What I Liked

Made in the U.S.A.

With so many products mass-produced and made overseas, it’s a pleasure to see a product that is neither. Waterhshed products are designed, tested and handmade in North Carolina. As a result of this commitment to quality, expect your Watershed product to take up to two-weeks before it can be shipped.

Outstanding Durability

The Watershed Mckenzie Handlebar Bag is made from polyurethane-coated Cordura fabric to make it highly abrasion-resistant and environmentally friendly. Seam joints are triple-layered and welded instead of sewn.

Waterproof

Watershed takes the concept of a Ziplock bag to the extreme with an airtight and waterproof seal called the ZipDry seal that can sustain up to 300 feet of underwater pressure.

Secure Handlebar Mounting System

Mounting is simplified with an adjustable bungee cord and two substantial Elasto-Lok Ice Axe buckles that fit any width of handlebars. A Velcro loop on the back attaches to the stem for extra security and stability.

Performance

I did not find that a fully-loaded Watershed McKenzie Handlebar Bag detracted from my bike’s handling. Where it can detract, however, is when the McKenzie isn’t fully loaded. As a result, it bounces on the handlebars and is distracting. I mitigated this by adjusting the side buckles to secure the roll top (a la roll-top drybag style) and tighten the compression buckles.

Reflectivity

For cyclists who ride at night, the Watershed McKenzie offers a high visibility 3M reflective tape that reflects headlights and street lights. It also has a webbing loop on the front to attach a blinkie light.

ZipDry Seal Opening

The ZipDry seal, the pizza resistance on all Watershed drybags, will not snag, break or get caught on fabric, like standard zippers. It’s also glove-compatible, even with bulky winter riding gloves. However, there is an art to opening the ZipDry seal. Although it’s instinctive to grab the two tabs on each side of seal and pull apart in opposite directions (like opening a bag of chips), don’t. Even if you do manage to open the ZipDry seal this way, it requires strength and could tear the tabs. Instead, simply grab each tab and pull them towards each other in an “S” motion along the length of the seal until a small opening appears. Then pull to open all the way.

What Could be Better

Lack of Internal Organization

For bike commuting, I like separating items to make them easier to retrieve. A tool pocket would be a nice feature on future iterations. It’s possible that this could add to the weight but I would be fine with reducing the size to maybe ten or twelve liters to off-set the weight.

Time-consuming to Open

The McKenzie has two side buckles, two front buckles and the ZipDry seal. Entering the McKenzie in a hurry to retrieve a wallet or a phone is a three-step process. In future iterations, an enhancement could be to simply omit the two side buckles or add a slash pocket for carrying items like a phone or wallet.

Final Thoughts and a Parting Shot

As a sea kayaker, I’m familiar with Watershed products. Specifically my Watershed Aleutian deckbag. The deck of a sea kayak is never a dry place. From waves that continuously slap the deck to the full submerging when rolling, I’m always impressed with its performance and the thoughtful details and quality craftsmanship that Watershed added for the sea kayaker.

In a market that is flooded with waterproof cycling bags, the Watershed McKenzie’s outstanding handmade in the U.S.A quality and durability gives it a definite edge as Watershed emerges into the cycling accessory market. It’s not perfect, it has its two annoyances which I stated above, but it’s a great start and I’m look forward to/hoping to seeing more cycling products from Watershed. Panniers maybe? Come on, Watershed! You got this.

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What I Liked 

Adaptability

The North St. Bags Tool Roll is flexible and small so that it can be easily rolled up to fit into a jersey pocket or strapped to the top tube.

Tough Love

Like all North St. Bags, the North St. Bags Tool Roll is weatherproof and made with tough Cordura nylon and reinforced variant X-Pac sailcloth. This helps the bags to retain their strength and make them resistant to tears and scuffs.

The Amazingness of North St. Bags

Curtis Williams, North St.’s founder and owner, is the sole designer of all the bags. Since he’s also an avid cyclist, it’s safe to assume he knows that cyclists need high-quality bike bags that are functional and durable. He also prides himself on offering his entire workforce—four stitchers, one cutter, one fulfillment and hardware assembler (who also does all North St.’s customer service and retail support), and one sales and marketing coordinator—a livable wage.

Keep in mind this all takes place in Portland, OR, not exactly known for being a cheap place to live. This team of eight Portlanders average around thirty bags and fifteen upgrades (pockets, straps, etc) per day that they sell direct and through specialty outdoor gear and bicycle shops. And last month, October, they celebrated their tenth birthday!

USA-made and Lifetime Guarantee

The North St. Bags Tool Roll is slapped with a “Made in USA” tag proudly sewn on the outside of the bag. All North St. bags are built tough for long wearability and come with a lifetime guarantee.

What I didn’t Like

Velcro Straps

I would have preferred a quick release buckle as adorned on its pannier bags. I had to wrestle with the Velcro in order to get the tool roll fastened under my bike seat. After struggling with the roll too many times, I resorted to either stuffing it in jersey pocket or stashing it in the front pocket of one of the pannier bags. 

Final Thoughts

When my bike packing excursion presents the opportunity to pedal off the road and into single track, the North St. Bags Tool Roll, I’m taking my tools with me–along with the Pioneer 9 Hip Pack and the Mirco Panniers.

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