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I was bought a Alpkit Bilbi? Frame bag recently as a gift and now needing to add to that storage capacity I thought I'd do the right thing and go British.
The fuel pod top tube bag is retailing at £50 yes 5.oh. Its 1.5ltr in capacity. They do using the reccomnded cradle though which is yours for £34.99 totalling... Sure you can do that bit.
Seems extortionate, a word I didn't associate with the brand. I like buying British, but it seems like such a small amount of materials for such a large wedge of money?
It's not about the cost of the material though is it? If it were then many things, for example brake pads, works be virtually free.
Think about design, development, protyping, advertising, materials, making, shipping plus other factors.
Go to the shop in hathersage and see what's upstairs, I got a fuel pod for £15
Exactly that. Think about how much you'd like to be paid per hour to make that bag, and how much time it has taken to design, procure, make, transport, market etc. Then material costs. I'm surprised they're making money out of them.
Supply and demand as well... suspect they are in high demand so price can go up a bit as a lot of people will pay...
Costs of everything has gone up and I don't see any of those returning to a lower level any time.
People buy Alpkit stuff outside of the sale?
Just wait - they knock out a 15% off everything sale about once every 2 months.
Look at Restrap, Apidura, Blackburn, Aiguille Alpine, Altura etc etc
I've got an AlpKit fuelpod but have other bits made by other companies.
If you look at comparable products that price is about right, but as mentioned above, wait a few weeks and there will be a sale that will knock a few quid off.
You don’t need the cradle either. That is just an optional extra you can use if you will be regularly removing the top tube bag.
*The 2021 Fuel Pod is in the clearance section for £34.99.
I do think that Alpkit is good value but their prices have gone up over the years but then so has their quality.
So I'd say that they're not the budget brand they once were, which I'm ok with as long as the quality is there.
“such a small amount of materials for such a large wedge of money”
The cost of materials is one of the smallest components of the cost of most consumer products nowadays.
I got a medium Fuel Pod in Jan 2014 in the sale for £20
Given the cost of everything has increased and their products are always improving, you can see how the RRP increases.
Prices have went mental on almost everything 🙁
And it won’t be getting better anytime soon !!
On my last bike packing trip I looked like an alpkit sponsored rider! Even had alpkit bib shorts on.
Don't forget if you become a member you 10% back on everything you purchase and £5 per review (good or bad)
As above sign up to the news letter and buy when they have 15% off.
The biggest plus for me is the 3 year warranty, no hassle and they have repair stations in store.
Its well designed kit, good quality that lasts well and isn't too expensive.
There's only two brands I'm pretty loyal to due to years of great use of their products. One is alpkit, the other is msr!
I've got a couple of £5 vouchers available if you buy anything that I probably won't use. Send me a message.
If you want cheap, podsac stuff at planet x is OK.
I have two of their Stingray custom frame bags. Made in the UK to your specification. Absolutely brilliant pieces of kit. Good company to deal with too ime.
Alpkit , Rapha , Arc'teryx etc etc ....A Huge part of the reason to buy is not the actual quality and design .Its the "validation" aspect . A chance to virtue signal a membership of an exclusive part of the Outdoor world !!
I've got a couple of Deuter gel bags which are a similar design/concept and cost me about a tenner each, go on wiggle and you'll find a 'lifeline' branded thing that again looks quite similar for about ~£15. But hose are of course made in the far east, the Aplkit fuel pods and a fair bit of their other stuff, is now UK made which I'm not sure it always was (someone will put me straight no doubt).
UK manufacture, especially if there's an element of skill or some QC to cover, simply costs more and it's not about to get cheaper.
In the end you have to decide if the only thing dictating VFM is price. plus alpkit will have a sale eventually.
I've got a couple of their dry bags which have done great service and been pretty good VFM so like most people I'll chop and change based on the item, would I pay 350 for a fuel pod (or even £35)? Probably not, but (currently) ~£16 for an Airlok Dual? is definitely good VFM IMO and I notice their Deluge top tube bag for £20 has sold out, so you can tell their customers are swayed by pricing just like anyone else's.
Alpkit , Rapha , Arc’teryx etc etc ….A Huge part of the reason to buy is not the actual quality and design .Its the “validation” aspect . A chance to virtue signal a membership of an exclusive part of the Outdoor world !!
Except, of those brand you mentioned, Alpkit has always been about function over form. They make decent reasonably priced gear making it more accessible. That's why people buy their stuff.
Rapha and Arcteryx are very from Alpkit. They focus very heavily on form and their image. From what I've heard its good gear, but cant afford it myself. I can afford Alpkit stuff and it works well for the cost. Doesn't seem like its at all comparable.
Look at buggy bags / bike bags stuff. Or carradice. 90% of the value for 50% of the cost
Remove the ALPKIT branding and some could say its decathlon/ OEX etc . Alpkit is great value and its well made .But many other brands can offer the same and even cheaper .
That's not true at all.
AlpKit is not some aspirational lifestyle brand. They just make good kit. If it's not good it gets dropped from the range.
Can't comment on that specific item, but we bought some Alpkit saddle bags for bike trekking and they were very competitively priced and decent quality.
Alpkit started with a very cheap range, competitively priced but of reasonable quality. Mostly the same stuff was available cheaper elsewhere if you were prepared to look around. They've moved a bit "up market" these days but I'd say they are still a midrange brand. I have a couple of Alpkit items and they've been fine. No better or worse than I'd have expected. Some folk do seem to still view them as being better value than other brands but I don't think that's as true as it once was. I don't think it's fair to compare Alpkit with Rapha or Arcteryx. I don't think they are an aspirational brand at all.
I'd go further. I have some fairly average Alpkit stuff bought early on in their history (thermarest ripoff, headtorch one step above rebranded Chinese stuff). That's still how I position the brand, mistaken or not. Current pricing means they're about the last company I look at if I need something.
Yep, Alpkit prices have gone crazy. There's tons of Brit brands that offer good value if that's what you're after
A lot of Alpkit gear is just rebadged Chinese stuff that you can find for much less on Alibaba or elsewhere. The made in the Uk stuff is pretty good though.
No need to stick with the same brand or colour scheme, I have mixed and matched to get the best prices and the features I like over the years.
I've got Wildcat harnesses, Alpkit dry bags and a Stingray frame bag, just treated myself to a Tailfin rack for a birthday with a zero in it which is very nice.
My wife got Restrap kit this year as she was able to get them bundled with a bike with cycle to work vouchers.
You've obviously never bought a replacement derailleur hanger...
Have you tried making a bag? It's bloody difficult!
I've been planning to make myself a custom frames bag for ohhh, 4 years.
I made a bar bag as a trial run. It took 4h.
I got a free tool roll of the front for mbuk. Loved it and made one. It took me a couple of hours to get right.
I've got the bits and fabric for the frame bag and... Walked in the the hathersage store and found one that fits on sale! Done.
Best thing about Alpkit is that they have a shop next door to Gateshead IKEA so while MrsJ goes and buys cushions and plastic stuff I can go look at outdoor kit.
The stuff does seem much more "technical" than cheapo places like Decathlon - image of "I'm a proper mountain man and I use proper mountain kit but don't buy Arcteryx" etc.
I’d go further. I have some fairly average Alpkit stuff bought early on in their history (thermarest ripoff, headtorch one step above rebranded Chinese stuff). That’s still how I position the brand, mistaken or not. Current pricing means they’re about the last company I look at if I need something
I personally am struggling to see them any different in light of my recent purchases.
This is bike jersey and frame bag for me, rucksack and baselayer for son.
I keep finding that Mountain Equipment, RAB, Montane, Berghaus etc are within a few quid of Alpkit, particularly in the sales. And they are all a step up in quality and design.
My frame bag is OK, but has some basic flaws in design that I need to rectify with needle and thread.
Additionally I approached them over work uniform - 34x fleece, waterproof jacket and trousers. I was offered 10% discount off full prices and no sale items.
I have two of their Stingray custom frame bags. Made in the UK to your specification. Absolutely brilliant pieces of kit. Good company to deal with too ime.
I got one of those too, quality and made within a week of them receiving my 'template'.
Alpkit were online, and they made a big play about that and how it kept prices to a minimum.
They liked to promote themselves as a few blokes in an industrial unit. and their vids reflected that. Prices of 'quality' or pretty good kit, threw in a few choice phrases etc etc, but now I cant see any difference between alpkit and any other outdoor seller like wiggle, blacks etc etc.
.
I got their Filo down jacket. It cost 90 quid, and i see it now, pretty much identical jacket priced at £249. Why would I now choose alpkit over somewhere like blacks ?, where i might add i can visit and try on for fit.
Whatever they had, whatever they professed themselves as is gone.
now I cant see any difference between alpkit and any other outdoor seller like wiggle, blacks etc etc.
They actually make the bike luggage in the UK. Not Private Equity or big corp owned box-shifters who happen to be in bikes and outdoor. Alpkit are admittedly a bigger company than they were but are privately / small shareholder owned and the guys who started the company are still leading it. Alpkit are a B-Corp company and are in the 1% for the planet scheme for what that's worth.
Why would I now choose alpkit over somewhere like blacks ?,
For me, for the reasons above. Ethical reasons as well as how good Alpkit's gear and back up can be. Blacks are owned by JD group, pre-pack administrations to stuff creditors and that sort of thing.
I got their Filo down jacket. It cost 90 quid, and i see it now, pretty much identical jacket priced at £249. Why would I now choose alpkit over somewhere like blacks ?, where i might add i can visit and try on for fit.
Alpkit are slowly expanding their bricks and mortar presence.....
Went for a ride from Hathersage last Friday with a few other STWers.
We nipped into the Alpkit shop afterwards for a look about. I've never been in one before & don't own any Alpkit stuff (well, didn't).
I don't remember seeing anything that looked particularly expensive or over the top.
All of the stuff I picked up & had a fiddle with seemed well put together.
I ended up buying a saddle bag for my road bike, as it looked like just the right size & whenever I try to buy one online, I can never decide if it will be too big or small. I've had a few over the years that have been too small to get everything in, or too large so stuff rattles around.
Anyway - this one looked just right, sturdily made with waterproof material & zip as well as having a loop for a light to attach to. £20 seems about right for what it is.
Alpkit were online, and they made a big play about that and how it kept prices to a minimum.
They liked to promote themselves as a few blokes in an industrial unit. and their vids reflected that. Prices of ‘quality’ or pretty good kit, threw in a few choice phrases etc etc, but now I cant see any difference between alpkit and any other outdoor seller like wiggle, blacks etc etc.
I suspect the answer to that is probably that the original market they were in (people wanting good-ish kit, cheap) is fairly small compared to the market they're in now (people just wanting good kit and prepared to pay for it). Which is why Arc’teryx, Patagonia, Fjallraven, Rab, The North Face, Mountain Equipment etc are all in that market, not a small/cheap niche.
At the time of their crowd funding round a while back I seem to recall them saying they thought there was room for another Go Outdoors sized brand in the UK and IIRC I think one of their directors is ex Go Outdoors.
I always wondered about an Alpkit/Planet X merger
I’ve got some alpkit bags from their earlier efforts (pre metal brace saddle bag, front harness+ airlok ). It’s all ok, but a bit of an arse to use for various reasons - I suspect later versions have been refined on similar feedback.
I’ve also got a stingray and probably wouldn’t buy another.
For uk made bags, Wizard Works (not used personally) or Restrap (used a lot) are not cheap but I’d say better value than alpkit.
I always wondered about an Alpkit/Planet X merger
Bit late now Alpkit have Sonder.
I always wondered about an Alpkit/Planet X merger
Interesting idea, the awful levels of customer service combined with great customer service could produce a really average shop
For uk made bags, Wizard Works (not used personally) or Restrap (used a lot) are not cheap but I’d say better value than alpkit.
I’ve got a mixture of both on the gravel bike and commuter. Very well made, lovely attention to detail and nice to know they’re handmade in the UK. Worth the extra spend IMO.
Wizard Works are not producing custom bags at the moment and the Restrap customer frame bag is 50% more expensive than a basic Alpkit Stingray.
After many happy years with an Alpkit Possum frame bag, I replaced it a year ago with the Restrap equivalent. Can't comment on the custom options, but the stock Restrap bag is currently quite a bit cheaper than the Possum (on Merlin).
The Alpkit bag, bought 2014, lived on my bike for seven years. The zip eventually failed due to me stuffing too much in. The Restrap bag is nice, feels like a quality item; maybe needs some padding along the surface that lies against the downtube to stop stuff inside clonking against it (never a problem with the Possum, or the Wildcat Ocelot that lives on another bike).
It's all UK made kit, though, and does the job. Just packed for a couple of days away starting out of the door in the morning.
I've just replaced an Alpkit top tube bag because it was too floppy with a Restrap one which is much better. It was nearly twice the price though.
Do what I did: get a cheap Pod bag from OnOne made out of tarpaulin that wears a nice hole in your new carbon frame.