Tailfin CargoPack review: a new standard for bikepacking saddle bags

Tailfin’s CargoPack (formerly known as the AeroPack Cargo) rear-rack system is a development from the brand’s original AeroPack with expandable side mesh pockets for hauling up to three litres of extra cargo, and a simplified closure system. 

The original AeroPack became a trend-setter in the bikepacking world for its rock-solid operation – a refreshing antidote to swaying saddle bags. 

Fortunately, the CargoPack does nothing to diminish its predecessor’s reputation. The updates prove welcome extras to a system that was already near-perfect. 

Pricing for a full setup ranges from £302 / $455 / €395 to £436 / $610 / €570.

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Tailfin CargoPack details and specifications

The CargoPack is a modular system consisting of three parts – the bag, an arch (with what Tailfin calls ‘Fast Release Dropouts’ at its base) and a seatpost connector. 

Both the arch and seatpost connector attach to the bag via two Torx T25 bolts each, and the whole system mounts to your bike around the seatpost (it’ll even work with dropper posts) and a specific rear axle that you can select on purchase. 

The axle features pegged ends on either side, which are what the ‘Fast Release Dropouts’ clamp the system onto. 

Although the CargoPack system can also be mounted via frame rack mounts, Tailfin prefers the axle mounting option because it removes almost all strain from the frame – and I’d agree. 

What’s more, if you own multiple bikes, it’s easy to move the CargoPack across them – just buy a new axle. There’s a handy form on Tailfin’s website if you’re not sure what you need. 

As for the arch, you can choose between four options – alloy or carbon, both with or without pannier mounts, and this is what largely affects the system’s price. I have the carbon arch without pannier mounts on test, with a seatpost extender and an ‘Adjustable Light Mount’. 

Moving onto the CargoPack bag itself, Tailfin has kept the same footprint as the original AeroPack (and AP18) bag to allow for cross-compatibility between them. 

It has an identical 18l main compartment that’s claimed to be 100 per cent waterproof, thanks to its welded construction. 

The most significant difference with the CargoPack is the expandable cargo pockets on either side of the bag, which 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 revised how the bag shuts, halving the number of straps used to close it. The original AeroPack 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 instead rely on a single roll-top closure buckle to the main compartment. A single, adjustable-length TPU compression strap integrated into the mesh pockets is then secured on top of the roll-top closure strap – this strap debuted on Tailfin’s Bar Bag in 2024. 

Tailfin has also added an air valve to help you compress the bag’s contents for carrying even more gear. On the original AeroPack, there was a zipped pocket towards the bottom of the bag, which could be used to release any air, but this is a much neater solution. 

Finally, the lower accessory mounts have a 64mm spacing, allowing you to run a Tailfin Cargo Cage or a standard bottle cage underneath the bag (where you’d previously need to run an adaptor). I chose to instead run a rear light. 

In terms of weight, Tailfin reckons there’s a 40g penalty to pay over the standard AeroPack. 

If you already own an AeroPack and want to upgrade to the CargoPack bag, it will cost you £150 / $205 / €190. A full setup ranges from £302 / $455 / €395 for the cheapest alloy arch variant to £436 / $610 / €570 for the carbon arch option with pannier mounts.

Tailfin CargoPack performance

I’ve been testing the CargoPack Carbon since the beginning of April. It’s been with me on numerous training rides, as well as two bikepacking trips – the Traversée du Massif Vosgien in France and the Trans-Cambrian Way in Wales. 

It also joined me on Mother North, a 1,010km gravel ultra-endurance race in Norway with 16,780m elevation. 

Since I already had an AeroPack, Tailfin just sent me the new bag, so I reused the carbon arch and long seatpost connector from it, which I’ve had since July 2024. The arch and seatpost connector were used for the 2024 edition of Badlands (790km, 16,500m elevation), as well as bikepacking the Rat Run in southern England. 

Prior to Mother North, I used the rear pack to store all my sleeping gear – this included a Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL1 Solution Dye bikepacking tent and accompanying footprint, a Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Mat, Spark Ultralight sleeping bag and an Aeros Premium Pillow, as well as down and waterproof jackets. 

This pretty much filled the bag up to capacity and I then used the cargo pockets to store food I picked up during the day. 

For Mother North, I had to revise my setup because I ran a Tailfin Bar Cage Bag at the front – I used fork bags instead on my other trips. Seeing as the contents of that bag are harder to access on the move, I moved my sleeping system there (because I’d only need it at night) and filled the CargoPack predominantly with layers and mechanical spares. 

Regardless of the contents inside the bag, the CargoPack stayed rattle-free without a hint of sway, even when subject to the roughest terrain. This is a real problem with conventional bikepacking saddle bags – no matter how tight you pack them, a little bit of sway is almost always an inevitability. 

While I was positive but not enamoured with the simplified closure system in my first look article when the CargoPack first released, I’ve grown much more fond of it since. 

There’s a slight time saving because you don’t have to clip the roll-top closure into two places – perfect for when your brain isn’t fully engaged after bikepacking all day. 

The TPU strap keeps any cargo contents very secure, even when the pockets are completely full, and I like that you can really cinch it down.  

I was also torn on the cargo pockets because I’d suffered a couple of items ejecting out of them on my initial test rides. 

At the time, I didn’t think it was down to poor packing. Since then, bar one ejection towards the end of Mother North when I hit a cavernous pothole at high speed, which likely would have thwarted any saddle bag, the cargo pockets have kept the items I’ve stored in there secure. 

I’d still caution against keeping anything high-value in them, though, because they’re not totally immune to ejections. 

Finally, I haven’t experienced any issues with the CargoPack’s waterproofing and this bag has been rained on many times, including riding through the worst thunderstorm of my life for 60km to get to a pre-booked hotel in Norway. I came dangerously close to experiencing hypothermia. 

In terms of value, there’s no denying the CargoPack is a pricey proposition. But, like all Tailfin products I’ve tested to date, it justifies the high initial cost with its top performance and durability. 

Yes, you can buy a conventional saddle bag for less than a third of the price, but you’ll be missing out on the stability and extra storage a system of this design benefits from.  

What’s more, because the CargoPack is modular, you can replace and swap out parts should they wear out. For example, if you’ve brought a carbon arch and want to upgrade to a pannier option in the future, you can just buy a replacement arch – it’s that simple, and Tailfin holds a full inventory of spares on its website. 

Tailfin CargoPack bottom line 

The CargoPack builds on the winning recipe of its predecessor, with the simplified closure system and cargo storage proving to be very useful updates. 

It’ll no doubt be joining me on all my trips and races for the foreseeable future and I guarantee you’ll never return to a conventional saddle bag once you’ve tried this system. 

Yes, the initial outlay is a tough pill to swallow, but Tailfin has proved there really is a price for (near) perfection.