Bags

Caught this on sale and pulled the trigger. Previously I used a generic off brand waterproof bags on the Blackburn Outpost Cargo Cage and while they did the job, there was room for improvement: ill-sized for the cages and didn't have strap webbing so they were more of a pain to secure. These have a lot of capacity for my use case (suspension fork mounted, bikepacking via MTB), the diameter is a perfect fit for the cages, and the strap webbing makes securing a cinch. Very durable too!

Not the cheapest out there but one of the lightest. The bags have a front opening that will allow cables to get through for chargers or other items. The straps are well made and wrap easily as well as hold even in rough terrain. Zippers are for the most part easy to open and close while riding but I wouldn't recommend that unless it's smooth pavement so nothing falls out. My only concern for the waterproof part of the bag is the front cable entry. It seems like it's just slightly too open depending on how water is splashing up on to the bike. I wasn't able to test this out but it's possible that anything you put in there you might want to be be able to get wet. Fabric is durable and cleans pretty easily with soap and water. If you have issues with bottle clearances I would recommend a bottle cage that shifts it down a bit and/or a side pull capable bottle cage.

It's not the cheapest bag out there by far but the materials and lightness make up for the higher cost. I compared this bag to a bag that was closer to the $40 mark on amazon and this was one was 200g lighter. That was significant enough for me to make the purchase. The bag packs well and has a vent that allows the air to escape when you roll it up which helps get things tight inside. I didn't have any issues with attachment or the velcro which is arranged in a way that doesn't rub the bibs. I wasn't able to test water proofness but overall it seems like the bag will seal out water really well.

The Silca Mattone is a slick seat pack that has room for my essentials (tube, tire levers, CO2). I like how it attaches to the saddle with a thick rubber strap and the boa closure, so no unwanted rubbing of plastic or metal on the saddle or seat post. I don't understand how it could be accessed while attached to the bike (as claimed by the product description), but that's alright, I would typically take a seat pack off the bike when repairing a flat anyway. I haven't tested the water-resistance yet.