Rogue Panda Elden Rack-Top Harness Review: The Future of Rack-Packing?

Two months ago, Rogue Panda Designs launched the Picketpost top-opening rack bag and teased the upcoming Elden bag. I tried both and shared some initial thoughts here, but the Elden didn’t meet Rogue Panda’s high standards when it came to durability and stability on rough and technical singletrack.

The original version was a rear-opening, quick-release bag, but the revised version uses a totally new design that’s more stable, easier to pack, and overall more functional. Last week, Emily and I both used the new Elden Rack-Top Harness on a route scouting trip on Vancouver Island. We rode for four days with no resupply and had to be prepared for the unpredictable weather of coastal British Columbia, so our Elden Rack-Top Harnesses were packed full and tight.

Nearly everything about the redesigned Elden rack-top bag has changed since the prototype I tested earlier this summer. Instead of a dry bag strapped to a rack, the new Elden is based around a two-piece system: a fixed harness that attaches to the rack and a removable dry bag that slides into it. While a rack-top harness system isn’t a new concept, this is the first time we’ve seen a shaped harness with a matching dry bag.

The harness is made from Ultra 400x and Cordura, with a padded base and slanted front-end for additional saddle/dropper post clearance. On its base, several Hypalon slots provide mounting locations for the included TPU straps, depending on the width of your rack. The narrow position works well on minimal racks, including the Mica Rat Tails Emily and I used, and the wider position is ideally suited to more traditional rear racks.

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Compression straps on either side of the harness help secure the dry bag, and customers have their choice of two buckle options: a RollerCam or Austere Cam Buckle. The RollerCams have a roller bearing, which makes tightening the harness super easy, and they’re significantly cheaper. They weigh 24 grams more than Austere buckles, however, so the weight increases by 48 grams with two of them. The total weight of the Austere buckle version I have is about 330 grams, while the RollerCam version is 378 grams. The Austere buckles are more expensive, increasing the cost of the complete system from $150 to $180. The buckle end of the straps is attached to a small piece of webbing with a loop at one end, which girth-hitches around the rack’s platform.

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The top panel of the harness has a cinchable mesh pocket, providing roughly an additional three liters of storage. Rogue Panda explains they were inspired by the large exterior mesh pockets found on modern ultralight backpacks, and that it’s a great place for wet layers or extra snacks. At the back of the harness, a third strap with a plastic cam-lock buckle loops from the bottom to the top, holding the dry bag in place. The dry bag itself is slanted to fit into the harness perfectly, and it uses a single roll-top closure with two compression straps that run down the length of the bag, like their Gila Drop-Bar dry bag. The internal seams of the bag are taped for a fully waterproof construction.

Bikepacking with Elden

Installing the Elden Rack-Top Harness takes just a few minutes, but it’s finicky enough that you’ll likely want to leave it on semi-permanently. The loose ends of the four included TPU straps tuck away into the slots on the base of the harness, and mine never came loose. With the four straps installed on the platform of the rack, it’s just a matter of girth-hitching the side straps/buckles in place.

Emily and I used the Elden to carry our sleeping bags, pillows, and camp clothing we wouldn’t need during the day. At camp, it was a matter of loosening the side straps, releasing the rear strap, and sliding the dry bag out. The dry bag has a spacious opening that makes it easy to stuff bulky insulated clothing and gear inside, and the side straps help compress its contents toward the slanted end of the harness. The 12-liter capacity of the dry bag seems like the perfect do-everything size that holds enough gear without feeling overly bulky or too minimal.

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On my bike, with my Rat Tail rack platform horizontal, my dropper post could be lowered all the way. Emily’s Rat Tail is slanted in its current configuration, so the slanted profile of the Elden paired with its position on her rack meant she was only able to drop her saddle a few inches. I suspect she’d get more dropper post clearance if we flipped the rack’s platform for a more horizontal fit. We both used the mesh pocket to store our camp sandals, which ended up being a standout feature, as I have a hard time trusting bungee lace-ups or external straps.

I’ve used several rack-top bags in the last few years, including the OMM Atlas 12L, the upcoming Revelate Designs Burrote, South City Stitchworks Love Handles, and the tried-and-true dry bag strapped directly to the rack method. The Elden’s holster design stands out from the rest, resulting in one of the most stable rack-top cargo solutions I’ve tested. It’s reminiscent of my original Porcelain Rocket Mr. Fusion (now made by Rockgeist), which set a new standard for how stable a seat pack could be. Plus, the holster offers some protection for the dry bag and cradles it from all directions for a wiggle- and bounce-free setup.

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After a four-day scouting trip on Vancouver Island, Emily and I don’t have much to complain about. It takes the modern rack-top bag concept a step further than other designs, but with that comes additional weight. The Elden is, on average, 100 grams heavier than other rack-top bags, although it’s one of the only ones we’ve seen with a shaped harness and matching removable dry bag. One evening, we unloaded our gear and went for an exploratory ride, leaving our Elden dry bags at camp. It took some additional straps and a few cleverly placed knots to keep the harness from falling into the rear tire, but it was doable. This had me wondering whether or not the extra complexity is worth it, compared to simply strapping a dry bag on a rack.

• Capacity: 12L (+ ~3L mesh pocket)
• Material (as tested): Cordura, ULTRA, X-Pac
• Weight: 380 grams (RollerCam), 330 grams (Austere)
• Place of Manufacture: Arizona, USA
• Price: $150-180 USD
• Manufacturer’s Details: RoguePanda.com

Further Reading

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