The QBag 40 Litre Waterproof Magnetic Roll Bag is a budget-friendly luggage option with a magnetic rolltop closure, screw-type air valve and a 40-litre capacity that's equally useful as cabin luggage or strapped to the back of a bike. I put it through a serious test on a trip to Ladakh, India – hauling it on flights, carrying my helmet, and relying on it through dusty, broken roads.
Ease of fitting
The bag comes with two fixing straps. Each strap clips to one side of the bag, threads through the bike’s luggage points, then clips to the other side of the bag. This design means you can still get into the bag without removing it from the bike, though if you take out larger items you may need to re-tighten the straps. I was initially cautious about relying on just two straps, being used to four-point fixings. For peace of mind I added a bungee, though in practice the bag never shifted, even on brutal unpaved roads and rough terrain.
Security of fitting
The roads in Ladakh were punishing, with broken tarmac, dirt tracks and long stretches where the surface was little more than rubble. The bike was constantly jolted and bounced around, yet the QBag never moved or came loose. That gave me plenty of confidence in its ability to handle tough conditions.
Photography: Jose Mas
Capacity and ease of use
The 40-litre space is generous enough for a helmet, iPad and travel essentials when used as hand luggage, and for waterproofs, spare gloves and a first-aid kit once on the bike. The rolltop design, aided by the air valve, lets you compress the load down when carrying less, while the full-width opening makes loading and accessing kit straightforward. Two carry handles and a removable shoulder strap add convenience off the bike.
Weather protection
I didn’t encounter enough rain in Ladakh to fully test waterproofing, but the airtight closure gave me confidence. Rolling the top required opening the air valve just to let trapped air escape – a good sign for keeping water out. What I can confirm is that the bag is completely dustproof. I spent much of my time in Ladakh riding in a cloud of thick fine dust that meant I kept my necktube pulled up over my nose and mouth. None of this dust found its way into the bag, and everything I was carrying remained nice and clean.
Durability
The bag shrugged off the whole trip without complaint. After dusty flights, rough roads and constant strapping down, it still showed no signs of wear or damage. A quick wipe was all it needed to look respectable enough for hand luggage on the way home. The toughness was impressive for a bag that cost £29.99 at the time of review. The only drawback is the basic feel of the fixing straps, however even adding higher-quality straps still keeps this bag excellent value.
Conclusion
The QBag 40-Litre Waterproof Magnetic Roll Bag is a tough, versatile and economical bit of kit. It works as both carry-on luggage and a dependable bike bag, with capacity that’s easy to manage, genuine dustproofing and solid durability. The straps could be better, but for the price it’s hard to argue with the overall performance.
