The Kriega R25 is dead, long live the Kriega R25.
After almost a quarter of a century, 2024 sees Kriega give their much-loved R25 backpack a significant revamp.
The original R25 was one of the pillars on which Kriega built their formidable reputation, delivering stability from the Quadloc carrying harness and durability from top-line materials used throughout its construction.
Times change though, and so do the demands of riders. Kriega's backpack range has grown over the years and is now dominated by waterproof options.
The non-waterproof R25 had to move with those times and now it's joined Kriega's family of waterproof rucksacks.
Where the old bag had a simple zip opening for the main compartment, the new version has the trusty rolltop used in most other Kriega R-series backpacks and their US Drypack tailbag collection.
Releasing three buckles and unrolling the top reveals a waterproof liner secured inside the bag with Velcro strips at the top.
This is what keeps the contents of that compartment dry - and if it stops doing so over time you can buy replacement liners and fit them in seconds.
In addition there's a zipped outer compartment that makes it easier to get to bits and bobs you might need while on the road.
Photography: Helen Meeds
This section isn't waterproof so it's best to save this for dry days or objects that don't react badly to water.
The total capacity is 25 litres (20 in the waterproof main compartment and 5 in the outer pocket) and that brings this bag in at five litres less than Kriega's R30 backpack.
At the time of review the two bags cost the same, so on a pounds-per-litre basis the R25 loses out. But some riders find the R30 is too big and that's where the more compact R25 comes into play.
Kriega say the R25 is better suited to shorter riders, and also those who ride sportsbikes. A longer bag like the R30 can interfere with the base of a rider's helmet when they're crouched on a sportsbike.
Some riders also get frustrated at their tendency to keep more in their R30 than they need, purely because it can carry it. Owning an R25 overcomes that too.
If you're not fully loading the bag then compression straps on each side let you pull the bag in to reduce its size and keep the contents secure.
I found I had enough space in the new R25 for my commuting essentials - lunch, shoes and a 13in Apple laptop.
I could carry it with typical Kriega comfort and stability, managing a three-hour ride with no aches in my back or shoulders.
That's specifically the appeal of the Quadloc harness - clipping this shut across your chest supports the load here and relieves pressure on shoulders and back.
The harness is adjustable so you can alter the height at which the bag sits on your bag. Dots on the straps show how it's set up - three dots within the slider buckle means the bag will sit low on the back, while one dot shows it will sit at its highest.
I ran it in the middle setting - two dots showing - and that was fine for me on a mixture of bikes. It sits low enough on my 5ft 10in frame for the bag's weight to rest gently on the pillion seat and further ease the pressure on me.
I like the new R25. It has lost some of the old convenience, because opening and closing a rolltop is inevitably a longer job than using a zip.
The top carrying handle on the bag also makes it fiddlier to roll over the top and clip the buckle down.
For that reason, and the fact my Kriega R30's size has never made life awkward, I would stick with the larger of the two bags, especially as there's no price difference.
But for those who want something a little more manageable, the revamped Kriega R25 is just about perfect - and it's now waterproof too.
