Restrap Saddle Bag vs Salsa EXP Seatpack
Two seat packs, measured against each other on the figures that decide whether they work on a bike.
The short answer
The Restrap Saddle Bag is ahead on capacity, how far it reaches back, tire clearance and weight. Nothing measured here goes the other way.
Assembled from the differences below rather than written over them. Every figure is a published measurement or computed from one — nobody here has used either one.
Where they differ
4 of the 6 things we can measure come out differently.
Capacity
1L more in the Saddle BagThe maker's own figure. Worth reading alongside the dimensions below rather than on its own — two bags of the same litreage can want very different frames.
Reach behind the saddle
4cm shorter on the Saddle BagLength is the lever arm on the seatpost, and the longer lever is what makes a loaded pack sway. Shorter is easier to live with; longer usually means more volume. It is a trade, not a fault.
Depth
2cm shallower on the Saddle BagDepth is what competes with the rear tire once the pack sags under load. On a small frame or a big tire this is the measurement that decides it.
Weight
50g lighter on the Saddle BagEmpty weight as published. Worth holding against capacity rather than alone — the lighter bag is not the better one if it carries a third less.
Side by side
Including the rows where they are level.
| Restrap Saddle Bag | Salsa EXP Seatpack | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 14L | 13L |
| Reach behind the saddle | 46cm | 50cm |
| Depth | 20cm | 22cm |
| Weight | 350g | 400g |
| Price | $140 | $140 |
| Per litre | $10.00 | $10.77 |