The Altura Vortex seat pack comes with some new updates that make it easier to use. The strong materials allow it to stand up to abuse but this means it's pretty heavy as a result. Plus, some elements of the attachments make it hard to tighten up enough to stop side-to-side movement. Read on to see how it rates among the best bikepacking seat packs.
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Altura Vortex Waterproof Seat Pack – Technical details
Altura has produced the Vortex range of bikepacking bags for several years, with the second edition reviewed in 2021. This latest updated bag shares a similar construction and is available in three sizes, including the compact 6-litre, mid-size 12-litre (pictured here) and a larger 17-litre. All bags use the same waterproof ripstop nylon fabric with TPU coating to keep water out.
The bag is pretty large when it comes to storage. Inside there is a firm, reinforced section near the base to help support its shape. Similar to other seat packs, the top is closed with a roll-down structure and double buckle strap. The bag attaches to the seatpost with one large Velcro strap. One new feature is an air valve which allows air to be released as you close the bag, helping reduce its size when not in use. Once rolled and attached, the valve can be closed to hold the shape and stop any moisture from coming in.
Altura Vortex Waterproof Seat Pack - Performance
With 12 litres of space available, I had enough room to pack a lightweight bivvy bag, a two-season sleeping bag, an inflatable mat and a cooking set. The firm, reinforced section near the base is useful for holding softer things such as the sleeping bag and, as long as you order your stored gear, it holds a good shape when closed.
The air valve is useful. If you pack items such as a sleeping bag, which will often have excess air, you can keep pressure on, expelling the air before locking the valve.
If the bag is filled to the recommended point, there is a loop on the bag, which is useful as a light attachment point. Once closed there are two buckles to hold the shape and adjust the tension. A large single Velcro strap is used for the seatpost attachment.
The materials around the attachment points are thick and feel strong and robust enough to deal with the tension that needs to keep them in position while riding. Although they feel strong, the style of the buckles, thickness and the material of the straps make it difficult to get enough tension. I found it wasn’t always possible to remove the slack. The buckle is basic, with no form of cam-lock to ensure they stay in place. The straps and buckles attaching to the saddle rails feel the same, with thick straps that are difficult to tension.
The seatpost attachment point also has some problems with tension. I found the edge of the Velcro point was not passing through the buckle, limiting the position you can achieve. This happened on a bike with a narrow 27.2mm seatpost. It might be less of a problem on a larger diameter seatpost but the bigger problem is the material used in its construction. There's no grip and even when the strap is as tight as you can pull, it doesn’t grip the seatpost and allows the pack to move side to side.
On the top of the pack, an elastic loop allows for extra attachment and this space is ideal for an extra layer such as a waterproof layer. This allows easy access without the need to open up the main compartment.
When tested, the bottom of the bag sat 16cm below the saddle rail when full and this should make it suitable for most mountain bikes but a potential problem for smaller gravel bikes. Once attached and in use, the bag itself holds its shape well and the thick ripstop fabric holds out any water. I would have no worries taking the bike and bags through scrub or brash. The bag weighs 505g, which is heavier than most similar size bags. It weighs more than the previous Vortex bag tested, with the compact version only 280g. Compared to other similar-sized bags from brands such as Apidura or Ortlieb, it is around 100g heavier.
When using a seat bag, packing it well is absolutely crucial to reducing sway, keeping heavier items nearer the seatpost when possible. For the Vortex, despite keeping the load well placed, there was still some sway while riding, which came down to the difficulty in tensioning the straps.
Altura Vortex Waterproof Seat Pack - Verdict
The mid-sized Vortex Seat Pack costs £80, with the smaller compact version at £70 and the larger 14-litre bag at £90, which is less than bags from Apidura, Miss Grape and small bespoke companies, such as Wildcat. British company Alpkit produces the Deluge, with similar materials and sizes and is almost half the price.
Compared to other bags tested, the Ortlieb Seat Pack stands out as a favourite but does cost a little more. The Wildcat Tiger Drover has a separate harness and design that has some practical benefits.
Some elements of the Vortex bag make it a good choice, with durability and water protection being key attributes. The reinforced bottom section helps keep the shape of the bag but the straps feel too thick and, combined with a Velcro seatpost strap, there is more side-to-side movement than I would hope to see. At the price point, there are other bags of similar size, using similar materials that are hard to beat.
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