Thinking about getting one for an up comming bivy trip. I will put sleeping mat, bladder, some food and spare clothes in it. Bivy bag attached to saddle, sleeping bag & jacket on the bars. cooking kit in in a bottle/bottle cage. I think thats going to be the set up, not sure yet. Kit and packing will prob change a million times yet. Still yet to get a stove, gas or meths? Not sure, as it seams that would depend on what your cooking. So question number 2 what do I want to cook, your favourite bivy recipies please (I hate pasta).

Great bag. Just needs a wee bit of care packing to stop jaggy bits sticking into your back. Use one all the time for everything from short blasts to multi day bike packing trips. Brilliant!

Straps can chafe on your neck a bit

Gourdon – I’ve used one, its fine, it’s waterproof too which is a bonus. Replaced thin backpad with thicker bit of closed cell foam (i.e. roll mat material) which is more comfortable and better as a sit mat if needed.

Always used meths, it’s ok for heating up water for dehydrated readymeals and coffee.

Following my last trip I wouldn’t use a gourdon again – but then again it was stuffed to overflowing with bivvy and sleeping bag

if it was relatively light then probably not a problem

Did 2 days with one stuffed to to brim (i.e. difficult to close)

Chafed a bit the 2nd day, would have been painful on a 3rd day.

Other than that fine while riding, good for the money, and confirmed 100% waterproof.

I think I’ll upgrade to something with more pockets and comfort next time though.

Good packs and cheap enough that you can modify them without worrying too much. Foam pipe lagging and old ribbed carry mats make good donors for improving the back and hip belt system for a bike.

Careful packing is essential though and I found it had a tendency to sit a bit higher on my back than I normally like for cycling. When over packed they become a bit tube like and roll around so if in doubt under pack it.

They don’t play particularly well with water bladders either as they have a roll top closure.

I use mine every time for bivvies. I roll the sleeping mat around the edge, to give it some padding against my back and keep it rigid, then stick everything else inside that.
Cheap and cheerful, but good too.

Only downside for me is that the shoulder straps are quite close together at the neck – depending on how I’ve packed the bag, it can dig in a tad.

Edit: I tend to pack all the heavy items on my bike and leave all the loose and bulky but light stuff for the backpack.

Shackleton – the back has a pouch for a bladder – doesn’t go in the roll top bit

basic. cheap. work but not amazing.

rob jackson – mine is one of the originals so maybe has changed in the meantime, unless you mean the back support pocket, which in mine has no means of suspending or supporting a bladder so doesn’t really work in any reasonable way. Either way, still feels like carrying a diving tank!

A very versatile bag in my experience, as long as you don’t pack it too heavily. To counter one of the points above, it works fine with a bladder, which sits in the pouch between the back system and the main bag.

The straps can dig into the collarbone a wee bit, but it’s easy enough to modify so that it doesn’t.

Thanks for the feedback folks, I think I will give one a go for £25. I do like the look of the wingnut adventure. But at £90+ its very spendy, and with it being so low on your back I wont have anything to rest my bike on when carrying it. I just cant decide on a stove/kit. If its just a rehydrate meal (cous cous/noodles/poridge) and coffee, then i think a meths burner, with wind sheild. Or if its proper food/cooking then a gas stove. Can you get a MyTi mug in a bottle cage? I want to fit all my cokking kit in that.

Cous cous and the likes pre mixed in zip lock bags (wilko do really good ones that can take boiling water) and a wee pop can maths stove, with windshield. It all fits inside a ti mug, along with another wee cup for tea/coffee. Superlight and super cheap too.

I’ve used mine on a few bivvies now, it’s ideal. I use a thermarest to double up as padding on the back. I find it’s exactly the right size. A perfect balance of being able to fit the essentials in but no spare space to weigh yourself down!

Quality dried mushrooms, good cured sausage and rice makes a mean supper.

Check out this thread for other waterproof backpack options

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/waterproof-backpack-options-for-commuting

Really rate my gourdon 30 but I’m thinking of getting a twenty for the next trip… Thirty is a little big

I’ve got a 30 and a 20 – both are useful.
But the sleeping mat (I use a thin foam style one for hammocking) doesn’t fit in the 20, so I end up using the 30 packed very light most times.

i have the 30 – its good and worth the money but chafing is a pain in the neck (literally!). also i put some holes in it where i strapped it to a pannier rack and it caught the tyre 😳 if they put the straps wider it would be better for me. mines ended up becoming one of my muddy bike gear containers for lobbing in the boot of the car now as i prefer my seatpack bag for bivvying

as for food i always seem to end up living on couscous and kids size cans of alphabetti spaghetti for a few days

If you’re finding the straps a bit uncomfy, just leave the chest strap open.
Makes no difference in real life.
I have no choice, it’s too small anyway. 🙂
Waist strap has no adjustment left either. 😐

Rear pocket takes a 3 litre bladder easily.
Fits fine, no need for a hook or additional support.

The shoulder straps on the older ones used to slip – newer ones don’t, ime.

The cooking tips thread on BareBones maybe of use. http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3144