Why Rev Pack?

Simple, this company is in touch with what works, and is bold enough to keep their product simple in design.

If you look around on the web you've seen dozens of bag manufacturers putting out 50+ products with the intent of "meeting your every need".  They offer bags with endless amounts of pockets, options, and different designs to fit every conceivable bike setup.  What ever happened to the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) way of thinking?

Bags are like anything else.  The more complex the bag, the higher likelihood that something won't work.  We've fallen into this trap ourselves, and up until this point, we offered very few bags for sale inside our store, and on the web.  It was very common for customers to make a purchase, only to call disappointed.  They didn't like the way the bags functioned, or how they fit their bike.  Exhaust issues were the number one complaint.  The bags either came way to close, or simple failed to clear.  No one wants to spend $200 on a bag set, only to fear, ever mile, that the exhaust is melting their bags and contents.

We feel that bags should be designed with three things in mind.  To carry your stuff from point A to point B, be easy to attach to your bike, and stay clear of everything that you can't touch bare handed after 10 miles.  Rev Pack has a very simple design, which is one of the main reasons we like it.  There are few pockets, gear goes in and out easily, and the majority of their bags fit "Every" bike, regardless of what exhaust system you've installed.

Mounting:

Honestly, we were a little shocked when we conducted our first tests of the Rev Pack products.  While other companies focus on semi-complicated securing straps, the Rev Pack system almost appears under engineered.  As an example, on the Tour Pack there are simply two straps that loop under the seat.  That's it.  To remove the bag, you simply pop  two clips and lift.  During our testing we had concerns that the pack might shift to the left or right.  However, we found that the bag stayed secure, as long as we packed smart (heavier items on the bottom. 

Keep this in mind, there was some thought involved in "how" we routed the straps under the seat.  It wasn't as easy as just looping them under the sub-frame on our BMW.  For the front strap we removed the seat, lopped the strap around the exposed frame, then reattached the seat.  This kept the strap from shifting, and gave us a solid, no slip mount for the bag.  Is your bike going to take the same effort?  Probably, but if you think it through, try several options, you will have no issues finding what works best.  Experience has shown us that no mounting system just "clips" to the bike without some thought.  Rev Pack is no different.

UPDATE:

Well, we found a way to make the Excursion pack fail...  Take a look.

Tent hanging out the bottom, and of course, DAMAGED

Better photo of what happened.  Crossing all the small rivers shook it loose.

How did it happen?  Over a VERY rough section of Arizona back-roads, I was attempting a creek crossing.  Honestly, I entered at the wrong spot, and hit a few to many hidden rocks.  One of those must have shifted the load to the right, allowing the bag to shift into my rear tire.  It would have been worse if not for my riding partner letting me know.

BOTTOM LINE?

Well, no pack system is bullet proof.  After looking @ the strap system, it was likely that the rear securing strap slipped loose slightly, allowing the pack to shift.  I'm sure that with every hard impact, the pack shifted more, until it was in the tire.  How could I have prevented this?  I tightened the strap (I had to get home), and taped the section right below the buckle.  This prevented the strap from moving through the buckle and becoming loose.  I didn't have any additional issues. 

Keep this in mind...  This demo/evaluation ride was intended to push the bike and pack system to its limits.  Over 10 creek/river crossings (yes, in Arizona) were made, and this was the only issue I encountered.

After speaking with RevPack, several small details were addressed.  Thick straps are in the works, and single mounted, looped, tie-down straps are also offered.  These are similar to the straps used with the Seat Pack.  Both of these solutions will help secure the load in the center of the rear seat.

Packing:

Simply, these bags are designed to "stuff" stuff inside.  Organizing it is completely up to you.  Rev Pack offers several bags for this purpose, but any bag will work.  We decided to use the Rev Pack Ditty bags, and found them to be super useful.  The Tour Packs are also designed to crush down, so if you find your pack only half full, all you need to do is tighten the straps.  No more bag flapping in the breeze.

The side legs (the part the extends over the side of your seat) on the Tour Pack (not Jr. version) was large enough for some of your bulkier items.  We placed our compact tent on one side, and our compact sleeping bag on the other.  Doing this gave the leg sections some shape, and made it easier to load the other items inside.  We were also surprised to find that our sleeping roll fit.  No more packing a rear bag, then attaching other items on top.  Once at our camp, everything came off the bike in a single trip.

Our test bike requires us to tote additional fuel for longer rides.  We were able to fit a 1 gallon fuel can inside the main compartment of the Tour Pack without any issues.  Even with the additional weight, the bags never moved, even over very rough terrain.

Function:

There isn't a lot to go into here.  They fit the rear seat great, stayed clear of the high exhaust, and all the bags had easy to use zippers.  Removing the bags form the bike was very easy, and putting them back on (full of gear) was not difficult.

What we would like to see in the future.

No product is perfect, and we're known for nitpicking.

Because of the single large compartment on the Tour Pack (s), and Excursion, it would have been very helpful to have small (tough) D rings in each corner of the flat portion on the floor on the inside.  Why?  As mentioned above, having a single large compartment worked great for hauling larger items, such as reserve fuel container.  We opted to use the top mounting bag for our extra fuel, however, if you're carrying a smaller load in the main bag, the container can shift slightly.  Having the ability to use a "web type" bungee system inside would allow odd shaped items to be secured in place.  Effectively securing the fuel container to the rear seat.

SIDE NOTE:  We contacted Rev Pack about adding such a D-ring inside, and was told that they plan to add this feature in the near future.  Another benefit of working with a smaller company.

While the mounting system works great, we STRONGLY feel this are can never be "over engineered".  We've had several packs (Not Rev Pack) rip loose where the strap attaches to the pack, forcing us you use zip-ties to get home.  Rev Pack also advised that an improved mounting system was planned on future packs.  "We want this part of our packs to be even more bullet proof."

Final Word:

While other bags may look interesting, the Rev Pack is functional.  If you're looking for a bag that is designed to do one thing, carry your gear, this is it.  While not the most stylish product on the Planet, these bags thrive in the "use" department.  On a trip, there simply isn't another bag we would carry.

The Rev Pack tank bag has an excellent design, which we haven't see in the past.  The zipper runs down the middle, and a large flap (including map case) folds down and secures with Velcro.

This design allowed us to feed our drink system hose out the zipper, then back up under the map flap.  To take a drink, simply slide it out, then back in.  Very simple, and useful on longer rides.  Plus it's a very "clean" look, and keeps everything secure.

While we never had any issues with the exhaust pipe touching the bag, we would suggest a trip to a home improvement store for some heat reflecting tape.  Slap a little on the bottom, and you shouldn't have issues.  Better safe than sorry...

Again, the bag you see on top of the rear bag is the bag we're using for extra fuel.  While its hard to see, the front panel has several open-topped pockets, which can be latched closed with a plastic clip.  Great for items you might need, without having to enter the main bag.

The Excursion pack comes with a rear top bag that can be removed with a series of clips.  We found it to be the ideal size to store our extra fuel.  A 1 gallon plastic fuel can fit inside without any issues, and stayed secure over rough terrain.  Make sure you do some pre-testing to ensure the lid stays on tight and doesn't leak...