Ah, that's a good catch, Rob! I didn't think about water in the drinking tube flowing back into the frame bag. Would you pick the Nalgene Q/D fitting over Camelbak's offering, or are they about the same?

use one of these, http://cascadedesigns.com/platypus/hydration-systems/hoser/product  ,the outlet is on the lid, just remove and unscrew the lid. Also the outlet is on the corner of the bag allowing most of the water to be sucked out if pointed in the correct direction

Well if used as-is, Travis would be in the precarious position of having to carry water back to the bike without a cap attached, and further having to thread on the hose cap, all without dumping water into the frame bag. I think adding Trebor's Q/D fitting to the existing Camelbak would be the ticket.

Travis, you'd need to buy two Q/D kits, one for the bladder/drinking hose interface, and another to source one Q/D fitting for the pump-side.

Brilliant! Well executed too. I'm really impressed by the lateral stability. I have to criss-cross my lifter straps to really stabilize the bag, and that's still not a complete fix.

Hey Travis, I could put a velcro loop strip on your handlebars harness near the bar attachments, and with this you could strap down the drinking tube in a way that it points straight up, triathlete-style.

Very nice greenwater!

This is how a gear-making how-to video should be produced!

Matt,

Awesome video, photos and write-up! I'm bookmarking this for future reference.

Thanks for sharing!

The 60CSx is also on sale: http://www.rei.com/product/735607. Is there a big difference between these two when used for bikepacking?

Hi Rik,

I might make another bag for myself soon with a couple little improvements. If so I'll document the process with photos and notes. I'll get back to you shortly with some build tips.

-Jared

For you guys in the Austin, TX area, the Lake Creek Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a showing on June 30th!

It's part of a benefit for the The Texas High School Mountain Bike Racing League which is just getting off the ground:

http://www.drafthouse.com/lakecreek/shows.php?id=575

here is my first attempt to make a seat bag
its my first sewing project, i had never machine sew before.
Made from some cheapo fabric

Well it looks like you nailed it! Good job both you all. Keywee: I used a rubberized Cordura fabric that I got years ago from DIY Tactical. A friend has the same heavy duty stuff that CDW uses. It looks even more durable but I don't know the source off-hand. Also, if you don't have an industrial source of HDPE nearby, just get some cheap food cutting mats from Walmart/Target. They're HDPE.

do this type of saddlebag swing around a lot? I'm in the process of making some bags and was just wondering?

The plastic reenforcement from the top to the seatpost interface, coupled with saddle rail straps that are anchored as close as possible to the edges of the rails, play a significant role in stabilizing the bag.

Thanks for the comments!

I got the fabric directly from Dimension-Polyant. They now have an outdoor fabrics product manager and I was able to order a bunch of remnants and seconds through him. It's a matter of giving them your business name and ordering for the purpose of prototyping new gear. I've had a side business in making custom mil/tactical gear and so was able to order under that name.  

Good to hear about the down - I just so happen to have 10 oz of 900-fill in waiting. I need only to prototype the dimensions for my body now.

I just finished a saddle bag for my Salsa El Mariachi. It's made out of Dimension Polyant VX21 and VX42. The top and bottom are stabilized with 1/16in HDPE and the light blue wings are stiffened with much thinner HDPE. The portion strapped against the saddle and seatpost is covered with a no-slip fabric covering a strip of closed cell foam. The bag as pictured is stuffed with a Marmot Pinnacle 15deg bag. One of my next projects is a summer-weight 900-fill down quilt. That should pack down much smaller! I've also included a photo of my tag board mock-up. It was quite useful to visualize the bag design and transpose to panel patterns.

Soon I'll make a matching frame bag, handlebar bag, and bento box. The outdoor line of D-P fabric is a joy to work with! It cuts easily and does not fray. I bound the hems internally with 3/4in grosgrain simply for aesthetics, but it was not necessary.

Thanks for the feedback! I ended up exchanging the Talon 22 for the Manta 20. I realized that the volume of the Talon's large pocket was overkill for most Texas camping, at least the weather I'd bother venturing out into. Plus, as mentioned the functionality and stability of the Manta's pack frame is far superior to the Talon.

I just realized something 

The Mantas come with a hydration bladder, which according to Osprey's site weighs 9oz - the difference between the Talon and the Manta. D'oh!

Still, I'm kinda in agreement with you Dave. Those are a ton of pockets to divide stuff into.

My REI dividend and 20% coupon barely landed in my mailbox before I spent it on a Talon 22 pack, having eyed one for a while for bikepacking use. Well today I was introduced to the new Raptor and Manta line of Osprey packs and wonder if I shouldn't consider returning the Talon and getting a Manta 20 or 25? I already have a spare bladder to use with my Talon but the Manta's newly designed bladder with flat panel and magnetic valve is nice. It also has a removable rain cover.

However, the Manta's storage is segmented into several smaller compartments and not so useful for throwing large items in there. Also, a Manta 25 is 9oz heavier with only ~150 extra cu in. The Manta 20 is the same weight penalty but less space!

Should I keep the Talon 22 as a trustworthy lightweight pack, or return it for the new gizmos on a Manta series pack?

Also using Salsa Pro Moto Carbon flat bars (11 degree) with Ergon GX2s (lime green  )

Love the combo on my SS rigid!

Thanks for the info, DaveB! I've been trying to find a source for Dim-Poly's diagonal fabric but without any luck. Now to find some Spectra-reinforced rip-stop in colors other than black..

Sherpa, I'd be happy to lend any help for your project. I'm in Austin too and have a couple industrial sewing machines with a lot of mil-grade fabrics, webbing & hardware. I'd like to build up a complete pack system for my bike soon.