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I have been using this bag for my 10-mile commute for about 4 weeks now. It does the job adequately enough, but I assumed that a garment bag would have a hook from which to hang a clothes hangar with the clothes on it. The product description does not note that there is no such hook, and that even if there were one, the bag is not wide enough to accommodate a standard wire hangar, forcing me to fold my shirts and suits to pack them in the bag. This adds additional time to my packing each night and causes my clothes to end up with more wrinkles when I get to work.
Also, there is no way to hang the bag from a hook while packing or unpacking it. Instead, you have to lay it out flat to get your clothes out. Space is at a premium in my office's shower room, and it is a logistical challenge get clothes out with only a narrow bench to place this on.
I understand the desire to save space and weight, but the description should make these limitations clear. Had I known about it, I would have purchased another bag.
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I am a 100% bicycle commuter. Initially when I stated biking to work I would drive in on the weekend and drop off a week's worth of clothes, then do the walk of shame as I went upstairs into my office filled with professional individuals in shirts and ties in my bike gear, grab my clothes, then head down to the gym. I needed a solution.This bag was the solution. The bag is a very sturdy (ie..fairly heavy) design that straddles the rear rack of your bicycle. It secures to the rack lip (near the seat post) and there are two steel hooks on the inside to hook onto the rack. I have a sun rider rack and it mounts with absolute no issue.
Point of Note: The picture of the bag improperly shows how clothes are placed in the bag. They lie across the entire length of the bag, not tucked into one side.
The positives:
I am 6'4" with 36 inch inseam pants. I have to fold them at the top in order to fit the bag, but they come out looking as if they are fresh off the ironing board.
Shirts fit easily.
There are two huge zipper pockets inside to hold underwear, socks, undershirts, etc... then there are two fold pockets behind those that you can hold important documents you don't want folded.
There are two large pockets on the outside of the bag that can hold anything from my size 14 shoes to an Ipad easily. It can hold an 11" laptop as well, but not my wife's 17".
Sturdy: The inner support appears to be a very thick cardboard that is very sturdy.
Seemingly waterproof I waited to write this review until I experienced the bag in rain. It was a total downpour this morning and I was nervous because if the bag leaked. I would be soaked. It performed perfectly. I could feel a very slight dampness on the inside of the outside pockets, but my clothes and a paperback book I had in out of the outside pockets were bone dry when I got to work.
Reflective strips on the outside of the bag are very useful and functional.
The negatives:
Pockets and Organization: There is amazing space, but little organization. If I were to design the bag, I would add a key hook, a small zippered pocket somewhere, and maybe compartmentalize one of the large outside pockets. I have had to alter my storage methods to prevent everything just being thrown in the bottom of the large pockets.
Weight: There is always a balance between being sturdy and being light. This bag is heavy. I would be nervous mounting this on a true road bike fully loaded, with my added 220lb weight as well. If you weigh 140lbs this may not be an issue. But I am already a hefty guy for my poor bike. I have had zero issues, so this criticism may be extremely unfair on my part.
Spacing: The clothing section needs to be a little deeper to accommodate several days of clothes. I can only really carry 1, maybe two days of clothes, then the bag stops folding correctly for me. I would love to be able to take three days worth of clothes with me and just ride bag less the other days. But a smaller person, with smaller clothes may not have my issue.
Overall I am extremely happy with the bag. The name is silly and I get teased by co-workers. But when they see it on the bike, they immediately say that is the coolest idea they have ever seen.
If you have to dress professionally and still want to bike to work this is the bag for you
Best Deals for Bushwhacker Westwood - Commuter Bag Full Length Garment Bag Pannier
I've used my Bushwhacker Garment Bag Pannier for over 10 years almost daily, and like it well enough that I am thinking of buying a new one just like it.Pros:
1. Holds my white karate uniform unwrinkled plus various sometimes heavy items in the interior and exterior pockets.
2. Attaches securely and quickly to the bike.
3. Durable.
Cons:
1. Not entirely waterproof. So on rainy days, I also put some plastic around my uniform. Problem solved.
2. Zippers go bad after some years, which is why I am finally thinking of getting a new one.
3. Could use some reflective tape on sides. When it was new, I put some there, but it came off.
4. Minor annoyance: The hooks that attach bag to rack become entangled. Sometimes it is dark when I have to fiddle around to untangle them.
Honest reviews on Bushwhacker Westwood - Commuter Bag Full Length Garment Bag Pannier
I used to commute to work with my work clothes folded inside my backpack. I always arrived to work with a sweaty back and slightly wrinkled clothes. Careful folding kept my clothes from being completely wrinkled, but they never got to work totally smooth.With this bag, I don't have to fold my clothes at all. Well, I have to fold over the bottom few inches of my pants and fold the sleeves on my dress shirts over the body. But I don't have to double-up my pants or fold up the main part of my shirts. I arrive at work sweatand wrinkle-free.
The bag has a ton of space. The main compartment hold my pants, buton-down shirt, underwear, socks and belt with room to spare. I could probably fit two changes of clothes in there if I wanted. The outside pockets hold three lunch cartons and a pair of shoes with room to spare. I fit a gallon jug of milk in an outer pocket with some room left over.
The bag is easy to get on and off the bike. It takes me about 10 seconds to secure it to the bike. Off the bike, it includes a shoulder strap that makes carrying easy.
One negative I see about the bike is the build quality. The fabric is sturdy but not as thick or tough as the expensive Ortleib bags. They might tear if I ever wiped out on the bike. The shoulder strap also has a flimsy plastic connector that will probably break eventually. And they don't look very waterproof. That said, a pair of Ortleib bags would cost you $300 or more to match the space of this one pannier. Even if this bag tears after a year of use (doubtful), I'll go out and buy a new one.
The other negative is the organization. In addition to the clothing compartment, there are two mesh pockets inside and two large pockets outside. A small outer pocket for keys, cell phone, etc. would be nice.
Overall the bag is great value. I'd highly recommend to anyone who bikes to work and doesn't want to get their clothes wrinkled.
Update: I've had this bag for 2 years now, and I still use it 3-5 days a week. Some of the interior stitching has come loose, but it's still solid. The bungee cords haven't lost any of their tension, and the hooks haven't bent. It's still a very reliable, very durable bag.
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