Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
North St. Bags Handlebar Pack vs Restrap Bar Pack, 10 Litres
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Handlebar Bags: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The North St wins on the combination that matters at this size: a published weight and capacity, a named sailcloth, and an explicit stiffener panel to stop the sag that ruins cheap bar bags. The Restrap is the pick the moment you need to carry more than a day's essentials.
North St. Bags Handlebar Pack
Buy itUnder half a pound for 2.8 litres, in sailcloth, with a stiffener panel whose stated job is stopping the bag drooping.
- Fully specified: 2.8 litres, 7.2 ounces or 205 grams, and 9 by 5 by 3.75 inches.
- Includes a shape-defining stiffener panel that North St says is there to prevent sagging.
- EPX 200 sailcloth outer with a bright packcloth interior, so you can actually find things inside it.
- Two Voile Nano straps for attachment, which hold far better than hook-and-loop and are trivially replaceable.
- 2.8 litres is a day bag, so it is the wrong tool for an overnight load.
- No waterproof rating published for the sailcloth.
- A single compartment, so organisation is down to you.
Restrap Bar Pack, 10 Litres
Buy itTen litres in two fully waterproof roll-tops with an internal stiffener, a light mount and somewhere to put a D-lock.
- Two fully waterproof roll-top compartments giving a stated 10 litres, the largest capacity here.
- Restrap states structural rigidity is provided by an internal stiffener, addressing sag directly.
- A hypalon closure on the front compartment doubles as a mounting slot for a clip-on front light.
- A mini D-lock holster sits between the two compartments, and the front closure doubles as a lock strap.
- No weight published, which is a real gap on a 10 litre bag.
- Two compartments plus a lock holster is a lot of bag on narrow bars.
- Premium price.
Side by side
| North St. Bags Handlebar Pack | Restrap Bar Pack, 10 Litres | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Day rides and commutes where you want the essentials in front of you and the bag to keep its shape. | Loaded day trips, audax rides and urban riding where a D-lock has to go somewhere sensible. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the North St. Bags Handlebar Pack - Under half a pound for 2.8 litres, in sailcloth, with a stiffener panel whose stated job is stopping the bag drooping. Choose the Restrap Bar Pack, 10 Litres instead if loaded day trips, audax rides and urban riding where a D-lock has to go somewhere sensible.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Handlebar Bags: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).