Bags…Bags…get ya bags here. I have fallen in love with bags on my bikes. What used to be a simple “under the saddle” bag with a tube, tire lever, multi-tool and maybe some CO2, has evolved into carrying keys, phones, pumps, snacks and oh, maybe, just possibly, a few adult beverages for the mid-ride social pause. I have a fine assortment of frame bags, seat bags, handlebar rolls, feed bags and bags that can strap to fork-mount racks. So when Uncle G reached out for a bag tester, I immediately threw my hat into the ring and ding ding…was texting Julie from Stashers setting up the deets for receiving my test bags.
This is what showed up at my doorstep and week later
These bags, advertised as a “Hike and Bike Modular Adventure Bag”, were tested on hikes as well as on bikes. Directly from the Stashers website, this is what their bags entail:
- Ultra Insulated: 50% more insulation than their 2.0 version (longer ride, colder beer)
- Food-grade removable liner
- Durable waterproof tarpaulin (they are, fell in a huge puddle)
- Extra tough durable zippers (they are, stuffed them full and still zipped)
- Fits cans with coozies on them…all types of cans, yeah like all sizes!
- Modular design (more on this later)
The bags come is three different sizes:
- small (2-can, 10”x.3.5”)
- medium (3-can, 15”x3.5”)
- large (4-can, 20.5×3.5”)
(you’ll want to make some quick measurements to see what size you need for where you plan on attaching the bag as well as how many beers you plan on carrying!)
You can also purchase add-ons such as an over the shoulder carrying strap and ice packs. Coozies are on the house!
So during the testing period, what positives did I discover about these bags? One of the first things I appreciated is the zipper placement in relation to the mounting straps. Once the bag is securely strapped on, regardless of location on the bike, access to the zipper is easy and does not require removal of the bag. The wide, durable straps kept the bag secure whether it was attached under the downtube, top tube or to the handlebar. Attaching the bags is super slick. The main straps go around whichever tube you’re attaching it to (you can even attach it to a seat post) and if applicable, there are straps at each end of the bag to wrap around a head tube or seat tube. I found out that if one does not need the added security of straps on each end of the bag, they do not get in the way while riding and the bag will still be secure. I really liked the ability to attach the bags in multiple locations on the bike depending on one’s needs. For me, the small bag underneath the top tube in the front of the triangle worked perfectly for my gravel bike. When we checked it out on a friend’s fat bike, underneath the downtube was the spot for him, completely not interfering with the ability to carry a water bottle.
Yet another experiment we did, in order to test the modularbility, was to take a bar bike and see how many beers we could fit for an urban assault. And yes, this modular system works quite well. The patented loop and strap system allow for a modular system in front of your cockpit or inside your frame. In essence, we created a frame bag out of the three sizes and discovered we could not only transport a responsible amount of beers but also a tube, tool and other techy gizmos.
On a quarantine hike with the family, the size large bag was perfect for carrying mom and dad’s thirst quenchers over the shoulder as we walked down by the river for a few Neil Young covers.
As far as functionality goes, these little affordable bags check several boxes. They are easy to attach, waterproof, easy to access, zip open and closed without a tug of war, can strap on almost anywhere and come in the size you need to carry your load. Despite my high recommendation to try one out, there were a couple of complaints. In-frame bags tend to be narrow enough so as not to rub your legs during pedaling.
When we attached the medium bag under the top tube, that was not the case. We discovered that although not being to carry as many beers as we would like, the small bag attached inside the front of the triangle took care of our issue. The other nitpick I had was the handlebar placement which prevented me from using the top of my drop bar because of the point of attachment. When attached to the handlebar, there simply is not a gap between the bag and the bar. Easy fix though…strap it on somewhere else. That’s the joy of these bags. Where you want ‘em, strap ‘em. If it doesn’t work, strap ‘em somewhere else.
In addition to three different sizes, these bags come in three different colors and a floral pattern so you can match your Magnum P.I. paint scheme to your Stashers bag.
You could win one of the bags pictured above – Contest Details
Dang! Those are neat! I’m always looking for ways to up my beer capacity!
I used to have something like this back in the 90’s to sling over your shoulder w/ a 6er, but it was used more for stashing the grafix than anything.
I like the Lego-esque adaptability, and the fact that the smaller one isn’t limited to a single attachment point. Very cool!
2 questions for you Andy ->
1- How well did cans fit with the ice packs? Were you down an icy cold beverage if you included one?
B- Can you fit a crowler in there? Inquiring minds want to know!
Thanks Andy, Cheers!
yo erv! question 1: if you take out the clear liner, the cans still fit with coozie and ice packs. still holds the same number of cans. question 2: didn’t try a crowler but damn good idea!
Hey all! Thank You Andy for this awesome review! Really appreciate the kind words, pics and great detail you covered here.
To answer Erv’s question: the v3.0 bags don’t quite fit a crowler, but there is a new bag version coming soon I’ll be naming v3.5, it’s the same length as the medium bag, 15”, but much wider – it’ll hold up to the size of a champagne bottle or larger camera housing / lenses, a coffee kit, crowler etc. Best mounted on the bars or forks – it’ll be too wide to ride with on the top tube. Let me know if you have any other questions I’m happy to answer them.
Sweet! Thanks Julie!