Tailfin has announced its new AeroPack Carbon and AP18 Cargo bikepacking bags, with expandable side pockets for hauling extra cargo.
The brand has also revamped how the bags close, halving the number of straps from four to two, as well as including additional mounting options for lights and a cargo cage.
The new bags are fully compatible with existing Tailfin racks and setups, and will sit alongside the existing AeroPack and AP18 bags in the brand’s range.
The AP18 Cargo will retail for £190 / $260 / €240 and the AeroPack Carbon Cargo with pannier mounts will set you back £430 / $590 / €540 – a £30 / $40 / €40 upgrade from the regular AeroPack.
Alternatively, if you already own an AeroPack and just want to replace the bag, it will cost you £150 / $205 / €190.
How do you go about improving a near-perfect product?
The AeroPack Cargo and AP18 Cargo bags represent the first major update since they originally launched in 2018.
The AeroPack is the brand’s integrated rack and roll-top bag, whereas the AP18 is a detachable bag that fits onto a separate Tailfin rack.
Tailfin decided to keep the same footprint as the non-Cargo variants for the new bags to allow for cross-compatibility, with an identical 18l main compartment that’s claimed to be 100 per cent waterproof, thanks to its welded construction.
The expandable cargo pockets on either side of the bag allow for an additional 3l of storage. Tailfin claims the unnamed material provides “the perfect amount of stretch while being robust enough to take the inevitable abrasion that comes with being leaned against a wall or a close encounter with a bush”.
Tailfin has also halved the number of straps used to close the bag. The AeroPack and AP18 relied on a roll-top closure with two buckles that secured to either side of the bag. Two additional straps then secured the top of the bag.
The new Cargo bags rely on a single roll-top closure buckle to the main compartment.
A single, adjustable-length TPU compression strap integrated into the mesh pockets, which debuted on Tailfin’s Bar Bags last year, can then be secured on top of the roll-top closure strap.
Tailfin has also added an air valve to help you compress the bag’s contents for carrying even more gear.
Finally, the lower accessory mounts have a 64mm spacing, enabling you to run a Tailfin Cargo Cage or a standard bottle cage underneath the bag (where you’d previously need to run an adaptor).
Tailfin AeroPack Cargo Carbon first impressions
I’ve been testing the AeroPack Cargo Carbon for a couple of weeks prior to today’s embargo.
Since I already own an AeroPack, Tailfin sent me just the new bag.
Swapping the bags over was straightforward – remove the four T25 Torx bolts (two secure the arch and another two secure the quick-release connector that attaches the system to the seatpost) and replace them on the new bag, torquing them up to 5Nm.
It made sense to inspect and replace the blue threadlocker on the Torx bolts at the same time. I also moved the light mount over to the new bag, which is secured by a T25 bolt too.
To get as fair an assessment as possible, I replicated the main compartment’s load with what I’ve tended to carry in it on previous bikepacking races and trips – a bivvy bag, a sleeping bag and some spare clothes.
I used one side of the cargo pockets for carrying a spare inner tube, tyre lever, multi-tool and energy bars, and I used the other for an emergency bottle of cola and more snacks.
The AeroPack Cargo Carbon does nothing to diminish its predecessor’s reputation – this thing is rock-solid on the trail without a hint of sway. As I wrote in my Gear of the Year 2024 article, I’ll never go back to a traditional bikepacking saddle bag again.
The bag got the worst (best?) kind of test on my first 100km ride, where I spectacularly Supermanned over the handlebars after hitting a patch of quicksand I’d mistaken for a puddle (a first in my cycling career).
It came away completely unscathed as I emerged from the foul patch looking like Swamp Thing.
I never had a problem with the four-strap closure of the older bag and was always able to access the bag’s contents and close it pretty quickly.
I like the new, simplified system, but the time difference it saves is pretty marginal – although that’ll be particularly beneficial to those in a race scenario.
As on the Bar Bag, Tailfin’s TPU compression strap has a strong hold over the top of the bag and it’s a welcome addition to see it ported over to this rear rack system.
The cargo pockets are a worthwhile inclusion too, but there have been two instances on different rides where an item has ejected out of them – and strangely, neither ejection was on particularly technical terrain.
The first was my trusty pack of 49p pancakes, which had been tightly sandwiched in place between an emergency cola bottle and the TPU compression strap.
The second was a bottle of hand sanitiser that was tightly nestled at the bottom of the opposite pocket, alongside other riding snacks and spares.
I don’t think these ejections were down to poor packing, but it’s certainly something I’ll be keeping an eye on for future trips. In any case, I probably wouldn’t keep anything valuable in there for peace of mind.
In a race situation, the cargo pockets could be great for storing food you’ve just bought, or could even act as a rubbish bin.
I’m otherwise looking forward to seeing how the AeroPack Cargo Carbon fares on an upcoming bikepacking trip at the end of next month and two ultra-races later this year.
