EVS Freightliner Rolling Gear Bag

What it is

• EVS's large capacity rolling gear bag.

EVS calls the  Freightliner, “a rolling hauler for the heavy goods with room for all of the essentials and then some.” It is a large-sized wheel-equipped bag with plenty of pockets and compartments, plus  padding to protect your gear. It comes with a fold out changing mat and a retractable tote handle. It measures 32" x 18" x 16" and comes in black with red accents and an embroidered EVS logo on the side.

How it works

• Two main compartments and five well-though sub-pockets.
• Retractable handle and wheels to roll on.
• Changing mat in the side compartment.
• Secondary compartment can be used to isolate dirty gear or boots.

I’ve had an older EVS Freightliner for a long time. Time on moto related gear for me is relative, so I really had to look back and see how long I'd been using it. I got it three-and-a-half years ago before doing a travel story. I was impressed with the build back then as well as the layout of the bag. It has a large main compartment then a sub-sectioned one for boots or a helmet. The additional pockets on the side and in the top flap were great for storing things like goggles, gloves and smaller stuff you want to keep separate. The many handles located all over the bag were great for throwing it in and out of the truck as well as dragging it to and from the airport or to the track. It was the kind of thing, like pre-mix or a particular tire, this gear bag worked for me. Most of all it lasted a long time and the main zipper finally gave up the ghost.

It was faded, sun bleached really since I leave it out way too much. It was dusted by miles of desert silt from being in the back if the truck on plenty of dirt road drives. I’d pressure washed it a few times and let the rain wash it a few more. So when it finally died, I got another, the upgraded one I’ll tell you about next.

The current Freightliner has kept the same basic design of pockets but added some features to make it better, in my opinion. It now has a retractable handle so no more bending over when pulling it on its wheels. There is a roll-out changing pad in one of the side compartments. Close inspection has the material being a little lighter in weight but seeming the same in strength. The zippers appear to be of the same build with much easier grab loops on them. The addition of the pull handle has stiffened up the bottom of the bag, which now has two slide rails compared to four before. There are thick seams and rubberized padding on all the right locations.

So as good as this bag is for packing all your riding stuff, basically two full sets of gear (pants, jerseys, gloves, goggles, socks) and one jacket, one set of boots and a helmet, it easily packs over the 50-pound weight limit most airlines charge for excessive baggage. Not a problem when you are packing for a week-long ride and you can stuff in even more including all the street clothing you’ll need if you don’t have to get all dressed up in a different dinner outfit each night. And it rolls easily and tracks through the dirt (read: dragging, the wheels are small) just fine. About the only thing to be careful of is loading up the side compartments with stuff that is fragile as the weight of the bag can crush it. And if the side pockets puff out, they can catch on stuff, the bag is already big.

And this brings me back to the durability. Most of my gear bags last about a year. They get torn by footpegs in the back of the truck, straps or buckles tear out or the zippers give out.  None of this happened to the EVS and there were plenty of opportunities. At $159.00 it is not inexpensive and a little more than most bags out there. It lasting three times as long is enough to make me want to recommend this bag.

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