Note: At my request, the bags were made available to me for testing by Sportsnut, the German distributor of Restrap.
If you are involved in bikepacking, sooner or later you will come across the bags from Restrap. The Brits have been part of the scene for many years and now offer really good bags and backpacks/vests. A few years ago, they further diversified their range and, in addition to a classic bikepacking line, also offer a race line-up that is focused on weight and performance.
With this, they have met the needs and tastes of many ultra racers and bikepackers. And in the major ultra races such as the Silk Road Mountain Race (2025 12%, Top 5) or Atlas Mountain Race (2025 12%, Top 4), Restrap bags have now become one of the preferred bags when things get serious.
In recent weeks I had the opportunity to test a selection of Restrap bags:
- Restrap Race Top Tube Bag 1.5L
- Restrap Race Aero Bar Bag 7L
- Restrap Race Bar Bag Drop Bar 7L
- Restrap Frame Bag Large 4.5L
- Restrap Saddle Bag 8L
- Restrap Race Stem Bag 1.1L
In addition, I also tested the Restrap Hydration Vest and rode it during the North2Peak. I find this vest very good, also because it offers a lot of space to store bars/gels as well as rain gear in addition to the 2L hydration bladder. I will therefore also buy it myself.
You can find my test report and comparison with the Apidura hydration vest here:
The Restrap Bags in the Test
Contents
- Restrap Race Top Tube Bag
- Restrap Race Aero Bar Bag
- Restrap Race Bar Bag Drop Bar
- Restrap Frame Bag Large
- Restrap Saddle Bag
- Restrap Race Stem Bag
Restrap Race Top Tube Bag
I am a fan of longer top tube bags, as they offer more space for necessary items with direct access while saving space at the same time. This way, I can also use a smaller bag elsewhere or even do without one entirely.
However, you have to make sure that when standing there is still enough space between the crotch and the top tube bag.
The Restrap Race Top Tube offers quite a lot of space with 1.5L: I usually have my multitool, spare battery, tissues, gels, and bars in the front. In the rear section, I carry my electric air pump and 1–2 spare tubes (UL).
The first thing I always pay attention to is the attachment and how stable the bag sits on the top tube. Restrap does a very good job here, as the bag is not only very dimensionally stable but also securely fastened.
For this, Restrap has developed an unusual type of fastening at the front: the MOLLE Hypalon mount with Fast-Strap. MOLLE stands for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is a system of horizontal loops and straps originating from the tactical military sector, which allows equipment and bags to be attached almost arbitrarily. On the top tube, the MOLLE system is complemented by a Hypalon piece that is attached to the bag, wraps around the steerer tube below the stem, and is fixed with a Fast Strap. That looks strange at first but holds very well.
In addition, a wide rubberized Velcro strap in the middle and a narrower rubberized strap at the rear end hold the bag firmly on the top tube. This is also supported by a rubberized strip on the rear underside of the bag.
Visually, I also like the Top Tube a lot. Its shape stability makes it slim enough so that no knee touches it while pedaling. People who have problems with that should definitely take a look at the Restrap.
The bag is made from X21 outer material, which feels like a plastic coating. On top there is a YKK Aquaguard two-way zipper. This can be operated easily even while riding.
On the sides, there are small mesh pockets in which you can store trash or bars. They hold even when things get a bit rough. Inside, there are small horizontal slip pockets on the sides and an elastic band with which you can, for example, secure your smartphone or power bank. I would wish for a divider here, with which I could partition the bag.
However, there is a deduction when it comes to waterproofing. According to Restrap, the material used is waterproof. That may be true, but unfortunately, I found that after rain, there was moisture inside the bag. I suspect that the zipper is the weak point here. The fact that the Top Tube currently still has challenges in this regard was also confirmed by some of my Instagram followers who wrote to me about my picture of the bag that it is not waterproof.
The weight is 177g (self-weighed) / 187g according to the manufacturer, which is quite light for a 1.5L volume. The price is 82 euros.
Restrap Race Aero Bar Bag
Now we come to one of my two favorite bags from the Restrap test: I always wanted to test another aero-bar bag (after the Cyclite) and was very impressed by the Restrap Aero Bar Bag.
This is a harness system, where the carrier is attached at four points to the aerobars. At first glance, it looks rather wobbly, but in practice it holds very solidly. I also had to get used to the fact that the harness shell is not also fixed to the head tube, but only hangs on the aerobars.
The dry bag, which has a maximum volume of 7L, then goes into this harness shell. I transported my sleeping bag, sleeping pad, sleeping liner, sleeping clothes, and pillow there. The dry bag is tightened in the harness with straps and secured from the front with another strap that has a Fidlock magnetic closure.
It doesn’t wobble and doesn’t move, which makes riding with this Aero Bar Bag very pleasant and unobtrusive. You don’t have to get used to it; it just works. And I didn’t find the steering behavior to be any different or restricted. Once mounted, it actually doesn’t stand out any further. And mounting it is very simple.
This makes the front a bit more aerodynamic: the Aero Bar Bag provides less resistance and practically turns the luggage from horizontal to vertical compared to the classic handlebar roll. This also gives the bike a cleaner look at the front.
It also sits securely off-road. And if you still have space between the aerobars on top, you can attach things to the top of the harness holster.
The dry bag is, according to Restrap, waterproof, which I can confirm from practical experience. However, you should make sure that the roll closure is properly closed and pulled downward so that water cannot seep in.
If I had one wish, it would be that the dry bag might get a valve one day.
The weight of harness holster and dry bag together is 330g (self-weighed) / 278g according to the manufacturer. The price is 120 euros. And I’m also thinking about buying it.
By the way: Lifetime Warranty
It’s important to know that Restrap offers a lifetime warranty on its products, providing a sustainable advantage:
Restrap products offer a lifetime warranty to protect against material and manufacturing defects. We stand behind our products and will cover the cost of repairing or replacing a defective product.
Restrap Race Bar Bag Drop Bar
Let’s move on to the second favorite item: if you think the topic of front rolls has been exhausted, you’re wrong. At first, I also expected a classic handlebar roll in harness style with a dry bag. So I was all the more surprised when I found that the Restrap Race Bar Bag Drop Bar is quite a clever system featuring smart detail solutions.
The harness shell is attached to the handlebar and stem. Fixation to the head tube is provided by a thin strap. This means it doesn’t take up much space there, especially if you already have a frame bag mounted.
In addition, the shell is attached to the handlebar with two wide straps and tightened firmly. This holds very well. The only point of criticism: due to the fixation mechanism, the strap runs downward. This means that when I’m riding with a food pouch, I can no longer reach the straps and therefore cannot retighten them if something loosens due to rough terrain.
I know harness shell fastenings on the handlebar only in such a way that the fixing strap runs upward, so I always have access.
Restrap paid attention with the Drop Bar Bag to make it narrow enough for this type of handlebar and not to block the brake/shift levers. Therefore, the holster is 28cm wide. I ride a 46cm drop bar with flare, and that had plenty of space.
In the middle of the shell runs a Velcro strip, which allows you to hang the dry bag there and then calmly perform the tensioning. Normally, you have to hold the dry bag and at the same time try to bring the straps from the holster together over it. A very smart idea to solve this with a Velcro connection that helps with that.
The dry bag is also a surprise. It’s not a classic dry bag, but more like a bag that opens upward and has mesh pockets on both sides. The principle is that the wide bag closure is rolled up and then fixed by the closures from right and left. A piece of Hypalon fabric also lays over the edges of the roll closure. The mesh pockets on the sides are then easily accessible.
I find that quite good and was impressed. This makes the dry bag very accessible, easy to pack and compress, and it can be fixed very easily in the harness holster.
Another luxury wish: please add a valve.
The dry bag offers 7 liters of volume. That’s a lot of space, and I was able to fit my entire sleeping setup in there. Of course, you shouldn’t overload it so that the closure still works and you can roll it more than once. I recommend at least 3–4 rolls.
Restrap claims the dry bag is waterproof. I can basically confirm that, but after a day of riding in heavy rain at the North2Peak, where it really rained intensely and for a long time and the bag was naturally very exposed, there was some moisture inside. That wasn’t ideal since my sleeping bag was in there. I can only assume that water must have entered through the multiple-rolled closure. But it was also exceptional weather.
Nevertheless, I will probably also get this bag for the handlebar and use it when weight matters and you don’t need much. I find it very compact, light, and easy to use.
The weight of harness shell and dry bag together is 267g (self-weighed) / 325g according to the manufacturer.
The price is 144 euros.
Restrap Frame Bag Large
Unfortunately, the Race Frame Bag was not available for testing. Instead, I took the Frame Bag Classic, which also offers 4.5L of volume.
This one is quite large and actually provides enough space for a lot of stuff. In addition, it still allows the transport of bottles in the frame.
On my Salsa Fargo, frame size L, the 4.5L version was a bit too long. It measures 52cm at the top and is attached to the top tube with three wide rubberized Velcro straps. In addition, it is tensioned with clip fasteners on the seat tube and twice on the down tube. This way, it doesn’t move and stays stable.
The bag has openings on both sides. The non-drive side is flatter and a single large compartment.
The drive side has a larger and wider compartment with one small and one large mesh pocket on the side. That helps with organization.
At the nose of the bag, there is also an opening for cables. A hydration tube would also fit through there.
The interior lining is orange, which means good visibility when you’re looking for something inside and it’s maybe already dark outside.
At 233g (self-weighed), the Frame Bag Large is not really heavy, even though the material used appears very robust. Restrap states the weight as 238g.
The bag is handmade and uses the so-called VX21 fabric. This is water-repellent. In practice, that also works well. The frame bag was tight even in the rain, and I could not detect any moisture inside. The YKK zippers are also somewhat sealed.
The price is 108 euros.
Restrap Saddle Bag
For this test, I chose the 8L version of the classic Restrap Saddle Bag. Restrap also uses the harness system here, consisting of a holster and a dry bag.
The holster is very stable and is attached to the seat post with a Velcro strap and to the saddle rails with two straps. The dry bag is then secured with the same straps. On the top side, there is an additional elastic cord, which can be used to attach things like a jacket or gaiters.
The 8L dry bag is shaped narrowing toward the bottom and closed with a roll closure. Here too, I would wish for a valve.
The full dry bag is then slid into the holster and secured with a strap and a magnetic Fidlock closure. Then you tighten the straps on the right and left sides, pulling the holster together.
At the bottom of the holster, there are straps that are black or orange. I didn’t quite understand what I could do with them, but I assume that they allow me to adjust the size of the holster if the dry bag has become a bit fuller.
The dry bag is advertised as waterproof, which I can confirm. Two years ago, I bought the Restrap Race Saddle Bag with an 8L dry bag (the same one used in the normal Saddle Bag) and used it among other things during the Trans Balkan Race. It rained there for almost 3 days—no, poured. And the Restrap did not fail and was always dry. No creeping moisture either.
However, personally, I find the normal holster—described here—better than the Race holster. I managed to get the Race version tight enough so that it didn’t wobble when loaded. But it always loosened again, which of course was due to the terrain in the Balkans and the type of attachment. The normal holster here is heavier, but more stable and doesn’t wobble at all.
The weight for holster and dry bag is stated by Restrap as 427g. I measured 448g. The Race Saddle Bag including dry bag weighs 263g.
The price for the Saddle Bag is 138 euros, and for the Race Saddle Bag 144 euros.
Restrap Race Stem Bag
I am a fan of food pouches, as they offer good space for snacks on the go, with direct access. But it’s important to me that I can open and close the food pouch with one hand.
The Race Stem Bag, with 1.1L volume, is large enough to hold a lot. It also has small mesh pockets on the sides.
It is attached in the usual way with a Velcro strap to the handlebar, one to the stem, and a securing strap to the fork.
Unfortunately, operating the closure with only one hand via the corresponding cord didn’t really work. I know stem bags mainly with two cords: one for opening and one for closing. Here it was a bit different, and you had to pull upward. I assume I just didn’t understand how it was supposed to work.
In addition, the Restrap is missing a hole in the bottom. I find that important, because dirt and crumbs can fall out there and moisture can also drain off.
However, I like that the bag is well padded and can therefore also be a good place for a smartphone or a camera—if it’s not raining.
Conclusion Restrap Bikepacking Bags
Restrap shows with its bags why the brand is so popular with many bikepackers and ultra racers.
They are not only solidly made but also thoughtfully designed—nothing wobbles, nothing rattles. Especially the Aero Bar Bag and the Drop Bar Bag surprised me with their simplicity and stability.
Of course, there are also a few points where Restrap could improve: the Top Tube Bag is not as waterproof as one would wish, the Stem Bag is a bit awkward to operate, and the Race Saddle Bag could be reviewed again regarding the attachment. But these are minor issues that hardly detract from the overall very positive impression.
What I particularly like is the combination of clear function, high-quality workmanship, and the sustainable approach with a lifetime warranty. That shows that Restrap doesn’t just make bags, but products for people who are out there—whether in an ultra race or on an after-work ride.
And anyone looking for lightweight and functional bags is absolutely right with the Restrap Race series.
