The Complete Guide to Bikepacking Bags

Given that this is our complete guide to bikepacking bags, we’ll begin with a few definitions for beginners. Let’s first clarify the difference between bikepacking and bike touring. Although neither are mutually exclusive — and there’s inevitably plenty of overlap — the two often diverge in the style of travel they encourage. Traditional touring tends to be enjoyed on heavily laden bikes, and as a result, often gravitates towards paved routes and byways. Minimal in style, modern bikepacking is based more on the exploration of off-pavement roads, backcountry trails, and singletrack. Furthermore, the two are largely differentiated by the style of bag setup they’re associated with, and the bikes that are used. Traditional touring uses racks and panniers; as a result, touring bikes bikes are designed for this purpose. The beauty of bikepacking is in its simplicity: any bike can be a bikepacking bike. Thanks to the advent of soft bags, bikepacking doesn’t depend on a particular frame having eyelets for racks and panniers. Full-suspension, carbon, ‘cross, hardtail, fat, rigid — almost any bike will do. And as loads are lighter than a pannier-style setup, standard wheelsets and even gear ranges are often fine too, depending on terrain. And what has motivated this shift in touring style? The most significant gear innovation that has helped popularise bikepacking is the commercial availability of bike-specific soft bags. Bikepackers can now enjoy lighter and less cumbersome kits, ones that won’t add significantly to their bike’s weight, or affecting its handling.

Naturally, there are downsides too; bikepacking bags require more considered packing than panniers, carrying capacity is more limited, and until you hone your ‘system’, what to pack and where can initially feel over complicated or fussy. But trust us. For the most part, the joys of riding with a lightweight, minimal rig — and the terrain such a setup will encourage you to explore — more than makes up for these compromises.

Seat ‘Pack’

Use a 5-7 liter dry bag clipped around the seatpost and cinched to the saddle rails with a webbing strap. Store a change of clothes and a few other odds and ends in it. It helps stabilize it if there’s something stiff within the bag, such as tightly rolled clothing.

Handlebar Roll

A larger 14-20 liter dry bag can be cinched to the handlebars with two webbing cinch straps or Voile straps. Include a small tent (the poles will help keep a straight shape to the bag) and a lightweight sleeping bag. Add duct tape to contact points between the dry bag and cables and/or brake levers. Otherwise, pick up a Revelate Salty Roll for $39 and get two 25” Voilé straps (around $6.50 each).

Daypack

Chances are you already have a day pack; bike specific models that are 14+ liters in capacity are best. Use your backpack to carry sleeping gear, rain gear, or food and cooking supplies. Start with packing your inflatable sleeping pad and a few dehydrated meals; or you can strap a closed cell foam pad to the outside of the pack. Keep it as light as possible.

Electrical Tape Bottle Cages

In addition to your standard water bottle cage mounts, use about a half roll of electrical tape to add bottle cages to your fork legs or the underside of your downtube. This will reduce the water you need to carry on your back and help maximize the storage space in your backpack. Lezyne Power Cages work well, but most any cage will do. Other space saving tricks include using electrical tape attach a spare inner tube to your bike, such as below the top of the downtube.

Added Utility

Use cord to tie your tent poles onto the side of your bike’s top-tube. In addition, you can use straps to affix your tire pump, a larger water bottle or other items to your bike frame.

Seat Pack, simple and lightweight

Pick up a basic inexpensive seat pack. There are many readily available. A few worth noting are the Revelate Viscacha Seat Pack, a venerable classic, the Oveja Negra Gearjammer, Apidura’s Saddle Pack, and the Bedrock Coconino.

A Universal Frame Bag

There are several frame packs designed to work on most any bike. The most obvious and ubiquitous is the half frame pack. These are especially usable on a hardtail or rigid bike. The Revelate Tangle half frame bag is a good option, as is the Oveja Negra Super Wedgie, which uses the front of the triangle and maintains space in the back for a full water bottle. If your bike has a large frame triangle, chances are with a medium Tangle, you’ll have room for two water bottles as well. There are also many off-the-shelf full frame pack options, such as the Revelate Ranger which comes in three sizes. For each of these bags, look at the dimensions on the manufacturer’s website, then measure your triangle to match up the right bag.

Handlebar Harness

Our intermediate kit uses a handlebar harness. These allow you to lash on your tent and a separate dry bag, tent poles, or just some stray items. Because harness systems are versatile, they allow bikepackers to try different solutions as to which components to pack where. A couple harness options are the Revelate Harness, the Oveja Negra Loader, the Porcelain Rocket MCA system, and the Specialized Harness. Also, most of these (save the Specialized) have attachable accessory pockets to add more valuable space to your kit.

Accessorize

The most spacious and valuable accessory is the stem bag (AKA, feedbag). A Revelate Mountain Feedbag alongside a top tube pack makes for a good pair of accessories.

A framebag/seat pack/harness or handlebar roll/gas tank combination allows adequate space, given you make the right choices of what gear is necessary, as well as invest in ultralight and minimal sleeping gear. A good seat bag such as the Revelate Terrapin, Porcelain Rocket Mr. Fusion, or Bedrock Coconino can usually fit 2 tshirts, 1 pair of pants, 1 long sleeve shirt, a base layer, 2 pairs of socks, a toiletry kit, and a couple other odds and ends.

Panniers aren’t dead!

For smaller riders, or when there is simply a need for extra gear — such as a winter trip or when more than a week’s worth of food is required — it’s more than feasible to use a pair of smaller front panniers on either the front or the rear of the bike. Swift’s Hinterland Jr panniers are a great choice, as are Ortlieb’s Sport-roller front panniers. In addition, consider Revelate’s Nano Panniers used in tandem with a smaller seat pack. Keep in mind that a lightweight rack is ideal to maintain the benefits of a lightweight setup — at 575 grams, the Tubus Vega is a good choice, with a decent tire clearance, but make sure you have a hardtail or rigid bike with the right mounts. Double check tire clearances too.

A note on saddlebags

As much as we really like the new wave of ultralight bikepacking seat packs, there’s still a place for more traditional forms of minimal luggage – like Swift Industries’ Zeitgeist Saddlebag, the Ultraswift Wizard Sleeve, or Carradice’s Super C. These work particularly well for long distance tourers transitioning to a lighter setup, or anyone riding dirt roads rather than more technical singletrack. Saddlebags have been around for years, for good reason. With their large capacity and easy access lids, they’re a very practical way to travel. Most feature plenty of options for lashing on extra gear too. Although weight is positioned higher than panniers, it’s centrally located behind the saddle, which makes for relatively good handling. Depending on what you’re packing, you maybe benefit from the support of a small rack – it doesn’t need to be anything like as burly as a carrier designed for large panniers. We also hang saddlebags off handlebars too, just bear in mind though excessive weight will compromise handling. Again, a lightweight minimal rack mounted to the fork – like Nitto’s M-18 – may be all the support you need.

Additionally

There are several other means of adding space to your kit. Bottle bosses on the fork and downtube can hold 3+ liters of water. Also, if your fork has ‘3-pack bosses’ you can use Anything cages and bags for overflow gear, and water.

Skinny Roll

Key to this kit is the use of a smaller handlebar roll to avoid rubbing the front tire when the fork is doing what it’s designed for – compressing. Chances are, you’ll need to up your fork’s air pressure a touch to to compensate for the added weight on the bike. As an example of a minimal rool, we recommend the Bedrock Entrada handlebar roll – it’s approximately 6″ in diameter.

The backpack can be your friend

Most bikepackers aim to avoid carrying a heavy load on their backs during multi day rides – when needed, use a backpack for lightweight stuff, such as sleeping gear and freeze-dried meals. If you’re carrying water in a bladder on your back, drink it before the water your packing on your bike. We particularly like the Hauser from Acre; and here are a few more backpacks we’d recommend.

The Latest in Seat Pack tech

Hot off the press, Porcelain Rocket will start shipping their latest innovation, the Albert dropper-post specific seat pack, in December 2016. This is the first seat pack designed specifically for dropper seatposts – expect other manufacturers to follow suit in the future.

Big triangle

Given that gravel and all road bikes are non suspension corrected, bikepackers can really benefit from the all the space within their frames – which translates into relatively huge framebags! Running a large frameback, like the Ripio or a custom made model, you can keep the other pieces of luggage relatively small.

Little bar space

Conversely, you’ll need to get a little more creative between the drop bars. As mentioned above, the Revelate Designs Handlebar Harness allows multiple dry bags in the cradle, while Specialized’s Handlebar Harness was designed just for drops. Additionally, consider a big roll bag like the Apidura Handlebar Pack Dry (large) or the Revelate Sweetroll.

A Waterproof Seat Pack

Right now one of our favorite seat pack is the Porcelain Rocket Mr. Fusion. It has a seat post mounting clamp and a removable waterproof dry bag for off-the-bike unpacking and repacking. There are also several other great waterproof seat packs; check out Ortlieb’s waterproof Seat Pack, Apidura’s Saddle Pack Dry, or the Revelate Terrapin.

Tailor made

There are many solid universal frame packs on the market; but the best option is to get one custom made for your bike. No matter if it’s a full-suspension trail bike or a gravel grinder, a tailored bag can easily be made to fit your rig. Typically bag makers request that you trace a cardboard template of your frame triangle. But there’s often a waiting list. A few bag makers we highly recommend are Bedrock Bags out of Durango, CO and Oveja Negra in Salida, CO. Our dream frame pack is the Porcelain Rocket Orbiter. It’s a custom made bag with a roll-top instead of a zipper. This allows it to be stuffed to the gills without risking zipper failure. Unfortunately, Porcelain Rocket is no longer doing custom work, so find a bag maker and get something tailor made to your bike.

Handlebar Harness or Roll?

This is certainly a personal preference. We have used both, but our Dream Kit choice is a waterproof handlebar roll. The Revelate Sweetroll is one of a few we really like. It has a waterproof seam sealed construction and has proven extremely durable over a few big trips. It works much like a dry bag, but it has purpose built connection points and added structure. There are a couple different sizes to choose from too; we recommend the medium, which is about 7” in diameter and tends to work with most bikes. 25” Voile straps make a great addition for lashing on tent poles as well (for both drop-bars and straight mountain bike bars). In addition, the lightweight Apidura Handlebar Pack Dry and the robust Ortlieb Handlebar-Pack are other waterproof options that are constructed using RF welding.

More Accessories

In addition to the stem bag and top tube bags mentioned in the intermediate kit, there are also a lot of other great accessory bags to expand storage capacity. Both Salsa and King Cage make oversized cages that accept larger loads. The Salsa Anything cage pairs well with their Anything Bag which works well to store a camp kitchen.

There are also rear top tube bags that mount to the seat post. Check out the Revelate Jerry Can or Oveja Negra’s Snack Pack (sm).

Frame Pack (Revelate)

Since I ride a small frame, the frame pack can’t be my primary carrying bag. I’ll usually place spare parts in a small box in the tiny triangle right at the bottom near the bottom bracket and then on top of that a pot with stove and canister inside above it. In the pocket of the frame pack I’ll have my knife, tools, mini cable lock, spork, pen. The rest of the frame bag will have heavier and denser food. Tent poles go under the velcro that attaches the frame bag.

Seat Pack (Revelate Viscacha)

Food, with the heavier denser items (and a spare tube) closer to the seat post.

Handlebar Roll (Revelate Sweetroll and Pocket)

One half of the roll has all my spare clothing with the items that I want ready at hand (e.g. rain pants) near the opening end. The other half of the roll has my tent and quilt. Sleeping pad is strapped on top of the front roll. Everything is very compact. In the front pocket I’ll have my rain jacket, camera, maps, passport and anything else I’ll want to be able to carry with me for short times when I leave the bike.

Top-tube bag (Revelate)

Both of these bags will have trail snacks. I also run a small bag at the junction of the top and seat tube which has my headlamp and sundry electronics like spare batteries and earbuds.

Backpack

I work very hard never to have a backpack, though sometimes the format of the trip—if it’s short and more technical mountain bike terrain oriented—makes it make sense to have a water bladder on my back.

Frame Pack (Porcelain Rocket Orbiter)

I see my frame bag as the best place to pack the heaviest items. It’s also pretty easily accessed during the day. So, most of this space is reserved for dense food items, while a spare tube and low-use tools live in the bottom.

Seat Pack (Porcelain Rocket Mr. Fusion)

I pack my seat pack with spare clothing (thermal layers, gloves, down jacket, rain jacket, hat), spare batteries and chargers, and often my jetboil pot, which contains the stove, a small gas canister, a lighter, and a small salt shaker. Any left over space can be taken up with more food.

Handlebar Harness (Porcelain Rocket MCA System)

Though I always use a modular handlebar harness system, where the dry-bag can relatively easily be removed from the bike, I aim to rarely open this bag. Over the years I’ve acquired extremely light and compact camping gear, so I’m able to fit my down sleeping bag, air mat, and tent into a 10L dry bag. The poles get strapped outside the drybag. The result, at about 5.5lbs, is about as heavy as I’d tolerate in a handlebar bag.

Accessories

Everything that I like to keep handy lives in the top tube bag: a multi-tool, leatherman knife, spork, chap stick, sunscreen, headlamp, and maybe a blinky rear light. I have a big enough top tube bag that I can also get my sunglasses in there, if needed.

A pair of water bottles get holstered in stem bags, one on either side of the stem. Putting water weight so far forward on the bike is not ideal, but it’s hard to beat for easy access to bottles. (A third bottle lives under the downtube.)

Backpack (fanny pack)

I carry a fanny pack containing my camera, spare lenses, wallet, phone, documents, and my wind vest. On trips where I need more space, I have a rather large fanny pack, which has space for all of the above, and a bunch of food (6-8 bagels of space capacity).

Frame Pack (Porcelain Rocket Orbiter)

Given that I ride an XL frame, I have a tonne of space in my framebag. Food, a potset nesting my stove, a bottle of denatured alcohol, tools, the pole for my tarp and a water bladder (when required) live here. On longer trips, my Macbook Air (11in) slips in too, housed in a waterproof padded case.

Seat Pack (Porcelain Rocket Mr Fusion v1)

An inner tube or two fills up the dead space at the bottom of the bag, followed by extra food when needed (like a bag of pasta). My inflatible mattress, tarp and puff jacket go next. I generally pack my waterproofs at the end – unless I need quick access to them, in which case they’re cinched to my Jones Loop H-bar with a Revelate Washboard strap – a great accessory in itself. As mentioned above, if I’ve embarked on a dirt road tour, I’ll use a Tubus Vega rear rack with a Carradice Super C Saddlebag in lieu of a seat pack. I find it easier to access, it’s roomier, and the shape is better suited to stowing for my chunky DSLR camera. My other go-to setup involves mounting a saddlebag to the handlebars, supported by Nitto’s minimal M-18 front rack.

Handlebar Roll (Carsick Designs Handee Randee)

I’m a big fan of the Handee Randee, a roll bag that’s designed to work with a Jones Loop H-bar, with a boxy design that makes it a breeze to pack, especially for awkard shaped items. My sleeping bag, liner and sleeping clothes nest in the centre, with a wool hat and an extra riding layer packed in at either side. The roomy front pocket is generally home to sunglasses, snacks, thin gloves, my iPhone, wallet etc…

Backpack (Acre Hauser 14L)

I try and avoid wearing a backpack. If I do, it will only be to carry my DSLR during singletrack-orientated trips. I’ll do my very best not to cram anything else in my pack, in an effort to keep it as light as possible. The only caverat is if the route I’m planning involves extended hike-a-bikes. At such times, I’ll transfer extra gear onto my back, as I find a light bike and a heavy backpack preferable during these kinds of ordeals.

Top-tube bag and Stem bag (Bedrock Designs and Carsick Designs)

My spork, multitool, headlamp, knife make up the bulk of my top tube bag, plus a snack or two if I can cram it in – I like Bedrock’s Dakota Tank Bag, as it’s wide and roomy, and easy to zip on the move. I use padded stem bags, custom made by Carsick Designs to fit a Canon 70-200ft lens. When not required, I’ll slot a water bottle in there instead – compared to the fork, bottles stowed on the handlebars stays clean during even the muddiest of condtions. Like others, its netted pockets are great for packing out trash.

Anything Cages

If I need extra space, I pack my a tarp on one side of the fork, and an air mattress on the other, freeing up my framebag for more food/water. In the past, I’ve modified fork legs to be able to carry both a water bottle cage and an Anything Cage on either side of the blades.

Frame Pack (Porcelain Rocket, custom)

I always put my heaviest items in the frame pack; In Kyrgyzstan I had a cavernous frame pack on the Salsa Woodsmoke. It contained extra tire sealant and my tool kit (DIY roll) positioned at the bottom corner, a cook stove and fuel, a Sea-to-Summit UL Insulated sleeping mat, Gore-tex pants, and then food.

Seat Pack (Porcelain Rocket Mr. Fusion)

I tend to pack my seat pack pretty small. It usually contains all of my off-the bike clothing (wool long-johns, wool long-sleve top, wool socks, 1 tshirt, a pair of boxers and toiletries.

Handlebar Roll (Revelate Sweetroll and Pocket)

I make extra effort to keep the handlebar roll as light as possible, so I always pack my ultralight sleeping gear there to keep it to around 4-5 pounds. In Kyrgyzstan I packed my Sweetroll in an extra long format, which worked out well. One half of it contained my tent (Zpacks Duplex Flex) rolled short and thick, and the other half contained my Katabatic 20° quilt and Vargo 1L titanium pot with a few light odds and ends inside. The Pocket contained my phone, a small sketchbook and pencils, a few snacks, a hat and gloves. I also used Voile straps to fix tent poles to the Sweetroll.

Accessories (Revelate Gas Tank and Mountain Feedbag)

The gas tank usually contains a headlamp, some snacks, and my Sawyer mini water filter. In the Mountain Feedbag there is usually a Ti mug and a spare lens wrapped in a rag. I prefer to carry water on the fork legs and under the downtube; this keeps weight low. I also like to use electrical tape to fix a spare tube or two to the frame.

Backpack (Acre Hauser 14L)

No matter how hard I try to not carry a backpack, my bulky camera gear won’t usually let me leave it at home. The Acre Hauser is a good choice because it’s waterproof and comfortable. I carry a rain jacket at the bottom of the main compartment and a Crumpler camera insert that contains my DSLR and other odds and ends. Depending on the length to resupply, there is usually some lightweight food items in there as well.

Framebag (custom Revelate Ranger)

I pack a SnowPeak 450ml titanium cup in the bottom of my framebag, usually with small snacks stuffed in the cup to use the space. I carry other food and tent poles in the main compartment and pack an extra two liter water bladder when necessary. My jumprope usually lives in the framebag. My framebag is a prototype version of the new Ranger framebags, which features a large plastic toothed zipper and stretch panels on either side to limit wear on the zipper and to ensure smooth operation. This zipper has lasted two years, which is many times longer than other framebag zippers I’ve used. The action on this zipper is super smooth.

The small compartment on the non-drive side of the framebag is my junk drawer and it’s where I put all the small things I don’t want to deal with most of the time– sealant, lube, chapstick, toothbrush, knife, sunscreen, spoon, spare derailleur hanger, and more. A spare tube is bagged and taped to the frame, usually under the downtube.

Handlebar roll (Revelate Sweetroll and Pocket)

I try to keep my handlebar roll fairly lightweight. I pack it in the morning and don’t get into during the day. I carry a Western Mountaineering Highlite sleeping bag and Klymit O-Zone sleeping pad in the Sweetroll because it’s a waterproof bag. I use a size small Revelate Pocket up front, and always carry a book. Right now I’m packing Dune. When water is limited in Baja, I’ll strap a two liter water bladder in between the Pocket and the Sweetroll.

Seatpack (Revelate Viscacha)

I pack my clothes and the body of the tent in the seatpack. I try to keep the seatpack pretty tight to the saddle to avoid sway, but I’ll occasionally pack bulky food items like chips and bread in the end of the seatpack. If the tent is wet or I don’t have room for it internally, I strap it to the top of the seatpack.

Top tube bags

Custom Revelate Mag Tank: This gas tank has a magnetic closure instead of a zipper. I used it first in the Trans Am, but have also enjoyed it for touring. It is really convenient, durable and great place for snacks.

Custom Revelate oversized Jerry Can

Cell phone, wallet, and sunglasses. When I was sick during the Tour Divide I filled this bag with medicine and called it the Medicine Cabinet. It has a large zipper like my frame bag and has been very durable.