Gear Review: GIVI EA104B Easy Range Backpack

[SweatHog]

The quest for the ultimate lightweight and affordable daily motorcycle backpack has taken me far and wide. From lightweight hiking backpacks to motorcycle-specific packs, I’ve struggled to find just the right backpack that fits my purpose and style. Everything else was either too large, too small, too floppy, or too ugly. For reference, I carry my laptop, a multi tool, my trusty tumbler of coffee, an extra t-shirt, and an extra visor with me everywhere I go.

It wasn’t until browsing on Revzilla that I noticed this backpack from GIVI which immediately caught my attention. Being a sporty rider myself, I find my tastes gravitating towards more clean and streamlined designs, as opposed to the rugged styling of retro and adventure riders. That being said, the GIVI EA104 Easy Range backpack ticked all the boxes in terms of styling. For starters, the backpack has a very slim profile complemented by subtle styling. Its oval shape makes it a perfect match for sport and naked bikes, and its main compartment makes for easy access even for gloved hands.

As far as storage space is concerned, the GIVI EA104 Easy Range backpack, when expanded, sits at around a 17 liter capacity. Given all the things I carry around, I barely ever need to access its additional storage by unzipping the expandable section. Inside the main compartment, things are subdivided into tidy sections for you to keep your stuff organized. It comes standard with a dedicated laptop sleeve with a strap to prevent your laptop from getting all shaken up inside the bag. A small sleeve in front of the laptop compartment is perfect for housing smaller gadgets like tablets, or small books and notebooks—if those things even still exist.

Towards the forward section of the main compartment is a netted sleeve perfect for housing your frequently accessed belongings such as your wallet and mobile phone. Of course the main compartment in itself is large enough to carry a full change of clothes. You can even fit a pair of sneakers in there if you expand the bag to full capacity. An extra visor fits perfectly at the bottom of the bag as it follows the backpack's contour. Do note that the bag doesn’t come with a built in visor sleeve, so you’re going to have to source one separately, if you carry a spare visor around with you.

Apart from the main compartment and all its sub compartments, the bag doesn’t come with any external pouches and sleeves. It does however come with a water repellent raincoat which is accessible from a zipper at the top of the bag. The rain coat is then secured by Velcro straps and a double-d ring contraption at the bottom of the bag. Having tested this bag in all weather conditions, the bag itself is water resistant without the raincoat—so deploying the raincoat will surely keep your belongings dry for a good period of time.

Another nifty feature the GIVI EA104 Easy Range backpack offers is an expandable helmet compartment. Accessible from a compartment at the base of the bag, it features an elastic helmet pouch with adjustable straps guaranteeing a perfect fit for all types of helmets. It then securely snaps onto locking rings at the top and the sides of the backpack for a snug and secure fit.

Ergonomically speaking, GIVI has done a great job in creating a backpack that feels extremely lightweight, so much so that you could forget that you were actually wearing one. Perhaps it could have benefited from a vented rear section on hot summer days, but at its $73.80 price point, I’m not one to complain. Another plus for the GIVI Easy Range backpack is the fact that it comes with both chest and waist straps ensuring a snug fit.

I’ve ridden on some rough terrain and even tackled a few jumps wearing this backpack, and I didn’t even feel as much as a shift in weight coming from it. Overall, this has quickly become my go to backpack for my daily commutes to and from work, and even when I’m not on two wheels.

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