Roll-top bags beat hard lunch boxes for bike commutes

Roll-top lunch bags are the best bet for motorcycle and bicycle commuters because they seal shut like a dry bag instead of relying on latches that can pop open.

Hard lunch boxes with clips or snap lids look tough, but that’s the problem. Every bump transmits straight through the rigid shell, and one good hit over a pothole can pop the latch. Then you’ve got soup on your laptop. Rigid boxes also slide around more in a top case or pannier.

Roll-top bags — dry-bag style, fold the top down three times, buckle it — handle the real issue. The rolled seal is watertight, so whatever sloshes around inside stays inside. The soft fabric absorbs shock instead of passing it through, and they cram better into a bag already holding a jacket and a lock.

You still want a halfway decent container inside. Nothing fancy — a cheap plastic container with a snug lid is fine. The bag catches the liquid, the container keeps the food from swimming in it.

Soups and curries are doable on two wheels. Just not in a box with a plastic latch.