Bike
MTB
The best bikepacking bags you can buy right now
Tired of riding with racks and panniers? Lighten the load and invest in some cycling-specific luggage – perfect whether you want to carry overnight essentials or are planning a multi-day expedition.
Bikepacking is firmly here to stay – the rejigged cross-pollination of MTB, backpacking and cycle touring has proven itself to be more than a mere flash in the pan. And for a very good reason. Getting packed up and heading off-road for a fully self-sufficient adventure is one of the most liberating experiences it's possible to have on two wheels... and that’s quite a statement.
But it's not just a case of strapping a 60-litre rucksack to a pannier rack, hanging a plastic carrier bag jammed with instant noodles off each handlebar and cautiously wobbling off into the sunset at a snail's pace. Done properly, packing for your next adventure can be a slick, streamlined affair rather than a perilous balancing act held together by a thousand bungee cords.
The solution: bikepacking bags. This relatively new breed of purpose-built cycling luggage minimizes bulk, maximizes space and transforms any half-decent off-roader into a bikepacking powerhouse.
The bags are cleverly designed to fit around your bike's geometry, utilising every bit of unused space, and come in four key varieties: handlebar, frame, seat and top-tube bags.
Here are the best available on the market right now and why you should consider investing ahead of your next bikepacking adventure.
1. Alpkit Stem Cell
Great name, great design
© Alpkit
Price: From $54
Best for: Refuelling on the go
Type: Stem
Volume: 1.8L, regular; 3L, large
Mounted on your bike's stem, Alpkit's brilliantly named Stem Cell bag is the perfect size and position for grabbing a quick snack, your lunch or an extra bottle of water without having to take your feet off the pedals. It's weather and abrasion resistant, and a drawcord opening makes it nice and easy to get into on the go.
2. Evoc Multi
Multi by name, multiple mounting possibilities by nature
© Evoc
Price: $70
Best for: Tools and spares
Type: Variable
Volume: 1L
Just the right size for a pump, tool roll, some chain lube and whatever spares you might need out of the trail, Evoc's Multi bag is a highly versatile option for the journey's essentials. Unrestrained by any one bike's geometry, the Multi's adjustable velcro mounting system and clever shape mean it can fit anywhere – from under a rear shock to up on the top tube. The bag is a great way to maximize space and adaptable enough to use with any bike, whether it be a purebred downhiller or a rigid all-road machine.
3. Restrap Fork Bag
Why should your frame and seat have all the fun?
© Restrap
Price: $49.99 (USD)
Best for: Spreading the load
Type: Fork
Volume: 5L
Why should your frame and seatpost have all the fun? Forks need love too. Pop one of these Tardis-esque five-litre pouches from Restrap on each leg (below the stanchions if your running front suspension) and dramatically increase your overall capacity. And that’s not even the best part – the added weight will spread the load out, helping to keep that front wheel planted, particularly on nasty climbs.
4. Ortlieb Cockpit Pack
Keep essentials out of bigger packs and store them up front instead
© Ortlieb
Price: around $85
Best for: Easy access to the essentials
Type: Top-tube
Volume: 0.8L
As the name suggests, this nifty little bag from Ortlieb sits on the top tube just behind the bike’s cockpit. To be honest, there’s not really much to it, but don’t be put off by its stature. The small size makes it just right for all the bits and pieces you might need easy access to on the go – phone, multitools, snacks – while a large zipper ensures they’re easy to get to with one hand.
5. Revelate Jerrycan
The Jerrycan slots onto your seatpost, even if you have a fully-loaded rig
© Pannier.cc
Price: $46
Best for: Utilising every last inch
Type: Top-tube
Volume: 0.6L
The junction between your top tube and seat tube is often overlooked when it comes to bikepacking bags, but this handy little pack from Revelate fills the gap perfectly. It's narrow enough not to interfere with pedalling and plastic sidewalls mean it won't bulge out when full. Run out of room for a puncture-repair kit or spare inner tube? This is the ideal place for all of that and more.
6. Blackburn Outpost Elite
Using a frame bag can stop your bike losing its handling
© Blackburn
Price: From $130
Best for: Hauling the heavy stuff
Type: Frame
Volume: 3.37L-6.7L
While an overly heavy handlebar pack has a tendency to throw a bike off balance, a fully loaded frame pack will do quite the opposite. This super-sturdy bag from Blackburn is ideal for stuffing full of heavy items like liquids, tools and power packs, which will lower your centre of gravity and make your bike more stable. As if that wasn’t enough, it also boasts welded seams, waterproof materials and soft Hypalon straps to preempt any scratches on that precious frame.
7. Apidura Expedition Handlebar Pack
Perfect for overnight essentials or even the commute
© Apidura
Price: From $185
Best for: Overnight essentials
Type: Handlebar
Volume: 9L, 14L
With a double-ended roll-closure design, reflective detailing and reinforced attachment system, Apidura’s Expedition handlebar pack is a solid choice when it comes to packing an extra layer, a sleeping bag or anything else you might need when escaping on an overnight adventure. It’s also completely waterproof – making it an all-weather option wherever you're exploring. Although it’s available in a 14L option if you’re heading away for longer, it’s recommended to keep the contents light unless you want to wind up eating dirt on your first corner.
8. Miss Grape Cluster
Price: Around $210
Best for: Transcontinental expeditions
Type: Seat
Volume: 13L, 20L
Whether it’s a packet of pasta, a pair of calfskin shoes or, in this case, a massive bikepacking bag, you just know something's going to ooze quality if it’s made in Italy. At a whopping 20L, this tough-as-nails seat pack from bikepacking brand Miss Grape is ideal for longer trips where something smaller just won’t cut it. It can double up as a rear mudguard too, and a waterproof inner means your gear stays bone dry, even in the UK’s less than Meditteranean conditions.
9. Porcelain Rocket 52Hz
With no zips, there's nothing to bust when this frame bag is full
© Porcelain Rocket
Price: $250
Best for: Avoiding broken zippers
Type: Frame
Volume: 5L-15L
As anyone who’s ever ridden with a frame pack in rainy weather will no doubt agree, they have a tendency to attract a lot of mud and water from that front wheel. Anything less than water resistant is a no-go, but Canadian cottage business Porcelain Rocket has gone several steps better here and created the world’s first fully waterproof, welded-seam, roll-top frame bag. Plus, there are no zippers to break, meaning you can stuff this thing to bursting point with no ill effects.
10. Bedrock Black Dragon dropper seat bag
Got a dropper post? No problems with this saddle bag
© Bedrock
Price: $175
Best for: Bikepacking with a dropper post
Type: Seat
Volume: 7L (when fully rolled out)
Is a dropper post essential for bikepacking? No. Could it help with the odd singletrack section or technical descent? Maybe. If you're going to run one, do you need a dropper-specific seat pack? Absolutely. Not only does this one from Colorado-based bikepacking brand Bedrock have a cool name, but it'll only reduce your droppers’s travel by 32mm. Plus, a sturdy mounting system means it won't sway around, even on the tightest of corners.
