Cheapest Bikepacking Bags – Bikepacking on a Budget
With bikepacking becoming more and more popular, larger companies are now entering the market to try to produce the cheapest bikepacking bags. In the past you had to pay large sums for handmade bags from smaller independently owned manufactures.
But unfortunately, not all of us can afford those top-notch bags from companies such as Revelate Designs, Rogue Panda, or Porcelain Rocket. If you’re looking for high quality bags that will last much longer than you thought possible, check them out.
A benefit to purchasing the cheapest bikepacking bags is that you may be completely new to bikepacking and not sure if you’ll enjoy it. If you don’t like it you’re wallet won’t be hurting much, but if you do have a good time, and I know you will, you’ll have a good base to start with and a bit of experience to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t.
Below are the cheapest bikepacking bags setup that I could find without sacrificing too much in the quality department. At the time of writing this everything listed here could be had for less than $120!!
The Moosetreks full frame bag is an excellent choice for its price and it’s loaded with features you won’t find on other frame bags at this price. It comes in 3 different sizes so that you can get a near custom fit for your bike. The small has a carrying capacity of 6.5L, the medium is 12L, and the large is a whopping 14L.
Made from ripstop nylon and laminated with thermoplastic polyurethane, this bag is very durable and water resistant.
All bags also have 2 zipper compartments so that your gear can stay organized. A problem with the large one compartment frame bags is that all of your gear will end up settling to the bottom of the bag which causes the bag to bulge out. Sometimes so much that the crank arms end up rubbing the bag. The removable divider solves this problem.
Made up of 2 layers of TPU coated nylon this saddle bag is claimed to be 100% waterproof, but I would suggest double bagging anything you’d like to keep dry. I store my sleeping gear and clothes in 2 dry bags and I highly suggest others do as well. Doing so has saved me from sleeping in a wet sleeping bag a few times.
The bag is attached to the seat post and saddle rails via velcro and nylon straps. This saddle bag doesn’t have any hardware or reinforced mounting points so loading up your gear with the heaviest items at the bottom of the bag will help with the saddle sway that bags such as this one are prone to.
With a capacity of 3-10L, you can use this bag for a quick weekend trip or on a round the world expedition.
The Roswheel handlebar bag and harness can be trusted to keep your gear dry with its double wall TPU coated nylon.
I’m not sure how much this bag would flop around on rough terrain but I would suggest wrapping some Voile straps around the bag and handlebars since the harness for the bag only has 3 small velcro mounting straps
Total capacity of the dry bag is 3-10L, perfect for your tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag.
The dry bag can be removed from the harness for easy unpacking while leaving the harness strapped to your handlebars.
This top tube bag by Roswheel is perfect for storing your phone, snacks, and other essentials you would need easy access to throughout the day. In fact I leave mine unzipped since I use everything that’s in it so much, the only time I close it is when its raining.
Made with foam padding and PVC water repellent you can be sure your phone and other breakables will be safe while you’re bombing that chunky gravel road.
The first one of these bags I saw was called a grub bag but they are also called water bottle bags and even chum buckets. Whatever you want to call them they are awesome!
I keep two of them on my bike and I keep a water bottle in the right one and either my GoPro or bear spray in the left one, just depends on where I am. They are also great for storing that extra bit of food you want to have quick access to while riding.
A lot of them are made with a bit of padding to keep your water bottles a little more insulated but this one by Roswheel takes that to the next level. They line theirs with mylar so you can bet your frosty brew will stay cold, or hot.
Even though the cheapest bikepacking bags might not be up to the same quality standards as some of the industry leaders, they are an excellent option for those who are new to the gravel roads or for those who like to save their money for cold fermented hops after a long days ride.
If you know of some gear that belongs on this list please let me know in the comments section below. Cheers and thanks for reading… Happy pedaling!
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