PSA: New luggage at AlpKit

[Cheeky Monkey]

Fair play. Having had a look through the detailed pics on AK's site I am struck by the potential for size reduction with this version (forgive me, I have no idea how to crop this so it shows the whole pic without re-hosting and can't be assed, you get the message 8-) ):



Might leave enough room for a diddy milk container in the brew kit. Tea just isn't tea without milk

[jameso]

Seeing the possum on a bike, I really like the look of it, but I'm curious as to how useful it will be, can you get much stuff in there?

I was stuffing a medium-sized possum last night.. sounds like the start of a bad stand-up routine.. and I found the straps do have an advantage there - the bag can be strapped on tight and the central 'rung' takes all the strap tension/strain so the sides are not pulled in or restrained at all, when zipping up a fully-loaded bag that may help the bag take the right shape more easily. For a serial bag-stuffer and luggage wrecker this is very good - the zip I broke on a recent ride was overstrained by the need for a taut bag when full and zipped up and the tension the straps needed to do it and stay secure.
The volume is small as expected but I can (just!) get a mytimug in the central area of a S size Possum with space for a tarp, pegs, a headtorch, a small wind jacket and micro tool kit. It looks like a snake that swallowed a pig but it fits snugly. The M (pewter on in the pic I posted) is more of a weekend-plus size bag for a light packer.

[Yorlin]

It's good to know what you can stuff in where - all the new stuff looks really good, esp the koalas. Not entirely sure about the stem cells but will have to try em...

I'm quite interested in the new stove tbh! Mainly as it looks lovely

Ps, couldn't resist

[Zoglug]

Hmm.......you may just have sold me on the idea Jameso! We shall see if they still have stock come payday!

[alpnick]

One small but hopefully nifty feature is that we have placed the zip a little more centrally. This allows you to turn the bag upside down and gives a few options on weird frame shapes and f/s. It doesn't seem to effect the packing.(ie stuff falling out)

Cheers

Nick

[Firmo]

Has anyone got any experiencing using the Kanga?

Will it make my life that much easier than simply strapping a drybag to the handlebars?

[Bearbonesnorm]

If anyone's consdering a Koala, this might help.

http://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.co ... wered.html

[Adrian Brewster]

Hey firmo, I'm just playing with a Kanga now. Taken it for a blast with a twenty litre rolltop and it is soooo much better than myog lash up that I was using. So far very stable, my only crits would be that there are no spacers to reduce rubbing on levers but the joy of the multipoint attachment daisy chain means that you can adapt your own spacer using a bit of rolled up camping mat or minicell foam. The velcro attachments are plenty good enough for an average load but if you want to carry more gear you can beef them up with extra tape and cam lock buckles as necessary. The USP for the kanga is it's adaptability; you can use it with a wide variety of bikes and setups, adding or removing the rods as necessary and plenty of different attachment points for bike fixings and clipping bits and pieces to it. Am loading up with packrafting gear at the weekend to give it a proper test so will feedback some more experiences.
I'm not supposed to know this but I have been bought a Revelate Harness for Christmas so it will be interesting to compare the two. Eric has had a head start in the design race and I expect the Harness will have greater longevity which will be necessary for me as I am going to give my kit a hammering next year. For the price the Kanga is an absolute bargain and gives back better steering control over myog wobbly bar bags.

[Yorlin]

How does the fixings on the Stem Cell work? Could I fit one either side of the stem? Cheers!

[johnnystorm]

How does the fixings on the Stem Cell work? Could I fit one either side of the stem? Cheers!

If my pre-production ones are the same then there are two Velcro loops. One at 12 o'clock and one at 9 o'clock/3 o'clock depending on left/right placement. I've got one on both sides of my stem. Its a 110mm stem with a Garmin Dakota mount if that helps with considering if you've got enough space.

[Bearbonesnorm]

How does the fixings on the Stem Cell work? Could I fit one either side of the stem? Cheers!

As JS says, much will depend on stem length. I run very short stems (usually 50mm) so on my pre-production version the velcro was actually wider than the available stem, so I cut one of the velcro mounts off ... now it just fastens to the bars rather than bars / stem. Sounds iffy but it's not moved, bounced about or fell off yet

[Yorlin]

Thanks - that gives me a better idea of how they attach. :) Possibly two would be possible if I got the stem velcro straps in to a purposeful fankle...

Only black ones at the mo somewhat tempted to ask about the 'custom' jobbies, I could go a paisley one...

[alpnick]

Excuse the blatant stock update - The factory have just rushed through an order for more fuel pods. So there is Black-Med going up on the site today and some Black-Sml going up tomorrow.

Cheers


Nick

[HUX]

Thanks Nick, im now £20 worse off!

[u02sgb]

Any news on when the Kanga will be in?

[Yorlin]

Bit of a bump - the Roo pouches are in, after the site was down earlier :)

https://www.alpkit.com/products/roo-pouch

(fits on the front of Kanga, on the outside of your drybag full of mars bars)

[Ben98]

Is there any idea when the new pipedreams will be in? Im after one but if there a while off i may have to look elsewhere :(

[Yorlin]

The 'upcoming' page is still not to easy to get to..
https://www.alpkit.com/support/product_updates

And there are no Pipedreams listed as coming. :( IIRC, they have changed the down supplier and are definitely coming back at some point...

[jameso]

Pleased with this re-build of my Day One..



..inspired by being able to get 2 bottles of wine in the L size Possum : ) The daisy-chain helped make the top tube pad integrate with the bag, makes some carry or lock space around the tubes too. It's a pub/shops/easy summer trips bike that replaces 2 bikes I had before. Turned out quite 'Rivendellian', just for riding in civvies. Gearings a little lazy at 34-16 but I have a 38 to go on it.
Off for a ride in a bit that may need some large-size Leffe bottles portaging. Happy New Year!