Alpinestars City Hunter Backpack Review (Pros & Cons for Riders)

Unique Features Of The Alpinestars City Hunter Backpack 

Size

With a medium-sized capacity, this is very much a daily-use backpack. You won’t be able to pack for a week-long trip, but it will hold all of your daily items and a few extra things you may need. This motorcycle backpack is rather small, at 5.91 x 3.94 x 3.94 inches, and sits close to the body, which makes riding more comfortable. 

Design, Comfort, & Safety

Alpinestars designed the City Hunter backpack with comfort in mind. The straps are padded with ventilated foam to ensure you stay cool and comfortable. You will also find the same foam lining the back. The chest strap ensures the pack will stay secure and safe while riding. The pocket layout makes everything easily accessible. 

Carrying Capacity

The carrying capacity of this backpack is approximately 25 liters, which is more than enough to carry your items for your daily commute. I would classify this one as a daypack since you can also take it out for day trips or hikes. You can typically fit a light jacket, your laptop, a camera, and other essential items in a 25-liter backpack.

Inside The Bag

Once you open up the Alpinestars City Hunter, you’ll find a large internal rucksack-style pocket for carrying clothes and other items. It comes with an internal, fleece-lined laptop pocket. You’ll also get an organization panel, which includes a fleece-lined cell phone pocket. You also have two waterproof external pockets for storing your passport, keys, or phone. 

Color & Style Options

This backpack comes in four different colorways; all black, white/black, blue/green, and gray. My personal favorite is the all-black, which is stylish and easy to keep clean. The blue and green colorway would be helpful for riding due to the higher visibility. All of the color options look great, however. 

Material Quality

The external material is made of lightweight 420D nylon, which is durable and easy to maintain. The bottom of the pack is made of ripstop 420D nylon, which adds an extra layer of protection to the areas where you need it most. Even after setting this backpack down on the concrete, I didn’t experience any tears or rips. 

Zip Quality

All of the YKK zippers held up well during testing. There have been some complaints about the zippers wearing out after about 8 months of use. I did not experience this, however. Even after months of riding, the zippers are still in good shape. The zipper pulls are also well-designed. 

Alpinestars City Hunter Backpack Review 

In my opinion, this backpack is one of the better options on the market. Alpinestars put a lot of time and effort into designing a backpack for daily commuting. Many working professionals bring their personal or work laptops with them every day. Many other motorcycle riding bags do not come with laptop compartments. The City Hunter backpack is a great combination of convenience, comfort, and practical storage.  

On my first ride to work, I brought my laptop, extra charging cables, a water bottle, and other miscellaneous items. I thought this backpack sat nicely on my back when I was in the riding position. My laptop seemed very protected in the fleece-lined sleeve. I put my phone, keys, and wallet in the exterior waterproof pockets, which allowed me to easily access them when stopped.  

Another thing I liked was the helmet pocket. You can remove the sling from the bottom exterior pocket and attach your helmet to the outside of your bag. This was very useful when I walked around the city during my lunch break. The material seemed to hold up nicely even as I set my backpack down on the concrete in the park. I also liked the organization pockets, which allowed me to carry USB drives and other work-related items.  

Price Guide & Sales Expectations 

Alpinestars City Hunter Vs Other Backpacks 

What about all of the other riding backpacks available? Alpinestars is a big name in the game, so they have a few options to choose from. How does the City Hunter stand up against other Alpinestars backpacks?  

Another option is the Alpinestars Standby backpack. It costs slightly less than the City Hunter but is not as aerodynamic. It looks more like a backpack for day hiking trips than a motorcycle backpack. It comes with a laptop sleeve as well, but the capacity is slightly smaller at 23 liters.  

Other companies, such as Ogio, also make riding backpacks. So how does the City Hunter compare to Ogio? For example, the Ogio Drag Mach 3 is a popular option that costs about $75 more than the City Hunter. It is much more aerodynamic, but the extra expense may not be worth it.  

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Are Alpinestars City Hunter backpacks 100% waterproof? 

While they are not 100% waterproof, they do come with a rain guard, which you can slip over the whole backpack while riding. The two external pockets are waterproof, though. 

Is Alpinestars City Hunter a good laptop backpack? 

The included laptop compartment makes this riding backpack great for carrying electronics. It is fleece-lined and padded, which will protect your laptop while riding. 

Does the Alpinestars City Hunter backpack have chest and waist straps? 

It comes with a sternum strap, which helps secure the bag while riding. It does not come with waist straps, but they are not necessary for small backpacks.  

How do you put a helmet on an Alpinestars City Hunter backpack? 

The included helmet holder is located in a pocket on the outside of the bag. You can unzip the pocket, pull out the mesh pocket, and clip it to the top of the bag.  

Conclusion

At Best Backpack Lab, our goal is to provide you with the most relevant information to help you choose the best backpack for any occasion. In this guide, we focused on the Alpinestars City Hunter backpack review. This is a great commuter backpack that allows you to carry your laptop.