Better known for its fantastic roof racks and bike carrying systems, Swedish brand Thule also has a very comprehensive collection of bags, panniers and luggage. For cyclists, they have bum bags, hydration packs and rucksacks for commuting, including the 27 litre Paramount Commuter Rucksack, which is available in black or olivine.
There are lots of other bags in the Paramount range, including the similar-sounding Paramount Laptop BackPack 27L, with the key difference being the inclusion of a helmet-carrying pouch on the Commuter version.
Construction
There are two main compartments, both accessed via a U-shaped zip. The one closest to the wearer’s back has a zipped mesh pocket with two smaller open pockets within it and a fleece-lined laptop sleeve. The slot fits laptops up to 16”, according to Thule. The odd thing is that Thule’s website describes the sleeve as ‘floating’, which is what you would expect (this means the sleeve doesn’t extend to the bottom of the pack, keeping the device from impacting the floor when the bag is put down), however, it is not a floating sleeve. Both compartments are the full height of the bag.
Open up the second zip, and there is a more voluminous compartment with a single, shallow mesh pocket.
On the outside, there are two elasticated water bottle-style pockets on either side of the bag, along with a large, deep panel that can be opened out using the two zips. This is clearly meant for a bike helmet or D-lock, although it would also be good for stashing a bulky waterproof jacket, especially as there are a couple of drain holes at the bottom (next to a bike light loop). Above the stash panel, there is a strange magnetic flap that covers a small zipped pocket with a key clip and another mesh pocket. Thule suggests that a mobile phone can be stored in the small, fleecy pocket on the pack’s side.
The zip underneath the bag houses a reversible waterproof cover, with one highly reflective side.
The back panel is made up of stiff, mesh-covered, corrugated foam with a channel running down the spine, all of which are intended to help with breathability, whilst I eventually figured out that the strap across the pack can be used to attach it to the handle of wheeled luggage. The shoulder straps themselves are wide and well-padded with soft edging, and although there is a sternum strap, there is no hip belt, nor is there any facility to attach one.
The materials used look and feel impressively durable, and the rucksack as a whole is extremely substantial with all stitching neatly covered and a generally high-quality construction. The materials are waterproof and the zips are rubberised so will be pretty water-resistant. I weighed the bag at a not-insubstantial 1.5kg, close enough to Thule’s claimed weight of 1.43kg.
The ride
Working from home, I don’t have much need for a bag on my arduous journey to my study, but I did use the Paramount Commuter Rucksack on a rare train journey to London, some rides to the shops and various other outings that required a rucksack.
For a single-size rucksack, the Paramount Commuter is quite long. Some brands offer a couple of different back lengths, or if they are only available in one size, then the back length is a little bit shorter. At 186cm tall, the pack was just about OK for me, but it wouldn’t work very well for shorter men or women.
Furthermore, the shoulder straps are quite widely spaced and very stiff, so they sat far apart on my shoulders, even with the sternum strap tightened. Again, this would make the rucksack difficult and uncomfortable for smaller users. Maybe Thule based the fit on Swedish size statistics, which Google suggests is a couple of inches taller than UK averages.
As mentioned above, the rucksack has no waist belt, Thule says that it doesn’t need one, but I would disagree; I have spent many years climbing, skiing and riding with rucksacks of all shapes and sizes, and for all but the most casual use a hip belt is very useful to stabilise and load bear. Every time I rode with the Paramount Commuter, I missed the waist strap. It seems a very odd omission on such a comprehensively featured bag.
There was another issue when riding - the top of the bag hampered my over-the-shoulder view. Its boxy shape meant that the corners of the pack were in my eye line when I glanced back looking for cars. Perhaps with a waist strap, I could have worn the bag a bit lower and still felt that it was secure and stable.
The helmet/lock/waterproof jacket pouch worked fine with a secure fit, but the large flap over the top pocket seemed pretty pointless, especially given that the two tiny magnets which secure it in place were hard to locate and fiddly to use - I am not at all sure what this adds to the rucksack. Equally, I found the cosy phone pocket pretty hard to use and a bit pointless.
On the plus side, there are pockets, compartments and loops galore - the biggest problem would probably be remembering exactly where you had put your wallet or train ticket.
The inside of the bag is a classy deep maroon colour, with the large laptop compartment lined with a soft touch material. On that subject, although Thule says that it fits a 16” laptop, my 13” device slotted in sideways, so I’d imagine that it would happily accommodate the very largest laptop with ease. The two side pockets were equally voluminous, swallowing one litre water bottles without breaking a sweat.
Value and conclusion
On paper, the Paramount Commuter is well-featured, with all the pockets, compartments and zips you could wish for. There is also no doubt that it is very well-made and durable with a high-quality finish and construction, although it does strike me that 27 litres is quite a lot of cargo capacity for something intended for just travelling to work and back.
However, it is let down by shoulder straps that are too wide, the lack of a hip belt and its back length. As such, it is impossible to recommend it unequivocally. The straps and back length will, no doubt, suit some larger folk, but for me, the lack of a hip belt relegates it to very casual use only, at which point its cost becomes hard to justify. I’d much rather have one fewer pocket or zip and have a simple waist strap instead as this would add stability and fit options, especially when on a bike.
It is a hard product to rate because some elements, like its construction, are very good indeed, but other aspects are pretty poor, such as the fit. Given that it costs £150, I would really expect a lot better. It’s probably a 4 star product if it fits you but a 2 star if it doesn’t, thus I’ll settle on 50% - 2.5 stars.
