Wald 137 bag recommendations?

[Patch T]

A google search for Wald 137 bags show a lot more options than a year+ ago when I was looking last. I had decided to opt for a rando-style bag and am not sure I totally love it. I miss the basket. 

What are folks' favorites?

My main criteria are:

- easy in and out

- shoulder strappable

- very secure to basket for 'rough' riding

- generous volume

- outside compartments for stowage of things

- weatherproof

Mostly familiar with Sugarloaf and Dark Realm bags. What else though?

Patch

BK/NY

[Patch T]

Outershell?

ReLoad?

[Joe Bernard]

ClembaSack? I guess it doesn't match all your requests - only one inner pocket, grab handles not shoulderable - but it's a nice bag that fits.

https://www.rivbike.com/products/sackville-clem-bag

[Shawn Granton]

On Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 8:24:08 AM UTC-7, Patch T wrote:

A google search for Wald 137 bags show a lot more options than a year+ ago when I was looking last. I had decided to opt for a rando-style bag and am not sure I totally love it. I miss the basket. 

What are folks' favorites?

My main criteria are:

- easy in and out

- shoulder strappable

- very secure to basket for 'rough' riding

- generous volume

- outside compartments for stowage of things

- weatherproof

Patch-

You are right in thinking there are more options for a basket bag then before. I think most of your criteria can be met easily, except for the "outside compartments". 

Troutmoose makes a simple but durable bag: https://troutmoose.com/shop/small-rolltop-basketrack-bag/ 

For deluxe, Makeshifter has one with all the bells and whistles including exterior pockets: http://www.makeshiftercanvasworks.com/shop-online/basket-bag

yours,

Shawn

[Stephen W.]

Swift Industries Sugarloaf...

https://builtbyswift.com/shop/sugarloaf/

[Dave Small]

I'll suggest the Acorn Basket Tote in case you're unfamiliar with it:

https://www.acornbags.com/products/basket-tote

It doesn't have outside storage compartments, but I think it meets your other criteria (depending on how "generous" you want the volume to be) and it's made of canvas by the hands of 2 magic elves in California.  Acorns are usually out of stock, but I just checked and khaki is in stock as I type this.  

Dave

Indy/Boston

[DarinM]

I’ve been tempted to try the basket bag from Wald. Doesn’t look fancy but like their baskets, I’m sure it does the job. I currently just stuff things in and secure with a net which works but sometimes I think a bag would be nice. At around $35 it’s a pretty low risk trial.

Darin

[Jeremy Tavan]

I have bought far too many Wald 137-specific bags because I just love bag-in-basket loading. I'm not sure what would best meet your criteria, but a few thoughts:

RELoad - Capacious, available in custom colorsets, relatively easy in and out, relatively secure, has outside pocket. Not enough individual compartments for my commute load.

Swift Sugarloaf - Fits my commute load...barely. Would be perfect if about 30% taller. VERY secure, easy in and out, slim exterior pockets don't hold much. Lots of interior compartments. My favorite so far.

Outershell - Rugged, nice camera inserts, hasn't gotten a ton of use yet, slightly weird securing with lots of long bungee.

Acorn Basket Tote (1 strap) - Don't own one yet, but I love the simplicity and capacity.
Acorn Basket Bag (2 steraps) - Capcious, a little awkward over the shoulder, but meets most other requirements and has a great look. They don't seem to list it on their web site any more.

Shopsack Medium - Not what you're looking for, probably. 

On Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 8:24:08 AM UTC-7, Patch T wrote:

[Patch T]

The OuterShell looks like a rando bag made to fit in a basket. My main concern with my rando bag is it's floppiness. Fine for smooth roads, but moves around too much on trails. Perhaps inside a basket the OuterShell basket bag would be more structured? 

Jeremy, can you speak to this?

Wish the Sugarloaf was a little bigger too. Looks to be the most secure. 

Dave, do you have the Acorn? Looks roomy and simple. Does it seem to be able to hold tight on bumpy terrain?

Others come very close but no cigars yet. Thanks all for input! 

[johnb]

+1 on the sugarloaf. It is a great bag.

[Jeremy Tavan]

I haven't spent much time riding rough places with the OuterShell bag, but it's fairly structured with rigid plastic inserts, and that's before you add the foam camera inserts. I wouldn't be particularly worried about floppiness.

[adam leibow]

try Realm Dark Label or Donut Sack bike bags. Both roll top designs that hold way more than I ever thought the 137 could. 

[Dave Small]

Hi Patch,

I just got mine and haven't used it yet, but it has straps on the sides that lock it into place.  It won't bounce out.  This big question is, I think, is it roomy enough for you and can you live without external pockets?  The price sure is right.  

Dave

[Jon BALER]

I have a reload bag, and I’ve been very happy with.  I don’t think it has a shoulder strap, just tote handles.  You could probably rig up something to the buckles.  I like how the roll top bag allows to me to expand capacity as needed. 

 

I don’t understand why the bag makers bother putting features on the bag to attach it to the basket.   I just have bungees over the top of my basket, which keeps the bag in place and the roll top closed.  I simply stretch the bungees around the basket perimeter when I need to get to the bag.  I also put mating Velcro over the Velcro on the bag opening, because I found it unnecessary and complicated interior bag access.  The bungees and roll-top keep it closed just fine.

 

The ball bungees typically stay in the same place, but I can quickly adjust them multiple ways for small or large loads if needed.   The swift bag has limited capacity, and a zipper that can require two hands to open.  And putting a zipper on top of the bag where water intrusion is most likely seems like a bad idea.

[ian m]

I don't understand why these tote style bags always have tiny little handles. I would love one with slightly longer handles so you can either carry it or put it over a shoulder comfortably. This is the case with like 90% of cloth tote bags!

I like the roll top feature, easy way to keep water out. Plain bag, tall enough to roll down, slightly longer straps. That's all I need!

[Joe Bernard]

The problem with long handles in baskets over spinning wheels...I'll let the visual take you from there.

[ChrisB]

Hi Patch

Another data point:

I've got the larger Wald basket on my bike; I'm totally sold on it for versatility and ease of use. A bag that fits perfectly, has many colour options and meets a lot of your criteria is the Patagonia Tormiro Pack. It has two neatly designed external pockets that's are accessible when the bag is flat in the basket and a laptop sleeve. Off the bike, it's a bucket-style rucksack and kind of vintage-looking.

Often on discount plus it's Patagonia; well made and conscientious goods. Just put a net over the top if you're bounding down single-track!

Best, Chris

[Patch T]

Again, thanks all for your replies.

I think I am mostly sold on the Outer Shell. It's pretty much a rando bag fit for a basket, best of both worlds. I like the one-handed open/close function. Also, seems there is a bit of an inner sleeve with a closure that can expand some to accommodate the rare large load. Not as roomy as a rolltop, though. Map case, external pocket, internal pockets. I love pockets.

p

[ian m]

Having ridden with cloth totes in a basket for many years I can say with confidence neither visual nor reality has ever been a problem.

Plus, with a nice canvas rolltop, you would roll the handles right up!

[Joe Bernard]

Ian, your question was why most basket bags aren't designed with long handles. Your solution for them works, but if I was designing a basket bag..no way José. The trick is to offer a detachable long strap and let the buyer decide if they want to use it. Making it a permanent part of the bag and hoping they don't screw it up sounds like a liability nightmare.

[nick b]

I ride with a Sackville Shopsack a lot.  You can put shitloads in it and it expands well.  I keep double d-rings on it so it stays in well when being ridden on decent roads and then I use a bungee net when I'm going to be riding dirt.  It's VERY expandable and secure.  Maybe worth a look for you.  It meets all of your requirements but the outside compartments.  However, I usually end up strapping things between the net at the bag and then keep a stem caddy on my bike for the rest.  I've used other basket bags and don't like them as much as that option.

On Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 8:24:08 AM UTC-7, Patch T wrote:

[Dave Grossman]

Has anyone actually tried the very inexpensive version Wald sells for the basket?

[Ana Candela]

Patch,

The great thing about bike baskets is their versatility, and with a cargo net, you don’t have to use a basket specific bag. You can switch them out depending on load, weather... Love'em all bags!

Here are a few:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8129051@N06/42433547615/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8129051@N06/42597754425/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8129051@N06/28446717847/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8129051@N06/41028833430/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8129051@N06/42071884644/in/dateposted-public/

-Ana, bags n+1

[Patch T]

Thanks Ana! You're absolutely right, and I've been using a basket with net and various tote bags for years. Simply looking to up the basket's efficiency considering the growing number of basket-specific bags in production out there. 

And honestly, I wouldn't mind at all if I didn't have to untangle another basket net ever again!

I still haven't decided y'all. Torn between minimalism and non. It's an identity crisis of sorts.

Patch

BK/NY

[ericyue...@gmail.com]

Putting a 137 on my new Sam Hillborne build so am in the market for a bag to go into it.  This thread was useful, but I know there are a lot more options now so I figured I'd see if folks have any other recommendations.  I have pretty much the same criteria as the OP.

Thanks,

Eric

[Patch T]

Eric, I've gone through a lot since I've posted.

The Outershell bag couldn't adapt well to random large loads, I sold it. Maybe a little too technical for my needs. Also, off-bike, it looked odd hanging from my person. And was too similar to my rando bag, a characteristic I thought I would enjoy more.

Riv's Shopsack gets used the most. Alas, no outer pockets, but this I remedy with stem bags/caddies. I wish mine had an internal pocket. And a shoulder strap, or longer handles.

I used a North St duffel; also doesn't expand, I kept running out of room. Great for the daily commute or gym run, but without the stop at the market.

I currently have a Porcelain Rocket Meanwhile, and love it's simplicity and weather-proofedness, as well as it's HUGE volume potential, and ease of cinching down. But no shoulder-capable straps, or internal/external pockets. Small handles. So close! 

If someone would buy my Porcelain Rocket bag, I would get one of these from Hungry. I think it's perfect for me. (I've said that before) Does someone want to buy my Porcelain Rocket bag? It's in great condition! 

I have yet to try the Sugarloaf. I worry it isn't roomy enough.

Still looking for the perfect basket bag in BK/NY,

Patch

[Jon Schultz]

That Hungry bag looks pretty nice.  Cool to see a company put the straps to secure bag on the basket, which is way simpler and just as effective.

The ILE Porteur Rackbag-Small- can also fit in a 137 basket, and has some interesting features.  I've been using one with a basket, but find it's better with a demi porteur rack.

I just use two bungees to keep in the basket, which easily moved to the side for bag loading/unloading.

https://ilequipment.com/products/porteur-rackbag-small

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[j glenn]

I've got a Trout Moose bag that works fine.  Its bike specific, lighter, tighter and matchy matchy, but I cant say its superior to the canvas coal tote it replaced. And the tote had handles. 

[Pat Smith]

There's also the RAL WB Loader from Simworks. I've got one. I mostly like the design but I'm not crazy about the plastic hardware. 

[George Cline]

I've got the Wald bag for my 137. No external pockets but I just toss my lock and grocery sacks inside it. It has pretty long straps that can be pulled over the shoulder, but I usually just leave it velcro'ed to the basket, (small town, not much chance of it getting ripped off!). The only negative for me was the zipper tabs made a lot of noise bouncing around so I wrapped them with tape. About $36 shipped from Wald, they're a pretty good deal!

George in NoCal

[Benjamin L. Kelley]

It's a bit spendy, but is the perfect day to day bag for me for shopping.  The Blue Lug 137 Tote.   https://global.bluelug.com/blue-lug-137-tote-bag-wax-grey.html

Footprint is the size of the 137 basket and it has a simple roll top closure with a toggle, and the strap detaches from one side and you run it under the basket.

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[ericyue...@gmail.com]

Thanks for all the responses!  I've been looking at the RAL and Hungry bags, so appreciate the feedback on those.  The Reload Deluxe Waldo also looks good; there's so many options!