Ortlieb, Osprey and Deuter Seat Pack Reviews
The seat pack is one of the largest volume bags in most bikepacking setups. They are also arguably the most finicky to set up and fit to your bike. They require careful packing, correct positioning, snug attachment and enough clearance above your tire to avoid problems down the road.
We tested a number of bikepacking seat packs and offer our review of three distinctly different models, each with its own design approach, mounting system and merits: the Ortlieb Seat Pack QR 13L, the Osprey Escapist 9L, and the Deuter Mondego 16L.
From left to right: the Ortlieb Seat Pack QR 13L, the Osprey Escapist 9L, and the Deuter Mondego 16L.
Size Matters When Choosing the Best Bikepacking Bags
Frame size, that is. Of course, bag size matters, too. So, once you identify an approximate seat pack volume, it’s time to figure out which seat bag(s) will work best with your bike. Most saddle packs are designed to work on most bikes, be it a mountain bike, gravel bike or touring bike. That said, your frame size and related clearance between your seat and rear tire are the deciding factors for finding the bag that will work best with your bike.
Due to their somewhat cantilevered position behind the saddle, seat packs are prone to bounce and sag over time, especially on rough roads. Ultimately, how you pack a seat bag influences how much bounce and sag you experience, but the clearance between the saddle bag and your rear wheel is still key to successful bikepacking with a seat pack.
While most saddle bag designs feature a common shape and look, their attachment or harness system makes a significant difference in how they work on a given bike. The Ortlieb, Osprey and Deuter seat packs each feature a different attachment design. Let’s dig into the details.
Ortlieb Quick-Release Seat Pack
Ortlieb bikepacking bags set the industry standard for waterproofing and durability. The newish Ortlieb Seat Pack QR 13L bikepacking bag features a quick-release mounting system that creates a stable, secure mount. It’s dropper post compatible, gives the bag a little extra stability and is, as the name implies, truly quick-release.
Quick-Release System
The Ortlieb quick-release mount, called the Seat-Lock, clips onto the seat rails and uses a seatpost strap for added stability. It’s adjustable to match the fit and angle of your seat. How well it fits your bike is related to your seatpost layback and, like any seat pack, the height of your saddle above your rear tire. The bag itself extends about six inches from the seat rails. The Ortlieb works best with at least seven inches of clearance between the seat rail and the tire.
The Seat-Lock mounting system adjusts fore and aft to match different seat post and saddle designs. The location of the Seat-Lock mechanism determines the angle of the bag on your bike, and the recommended weight limit is related to the position of the slider. Positioned all the way back, as pictured, creates the steepest angle and the heaviest load rating. The load rating is very generous at 3-5kg. Once adjusted to match your bike, the Ortlieb QR system offers a secure attachment that holds steady day after day on rough roads.
The Ortlieb Seat-Lock adjusts to match your seat and frame configuration, and it’s dropper post compatible.
Ortlieb Seat Pack skid plate
Thoughtful details abound on the Ortlieb QR seat pack. From a stout bungee for securing a hat, jacket or misc stuff for quick access to solid straps for creating a snug load and an HDPE skid plate where it could rub on the tire, it’s most definitely built for the long haul. Ortlieb specs the volume at 13 liters, but the bag swallows a lot of gear. It’s a generous-size pack and is easy to overload if you are prone to over-packing.
Ortlieb Seat Pack QR Pros: Durability, quick-release mount, large volume, waterproof
Ortlieb Seat Pack QR Cons: Heavy, expensive
Check prices and availability for the Ortlieb QR 13L Seat Pack – $195
Osprey Escapist Seat Pack
Well known for its durable backpacks and travel bags, Osprey is new to bikepacking bags. Osprey’s first bikepacking bag launch is the Escapist Series, featuring a handlebar, frame and seat pack. The Osprey Escapist Seat Pack stands out for its waterproof, welded construction and cradle mounting system. The design uses a two-part system featuring the bag and cradle.
The bag is a 9-liter dry bag with welded seams for full waterproofing and a tapered shape for a streamlined fit. While not quite as burly as the Ortlieb material, it still feels plenty robust. The cradle system is also plenty durable, and it offers a very secure attachment.
Streamlined Fit
Once buckled onto the seat rails and seatpost, the cradle conforms very snugly against the underside of the seat, making for a very secure and streamlined attachment. It’s reinforced with aluminum stays top and bottom, which stiffens up the system, reducing bounce and sag. Given its tapered nose and relatively narrow profile, it mounts at the highest angle of the three bags reviewed. The result is the bag sits quite high off the tire and requires less clearance to the wheel than the other two seat packs. The Escapist is a good choice for smaller frames and anyone with limited clearance between the seat and rear wheel. It works best with at least six inches of clearance between the seat rail and the tire.
The Escapist features a welded dry bag design for waterproof coverage.
The Osprey cradle is reinforced with aluminum stays top and bottom.
A distinct advantage of the cradle system is that you can release the bag without removing the cradle from the bike. This lets you take the bag off at camp without the hassle of feeding the buckle system through the seat rails in the morning. The Escapist is the smallest of the three bags. It’s still big enough to take a lightweight tent or ultralight sleeping bag, plus a few miscellaneous clothing items. But 9 liters is a noticeably smaller volume than the other two packs.
Osprey Escapist Seat Pack Pros:
Waterproof, streamlined design, requires less wheel clearance, cradle stays on bike
Osprey Escapist Seat Pack Cons:
Small, no bungee straps for external strapping
Check prices and availability on the Osprey Escapist bikepacking seat pack – $140
Deuter Mondego Seat Pack
Deuter makes two lines of bikepacking bags. The waterproof Cabezon series and the water-resistant Mondego series. The Mondego series is more affordable, and at $70, the Deuter Mondego Seat Pack is half the price of the others (or less). The pack features a traditional direct attachment system with two under-seat straps and dual seatpost straps.
Some internal stiffeners give the bag a little bit of structure, but for the most part, it’s made of medium-duty cordura-like fabric using recycled materials. The bottom is reinforced in case of abrasion against the wheel, but the overall feel is lightweight and supple.
16 Liters of Storage
The Mondego offers a generous 16 liters of storage. In fact, given the bags’ size and basic attachment system, it is the most prone to bouncing and sagging on rough roads when fully loaded. The bag measures a solid seven inches thick and sits the most horizontally oriented of the three bags. The size, combined with its tendency to bounce and sag on rough roads, means it works best on bikes with plenty of clearance between the seat and rear wheel. It works best with at least nine inches of clearance between the seat rail and the tire.
The Deuter Mondego is the budget option for bikepacking seatbags
Gearing up with a full bikepacking setup is a serious investment. The Deuter Mondego series helps ease the pain in your wallet while still offering great functionality. The added bungee strap and mesh pocket across the top let you store lightweight items for quick access. Its high-volume design also means you don’t have to have the lightest, most packable gear on the market. All of these reasons make the Deuter Mondego a great choice for the budget conscious. The feature you give up for the lower cost is waterproof construction. The Mondego is pretty water-resistant (when new), and you can always line it with a plastic bag for added waterproofing.
Deuter Mondego Seat Pack Pros: Lightweight, large volume, bungee strap storage, less expensive
Deuter Mondego Seat Pack Cons: Not waterproof, requires more wheel clearance, bigger size equals less stability
Check prices and availability on the Deuter Mondego Seat Bag – $70
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