I made a few saddlebag holsters which I've been testing and are working really well (wayward riders louise style).

I've been using mine with a 14l Restrap dry bag which is fine but I dont find it to be 100% waterproof.

Can anyone recommend a dry bag that is:
- actually waterproof
- light
- tapered
- around 10L
- black colour is preferred

Alpkit? Probably not the lightest, but otherwise ticks your boxes I think, and personally for dry bags that aren't going to be completely inside another bag, I go for robustness over lightweight.

Wildcat. 10L. Waterproof. Tapered. Light (very - 64). Black.

"Premium"

Used mine last weekend in downpours.

RIP wrote: ↑Thu Jul 11, 2024 3:49 pm https://wildcat.cc/products/wildcat-ta ... black

They do a yellow version that seems to be dangerously similar to the yellow accents of my bike
It might be worth giving it a shot (theyre pricey though!)

Dave,
Yes fully agree with you on robustness>lightweight but there are some drybags that are really heavy duty and made for being submerged and battered. Mine wont experience that (I hope!).
I have an alpkit one that opens on one side but it's not Tapered, ill have a look on their website.

Agree with wildcat recommendation. Best balance of lightweight and function .

Valerio wrote: ↑Thu Jul 11, 2024 4:44 pm Dave,
Yes fully agree with you on robustness>lightweight but there are some drybags that are really heavy duty and made for being submerged and battered. Mine wont experience that (I hope!).
I have an alpkit one that opens on one side but it's not Tapered, ill have a look on their website.

It's more abrasion that I worry about. But in a harness it should be fine. Even my heavier Alpkit bags (the tapered seat pack one and double ended ones I use on the bars) have worn visibly, but then I use them without harnesses. Wildcat claim theirs is robust, and I'd take them at their word.

I can't remember if it was Dave Barter or John Climber but a few years ago someone did a test - they filled a Wildcat dry bag and an Alpkit dry bag with water and left them hanging up overnight*. In the morning the Wildcat bag was still full, the Alpkit wasn't.

I've worn both out with use. But then I've used them. If I didn't want them to wear out then I'd leave them in a cupboard.

*Times of day may have been changed in the telling of this story

I have a Wildcat tapered bag, it's about 8 years old and the one hole it has was from a rubbing strap and was patched with Kampa tape. I have a spare one but just haven't needed it yet. I think the beauty of the Wildcat seat harness design is the bag doesn't move inside the harness so abrasion can be little to none. A well-fitted bag can last a long time in there.

Thanks all for the recommendations!

The Wildcat looked like a strong contender but I ended up buying a Fjallraven/Spesh bag
https://www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/bag ... rybag-10l/
Hopefully the shape is similar to the Restrap one.

At £50 RRP it should be treated as armed robbery, at £27 is kind of acceptable.
It's made of recycled 210D and PFAS free.
It's slightly heavier and cheaper than the Wildcat.
Only reason I went for it is the air release valve which I'm curious to try.

Should have got the full yellow jumpsuit thing modelled in the picture too!

faustus wrote: ↑Fri Jul 12, 2024 11:09 am Should have got the full yellow jumpsuit thing modelled in the picture too!

Hey, no spoilers! I'm saving that look for BB200.

faustus wrote: ↑Fri Jul 12, 2024 11:09 am Should have got the full yellow jumpsuit thing modelled in the picture too!

Hahahha that did cross my mind!

The Fjallraven/Specialised collection seems mostly overpriced poorly designed stuff but there are a couple of interesting items (è.g. insulated quilt/hoodie).
One can not fault them for trying something different....although results are mostly laughable.

If you come for the BB200 in that yellow jumpsuit we will have to blame you (and hold you personally repsonsible) for Stu making the course harder for 2025. Maybe the 2025 route will take us through the sewers well and proper

Can't wait

I've tested the 10L fjallraven spesh bag on an event.
Compared to the Restrap 14l dry bag it is narrower, which means the overall length of the bag for the same volume is actually similar.

The valve is definitely helpful when packing, although I wouldn't say it's a must.

The Specialized/Fjallraven quality however proved to be just as good as I heard. S.H.!.T.E.

Here's a video of the bag after 6days of use.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/199eOD ... =drivesdk

I'd say that's a manufacturing defect and they should replace it/refund you.

The tape has just started to come off my Wildcat bag, it's 7 years old and been used probably hundreds of times. I'm quite happy that is normal wear and tear.

Yeah absolutely.

I've asked for a refund and I'll think twice about buying Specialized (or Fjallraven) in the future.
Had heard only bad things about their collaboration and my experience was no different.

My Alpkit tapered dry-bag did much the same very quickly which is why I did'nt recommend it originally. I've never had any item whether a dry-bag, tent rain fly or other that has been durable with these kind of taped seems. The only thing I trust to be truly waterproof and reasonably durable is RF welded seams.

A bit of an update from me as I think this is something that could be useful for some people.

After being disappointed by the waterproofness of the Restrap bag (which tbf has seen better days) and after the Specialized/Fjall dry bag seams failed after 1 ride (admittedly, 1000km long) I've now bought a couple of Revelate tapered bags.

These bags are NOT ultralight (about twice the weight of the restrap) but i don't think 100grs matter too much, especially if its the price for dry kit.
Bags have a relief valve which makes packing quick and easy.
I initially bought the 8L bag and then the 14L bag too.
8L volume is all i need really, but these bags have the same length meaning the 8L one is much narrower. This means that for the same content, the 14L bag ends up being much shorter, keeping the weight closer to the saddle and minimising any tail-wagging.

I've got plenty of clearance between saddle and rear tyre so having a "deeper" bag is not an issue. Anyone with small frames or using a dropper might want to use the 8L bag.

They're not cheap but I can see them lasting a while.
I've done two overnighters with this system, including Dales Divide and the content stayed dry.

Holster (laser cut and stitched by myself: got a couple of spares Im selling! It converts to aerobag holster as well) and Revelate 14L dry bag

Decathlon do a tapered dry bag 13l with a purge valve, really cheap, I bought it with the harness but that's less good, it can be bought separately.
Tim.

trob6 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 30, 2025 11:25 am Decathlon do a tapered dry bag 13l with a purge valve, really cheap, I bought it with the harness but that's less good, it can be bought separately.
Tim.

I was looking at that bag to go with my wildcat, I’ll have to pop an order in for it now. Ta