The Tailfin Fork Pack is an integrated mount and bag system that offers quick and secure mounting for bikepacking. As we have come to expect from Tailfin, the quality is exceptional but this comes at a price that might push it out of budget for the occasional bikepacker. How does it rank among the best bikepacking bags? Read on to find out.
The Fork Pack is essentially a smaller version of the company's rear pannier design, with a bespoke fork mount and an X-Clamp system with the diameter of the attachment diameter that is reduced from 16mm to 10mm.
Tailfin already has a fork-based bag and mount in its range with the Cargo Cage and Cargo Pack with each component available individually but the new Fork Pack comes with a mount designed to fit three-bolt fork bosses, creating a minimal and seamless setup.
There are two sizes available: 5L at £80 and 10L at £100. Extra mounts can be purchased separately for £30, allowing you to have multiple bikes available to use in the same bags. The bags will be available without a mount in the future for riders who want both size options to use but only require one mount.
Tailfin Fork Pack - Technical details
Both sizes of Fork Pack use the same three-bolt mount, which comes with all necessary hardware. The maximum weight limit is quoted at 4kg per bag but the mount and pack can also be fixed to forks having only two bolt bosses, lowering the maximum load to 3.5kg per side.
The claimed weights for the 5L are 442g and 524g, respectively, including the mount and hardware. In terms of product weight, the mount alone weighs 70g, the 5L bag 346g, and the 10L bag 428g. Although weight is unlikely to be a primary factor for a fork-based bikepacking bag, these are heavier than the equivalent Ortlieb Fork Pack (275g total).
The packs are completely waterproof thanks to the use of 210D Hypalon and 210D Diamon RipStop materials, as well as the Hard-Anodised 7075-T6 aluminium mount. Three bolts with T25 fitting are included for fixing the mount. Tailfin secures the bags to the mount via their X-Clamp system, which uses a simple lever to lock and unlock the bag.
If the product fails due to a manufacturing flaw, all parts are covered by a five-year warranty and the company also offers a crash replacement option with a 30% discount for like-for-like replacements.
Tailfin Fork Pack - Performance
Attaching the mount was simple, and the quality was immediately apparent with the T25 bolts included offering deep tool engagement for the Torx bit, as well as close tolerances, providing assurance that they can be re-fitted multiple times with less risk of the heads rounding. The bolts are made of stainless steel, which gives you extra confidence in using them in all conditions due to their corrosion resistance.
The bag can be attached in seconds using a rubberised plastic hook that holds the bottom part in place and the top section is fixed and locked using the X-Clamp system.
The packs extend outwards from the fork, which may be part of the design and, I found that even when wearing thicker winter gloves, there is space to operate the lever. The space, and lean outward when mounted, which does look a little odd at first, but it doesn’t affect the performance.
How the bags are packed is important for all fork-based systems, with consideration needed on what to carry and how to load them. I keep lighter items in fork packs, as well as items that you might need without having to remove and dig into a saddle pack. Extra clothing layers or cooking elements are usually the first choices, with the quick mount that makes it good for this kind of product.
On all rides, the mount and materials have been stable and silent, with no problems from the pack or mount. I have not loaded close to the 4.5kg limit and I think most riders would struggle to do so unless you intend to carry them primarily for fluids.
The packs can be closed by rolling down the top and connecting the top buckles or by using the supplied side compression straps, which is a much neater and better approach. The straps are long enough to be secured easily (even when full) and the design keeps any excess in place when compressed, ensuring the ends don't flap around. Tailfin provides an additional side compression strap, which can be used to either mount more things to the outside of the bag or just to offer extra compression in a horizontal direction. If you use them, the quick on/off attachment will be hampered as the straps are attached behind the fork mount.
Tailfin Fork Pack - Value and verdict
Two comparisons could be made: the first is with a more general cargo cage system, such as Tailfin's Cargo Cage & Pack design and the second is with the Ortlieb Fork Pack, which shares a very similar design.
The Tailfin Fork Pack offers a considerably faster mounting technique than a cargo cage setup but a less flexible design. Using a cargo cage with Voile straps or something similar would allow a wide range of items to be attached. Bottles, poles and other objects that are too large to fit inside the Fork Pack. With so many different companies offering cages and bags, riders have more alternatives for choosing a design that meets their needs. However, no combination can compete with the simplicity and convenience of use that the Tailfin Fork Pack or Ortlieb Fork Pack delivers.
There is one clear competitor and even the name is similar. Ortlieb developed the Fork Pack and it has stood the test of time, offering a high-quality bag with an attachment mechanism that was above anything else on the market before the Tailfin bag. It's been my go-to choice since it was initially tested in 2020. The mount is the most evident difference between the two, with the Ortlieb version being much larger, and while I kept the mounts on the bike even when not bikepacking, the Tailfin version is much smaller and sleeker. Both have an easy-to-use lever system, are silent in usage, and are made from similar materials. The Tailfin Fork Packs have more stability in the bag itself, but this comes at a weight penalty of about 150g for the 5L Tailfin against the 5.8L Ortlieb. The Ortleib pack also has a big reflective patch on the areas facing front and back, which is a nice touch for added visibility.
For riders looking for an inexpensive way of fork attachment, you could create a system for less money, with the Passport Lug-Cage, now £25, or the more minimal Cage Mount for £18. With the addition of a basic drybag, you could build a system for less than £35 per side.
The Ortlieb Fork Pack is currently £57.50 for the smaller 4L version and £62.50 for the larger 5.8L version, undercutting the Tailfin packs by a fair margin with the 5L costing £80 and the 10L at £100. The mount on the Tailfin bag is the most significant difference between the two. Tailfin wins for riders who wish to leave the mount on, as the simple design barely extends beyond the fork. In terms of pure performance, there's not much separating between them, and both provide the ability that outperform any drybag or rack-based solution.
Tailfin has once again created a product that surpasses most alternative bikepacking luggage systems, combining performance, construction, and minimal design to create a combined setup that stands tall. The X-Clamp system is great if you can justify the extra cost for the neater setup, and would rather keep the mount installed on the bike, ready to attach the bag in seconds.
Add comment