This is a gear evaluate concerning the Best Top Tube Bags for Bikepacking and Bicycle Touring 2023.
Bikepacking Top Tube Bags are generally known as Top Tube Packs, Cockpit Bags, or Gas Tanks. Whatever you select to name them they make for a really accessible bag on the highest tube of the bicycle. They are excellent for snacks, electronics, sunscreen, or instruments. Anything you need fast entry to when biking.
With so many high tub luggage in the marketplace, I’ve narrowed down the selection and put collectively a shortlist of the very best fuel tank luggage, and added additional information in a purchaser’s information that will enable you to select which one is greatest for you.
Best Top Tube Bags 2023
The Best Top Tube Bags in 2023 are:
Best Top Tube Bag – Overall
Revelate Designs Gas Tank Top Tube Bag
Pros:
> Nice, tapered aesthetic
> Waterproof material & zippers
> Foam padding on the within to guard issues like your telephone
Cons:
> Weatherproof, not waterproof
The Revelate Design Gas Tank Top Tube Bag is likely one of the iconic luggage from Revelate Designs.
It encompasses a hook and loop fastening system for each the highest tube and the entrance tube, so you’ll be able to relaxation assured that the bag will stay firmly safe to the bike. The entrance attachment has a daisy chain design, which implies that you get a alternative of three positions from which to connect it to the bike, to make room for spacers.
The material is waterproof and so is the high-quality wrap-around zipper. In heavy rain water might discover its method inside however general it’s pretty waterproof. It does a greater job at protecting the climate out than the opposite Revelate Designs high tube luggage.
It’s light-weight at simply 3.5oz / 100g, but provides substantial storage capability at 1-liter capability, measuring 9 x 4.5 x2.5 inches / 23 x 11 x 6cm.
Overall, this is likely one of the greatest high tube luggage or fuel tanks as they wish to name it. The Gas tank has confirmed not solely widespread however useful inside the Bikepacking group. Highly really helpful.
Best Waterproof Top Tube Bag
Ortlieb Cockpit Pack
Pros:
> Choice of attachment choices
> Spacious inside capability
> High visibility orange zip pull
Cons:
> Care is required when unzipping a full bag as issues might fall out.
The one factor concerning the Ortlieb Cockpit Pack is the truth that it’s waterproof. Unlike many of the others on this evaluate, you’ll be able to go away your electronics on this high tube bag throughout rain and relaxation assured that they may keep dry. If you need waterproof, that is the bag.
It has a barely smaller inside capability compared to the opposite luggage on this evaluate as it is just 0.8L. It measures 9 x 5 by 4.5 inches / 23 x 13 x 11, and it weighs a mere 4 oz / 118 g. And it’s effectively made and sturdy.
Overall, that is the very best waterproof high tube bag in the marketplace.
Best Bolt on Top Tube Bag
Oveja Negra Bolt-On Snack Pack
Pros:
> Securely bolted onto the bike
> One-handed opening
> 5 nice colour choices
Cons:
> Requires a bolt-on prepared bike body
There are a number of producers which have bolt-on high tube luggage for the manufacturers of bicycles which have bolts on the highest tubes. The Oveja Negra Bolt on Snack pack will work effectively for a lot of these bikes.
The wonderful thing about this pack is that you just don’t have to fret about it sliding down the highest tube bag, and there aren’t any high tube straps to should fiddle round with.
Instead, there are screws that undergo the within of the bag and thru the highest tube. It couldn’t be held on extra securely.
It has an excellent capability – it measures 8.5 x 4 x 3 inches / 21 x 10 x 7 cm and weighs a mere 3.6 oz / 102 g.
It’s made with rip-stop material and could be opened one-handed.
It’s obtainable in a alternative of 5 completely different colour choices. These embrace black, Multicam black, Multicam tropic, fluorescent orange, and coyote.
It is difficult to decide on which Revelate Designs Top Tube bag is greatest.
The Revelate Designs Mag Tank has good straps to safe the bag to the body and doesn’t slide round a lot when in use.
It has a beneficiant 1-liter capability, capable of accommodate all method of substances. It weighs simply 4.5 ounces and measures 8.5 by 5 by 2.5 inches. There are 3 colour choices.
The material is climate resistant however the massive closure flap can enable water in throughout heavy rain. The closure flap makes accessing your gear rapidly is straightforward, due to the magnetic closure on the right-hand facet of the bag. Of all the baggage on this gear evaluate, this one is the simplest to entry one-handed whereas biking.
Overall, the Revelate Designs Mag Tank is likely one of the greatest Top Tube Bags in the marketplace and worthy of its fame as the most effective within the Bikepacking area of interest.
I used one of many earlier variations of the Topeak Fuel Tank with Charging Cable Hole and felt let down by poor-quality stitching and zip that failed after little or no use. It was this early failure that prompted me to surrender on all high tube luggage for a really very long time. But issues have improved with Topeak and each different producer.
This very good and sleek-looking high tube bag has proved highly regarded with clients as a result of funds value.
It has two attachment factors to the highest tube and one with the central tube holding the handlebar, so you may be in no worry of the bag getting free and coming off. It’s straightforward to connect with Velcro straps.
It’s made with high quality, thick 420 Denier nylon, and PVC, and is waterproof. While the fabric could also be waterproof it would nonetheless let water into the bag in heavy rain showers so like most different high tube luggage it’s water-resistant, not waterproof.
The good characteristic of Topeak Fuel Tank is that it encompasses a charging cable exit. This implies that for riders who wish to mount their smartphone or GPS unit onto the handlebar of the bike in order that they will view it as they trip, they will cost it up with an influence financial institution within the high tube bag on the similar time. Or run a cable from a dynamo on the entrance wheel to the ability financial institution.
And if it’s worthwhile to seize one thing from the bag rapidly, there’s a helpful loop on the zipper that you could pull down one-handed to entry your gear instantly.
It is available in two completely different sizes. The medium one has 0.5L capability, weighs simply 4.2 oz / 120 g and measures 7 x 3 x 4 inches / 18 x 7 x 10 cm.
Then there’s the bigger mannequin. It has a 0.75L capability, weighs 5.3 oz / 150 g and measures 9 x 3 x 4 inches / 23 x 7 x 10 cm.
Overall, the Topeak Fuel Tank with Charging Cable Hole is a worthy high tube bag for Bikepacking and Cycle Touring and effectively price contemplating.
REI Co-op Junction Top Tube Bag
Pros:
> Provides 1.3 liters of area
> Has a water-repellent coating
> There are two connection straps
Cons:
> Not very climate resistant
If you’re on the lookout for a spacious high tube bag then this one is perhaps an excellent choice. It provides a whopping 1.3 liter area for all of your gear. In addition to your necessities, you can discover room for a great deal of snacks. But it’s not very climate resistant and I’d restrict utilizing it for electronics except the climate was wonderful.
It has a big 1.3L capability and is light-weight at 5.9 ounces. There’s a twin zipper on the highest of the bag to present you instantaneous one-handed entry to your gear. And there’s a mesh pocket inside to maintain smaller gadgets in like keys. I just like the low value and selection of two colours.
Overall, it is a good high Bikepacking Budget tube bag for biking.
Blackburn Outpost Top Tube Bag
Pros:
> Handy mesh pocket on high
> Enables one-handed opening
> Pocket for small gadgets on the facet
Cons:
> Only obtainable in black
Now, the Blackburn Outpost Top Tube Bag is a superb bag for protecting your gadgets organized and for protecting your most essential gadgets in view.
This is as a result of, along with the massive important compartment, there’s additionally a small zippered pocket on one facet which is nice for stashing keys or free change, and there’s additionally a mesh pocket on high which is the right measurement for a smartphone or GPS unit.
There are two zippers for the primary compartment, and it may be opened one-handed.
There are three attachment factors to safe the bag to the bike, together with 2 very extensive straps for the highest tube and one for the tube on the entrance.
The material is comprised of 4 mm thick, 70 denier rip cease nylon that received’t tear. And it has been handled in order that rain merely drips from it fairly than getting absorbed.
The Blackburn Top Tube Bag is kind of heavy at 8.3 oz / 235 g and measures 9 by 3 by 4 inches / 23 x 8 x 11 cm.
Buyers Guide
As promised, right here’s your shopping for information. It highlights a number of the key issues to consider before you purchase, and makes for a helpful guidelines.
Aesthetic
This is the least essential consideration in shopping for a Top Tube Bag however we are able to all get choosy with regards to colours and types. Most high tube luggage have a tendency to return in both black or slate grey, designed to appear to be a part of the bike itself.
Sometimes you may get different colour choices as effectively. Where this is applicable, I’ve talked about that in our evaluations.
Attachment
It is essential that the bag stays securely connected to the bike as you trip. Top tube luggage which have 3 attachment factors have a tendency to remain mounted to the bike higher than these with solely 2 attachment factors on high tube and stem or head tube.
Similarly, the highest tube packs which have adjustable factors of attachment on the entrance are higher. Generally, having it mounted on the entrance increased is healthier than decrease however this isn’t at all times attainable.
Capacity
The high tube is a wonderful place to retailer electronics, keys, snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, pockets and keys. All the actually important stuff that you could be have to pay money for rapidly. But they aren’t designed to hold an excessive amount of stuff. They are merely not stable sufficient for that goal.
Some high tube luggage could be notably small, so make sure you examine the dimensions first, so you recognize you’ll safely have the ability to embrace all of your important gadgets. One liter is the common measurement for these luggage with something greater tending to lose its agency match.
Easy Opening
Unlike with a pannier bag, with a high tube bag, ideally, you shouldn’t should fiddle round adjusting straps to get to your gear.
The greatest high tube bag is the one with handy closures that you could open and shut one-handed, in an effort to preserve at the very least one hand on the handlebar always.
Value for Money
Top Tube luggage can actually fluctuate in value. You can get some for as little as $15, whereas others can value greater than $70.
I don’t embrace costs on our web site as they will change, so if you wish to know the worth of an merchandise, it’s worthwhile to click on on “Check price” to see the present costs.
Conclusion
Overall, any high tube bag on this evaluate will work effectively and may very well be thought of. Sometimes it would come down to what’s cheaper, or what is accessible in no matter nation you reside in.
The high picks for 2023 are each the Gas Tanks from Revelate Designs:
For superior waterproof talents the Ortlieb is my Waterproof Top Tube Bag of alternative in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are excellent for snacks, electronics, sunscreen, lip balm, keys, wallets, or instruments. Anything you need fast entry to when biking. Want fast entry to an motion digicam or snacks whereas biking then a Top Tube Bag is ideal.
Yes, they’re price it to have an accessible bag that can be utilized to retailer a digicam or snacks that may open and closed simply and rapidly.
BikeHikeSafari Gear Review Process
The writer, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small unbiased adventurer and outside gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.
BikeHikeSafari just isn’t half of a big weblog community and is proudly unbiased. All evaluations on this web site are unbiased and sincere gear evaluations of outside merchandise by the writer.
The writer, Brad McCartney is a really skilled triple crown thru-hiker, adventurer, and bike tourer having spent 1000s of nights sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag (Read extra). He was a supervisor of an out of doors retail retailer and may be very skilled in what’s essential when utilizing and testing gear for evaluations like this.
BikeHikeSafari won’t ever obtain any cash for evaluations and they don’t settle for sponsored evaluations on this web site. All the feedback concerning the gear evaluations are from the writer primarily based on his years of expertise. Hope this unbiased evaluate was useful for you.