We purchased a set of rider cockpit bags from Revelate Designs a couple of months ago to use on the test bikes that come through the shop. For obvious reasons, I seldom ride without a camera and I own ‘gas tank’ style bags from several other bag makers, where I carry my trusty Lumix DMC-LX5 digital camera. My camera, is like a hammer is to a carpenter. It’s an essential tool, that needs to be ready at a moment’s notice and these ‘gas tank’ style bags store my camera where I can grab it and shoot, even while riding. I also seldom ride without some sort of snacks or beverages. On my own personal bikes, I either have bottle cages or a frame bag (or both), where I can carry all of that…along with an extra tube, tools and a pump. When we get a new test bike in for review, there’s usually no cages or frame bag included, so that means that all of those items go into a hydration pack. When possible, I prefer to ride without a backpack, so this trio of new bags from Revelate Designs was an experiment, to address that preference for both, every day rides and for loaded bike touring (now called bikepacking). I used the new set of bags during a month long test of the Heller Bloodhound Trail and I’m currently utilizing them on the Salsa Blackborow cargo adventure rig that’s in the shop for review. Let’s start with the new Mag-Tank.
Eric and Dusty do a great job in their video of explaining how the Mag-Tank works, so I borrowed their video (above & below) so you can see how the product works. Because I keep a digi-cam in the bag, the rain-proof nature of the flap closure is much better than any other zippered version of a ‘gas tank’ style bag. The magnetic closure is bomber and I’ve never had it come open, by accident. The other thing that’s mentioned in the video is the sticky rubber strap on the bottom of the Mag-Tank. The problem with most gas tank bags is that they slip and slide sideways on the top tube. The grippy rubberized strap on the Mag-Tank keeps it in place better than all of the other gas tank bags that I’ve tested.
The inside of the Mag-Tank is fluorescent green, so you can see the interior better and there’s enough room for both my camera and my super-sized smartphone. This bag has become one of those items that I want to put on every bike that I own. It allows for a one handed, rapid deployment of my camera and easy one handed secure closure, so it can be executed while riding. The Mag-Tank could be used for other items, other than a camera. I’m just explaining how I utilize the Mag-Tank. The Revelate Designs Mag-Tank is the BEST ‘gas tank’ style bag that I’ve ever tested. – MSRP – $59 usd.
Soon after, I started testing the Revelate Mountain Feed Bags, I saw Dusty’s installation video and thought to myself, he must have seen some of my pictures, because I had mine installed incorrectly. One of my dearest friends, Adam Blake, aka : Fatty Lumpkin, always kept a feedbag on his bikes and somewhere back in the early days of fat-bikes, I acquired a Chaff Bag from Bike Bag Dude. So I have some experience with this style of handlebar bag. About two years ago, Revelate updated their Mountain Feedbag with the one handed closure that’s demonstrated in the video (above).
This makes the Mountain Feedbag fully functional while riding. Let’s say that you’re flying down the trail and get a hanker’n for some Skittles. You can open the bag – grab some skittles – and then close the bag before you get to the rock garden, where circumstances beyond your control might eject some of your skittles, if the bag isn’t closed. I primarily use the Feedbag to hold water bottles in the main compartment and on a recent bikepacking trip, kept a Honey Stinger waffle and a pouch of applesauce in the side pockets that adorn the new Mountain Feedbag.
The other improvement that I like on the Mountain Feedbag is the fastex buckle on the bottom strap that goes around the crown of the fork. It makes getting all of the straps of the Oveja Negra, Front End Loader and Lunch Box (pictured above) much easier to get situated and facilitates quick and easy installation and removal from any bike. Now that I’ve used a Mountain Feedbag, I want one for every bike that I own! – MSRP – $49 usd.
So the bottom line for the Mag-Tank and the Mountain Feedbag from Revelate Designs is that we bought the items with our own, hard earned cash….and we’d buy them again, without hesitation. If you’re looking for ways to carry some essentials on your bike, we highly recommend these products.
The other item from Revelate that we highly recommend is their Washboard Straps. These straps changed the way I look at attaching bags to my bike. They make anything cages work so much easier and keep things snug and secure. The best nine bucks that you can spend on your bike and they’d make incredible stocking stuffers for your amigos. – MSRP – $9 usd
All 3 of these products earn 5 out of 5 gnomes!
For more information about Revelate Designs visit – www.revelatedesigns.com
Very nice, I like Skittles.