REI Co-op  Link Seat Pack

I'm interested in taking up backpacking and this was my first piece of cargo equipment that I got. Unfortunately as I tried it out I found that my legs rub against the pack when pedaling because of the width of the pack by the seat post. I thought the pack would be handy for carrying gear on shorter trips as well so I wouldn't have to use a backpack but the rubbing while pedaling bothered me. Size-wise I found that my small summer sleeping bag filled it up entirely so I'd need other packs to carry a lot of the other gear I'd need for an overnight trip. The other features such as the bungie cords didn't really stretch enough to secure anything large, and it was the same as the flat pocket underneath. It would only be good for something long and skinny.

Read a lot of subpar reviews about this bag that all seem to be due to user error, i.e., not packing it fully, not cinching down the straps, not putting heavy stuff at the bottom, not putting tent poles in the bottom sleeve, too much weight, etc. I fit my tent, poles, rain fly, and sleeping bag into this and was able to lash a tarp, jacket, and extra water bottle on top using the bungees for a four day, 360 mile trip on mixed terrain trails and it worked flawlessly. Plus sandals and a rear light using the side straps. I bought it 20% which was essentially 1/3 the price of the leading brands, and couldn’t imagine needing anything else. Awesome product from REI

Just used this for a 3-day bikepacking trip along with the link frame bag. Both were easy to install on my bike and worked great. The elastic webbing on the top is great for stashing extra gear along with the pocket on the underside. Definitely a great value.

I've used the pack on one bikepacking trip. It does wag back and forth a bit, but it isn't really a problem. One problem is that the seat post attachment may work better with a larger diameter seatpost than my dropper. I'm going to try adding a piece of rubber between the fabric attachment and post next time. I really like the tent post sleeve as my circa 1976 Sierra Designs Flashlight has longish poles.

Strapped this to my road bike (I’m mid-move and my hybrid hasn’t arrived yet) and it was instantly helpful. I suspect this bag isn’t meant quite for a light bike but it handled well. The straps grab the seat post nicely (along with the helpers that clip under the saddle). I really liked the locks on the tightening straps and the included stuff sacks was helpful. I could easily carry a light change of clothes for after a morning ride or pack in a few things for a quick (small) trip to the store. so long as I didn’t put anything too heavy in there or try any extreme maneuvers, my balance was fine though I look forward to moving it over to a more suitable bike soon.

Felt compelled to leave a review after reading a few on here from folks that aren't using this bag correctly. First, if the bag is sagging, it's because you didn't pack it correctly and/or didn't put your tent poles in the sleeve on the bottom. Pack it correctly (ideally off the bike) by making sure you stuff everything in as far as it'll go, then rolling the end until very tight, then cinching the straps. Using tent poles in the sleeve will give the bag additional structure. Second, leg rub is also often due to not packing it correctly—you can see extra bag material next to the seatpost in one reviewer's photo. The bag should be packed taut to keep the widest part furthest away (this bag gets wider towards the back). When used correctly, this bag is great. Secure, weatherproof, relatively easy to take on and off, and big enough for most adventures. Straps to stash a windbreaker, spare tube, or platypus bottle on top. And it looks nice. Good luck finding a cheaper bikepacking saddle bag with this set of features. My only nit is I wish it were 14L instead of 11L. A few more inches of space at the end would make it that much more versatile.

If you're a budget bikepacker like me, don't waste your money here. First, the pack sits horizontal instead of at an angle. Because of that, the strap system renders it not quite useless, but pretty close. A standard lightweight mummy bag takes up the first half of the pack, so if you tighten the second straps (and you will have to) it will cause everything else to "barf" out to the end of the pack. These two things together cause the pack to curve back towards the tire (pic 1) . Not good. After just a couple weekenders (and countless mid-ride readjustments) the bag ripped (pic 2). Not the end of the world but I don't see it getting better. Unless you ride a 26er. Works great on that.

I bought this and the associated pannier bags for a seven-day bikepacking trip with my daughter. We were able to carry our gear for the whole trip in these bags with two lightweight backpacks as well. It held up well over several hundred miles, but there was only one day with inclement weather. With the dry bags, our gear was never wet and it rained hard that day. My only complaint is that it takes some work to get the bag firmly attached to the seat. I found that if you remove strap ends from the sliding holders that hold the strap ends, you can really ratchet them down and make the bag tight to the seat. All in all, a solid product for the price. I expect to use it a great deal more.

I just used this on a weekend bikepacking trip and this was the perfect saddle pack. I fit a 40° sleeping quilt, my camp clothes, my puffy coat, and my inflatable pillow in here with ease. However, if I were taking my winter bag or any more clothes than this, it would not fit. I really like the attention to detail and the straps fit securely on my Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. If installing correctly, this pack does not budge. I suspect other users with fit issues likely did not unhook the strap to get a tight enough cinch. In addition, I have thick thighs, so I usually have issues finding packs where my thighs won’t rub on the Velcro. This was no issue at all with this pack. I really love this pack. My only complaint is that they don’t make this pack any larger for colder season or longer trips.

This seat pack was great and held all my clothes for a 5 night mountain backpacking trip. I'd give it 5 starts except the only downside was it wobbled back and forth a lot so I added two of my own old school toe straps through the seat stays and connected to the rear set of straps. This solved the problem and made it function like the more expensive Ortlieb packs my friends had.