Bikepacking Bags

For our long-term Gift Guide, we racked our brain and drew up a list of more than 70 of our most prized pieces of bikepacking gear, at a variety of price points. Think of this as a roster of goods that have already proven their worth… gifts that promise to keep on giving, over thousands of miles, all around the world.

For those who favour traditional saddlebags to carry their cargo but find fitting and removing them a pain, Frost and Sekers’ stainless steel mounting system adds a classic aesthetic and genuine practicality to your ride, be it for commuting or weekends away. Cass Gilbert took it out on the UK’s Purbeck Bimble and bounced around Mexico’s dirt roads for this review…

Released this spring, the BXB Piccolo Short Flap is a modern top-accessed saddlebag or handlebar bag that’s specifically tailored for bikes with tighter clearances and narrower drops. We spent several months testing out the large and small Piccolo on a wide range of trips and day rides. Find our full review here…

Designed to work with their own baggage system and racks from other brands, Tailfin’s 5L and 10L Mini Panniers are the latest addition to an ever-expanding range. Cass Gilbert tried out a sample set for a few months before their official launch. Read on for full details on how they performed and some longterm feedback on the AeroPack itself…

Five years after his last custom framebag, Cass Gilbert tries one of Buckhorn’s made-to-measure bags for size, adding a splash of color to his bike. He talks about the bag, the process of ordering one, and considers why going custom can be such a satisfying experience, especially when the maker is local and rides the same trails as you do…

We’re big fans of modern bikepacking-style seatpacks. They don’t require any mounting hardware—such as a rear rack or support—keeping them light and allowing them to be fitted to almost any bike. Given their limited capacity, they also help cap a general tendency amongst most of us to bring too much stuff on our trips. Holster-style […]

Thinking about having a custom frame bag made or wondering why you should consider getting one for your bike? In this guide, we walk through everything you need to know about custom-made frame bags, including recommended features, types of designs, and a thorough list of makers from around the world. Plus, find our latest video on the subject…

Updated June 2021 In bikepacking utopia, we all ride beautiful singletrack on minimal soft bag setups, perfectly packed with the latest in ultralight gear. In the real world, however, many of us aren’t always enjoying trail riding and our gear can often be bulky. Or sometimes we just need a little extra capacity. Perhaps it’s […]

Just released, the Ortlieb Handlebar-Pack QR is a rather fresh and modern take on the traditional top-loading handlebar bag. We got to put a couple hundred miles on one for this shakedown review. Find everything you need to know about this unique, waterproof roll-top bag here…

Updated May 2021 Back in 2010, Salsa Cycles released the original Anything Cage, an oversized, open-sided cage made from lightweight aluminum tubing. The idea of an oversized cage wasn’t completely new, but Salsa’s concept was pretty groundbreaking. With the intention of stowing items that are significantly larger than a standard water bottle—almost anything—the Anything Cage […]

The Wayward Riders Louise Dropper Post Harness was recently updated with more tire clearance, added stability, and compatibility with dry bags ranging from 3 to 13L in size. We’ve been testing the Louise V2 this spring to discover how much it’s improved over the original. Find the full review here…

A full frame bag is the golden ticket for taking advantage of every last nook and cranny of your bike’s main triangle. When it comes to squeezing in gear and how the extra weight affects the handling of a bike, positioning that weight low and above the bottom bracket offers the best of both worlds. […]