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Stealth F35 Wedge Frame Bag Review: Three Sizes Fits All
With three sizes to choose from, the new Stealth F35 Wedge Frame Bag is designed to fit a variety of bikes, plus it has a nifty magnetic Fidlock-equipped side pocket for ride essentials. Find Miles’ review here after a lot of day rides and his last overnighter of the summer…
Stealth Bike Bags is a small-but-mighty, one-person operation in Wellington, New Zealand. Michael Trudgen launched Stealth in 2014, and like other makers, he wanted a better way to carry gear on his bike, so he started making bags. Later, he made bags for friends and eventually decided to sell them once the designs were refined. Most of his materials and hardware are sourced within New Zealand, and he ships bags worldwide.
Stealth offers a full range of bags, including a handlebar harness, burrito bag, stem bags, hip packs, saddle bags, mini panniers, and other accessories. Alongside several made-to-order options, where customers can choose from a variety of fabrics and colors, Stealth offers custom frame bags that can be tailored to fit any bike and rider’s preferences. If you’re looking for high-quality bikepacking gear, whether in New Zealand or elsewhere, Stealth is a reliable option.
A few months ago, Michael shared his plans to launch a new wedge frame bag that’s specifically designed to fit as many bikes as possible. Although custom frame bags are excellent investments and often worth it, particularly for funky main triangles, a universal wedge bag can be just as functional. The bag, called the F35 Wedge Frame Bag, is named after its 35° angle between the top tube and down tube. I’ve been using it for the last few months to compare it to others I’ve tried.
Many of us on the team appreciate wedge bags because they leave room for a standard bottle cage on the seat tube—centering water weight—plus a few centimeters of unencumbered top tube to grab when portaging the bike. The Stealth F35 Wedge Frame Bag takes this concept and applies it to fit as many bikes as possible, featuring a 35° angle at the front-facing corner and three sizes.
The F35 is made from Challenge EPX200 laminate and ballistic-grade RBC840 polyester for the spine. Both fabrics are constructed from 100% recycled polyester yarns and finished with PFC-free durable water repellent (DWR) coatings. There is EVA foam padding around the perimeter, with daisy chain webbing on the top and bottom to adjust the strap position. Each size features a large, fixed Velcro strap to attach to the top tube and a few essentials: a cable/hydration port at the front, a drain hole in the base, and a main zippered compartment with two internal sleeves.
Stealth also includes a small pocket on the non-drive side, featuring a nifty magnetic Fidlock buckle for quick access to its contents. I’ve been using this pocket for a small multi-tool and my tubeless plugger kit, but it also works well for garbage, small snacks, or repair kits/spares. The pocket doesn’t extend the full length of the frame bag, unlike most non-drive-side sleeves, so it’s not as spacious as I’m used to, but that also means its contents don’t get lost at the bottom.
Despite being a ready-to-order, non-custom item, the F35 Wedge Bag is available in a variety of solid and mixed color options. The model I’m using has coyote, camo, and green fabrics, a color combo that gives it a custom appearance without the cost and wait times that come with fully custom frame bags. The quality is also top-notch, with picture-perfect stitching, bartacks at critical stress points, a small hypalon zipper pull tab to assist when closing the zipper, and an oversized zipper garage. I also appreciated the large zipper pull and YKK Vislon-style zipper from Paskal, which make for a smooth operation.
Although I’ve only tested the large version, the three sizes seem like they would work well for most bikes. The large bag fits both the size large Singular Spitfire and Emily’s medium Hudski Dualist. Unlike some stock wedge bags, which have a tall area towards the front of the bag, the F35 Wedge Frame Bag remains nice and pointy, allowing it to slide up toward the head tube and leave more room for a seat tube bottle cage. On smaller frames, I imagine some sizes would make excellent full-frame bags.
While some custom bags are reinforced with HDPE or a thin plastic panel around the perimeter to provide the bag with structure and help maintain its shape, the F35 has foam padding to provide some structure. I thought this would be an issue, but as long as you take the time to tension the bag using the included straps, it’s easy to get a clean install. The lack of structure along the top tube also allowed it to easily conform to the contour of curvy tubes, as demonstrated on the Sklar Tall Tale pictured here.
- Material (as tested): EPX200 / RBC840 ballistic polyester
- Weight: 230 grams
- Place of Manufacture: Wellington, New Zealand
- Price: $270 NZD (~$156 USD)
- Manufacturer’s Details: Stealth Bike Bags
Pros
- Sizes, shape, and dimensions should fit all kinds of bikes
- Lack of perimeter stiffeners works well for curvy tubes
- Magnetic Fidlock pocket is a nice touch for a non-custom bag
- Interesting color combinations give a custom-like appearance
- High-quality construction and materials
Cons
- You could go full custom for around $100 NZD more
- Not waterproof, but highly weather-resistant
- Disorganized packers might miss a horizontal divider or second zipper on the large version
Wrap Up
With tariffs and duties wreaking havoc on international purchases right now, I’m all for having more options available in all corners of the world. For folks living in New Zealand, Stealth Bike Bags shouldn’t be overlooked. They make functional and high-quality gear. I’m personally spoiled for choice when it comes to custom frame bags, but there’s something to be said for using bags that can fit on multiple bikes. A bag like the Stealth F35 Wedge Frame Bag may ultimately be used more than a custom alternative, if you have the option to switch it between a few bikes. I’ve used it on two hardtails in my procession, but Emily also used it recently on an overnighter, because it was there and it fit. We don’t often get the opportunity to share frame bags due to the size difference between our bikes, so I see that as a major win. The F35 Wedge is a high-quality bag with a functional and versatile shape. I appreciate the mix of fabric colors and the attention to detail, including the handy little magnetic pocket for quick-access items. Well done, Michael.
Further Reading
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