ETC Arid Waterproof Wedge Bag 1L

The ETC Arid Waterproof Wedge Bag makes the most of its one litre capacity with a shape that fits pretty much all of a ride's essentials in. It all stays dry, too.

The main thing I like about this ETC is the closure and attachment system. Attachment to the saddle rails is the usual affair, where a strap is sewn into the top centre of the bag and loops over each rail. But, instead of wrapping right around the bag and clipping together, these pass through a clamp connected to a long strap from underneath.

This means you can get a really good tension balance to stop the bag swaying whether it's being heavy, full or empty. A simple Velcro strap keeps it tight against the seatpost. It retains its shape too, helped by the reinforced base.

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Rather than a zip for closure, the Arid uses Velcro and – once sealed – you roll the end of the bag a turn or two and clip it onto the side. It's almost like a miniature bikepacking seat pack.

Being able to roll the entrance over gives another layer of protection, alongside welded seams and the 600D nylon's IPX4 waterproof rating.

I found it effective against rainwater being splashed up from the road beneath. With the bag rolled, there are no little crevices for the water to find a way into either.

Reflectives

From the rear the bag has a square profile, and ETC has added a large reflective border and logo which really helps rear visibility. There are reflective logos on the sides too.

The one thing I would like to see though is a loop of material to hang a light from. The bike I tested it on has 195mm between the top of the seatclamp to the saddle rails, which leaves room to clamp a light underneath, but if you're running less than about 125mm that won't be possible.

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The Arid has a litre of space inside, and easily packs two tubes, tyre levers, a multi-tool, patches and a CO2 head with a couple of canisters. There's still room for a lightweight set of armwarmers or gloves as well.

It holds pretty much everything you need for most instances on the road; the only thing that won't fit is the majority of mini-pumps. All those I have are just a touch too long.

Value

Priced at just twenty quid, I think the Arid is a good bag. The quality is impressive, and it does the job well. The Birzman Roadster II saddle bag is a touch cheaper at £16.99, but it only has 0.4L of space.

The same can be said for the Fabric Contain Small Saddle Bag, which is again 0.4L, but £21.99.

Overall

The ETC Arid is a lot of bag for the money. Just get that light loop added and there's nothing to seriously fault.

Verdict

Well made, with good shaping and plenty of storage for very little cash