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Rockgeist Big Dumpling Review: If This Bag Could Talk
Originally released by Porcelain Rocket seven years ago, the Big Dumpling is a large-capacity, fully waterproof hip pack that might just be the ultimate camera-hauling bag. Now made by Rockgeist, Miles has logged thousands of kilometers across the two versions he’s owned, accompanying him on nearly every bikepacking trip since 2018. Find his long-term review of the Rockgeist Big Dumpling here…
PUBLISHED Apr 9, 2026
Taking photos while bikepacking is part of the job when working for a website like BIKEPACKING.com. Early on, I carried a small mirrorless camera stuffed into a Porcelain Rocket DSLR Slinger bag attached to my handlebars, and I’ve tried other handlebar-mounted options that worked fine for lightweight cameras. Unfortunately, I’ve found that most fragile electronics, including camera sensors, generally don’t handle bicycle vibrations well. Eventually, they succumb to day after day of washboard, rocks, and roots. This is why most of us on the team prefer stashing our cameras inside a hip pack, which sees far less vibration, as well as other benefits I’ll cover later.
These days, there’s no lack of hip packs suitable for carrying your camera. There are bike-specific ones, photography packs with customizable padded dividers, and smaller options for carrying point-and-shoot cameras. For the work I do, I’m carrying a fairly bulky Canon R5 full-frame mirrorless camera 99 percent of the time. It’s big enough that it doesn’t fit in most hip packs, so it requires something oversized to carry it. If I want to add a padded insert to further protect it, which is what I’ve been doing for the last six years, then not just any hip pack will do. Other must-haves, beyond the bag’s size, include something waterproof and quick to access so I don’t miss the shot.
The Rockgeist Big Dumpling, originally made by Porcelain Rocket in Canada, has been my go-to hip pack for nearly all the rides and bikepacking trips I’ve been on since 2018. It’s easily one of my most-used pieces of gear, having logged thousands (tens of thousands?) of kilometers over the years, from local mountain bike rides in the Pacific Northwest, to multi-week trips bikepacking trips in Australia, trade shows, hundreds of overnighters, and most recently, a nine-day bikepacking trip on Baja’s Cape Loop. If there’s one piece of gear I trust to protect my expensive camera setup, it’s the Big Dumpling.
The Big Dumpling Story
Every time I write about Rockgeist’s products carried over from the Porcelain Rocket merger, I like to take a ride down memory lane. In this case, the history is important to the Big Dumpling’s development. Porcelain Rocket really found success with non-custom bags, including the Mr. Fusion, a removable, waterproof seat pack. The waterproof bag used a frequency-welded construction with no seams, making it 100% waterproof and impressive for a small maker. In 2017, they took full advantage of their experience with welded bags to design the first fully waterproof frame bag and bring the technology in-house. That winter, the Horton, a roll-top and 100% waterproof front pocket for the MCA handlebar system, was released. The following year, the waterproof lineup was expanded with the Nigel, a small roll-top handlebar bag, and later that year, the Dumpling was launched.
The original Dumpling was a 100% waterproof 3L hip pack with a roll-top closure and nifty elastic bungee to keep it closed. It took design cues from the Horton and Nigel, specifically the roll-top and closure designs, which are key to the Big Dumpling’s functionality. Instead of a finicky G-hook buckle and webbing or a side-release buckle, Porcelain Rocket opted for a vertical hydration hose clip that captures an elastic loop. It might seem rudimentary, but the simplicity of the elastic and large plastic hook makes for the fastest, easiest access. The entire system is also replaceable, with the current version slipped inside a daisy chain across the front of the bag and the elastic cord tied onto two plastic hooks near the top. Using elastic means the closure can easily expand when the bag is overfilled, stretching with the roll-top closure.
The Big Dumpling was released in 2019 with the goal of creating the “most stable, comfortable-carrying larger fanny pack available.” Skyler Des Roches of Mica Cycles, who was working at Porcelain Rocket at the time, explained it was the answer for full-sized cameras. It’s slightly more complicated than its smaller sibling, requiring side compression straps and larger wings for stability and comfort, but it’s still one of the most pared-back hip packs around. The devil is really in the details, and having tested dozens of hip packs over the years, I feel well acquainted with them.
Seven Years Later
Early on, I purchased a cheap camera padding insert (like this one) online, and it miraculously fit the inside of the Big Dumpling nearly perfectly. I’ve continued to use the same padded insert setup for my camera, providing a waterproof, protected place for it to live. It’s a hefty setup, but it’s solid. I’ve dropped it on the ground and in lakes—I wish I were kidding. It’s seen mud, thunderstorms, and dust. It’s accompanied me on more bikepacking trips than any other piece of gear, but because of its minimal design, I’ve never had anything fail on me.
My original Porcelain Rocket Big Dumpling, a prototype gifted to me by Skyler seven years ago, is showing signs of wear. The plastic lip on the roll-top closure is cracking in a few spots, and the fabric is delaminating in a few places, but it’s still totally waterproof and functional. I won’t be getting rid of it any time soon. I probably would have continued using it, but in 2023, Greg at Rockgeist sent me the latest version, which, coincidentally, hasn’t changed at all.
As mentioned, it’s the roll-top closure and elastic loop that really do it for me. To access my camera, I quickly rotate the bag from my back to my front, then, with one hand, I grab the small webbing tab, unhook the elastic loop from the hook, open the roll-top, and plunge my hand inside to grab the grip of my camera. It takes a few seconds after so much practice, and putting the camera away and rotating the pack back into position to ride is just as quick. I’ve used magnetic buckles, like those from Fidlock, and I find they eventually attract dirt and grime, making it hard to tell whether they’re latched. There’s no messing around with a big elastic cord and an oversized hook.
The Big Dumpling remains as comfortable as a 6L hip pack can be, thanks to its generously sized hip wings. The closed-cell foam/3D mesh padding isn’t particularly thick, but the hip wings are larger than most, which helps reduce any weird pressure points. Not everyone wants to ride around all day with a massive hip pack on, and I get that, but I’ve gotten used to it, and I still haven’t found any way to carry a large camera that competes with the Big Dumpling. I like the idea of over-the-back camera straps, and I’ve tried a few, but having my camera protected yet accessible at all times makes the hip pack the reigning champion.
That Magic Fabric
After three years of nearly daily use, my Rockgeist Big Dumpling is showing some minor signs of wear. The most obvious is the delamination of the fabric, where most of the rolls are when the bag is closed. The same thing happened on my original bag, but I confirmed with Greg at Rockgeist that it’s not really a concern. The PU-coated 420-denier nylon fabric remains 100% waterproof, even as the lamination wears off. Thankfully, the lamination is a “fabric kiss coating” that helps prevent the fabric from wetting out and enhances waterproofing. The outer coating is thin, but there’s a second, thicker layer on the inside.
The fabric they are using isn’t common in the bikepacking sphere, but it’s fairly common in the broader outdoor industry. It’s used in dry bags, packs, and various inflatable boats, including folding kayaks. The fact that it’s used for river-bound vessels should solidify its abrasion- and UV-resistance. It’s great to see the HDPE stiffener at the top of the roll-top closure is still totally intact, despite the bag’s opening seeing loads of wear and fluctuating temperatures over the years.
The body of the bag itself has absolutely no wear spots or punctures, which is hard to believe considering how much mileage I’ve logged with it. It has been scraped against trees, cacti, and dirt; I’ve accidentally submerged it in a lake; and I’ve crashed while mountain biking with it. Three years ago, I swapped out the stock plastic ladder-lock buckle for a CNC-machined Austere 1″ Pin Ladder Lock, which is a nice upgrade, but I’ve also never had issues with any of the plastic hardware on Rockgeist’s packs.
It’s hard to know how much Rockgeist’s seam welding contributes to the bag’s durability, but I’d expect most sewn hip packs to be showing more wear by now. Of course, this isn’t the only welded/waterproof bag from Rockgeist I’ve used. I’ve also been using a Porcelain Rocket Horton handlebar bag pocket since 2018, which is constructed from the same fabric, and it’s still 100% waterproof. It’s the same story for a few 52Hz framebags that rotate between bikes and are regularly lent out to friends.
Radio-frequency (RF) welding creates a more durable seam because the fabric bonds at a molecular level, rather than through a mechanical connection like a sewn bag. There are also no needle holes to account for, like with sewn bags, so no additional seam sealing is required. Besides a stronger overall construction, RF welding also results in a smooth, abrasion-resistant seam, which is practical for anyone who moves their camera in and out of their bag hundreds of times a day.
The Ultimate Hip Pack for Cameras
I have yet to find a better alternative for carrying my camera, and at this point, I’d be fine to continue using the Big Dumpling for another seven years. It seems most 100% waterproof hip packs come from the fishing industry, likely for fly fishing, which are covered in tabs and pockets for lashing gear to. A lot of them use big waterproof zippers, like the Showers Pass Ranger Waterproof Hip Pack I tested a few years back. Like the zippers found on most packrafts, they do a great job at keeping the inside of the pack dry, but they are slow to operate and require some maintenance to maintain their seal. Slow and klunky aren’t words I want to describe my camera bag.
There isn’t anything quite like the Big Dumpling. Designed for fishing, the Loop Dry Hip Pack comes pretty close, with its 7L capacity, roll-top closure, and welded seams, but the two side-release buckles on each side of the bag don’t seem as quick as the bungee and hook on the Big Dumpling. Evoc’s Capture 7L hip pack is loaded with camera-specific features and organization, which is a step up from Big Dumpling, but it’s not waterproof and has a zippered opening. Patagonia’s Guidewater Hip Pack has a massive 9L capacity and is fully submersible, but I can’t imagine the zippered closure opening as wide as the Big Dumpling’s, which makes it so easy to get a camera (or whatever else you want to carry) in and out. At 377 grams, the Big Dumpling is also surprisingly lightweight, considering what it can carry and endure.
Pros
- 100% waterproof, thanks to a roll-top closure and RF-welded construction
- 6L capacity is perfect for large cameras and big lenses, but there’s the Little Dumpling for everyone else
- Proven durability and longevity
- Quick access to contents makes it perfect for shooting from the saddle
- Oversized padded hip wings and side straps make it comfortable enough for heavy loads
- Handmade in the USA
Cons
- $165 isn’t cheap for a hip pack, but after my experience, I’d say it’s totally justified
- No integrated padding or optional camera insert, which would be awesome to see for the Big Dumpling
- The spacer mesh on the back panel and wings like to pick up small stones and needles if placed backside down
- It’s a big hip pack, so smaller items will bounce around unless packed relatively full
- Capacity: 6L
- Material: PU-coated 420-denier Nylon
- Weight: 377 grams
- Place of Manufacture: North Carolina, USA
- Price: $165 USD
- Manufacturer’s Details: Rockgeist.com
Wrap Up
Recently, I’ve been thinking about other gear I own that has lasted as long or seen as much use as the Big Dumpling. The list is short. Part of my job is to test and review gear, but I simply haven’t discovered a suitable replacement or competitor to the Big Dumpling, so it continues to join me on every ride and bikepacking trip. If I were to guess, I’d say I’ve racked up tens of thousands of kilometers between my OG Porcelain Rocket prototype and the current generation from Rockgeist. There are no zippers to malfunction, no real seams to fail, and the roll-top/bungee closure remains one of the fastest ways to deploy my camera. The Big Dumpling has shaken off mud, rain, and dust year after year, and it’s always my first recommendation for anyone looking to carry a large camera while riding. Here’s to another seven years
Further Reading
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