the good old bungee.

Mostly how I used this bag was as an all-purpose tote for my dry clothes, helmet, boots, towels and so on, when out riding from the car. It certainly holds a lot of stuff. The fact that there's only one big internal space means you have to be creative in keeping clean and dirty or wet stuff apart. Oxford has included an external mesh pocket on the bag which it says is 'for storing damp items' but there's not room in it for much more than a Buff. Quite why this is fitted with a waterproof zip beats me, especially as the bigger pocket behind it, which is made of waterproof material, closes with a Velcro fastener!

> Beginner's guide to carrying stuff on your bike

Oxford sent us the fluoro yellow and black version of the Aqua T50; there's also a grey/black and both have plenty of reflective bits and bobs for night visibility. The yellow got grubby quite easily, and while mud wipes off with a damp cloth, I soon found it had picked up some more stubborn scuffs and marks.

However, if you are using this bag for touring, camping or other rugged activity you will certainly find the Aqua T50 tough and waterproof. It does a similar job to the Ortlieb Duffle 60 Jez tested, without the rucksack conversion, at around half the price.

Judging by the pictures on Oxford's website, the latest incarnation of this bag addresses some of the issues raised in this review and should be even better.

Verdict

Considering it's actually for motorcycle touring, it's a surprisingly versatile bag for a range of cycling-related uses