Ortlieb Velocity

The Ortlieb Velocity backpack is a top pick for commuters, especially those who bike to work. It's completely waterproof and sports a unique roll-top design that seals with Velcro instead of a zipper. The 1,220-cubic-inch pack has a removable inner pocket to hold smaller items, and the padded back panel is ventilated to keep you cool on the road. There are seven color options, but the bright yellow helps increase visibility. Reviewers say the Ortlieb Velocity is very durable; one reviewer reports commuting with it for more than 5 years. It's not the cheapest backpack on the market, and some owners would like an external pocket for easier organization. Further, it's backed by just a 5-year warranty, which falls far short of the lifetime warranty offered on many less-expensive packs. Still, the Ortlieb Velocity gets a number of recommendations for those looking for a lightweight and waterproof commuting backpack. If you need a pack with a laptop compartment, the High Sierra Access (*Est. $70) has a larger internal capacity and also gets good reviews.

The Ortlieb Velocity is featured in a number of backpack reviews, but the best come from Bicycling and Wired magazines. Their comments are based on personal testing. Unfortunately, the Bicycling article, which was published on a blog at Bicycling.com, is no longer available online. The Velocity backpack is also reviewed on "The Early Show," but it's not tested or compared with other packs.