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New Revelate Mag-Tank TPU Liners: First Look
Revelate Designs just announced lightweight and removable interior Mag-Tank TPU liners that allow bikepackers to store anything from french fries to ice cream in their top tube bag and easily clean it out after the ride. We had a chance to try them out prior to today’s launch for this first-ride review…
Top tube bags are a ubiquitous bike accessory at this point. They’re relatively simple, can be mounted on any bike, and people use them to serve a variety of purposes, ranging from easy storage for a phone and sunglasses on day rides to more strategic packing duties when supplementing a bikepacking bag kit on longer trips. The most common way to use them is for snacks. In fact, when Revelate Designs conceived this style of bag in the mid-2000s, the original Gas Tank was inspired by “bento boxes” used by triathletes at the time. These rectangular-shaped, top-tube mounted accessories were made for one purpose: to provide easy-access to snacks and nutrition, thus preventing stoppage time or awkward shifts in body position.
The Gas Tank was larger—made to store more food for longer rides—and had an apt name that ultimately became the generic category name for this type of bag (the Kleenex or ChapStick of bikepacking bags, if you will). It quickly became a favorite of ultra-endurance cyclists for storing bars, gels, and other such snacks, including salty french fries, as popularized by Lael Wilcox during one of her Tour Divide rides.
When Revelate released the Mag-Tank in March of 2017—almost seven years ago to this day—they clearly had ride food on their mind. With a one-finger-operated magnetic closure, it was substantially easier to access than the zippered Gas Tank, which made it perfect for scooping out Haribos, trail mix, or whatever your preferred ride fuel is. Plus, they introduced the Mag-Tank 2000, which featured even more snack space with 1.4 liters of volume and the same top-opening flap. You can find our review of the original Mag-Tank here, which is unchanged, save the addition of a TPU liner, which launched today.
The latest addition to the Mag-Tank line doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it simply makes this already dialed-in bag “food ready” using a removable TPU liner. According to Revelate Designs’ founder Eric Parsons, having a washable liner was one of the most customer- and ambassador-requested features for their top tube bag. Now, the entire Mag-Tank line features removable TPU liners, providing storage that’s easy to hose out, wipe down, or wash in a sink. That means rushing ultra racers—or just normal sloppy bikepackers—can enjoy their favorite foods while being able to quickly and easily wash out their top tube bag on the go. Think burgers, fries, or anything from a convenience store, like “roller dogs” or egg rolls, or I suppose you could bring it in a co-op and fill it with your favorite bulk trail mix too. Otherwise, I assume exploded gel packets might happen to folks who are into that sort of thing. Either way, you can wash away the remnants by lifting the two velcro flaps to detach and remove the liner, clean it with some soap and water, reattach to the Mag-Tank, and then ride off to the next resupply.
Personally, I’m kind of a neat freak when it comes to food and trash. I tried to test this thing out by stuffing it with a can of sardines, some leftover french toast, loose gummy bears, and a Larabar. I even put the empty can of sardines back in there after eating mid-ride. But I did’t really manage to get it dirty enough to warrant a proper post-ride session with the garden hose. That being said, I know a lot of messy friends who would fit the bill for the TPU liner, and I can imagine it would come in handy while in the throes of a race pace. I recall having a bit of a mess on my hands as I was bonking during PMBAR last year.
The Mag-Tank TPU liners are made from the same BPA- and PVC-free TPU film used in popular water bladders, such as those from Camelbak and Hydrapak. As for other uses, you could theoretically also use the Mag-Tank TPU liner for camp kitchen food prep, such as mixing ingredients, washing fruit, or just as a bowl to hold sautéed veggies while prepping other meal components. It also adds a little bit of water-resistance to the Mag-Tank; the lid is already highly water resistant. That being said, if any moisture did enter the bag, it wouldn’t have a way of draining from the bottom of the liner.
And as you can see in the photos above, the TPU liners weigh virtually nothing. The Mag-Tank with the removable TPU liner is now available for purchase through Revelate Designs’ website and authorized retailers. Note there are no other visible changes to the Mag-Tanks, except the addition of a cam-lock strap that replaces the Velcro one-wrap on the previous version. But, as you can see in a couple of the photos, I replaced that with a Voile Nano Strap, which I do on all my top tube bags and stem bags.
- Model/Size Tested: Revelate Mag-Tank with TPU Liner
- Actual Weight (with liner): 140 grams
- Place of Manufacture: China
- Price: $59
- Manufacturer’s Details: RevelateDesigns.com
Pros
- Same great design as the original Mag-Tank
- TPU liner provides an easy-to-wash solution for messy food situations
- Can also be used for camp kitchen food prep
Cons
- Velcro strips on liner could get a little gummed up
Wrap Up
When Revelate first mentioned the Mag-Tank TPU liners, I immediately thought this was an addition to make them waterproof. Obviously, that’s not the case. The TPU liner digs to the roots of this style of bag to add another level of snacking possibilities. And while I can’t really see myself dumping trail mix or french fries directly into a Mag-Tank, I certainly see the benefits, particularly for fast-paced racers who are juggling nutrition during a big effort. A lot of folks I know have left a bar, piece of candy, or some other gooey snack at the bottom of a bag and later found it melted and congealed with the fabric. This solution eliminates that possibility at the heart of where snacks should be stored.
Further Reading
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