Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

https://www.alpkit.com/products/airlok-xtra-tapered

New bag from alpkit, curious to see how it would fare as a seatbag. The fact that the koala doesn't have taped seams puts me off a little

Do any seatpacks have taped seams? The closest thing I can think of is Ortlieb's welded(?) saddlebags...

Don't think it's common practice, hence the availability of the dry bag+harness-type set ups.

Sorry, yeah you're right. I was thinking of it as a possible cheap alternative the harness ones.

I use a revelate Viscacha, I don't know if it's taped or not, but nothing has ever got wet in it, and i've ridden multiple days in torrential rain.

Ditto.

The very best, quite tempted to go for the smaller and lighter Ermine, it's only 2 litres smaller than the Viscacha.

I meant to add that Revelate and Apidura are both stitched, with bias tape folded and sewn to keep everything neat and add a touch more water protection.

Experience with the Apidura stuff is that it's waterproof up to a point, didn't quite survive a 12hour downpour in the lakes, but only let a very small amount of water in that sat at the 'nose'. Thankfully any important stuff was packed up in mini dry bags at the time.

Picked up a Revelate Pika the other day as I don't have enough seatpost on my Cross Check for the Apidura stuff. Looking forward to getting it covered in mud soon.

I've heard and read (although I can't find the source right now) about those not being quite as durable as the other stuff, "his fell to bloody pieces after the first ride" was the last verbal account. I'm sure any issues will be ironed out shortly, if not already, though.

I saw this little bit on alpkit https://www.alpkit.com/develop/dual-airloks-arrive-with-a-surprise
There are pics of that drybag attached to the seat on its own. I'm not sure if they're suggesting that we do that too.

Secondly it will come with similar straps to the Airlok Xtra Duals so you can fashion your own harness system. In the photos I have quickly put together a system using only parts found on the straps that secures it pretty well to a seat and seat pin.

Sounds like they aren't explicitly saying it's designed to do that, but that it seems it will do that.

@lookwhereyouregoing @Arducius They did actually post a DIY method for making a seatpost bag from one of their drybags a while back so i guess this is the logical extension of that.....
https://www.alpkit.com/deeds/diy-saddlebag

Just about the worst looking seatpack I've ever seen. Sure it's cheap, but f**k that.

^ this...

i'll stick with my Apidura thanks....

Revelate 4Lyf. Well, for Tour Divide at least, can fit SO much stuff in the Viscacha and Sweet Roll, gonna be essential in New Mexico, when I gotta carry 6+ litres of water.

I thought ugly was part of the aesthetic of bikepacking.
Every bikepack I've seen looks like the lovechild of a falafel sandwich and the Good Year blimp.

In the last couple of weeks, because my bike is at the girlfriend's place (long story short, couldn't bring it home yet), I took my fixed commuter instead.

No handlebar bag mean I carry everything in the medium framebag from Apidura, which appear to be almost identical to the Revelate Designs one I used to have.

Only having the framebag doesn't change how the bike feel at all, I was carrying a fair amount of stuff, yet the bike still behave as if there was no load, perfect for commuting over 10 miles each way.

So. Much. Better. than a Carradice saddlebag.

Klymit have a new bike-packing page, not entirely sure which products are new, but a sub 1kg packraft looks kind of fun... http://www.klymit.com/index.php/technology/bike-packing.html

Hah, their product are great for bikepacker after all, It look like they're doing what alpkit did before, merely list anything that bikepacker may find useful before bringing their own bag out.

Does anyone know of any foldable/lightweight climbing shoes? For my next tour i'd like to head to areas with good bouldering spots along the way.

Not sure where best to put this, Rushup Edge (rode after my night above Ladybower) has been "sanitised". This is happening more and more to Bridleways in the PD and seems senseless really.

Lots more info here:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/rushup-edge-resurfacing

There is an off-road thread. This is such a shame.

I doubt it, the closet I found is the Timberland Radler Trail, not amazingly light but pack down small enough.

The main issues is the soles stiffness, the Radler Trail is grippy but seriously flexy on rough surface, perhaps a trail running shoes might be a better bet, grippy, light, rigid and take a fair amount of abuse, you should be able to find one that's compact enough to carry in your bag.

Funnily enough, trail running is basically a bikepacking version of hiking.

Wondering what people's thoughts are on saddlebags for commuting purposes? Was thinking I could just ditch the rucksack and justify spending some decent money on a saddlebag that I can then use day to day as well as for longer weekend trips / audax rides - something like the Viscacha perhaps?

Obviously getting stuff in and out is important, but I guess a bag that is simple to mount and unmount would negate that. My general day-to-day stuff isn't much; some clothes (suit and shoes at work), lunch, wallet/phone, bike tools and a few odds and sods.

@edscoble, sounds like earlier in the thread you were trying this? Success?

Packing a soft saddle bag correctly is a slight pain, and removal/putting on takes a few minutes sometimes.

If it just going to be mostly used for commuting i'd got for hard one which doesn't have to be packed carefully like the carradice sqr http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&under=range&product_id=57

Done it, a medium framebag is perfect for this.

I carried my usual stuff, gilet, overshoes and the occasional work shirt.

It's so much better than a carradice saddlebags on account that the handling of the bike felt unchanged, even when I shove in a chain locks.

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So riding with a Carradice is like riding with a hurricane breeze?
pish
Go to a spin class.