New Revelate Designs Mag-Tank and Mag-Tank FastTrack: First Look

Top tube bags are easily the most ubiquitous bicycle accessories, enjoyed by commuters, weekend-warriors, and around-the-world bicycle tourists. From super-sleek roadie options to foot-long oddities that run the length of the top tube, they provide easy-access snack storage, or a spot for a phone and sunglasses. They’re just as useful for after-work rides as they are bikepacking expeditions. Although they’ve been around for over two decades and evolved over the years, the concept has remained consistent.

Revelate Designs in Alaska is credited with popularizing the modern top tube bag, as they’ve been offering them longer than anyone else. Inspired by the racy, ride-fuel-centric “bento boxes” triathletes used at the time, the Gas Tank was larger and quickly became popular among riders tackling the Tour Divide and other extra-long endurance races. More calories for more miles. These days, nearly every bike and bag brand in the world offers some take on the top tube bag. Revelate Designs remains the trendsetter, offering unique attachments, features, and closures, such as their magnetic Mag-Tank flap and removable TPU liner. They were one of the first brands to offer a bolt-on version for frames with top tube mounts.

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At this year’s Sea Otter Classic in California, Revelate founder Eric Parsons tracked us down and gave us a first look at a whole new range of bikepacking bags and accessories launching over the next few months. Among them was a new lineup of top tube bags, and Eric sent Neil and me home with the full collection to try out ahead of today’s launch. Today, you’ll find some first impressions of the new Mag-Tank and Mag-Tank FastTrack, and later this week, Neil and I will share our thoughts on the new Extended Play long top tube bag.

Revelate Designs Mag-Tank

Nearly a decade old, the Revelate Designs Mag-Tank prioritized speed and ease with a nifty magnetic flap opening. Back in 2017, Logan tested a prototype on a romp through Kyrgyzstan, and then a production version on the 350-mile Palmetto Trail. He praised the original design for its intuitive magnetic closure, clean aesthetics, and sturdy design. Although there have been a few tweaks over the years, the design has remained mostly unchanged.

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The newly launched Mag-Tank is based on thousands of miles of testing and a decade of refinement, offering improved weather protection, simplified attachment, and increased stability. At its core, the new Mag-Tank is the same. It’s a top tube bag with a magnetic flap-lid closure, but otherwise, it’s a totally different beast from the original.

It’s been redesigned from the ground up with a waterproof TPU-laminated fabric that’s RF-welded to avoid water-permeable stitched seams, and the lid now wraps around the entire opening, providing increased protection from the elements. Unlike the previous version, which simply overlapped the body, the new Mag-Tank lid wraps fully around the opening and does a great job at keeping the contents dry and protected.

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The Mag-Tank also uses a new magnetic Fidlock buckle that provides easy one-handed access to the bag’s contents. Instead of pulling down on the buckle, like the previous version, the new buckle slides forward off a small magnetic nub to release, and then pops back into place when you’re done. If the magnetic buckle doesn’t automatically re-attach, a small tap on the lid or guiding the buckle with your hand is all it takes. At first, the new buckle was slightly less intuitive than the original, but it was easy to get the hang of, and it feels more secure.

The attachment system has also seen a complete redesign. Revelate ditched the fixed top tube strap and the adjustable head tube strap in favor of adjustable TPU mounting straps and a series of molded silicone mounting pads that wrap around the top tube. The combination provides grip and a less abrasive attachment than hook-and-loop straps, and it is easy to reposition on the base thanks to three mounting locations. The spot that’s not in use is filled with a silicone pad, and the silicone pads have integrated strap keepers to keep the Voile-style TPU straps tucked neatly against the bag. The new design doesn’t require or provide a head tube/stem attachment.

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The inside of the bag features an HDPE plastic frame for rigidity and structure, a key clip, and a small cable port. Revelate has also continued to offer the removable TPU liner, which is secured via hook-and-loop inside the bag to make cleanup quick and painless. The new Mag-Tank really feels like a major step forward compared to the original design. It’s stable, intuitive, and easy to access one-handed, which is exactly what they set out to provide nearly a decade ago.

• Capacity: 0.5L
• Material: 210D TPU laminated nylon ripstop, HDPE, TPU, silicone
• Weight: 187 grams
• Place of Manufacture: China/Cambodia
• Price: $95 USD
• Manufacturer’s Details: RevelateDesigns.com

Revelate Designs Mag-Tank FastTrack

The new Mag-Tank FastTrack brings quick-release convenience to Revelate Designs’ Mag-Tank lineup. The FastTrack refers to their newly designed quick-release rail system that bolts onto any top tube with two threaded bosses. The rail has slotted mounting holes to adjust its position, and the Mag-Tank top tube bag has a matching base that slides quickly and securely onto the rail. The sliding interface uses a spring-loaded retention system that automatically locks into place, but with a quick pull of the small tab at the bottom of the bag, the entire Mag-Tank bag slides right off.

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The Mag-Tank FastTrack is a realistic option for anyone with multiple bikes who only wants to own a single top tube bag, provided they have top tube bosses, of course. It features the same burly construction as the standard Mag-Tank, such as RF-welded seams and a waterproof TPU-laminated fabric, as well as the new fitted lid and Fidlock magnetic hardware.

Surprisingly, I currently have no bikes with top tube bosses in my collection, so I borrowed a Salsa Timberjack from my friend Nathan to mount the system and see how it feels. The setup is simple, requiring just two bolts for the FastTrack rail, and sliding the Mag-Tank on for the first time was effortless. There isn’t really a sweet spot like other rail systems I’ve used outside of the bike industry. As long as you line the bag up and hold it close to the rail, it does a great job at catching the bag.

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While riding, the Mag-Tank FastTrack is impressively stable, with virtually no movement or rattling. The moving parts on the base of the bag seem well-concealed, so I’m not worried about dirt or grime getting inside and messing with the quick-release parts, but it’s still possible. It’s impressive how low-profile the entire system is, sitting tight to the top of the bike. The Mag-Tank FastTrack is available in one size and one color, with a 0.5L capacity. It costs $99 USD and is currently made in China, but all future batches will be made in Cambodia.

• Capacity: 0.5L
• Material: 210D TPU laminated nylon ripstop, HDPE, TPU, silicone
• FastTrack Material: 6061 Aluminum Rail Mount, Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon Track
• Weight: 208 grams
• Place of Manufacture: China/Cambodia
• Price: $99 USD
• Manufacturer’s Details: RevelateDesigns.com

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