Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

Out of interest, who are you looking to get your bag made with?

Alpkit, not the most exciting but suits my needs and made in the UK. I would love to support an independant maker being one myself but its double the cost for something I will use a handful of times a year.

That's what I'm looking at as well...only hurdle being I might source my own fabric as colour and fabric combination might not be available. Looking to get a quote with fabric sourced

Oh nice yeah their colours are limited. I was going to contact about some extras I guess they charge for any changes, a guy in the reviews got bottle cage attachment to support some of the weight and a drinking hose hole.

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@doug1e Do you know how wide the above frame bag is? Keen to work out how wide I can realistically get away with a GRX crankset (Q factor is a bit narrower than mountainbike groupset)

Hmm no , maybe also dependant on your frame, I guess carbon tubes tend to be wider than skinny steel? Minimum on the alpkit is 4cm, and then wizardworks suggest 5

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Note the cutaway at the bottom of the bag where the down and seat tubes meet. Restrap have a video somewhere on their site explaining this approach avoids the cranks rubbing on the bag.

This would be the video (about 5:50) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5CAD3wPlnQ

For years I've wrapped my tools in a heavyweight plastic bag (ooh nurse) but my favourite one has holes in it (yeah, I've used the same plastic bag from some store for most of my ultras - those fuckers don't degrade - we're all dead)

I saw this Revelate one and I like it but the metal buckle thing on the outside seems stupid to me - I'm trying to AVOID metal stuff rubbing on other things in my frame bag...
https://bikepacking.com/gear/revelate-toolcash-wallet-review/

So, anyone got any cool ideas for durable, light, convenient tool kit type bags?

I was thinking of using one of my punctured drybags but I hate using drybags with cold hands and I'm usually raging when I have to get tools out so I like the idea of a simpler roll. Then again, some waterproofness would stop tools going rusty.

Have my tools in a wild sky zip pouch... it is durable because I also have a strip of repair tape to patch the holes..

https://www.wildskygear.co.uk/zip-pouches-5-c.asp
https://www.wildskygear.co.uk/dcf-repair-tape-7g-19mm-wide-14m-long-1257-p.asp

Does that stuff not abrade through pretty quick, or is that the joke you're making? Like, your pouch is more repair tape than DCF now? #triggersbroom

That is the joke.. it is a bit triggers broom but not had any new holes in a while, tend to stow it quite tight to avoid movement. It is much weight weenie, better suited to a jersey pocket.

You'd be better of with something like a muc off essentials case or one of those recycled inner tube tool rolls.

muc off essentials case

Looks ok, but I'm not sure it would hold all my 'ultra paranoia' kit. I guess that would force me to slim it down.

They have a couple of versions, a bigger one here..
https://muc-off.com/products/essentials-pack-camo

Sounds like you need to adapt a chefs knife roll ..

Can I leave the knives in?

I don't want something heavy/bulky like leather. I wonder what the lightest but most abrassion resistant material is? Where's @Chopsicle when you need him? :)

I could just find another thick plastic shopping bag. Reduce Reuse Recycle

I use 1L dry bags for this sort of thing, though I'm not doing anything as gooch-destroying as you. For audax/touring I have two: one with medical-adjacent stuff in and one with tools that are additional to my normal ride tools

Yeah, I've done this too, with Ultralight S2S bags that have holed. Maybe I should see if they do their "big river" more durable version in 1L. I still don't like the roll top buckles closures that much but I guess they'd be waterproof at least (if new) unlike my plastic bag solution.

I don't like saddle bags. I don't like the sway when you're out of the saddle , I don't like the crazy packing/unpacking rigmarole. I don't like the incompatibility with dropper posts, I don't like limited space, I don't like the ignominy of trying to swing your leg over your saddle.

Therefore I want to be a bag on rack guy. I've tried a couple of different sizes of dry bag and they've been okay but I think I want a 25l slim waterproof rucksack instead. Something that will hold its form when strapped down to a rack.

Is the answer always Ortlieb?

I think a cinch cord wash bag thing or a roll that's opens is best. Then you can.open it up and see your tools and not have to dump them all out and loose something.

mmm I get you - I've always just used the standard exped ones you can get in Millets, I use one for my camera in a stem bag too, that gets fairly beaten up as it comes out on every ride but no signs of damage yet. I tend not to bother with the roll top for tools/medical, I roll the entire thing round itself so its more space-efficient in a frame bag

The Xplorer does loom nice. But it might be worth one with tabs on each side so you can put a cord though them and actually tie the bag to the rack not just cinch the whole bag on.

Yeah, my plastic bag was just folded over. Not a bad shout and if they were new they'd be spare drybags if I needed one.

Regarding the ultralightweight trunk bag on rack thing, this Restrap race dry bag looks pretty close. Concerned could gather rainwater in the top, though.

I use bags like this from the Berlin high end arts and crafts store.
Can see immediately that you didn't pack what you need.

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Only 7l though. I'm thinking Alpkit Gourdon now.