Commuter backpack test: Stylish & practical: Tatonka City Park 22

Tatonka - who would have thought that a family business from Bavaria was behind this name? Now in its second generation, the company's design, sales and management are based in Dasing. However, there is no production in Germany: The products are manufactured exclusively in two company-owned factories in Vietnam.

For the test, Tatonka sent the City Pack 22 for a favourable 90 euros into the race.

The Tatonka City Park 22: Waterproof, yes, fear, also yes

At 90 euros, the Commuter rucksack from Tatonka is inexpensive in comparison - brands such as Deuter or Evoc charge 150 to 200 euros.

The rucksack has a water-repellent outer material and therefore does not require an additional rain cape. The City Pack 22 passed our shower test (see below in the article "How we tested") impressively. However, in prolonged and very heavy rain, the moisture penetrates through the zip. Nevertheless, the contents of the rucksack survived typical pendulum showers largely unscathed: everything remained dry - we were able to test this in practice with real heavy rain. A pity: Tatonka has dispensed with reflective elements. The bright logo shines discreetly in headlights, but there is no real reflection - points deducted!

Pocket management: Cleverly foldable

The knapsack design of the City Pack 22 proves to be very practical: the main compartment can be opened generously. There is another compartment at the top with a mesh pocket and zip. Two side mesh pockets are deep enough to accommodate a larger water bottle; on the opposite side there is space for a spare inner tube, for example. There is also a further, albeit very shallow, compartment that is accessible from the outside - a great solution.

In the main compartment, the unspectacular laptop compartment stands out, which has no fleece padding. There are no other compartments for organising things, which maximises the space for larger items. On the plus side, the interior material is light in colour, so you can keep a good overview.

Wearing comfort & safety: Medium & moderate

The carrying comfort of the City Pack 22 is unspectacular: with a light load and cooler temperatures, the ventilation is sufficient, but the profiling could be clearer to improve the air flow. The foam is pleasantly firm and comfortable. Tatonka doesn't have a waist belt or chest strap and we couldn't find any reflective elements.

My conclusion on the Tatonka City Park 22

The City Pack 22 from Tatonka is a successful all-rounder. The knapsack design is particularly impressive, as the main compartment can be opened very wide. The pocket management with its outer pockets is also well thought out and practical.
The laptop compartment seems rather simple, as does the back system, which only scores a 4 when heavily loaded. Overall, the City Park 22 is a lightweight, practical backpack with clever pocket management - however, commuters looking for a lot of comfort when carrying will prefer backpacks with a better ventilated back system. Reflective elements have been omitted.

Name: Tatonka City Park 22
Volume*: 22 litres (BIKE measurement)
Weight*: 991 grams (BIKE measured value)
Price: 90 Euro >> available here at a reduced price

BIKE EVALUATION: (School marks)
Carrying system (40%): 4.0
Handling (30%): 1.5
Safety (10%): 5.5
Weather protection (20%): 2.0
Overall grade: 3.0

This is how we tested it:

We tested each rucksack for at least 60 kilometres, mostly with a medium load and rather fresh to mild temperatures of 3 to 13 °C. We did not rely on the manufacturer's volume specifications, but instead filled the backpacks with specially filled bags - there were certainly deviations. In addition, the rucksacks were weighed and tested for their reflective elements; there is still room for improvement in almost all models.
Most of the rucksacks are made of waterproof outer material. Some materials only have a water-repellent effect - we tested these under the shower head.