Swift Sugarloaf Review: #basketpacking

Thinking of giving ‘basketpacking’ a go? Swift’s Sugarloaf is designed to fit snuggly within the wire confines of a Wald 137 basket. With its side clips and internal pockets, it brings an element of practicality and refinement to both dirt road campouts and commutes around town. Even better, it might even encourage you to ride your bike more…

Basketpacking. Yes, it’s a thing! In fact, it has been for some time, thanks largely to Rivendell Bicycle Works and their enthusiasm in promoting this quirky-looking yet undeniably practical way of carrying gear. It’s also one that’s surprisingly all-encompassing, suited as it is to weekend campouts, daily commutes, and grocery shopping. Unladen, a basket has relatively little impact on steering, meaning that a setup like a rigid Plus bike is still perfectly capable at tearing around local trails too.

swift-sugarloaf-review_25

Basketpacking 101

If the growing number of manufacturers making basket-specific bags is anything to go by, basketpacking is a style of bike touring that’s becoming increasingly popular. But let’s be clear. Given a basket’s position and its extra weight, it’s not a setup we’d recommend for anyone choosing technical singletrack as the mainstay of their bikepacking explorations. Rather, it’s a very practical option for those who consider dirt road touring to be more their style, especially when combined with the likes of lightweight framebags and seatpacks. Another side perk of basketpacking is that it plays nicely with brake and cable housing, which isn’t always the case when running a handlebar roll. And you can lash all kinds of things to a basket – both on top or underneath – should the need arise.

For those new to the concept of baskets, a popular model like the US-made Wald 137 typically costs $25, weighs 550g, and be attached to a small, minimal rack using zip ties, like Rivendell’s stout 335g Mark’s Rack M1, as pictured (tip: once tightened down, cut the ends with nail clippers to get a nice and flush fit). #Basketpacking #Basketlife

Designed specifically around Wald’s 137 wire basket – also available through the Swift website – the aptly named Sugarloaf resembles a plump loaf of freshly baked bread. It’s anchored in place with two elasticated straps that slip under and over the sides, making for quick and easy attachment and removal.

A waterpoof YKK zip runs along the top of the bag to access the main, padded compartment within, along with a magnetic closure front pocket and a zippered rear one, both good spots for stashing extra snacks, cutlery and the like. Inside, there’s another zippered sleeve, a handy area for a passport, money, keys, along with a series of open sleeves for a pen, papers etc… Bearing in mind this bag is designed for commuting too, these are all useful features. There are two colours available: steel and multicam. As we’ve come to expect from Swift, the Sugarloaf is beautifully built with obvious labour and love.

  • swift-sugarloaf-review_8
  • swift-sugarloaf-review_7
  • Swift Sugarloaf Review
  • Swift Sugarloaf Review
  • Swift Sugarloaf Review
  • Swift Sugarloaf Review
  • Swift Sugarloaf Review

Constructed primarily from X-Pac (or Cordura, depending on the colour), I’d describe the bag as relatively water resistant rather than 100 per cent waterproof, given its exposed seams. With this in mind, I packed a lightweight waterproof rollbag at the base of the bag in case I was caught in a downpour.

As for day to day use, the Sugarloaf is a joy to use. For the most part, it’s been my go-to method of hauling my laptop around town (an 11in Macbook Air in Sea to Summit’s Traveling Light Laptop Sleeve), along with a lock, layers and food, without the need to resort to a backpack. When pressed into service for weekend campouts, I’ve used it to carry my DLSR camera, protected on a bed of clothing. The padded structure of the bag means that it’s well suited to hauling pretty much anything you choose – food and a potset, for instance. What’s more, its ease of removal makes it especially convenient to bring into your tent at night, or even just detach and drop down whether you’re planning your al fresco dinner. Compare this to a softbag bikepacking setup, where everything tends to be strategically stashed across the bike: great for handling but often a pain to access during the day, or to remove quickly when popping into a cafe or restaurant.

It’s this portability that’s the real plus point of the Sugarloaf/Wald 137 combo. It’s just so emminently practical. On the downside, there’s a definite impact on steering, given where the weight is positioned compared to an ultralight handlebar roll, which sits considerably more flush beneath the handlebars. But unless you’re really loading your basket with your very heaviest of goods – better to stash those in your framebag, in any case – it’s one that you can likely get used too. Run it empty and your bike rides almost as well as you’re used to.

In terms of stability, the Sugarloaf’s two side straps are more than sufficient to keep the bag anchored down when riding gravel roads. Should rambunctious dirt two track be your preference, an additional strap is useful to really secure it in place and stop it rolling backwards and forwards. I found Surly’s Loop Junk Strap works especially well, as it’s quick to both loosen and cinch down, and you can tuck it away under the bag when you don’t need it.

As it is, I suspect that the Sugarloaf was designed for slightly mellower demands than the ones I put it through, which could be a reason why one of the top zippers is starting to fail. Generally speaking, I’ve not had the best luck with those that feature waterproof closures. While they work well at shedding water, I’ve not found they handle dust especially well. I personally prefer the burlier, non-waterproof style – like the ones used by Revelate and Bedrock – supplemented by a storm flap if need be. Given that the bag itself isn’t waterproof, it doesn’t seem especially necessary that the zipper is.

Elsewhere, the Sugarloaf has handles that snap together when riding, so they don’t flap around. Off the bike, they’re too short to sling the bag over your shoulder but useful for carrying it short distances, like a tiny duffel. Side loops open up the option of fitting a dedicated shoulder strap, which Swift offer for $10. Small point, but I also added in pull tabs to the zippers, to make them easier to use with gloved hands.

Swift Sugarloaf Review

Over a long, burly tour, I might be concerned that the elastication on the side straps – and the points where they’re sewn into the X-pac – could show signs of wear. But again, I’m looking at it from a hard usage point of view, rather than a day-to-day commuting/dirt road riding at weekends perspective. As it is, mine’s seen regular daily use and a 500 mile bikepack, with no wear issues at all thus far.

Things I’d like to see? For the price, the inclusion of Swift’s shoulder strap would certainly be welcome, given how useful it is from a day to day perspective. To help thwart water ingress, a lightweight, elasticated waterproof cover would be a handy accessory too. Bearing in mind my personal use is more demanding than some, I’d also welcome a series of daisy chains underneath the bag to further secure it to the basket, that can be used when it doesn’t need to be regularly removed.

Pros

  • Extremely practical
  • Works reallywell for both camping out and around town too
  • Extremely easy to fit and remove
  • One bike for everything!
  • Lovingly made

Cons

  • Impacts from steering if overloaded – best suited to dirt roads rather than techy singletrack
  • Top zip is undersized for more extreme/dusty uses
  • Bumps around over rougher terrain without an extra strap
  • Capacity: 11.5L
  • Weight: 350g
  • Price: $150
  • Place of manufacture: Seattle, USA.
  • Contact: Swift Industries

Wrap Up

Although running a basket isn’t necessarily the most obvious way to go bikepacking, it turns out it’s an extremely practical method… enough to usurp its weight penalty, in my opinion. Used in symbiosis with Swift’s Sugarloaf, it’s helped usher in a different, yet eminently practical way of using my bike. For dedicated dirt road touring, there are changes I’d make – like a larger, non-waterproof zipper and perhaps daisy chain attachment points underneath. But as part of a system that straddles both day to day riding and weekend campouts, it works extremely well.

In fact, the Sugarloaf and basket have also reminded me that there’s a satisfaction to running one setup that fulfils the vast majority of my biking needs – whether commuting in the day or heading further afield at the weekends. It’s a packing system that only really falls short over more technical terrain. Unladen, a basket has relatively little impact on steering, meaning that my rigid Plus bike is perfectly capable at tearing around my local trails too. This has the knock on effect that I end up riding more, because I don’t always have to go home to get the ‘right’ bike.

Swift Sugarloaf Review
  • Swift Sugarloaf Review
  • Swift Sugarloaf Review

Have you given basketpacking a go? Let us know how you got on and if you have a preffered setup!

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Bikepacking Gear

Bikepacking Bags

basketpacking  

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.

Share This

Thanks in advance for spreading the word!
art