Get a roll-top dry bag, not a lunch box

If you’re cycling or riding a motorcycle to work, don’t buy a lunch box — get a roll-top dry bag.

Hard lunch boxes seem like a good idea until you have to carry one. They don’t fit in a backpack side pocket without bulging, and when you strap them to a rack, they swing side to side with every bump. The plastic ones crack, the metal ones rust, and none of them are actually waterproof in a downpour.

A roll-top dry bag solves all of it. It’s waterproof, weighs almost nothing, and collapses flat when you’re not using it. The narrow ones, like the Ortlieb Aqua Slim, slide straight into a backpack side pocket. The bigger ones can be lashed to a rack with the built-in straps — roll it tight, clip it down, and it doesn’t move.

If you’re on a motorcycle, the same logic applies. Kriega makes dry packs with a strap system that locks to your rear rack or seat, and they sit rock solid. Chrome’s roll-top tote has a shoulder strap if you’re going on foot after the ride. And if you’re worried about a squished sandwich, just put your lunch in a Tupperware inside the dry bag.

Your lunch stays dry, your back stays light, and your bike doesn’t sound like a suitcase full of rocks.