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Best Bike Saddle Bags of 2023

JUMP TO: ROCKGEIST MR. FUSION / REVELATE DESIGNS TERRAPIN / APIDURA EXPEDITION SADDLE PACK / ORTLIEB SEAT-PACK / TOPEAK BACKLOADER / DIY SADDLE BAG / BUYING ADVICE

Author: Tristan Ridley

The Short Version

The Long Version

Bikepacking has seen a huge boost in popularity over recent years, and more people than ever are strapping gear onto bikes and heading out on adventures.

Distinct from classical bike touring — it’s much older “rack-and-pannier” equipped big brother — bikepacking favors lightweight soft bags which can be easily attached directly onto the bicycle, without the requirement for any special mounting hardware.

Because no rack mounts are required for bikepacking bags, they have the advantage of fitting a far wider range of bikes. They also make for a much more streamlined, stable, and lightweight setup.

Road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes or commuters; bikepacking bags can be attached to pretty much any bicycle you might have, making them remarkably versatile.

 

The Revelate Designs Terrapin System strapped up and ready to roll. Photo credit: Tristan Ridley.

 

Perhaps the most distinctive and useful of the various bikepacking bag types is the seat pack. Strapped to the seat post and saddle, seat packs (also known as saddle bags) are a great place to store anything from an extra layer or rain jacket to a full sleep system.

Whether you’re simply going out for a day’s ride, escaping for an overnighter, or setting off on a multi-day expedition, a good seat pack is an invaluable piece of gear for any cyclist. 

If you love reading this review of the best seat packs, then you'll likely love reading some of our other gear review pages:

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Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Will it fit? … Will it wobble? … Wheel clearance, pack stability, and more. They are all valid concerns!

If it’s your first time strapping a saddle bag onto your bike then be sure to check out our buying advice at the bottom of the page.

 

Saddled up for the long journey. Photo credit: Tristan Ridley.

 

Best Overall: ROCKGEIST MR. FUSION

WEIGHT: 19.8 oz (560 grams)

VOLUME: 15 liters (also available in 12-liter size)

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Super stable, super convenient. Fully waterproof. The mini-rack holster is outstanding.

CONS: Expensive

Made by US-based bikepacking bag manufacturer Rockgeist, we think Mr. Fusion is the best seat pack on the market today.

Using an integrated mini-rack holster system, it’s not only one of the most stable seat packs money can buy, but also by far one of the easiest to use. It’s fully waterproof, incredibly convenient, and exceptionally durable.

As with many of the best seat packs, the dry bag on the Mr. Fusion can be easily removed for packing off the bike, which makes for far easier packing than having to stuff gear into the bag while it’s still attached.

Unlike the other seat packs in this review, however, the Mr. Fusion uses a minimal Chromoly rack as part of its holster system. This has the advantage of not only making the whole thing more stable but also much easier to pack. Saddle bags usually need to be packed relatively carefully to ensure stability, as they function on compression, but the Mr. Fusion can be packed much more forgivingly due to the support provided by its integrated rack. It’s super easy to slide the dry bag in or out of its holster for loading or unloading, and simple to access the bag while it’s still attached.

At less than 20 oz, its weight is very reasonable for such a large and sturdy bag; and made from durable 210D PU-coated nylon you can expect it to last many miles to come.

Due to demand it can be slightly difficult to get hold of, and it’s just about the most expensive seat pack in this review, but you certainly get what you pay for with this superb piece of gear. If we had to choose just one seat pack from this list, the Mr. Fusion would be it.

Note: The Mr Fusion was originally designed and manufactured by Canadian company Porcelain Rocket, who decided to call it a day in late 2020 and sold their designs to US-based manufacturer Rockgeist. Although the branding and manufacturer may have changed, we believe the design and build quality of the Mr. Fusion remains just as good as the original.

Best for Mountain Biking: REVELATE DESIGNS TERRAPIN

WEIGHT: 20 oz (567 g)

VOLUME: 14 liters (also available in 8-liter size)

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Fully waterproof, very stable. Great holster system. Extremely tough and durable.

CONS: Needs to be packed carefully.

Based in Alaska, Revelate Designs are one of the biggest names in bikepacking, and they have had a huge role in driving bikepacking forward.

Revolutionary when it was first released in 2013, the Revelate Designs Terrapin was the first seat pack to combine a fully waterproof dry bag with a holster system for easy removal from the bike.

This innovation has since been widely copied, but the Terrapin (now on its third iteration) remains one of the best products available today.

Extremely well built, convenient, and stable, the Terrapin is a superb seat pack. It narrowly misses out as our choice of top pick simply because we find the Mr. Fusion slightly more convenient to use; the integrated mini-rack meaning that the seat pack can be packed however you want. Whereas the Terrapin (and every other saddle bag in this article) has to be packed carefully, with heavier items in first and everything well compressed down, to get the bag as stable as possible.

That said, the Terrapin is quite a bit cheaper than the Mr. Fusion, and it’s arguably a stronger pack. Revelate Designs are well known for the remarkable toughness of their products, and you can be sure that this seat pack will be able to take an absolute beating. If you’re looking for a seat pack that will last for years to come, the Terrapin might be your bag.

Best for Road Cycling: APIDURA EXPEDITION SADDLE PACK

WEIGHT: 12.3 oz (350 g)

VOLUME: 14 liters (also available in 9 and 17-liter sizes)

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Very lightweight. Great for quick access. Good choice of sizes. Fully waterproof.

CONS: Less stable/durable than other options.

Leaning towards road and gravel based bikepacking adventures, British-based company Apidura make some of the lightest and slickest bikepacking bags on the market.

Available in three different sizes, the fully waterproof Apidura Expedition Saddle Pack is ideally suited to road cyclists looking to carry some extra gear. The mid-sized 14-liter pack is a good all-rounder; and weighing in at just 12.3 oz it’s plenty light enough to use even on training rides, while still providing more than enough capacity for multi-day trips.

Although it doesn’t use a removable dry bag and harness, like some bags in this review, the Expedition Saddle Pack is still easy enough to remove and reinstall, and it can be easily accessed while attached to the bike. 

The lighter weight of this bag does come at a cost though. The thinner materials make it less stable than others we reviewed, and it’s also likely to be less durable in the long term. For road cycling, this isn’t a problem, as on smoother surfaces there’s very little sway. But we wouldn’t necessarily suggest this for those venturing onto rougher routes or mountain biking territory.

Best for Commuting: ORTLIEB SEAT-PACK

WEIGHT: 16.1 oz (456 g)

VOLUME: 16.5 liters (also available in 11-liter size)

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Huge volume. Fully waterproof, superb build quality. Very light for such a large bag.

CONS: Sags when heavily loaded. Not the most stable for rougher riding.

Ortlieb has long been the single biggest name in bicycle touring luggage, and with the rise of bikepacking it’s no surprise that they’ve expanded their range.

The Ortlieb Seat-Pack is a fantastically versatile saddle bag. Fully waterproof and with a huge 16.5L capacity, it’s just as at home attached to your gravel bike, loaded up with a sleeping bag and tent on the weekends, as it is attached to your commuter and stuffed with everything you’d need for a day at work.

Because it’s such a large bag, the Ortlieb Seat-Pack even has room for a decent sized laptop (it’ll hold a 13” laptop with no problems). And because of its tapered design it needs very little tire clearance, meaning it will fit a wider range of bikes.

The build quality is excellent, despite the Seat-Pack being one of the lightest bags available. It’s also quick and easy to add or remove from the bike. The generous length of the elasticated bungee cord on top is particularly useful for stashing extra layers, and it’s generally a very convenient bag to use.

We did find that when heavily loaded it tended to sag a little and lose some stability, so it might not be the best option for intense mountain biking, but the Ortlieb Seat-Pack is nevertheless one of the best saddle bags out there.

Best on a Budget: TOPEAK BACKLOADER

WEIGHT: 19.9 oz (565 g)

VOLUME: 15 liters (also available in 6 and 10-liter sizes)

PRICE: $$

PROS: Affordable, works well. Fully waterproof with included drybag.

CONS: Not very stable. The double-bag system is a little inconvenient.

Topeak is a well-established company with a history of making great cycling products, and in recent years it has also begun to foray into the bikepacking world.

Bikepacking gear can often be expensive, but the Topeak Backloader seat pack is a great example of a solid product at a very reasonable price point. At 19.9 oz for the 15L version, its weight is on par with the best seat packs on the market and we found it performed very well overall.

The Backloader features a double-bag design – the outer layer which attaches to the bike isn’t waterproof, but it comes with a second, fully waterproof dry bag which nestles inside the first. The Backloader therefore will keep your gear dry, but we did find this system less convenient than the holster system used by our favorite picks. The Backloader is also not the most stable saddle bag as it does tend to sway when standing up on the pedals or when on rougher ground.

Despite a few shortcomings, the Backloader is a fantastic choice for those interested in trying bikepacking yet reluctant to splash out on the more expensive options. Costing less than half as much as the Mr. Fusion (our top pick winner), the Topeak Backloader is nevertheless a high performing saddle bag that’s well suited to just about any adventure you could think of.

Bonus: THE DIY SADDLE BAG

The seat packs we’ve reviewed here are some of the best on the market. But for those interested in dipping their toes into bikepacking without the cost investment, we also wanted to share this handy little trick for a do-it-yourself saddle bag.

Take a regular drybag (around 5-9 liter sizes work best) and close the roll-top clips around the seat post. Then wrap whatever straps you have (bungee cords work fine) through the saddle rails, and around your drybag and seat post.

 

The DIY saddle bag in action, F**k yeah! Photo credit: Tristan Ridley.

 

Provided you’ve cinched it down nice and tightly, and assuming that you’re not carrying too much weight, this is a surprisingly effective way to bring along some extra gear.

It will never be as convenient or stable as a purpose-built seat pack, but it’s nevertheless a great way to take your first steps into bikepacking!

BUYING ADVICE FOR SADDLE BAGS

Tire Clearance

One thing we would always suggest is to make sure that your bike has enough tire clearance (the distance from your saddle to your rear tire) for a seat pack. Manufacturers usually list their clearance requirements (commonly in the range of 8-10”) on their websites.

Seat packs are designed to fit on the vast majority of bikes, so for most people this won’t be a concern. But if you’re riding a smaller frame, especially with 29er wheels, then it’s certainly worth double-checking.

Volume

Depending on what you plan to use them for, seat packs come in various sizes.

We generally find somewhere around 12-15 liters to be the sweet spot for most applications, as this size gives you the capacity to carry extra equipment for overnight trips without becoming unwieldy.

For shorter trips, seat packs are designed to be rolled down to fit their contents, so they can generally be reduced to around half capacity when you don’t need the extra space. 

Stability

How stable a bag you’ll need will depend entirely on your intended purpose. A bag needs to be much more solidly built to handle mountain biking, where the bike will be getting bumped around a lot, than for road cycling, where things will be relatively smooth.

Most seat packs are versatile, but if you do expect to be doing a lot of rough riding then we’d definitely suggest going for a seat pack specifically designed for that kind of terrain.

Waterproofing

Although not essential for everyone, having a waterproof seat pack is extremely useful, and it has therefore become the norm for most seat packs to incorporate this. All the seat packs reviewed here should be 100% waterproof.

Packing style

There are two main different styles of seat packs available. One-piece bags are fully attached to the bike without any separate parts and are therefore usually designed to be packed straight onto the bike. Two-piece systems, on the other hand, incorporate a holster that secures an independent drybag, which can be quickly removed for packing off the bike.

Two-piece systems have the advantage in that it’s generally easier to pack a dry bag that’s not already attached, especially when you need to stuff it full. Although you could do the same with one-piece seat packs, removal takes longer and tends to be more of a hassle. Both systems work well, but we do find holster style two-piece seat packs slightly more convenient to use.

MORE INFORMATION

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