I'm weighing up options for a new MTB and would like the option to do bike packing once in a blue moon.
I'm thinking that I'll be going for 2 or 3 days max and taking camping gear with me. Would I need to get a frame bag in addition to a seat pack and handle bar bag? If a frame bag is required would this be something that would cause problems on a carbon frame?
You'll need a frame bag if you take too much stuff for your other bags and don't want to wear a backpack. Concentrate on reducing the bulk and weight of your kit and you'll have lots of options. For 2/3 days, you'll likely get away with front and rear bags. That also leaves room in the frame for water bottles.
No need to fear a carbon frame as long as you tape it up at any wear points (including the head tube).
I've ride-wrapped my new carbon gravel bike (which will be doing bike packing as well as the tour it's just completed).
If you want to use a rack then be aware you're usually be limited to axle mount racks (such as tailfin) otherwise, I've not had any issues.
I've done it on a carbon framed bike, taped up where it needed it and a shim round the flexy carbon seatpost (wrapped in tape, wrapped in aluminium from a can, then more tape)
As long as it's protected with tape you'll be fine
My FS is covered in a combination of invisiframe, helitape and duct tape
As others have said - tape it up and it'll be fine.
If you can't get hold of Heli-tape than a few wraps of electrical insulating tape works wonders, and is easy to remove.
Any frame material is fine, and I can recommend the Alpkit custom frame bag, mine came within a week of me sending off the template.
https://alpkit.com/products/stingray
The Salsa Cutthroat (carbon) frame is the most popular option on the Tour Divide by quite some margin (to be fair it was designed specifically for it)
+1 for custom stingray, excellent.
Carbon is fine if it’s protected.
I prefer a rack, but ymmv.
I've just done 300km & nearly 8,000m round the Dales last weekend on a carbon Cannondale Scalpel. I wish i'd taped the headtube... apart from that all was good. I had saddlepack, top tube bag, bar bag and various other bits.
As already said, carbon is fine. Just wrap it up like you would an Alu / Steel bike to avoid rubbing
Thanks all, good to hear that carbon is up to the job. I wasn't sure whether having weight from bags in places it's not necessarily designed to be would cause a problem as well as potential issues with the mountain straps running. Sounds like if you tape up the frame then all is good - thanks all.