Which tapered dry bag?

[woodsmith]

I need a new tapered for my home-made seat harness. For the last few years I've been using the 13 liter ( more like 10 in reality) Alpkit tapered dry bag. The taped seems failed on it long ago requiring the use of another dry bag inside and now that its developed a couple of holes its time for replacement.

Choices seem to be between the
Acepac 16 liter https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/ ... -dry-bags/
or
Revelate Terrapin Drybag 14 liter https://www.bikemonger.co.uk/revelate-d ... 1506-p.asp

Similar volumes and prices. Revelate is RF welded and 100g lighter, Acepac is taped seams and heavier but has daisy chains.

Anybody got long term experience of either?

[Gpl23]

Previously I had an Alpkit one then bought an Acepac one from here. The Acepac is in a different league in terms of quality and durability and is so much bigger.

[Jurassic]

I have Revelate Terrapin seat packs (both sizes) that I bought to use with a PDW Bindle Rack. Since I bought them I've bought an Acepac holster from Stu as an alternative to the Bindle (which the Terrapin bags fit nicely) but at the same time I treated myself to the Acepac handlebar system. The Revelate bags are great but the quality and vfm of the Acepac stuff has really blown me away. If I was buying again I'd definitely go with the Acepac stuff throughout but as I mentioned the Revelate stuff is nice as well so I imagine you'd be happy with either.

[whitestone]

I use the Wildcat ones - https://wildcat.cc/collections/dry-bags only 56g for the small (7L) one and 64g for the 10L version.

[ChrisE]

I got this guy to make me one. I sent him some dimensions and he made it from superlight DCF. It's absolutly brilliant

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/wildskygear

He's made virtually all my bags over the years (frame bag, taper bag, front roll, feed bags, peg bag, pole and tent bag). I weighed the old and the new and I've saved over 1Kg just by changing to DCF. It's not cheap but it's bloody brilliant.

My Taper bag is far longer than I need but that makes it easy to pack and you can just keep rolling until it's the right size to click the buckles.

C

[RIP]

Mm, really must try some of his stuff. How are the seams waterproofed? I know DCF doesn't like abrasion, although I've not had a problem with my gear, how's yours holding up?

[woodsmith]

Mm, really must try some of his stuff. How are the seams waterproofed? I know DCF doesn't like abrasion, although I've not had a problem with my gear, how's yours holding up?

DCF can be joined with double sided tape and/or sewn and the stiches covered with a strip of DCF tape. Hybrid DCF is available with a facing of 50D or 150D polyester which while it adds to the weigh,t helps with the abrasion problems.

[RIP]

ta

[ChrisE]

Joey (Mr Wild-Skye) did offer several thicknesses of DCFfabric. I went for the thickest one for that bag, black material (we chose a thinner one for feed bags etc). I got him to make two identical bags in case it didnt wear very well but two and a half years on (probbaly 30 trips) there is no damage whatsoever. Mine fits in a WildCat holster. Joey did give me some sticky repiar patch stuff but I've never even got near to needing it. I just measured it and (when laid flat) it's 700mm long and 400mm at the wide end. For years I'd used a Lomo bag. A good bag, big, but again you can just roll it down. I just weighed them too;

DCF - 72grams
Alpkit (small) - 136grams
Lomo 268grams.

It's really easy to trim some weight on bags, for far less cost than using lighter wheels, drivetrain, etc!

[RIP]

It's really easy to trim some weight on bags, for far less cost than using lighter wheels, drivetrain, etc!

Agreed. Some bags are really hefty. Can't be doing with containers that weigh more than their contents.

Wildcat LS21 and some AK LS07 stuff are my best shots at the moment.

Trouble is I'll have to wait to try Joey's gear, as I try very hard not to replace stuff unless it's worn out or gives me a sore bum (steady, Ledburner, steady...) . Maybe Joey could knock me up a DCF water bottle .

[whitestone]

It's really easy to trim some weight on bags, for far less cost than using lighter wheels, drivetrain, etc!

Too true. Even going "super light" my harnesses and bags add up to nearly a kilo! When your total kit is under 4kg having 25% of that just to hold the other stuff is quite a hit.

I seem to remember Beth (at Wildcat) doing some DCF harnesses and bags. Can't remember if they were prototypes for Ian to try out or were generally available. Ah, found it https://wildcat.cc/blogs/news/project-cuben looks like they were just prototypes.

I've a feeling the supposed "fragility" of DCF might be down to misuse rather than any weakness per se. A bit like the "down won't work when the weather's wet" trope.

[stevenshand]

DCF - 72grams
Alpkit (small) - 136grams
Lomo 268grams.

The 10 litre Wildcat bag is 64g.

I don't think I'd be comfortable with anything lighter than that. I'd really like my drybag to be able to keep stuff dry so being very watertight is my first priority, durability and the ability to keep being watertight is second and weight is third.

I've done a lot of simple tests (turn inside-out, fill with water and hang on a line) on loads of bags, including bags mentioned on here and been really disappointed at how well (or not) these bags actually hold up to claims of being drybags.

[ChrisE]

Steve,

I have just checked my old emails from 3 years ago. I think the taper bags are made from 210D dyneema which might mean a lot more to you than it does to me! I was charged £40 and happy to pay that. I've not had any water getting in there and normally have clothes, down jacket and a stove in there (My sleeping bag and tent is on my front roll). I think the taper bag is about 16/18 litres, maybe 14/16.

hope that makes sense.

Chris

[woodsmith]

Steve,

I have just checked my old emails from 3 years ago. I think the taper bags are made from 210D dyneema which might mean a lot more to you than it does to me! I was charged £40 and happy to pay that. I've not had any water getting in there and normally have clothes, down jacket and a stove in there (My sleeping bag and tent is on my front roll). I think the taper bag is about 16/18 litres, maybe 14/16.

hope that makes sense.

Chris

Thanks Chris. Food for thought...

[mattpage]

The Wildcat one I find good. The weight/protection level seems good. No wear on mine, although it's not had masses of use.

In general the Wildcat kit I find very good and well made.

[woodsmith]

In the end I've gone for the Decathlon dry bag.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/6-to-15l- ... R-p-323978
Looks very similar to the Revelate bag and includes a purge valve. 196g for the weight weenies.

[JohnClimber]

Wild cat tapered for lightweight trips
Acepac for bigger and rougher trips

[Alpinum]

DCF - 72grams
Alpkit (small) - 136grams
Lomo 268grams.

The 10 litre Wildcat bag is 64g.

I don't think I'd be comfortable with anything lighter than that. I'd really like my drybag to be able to keep stuff dry so being very watertight is my first priority, durability and the ability to keep being watertight is second and weight is third.

Same here.
I use the Wildcat bag too and find it's at my personal limit of durability. Managed to make some holes in it from loads of hard food packaging mixed with very bumpy riding and very abrasive dust/sand in wet weather. Basically 1200 km in Iceland. Thankfully the fabric is easy to repair with patches.