Wildcat Lion - Additional Drybag Stability?

[Richard G]

So I love my Wildcat Lion, I think it's a fantastic harness. Only problem is, because of my, uhh, lairy descending style my dry bag has a tendency to start slipping out of the harness one way or another. I've only had it come out once, but this is generally because I'm now stopping on the descents to try and tighten the straps / shift it back to the middle.

I'm thinking that if I could find a drybag with some loops on the outside, I could run the straps through those and it'd be perfect (it'd still move a bit, but no risk of falling out).

Obviously stitching some loops on manually isn't going to work so well... so are there any dry bags out there which might fit the bill off the shelf?

I've also considered wrapping something long ways around the bag, but I'm not sure how I'd hold that strap in place either.

[pistonbroke]

Alpkit Airlock Xtra 5, 8, 13 litre

[mechanicaldope]

Don't the alpkit bags still have hoops on them? The 13l bag I have from them certainly does and I use the hoops on it for this exact reason.

Edit: ^^^^ Those are the ones.

[Richard G]

Cheers. Bit heavier than I'm used to, but I'll save all that time not messing around trying to keep the bag in place.

[whitestone]

As well as the Alpkit already mentioned there's the Revelate SaltyRoll. The spacing of the harness straps and loops on the bag don't quite line up but it's close enough. The SaltyRoll gets extra volume by being long rather than increasing diameter so useful for the vertically challenged

[pistonbroke]

Salty roll is only twice the price of a 13l airlok.

[benp1]

I was goin to recommend the salty roll, I have one

[ctznsmith]

I third the salty roll. Although I have managed to put a hole in it on the seam somehow (bramble? It's now patched with tape).

[redefined_cycles]

I uaed the alpkit which has the holes. Worked well...

[whitestone]

Rich, the only times I've had problems with the Lion have been when I haven't packed the bag "properly". It's only actually ejected the once, on the first JennRide, when I'd managed to make a cone shape out of the bag!

The problems tend to arise when one half of the bag is solidly packed and the other is loose. Getting the bag packed evenly seems to be the key

[Pirahna]

A compression dry bag?

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk ... ybags-c178

[Richard G]

Rich, the only times I've had problems with the Lion have been when I haven't packed the bag "properly". It's only actually ejected the once, on the first JennRide, when I'd managed to make a cone shape out of the bag!

The problems tend to arise when one half of the bag is solidly packed and the other is loose. Getting the bag packed evenly seems to be the key

Absolutely, but for all the time I spend trying to get the bag packed properly I might as well just get a drybag with loops. :)

[RIP]

"might as well just get a drybag with loops" - yep. Been happy with my bar setup like that - Alpkit Xtra 8L for shelter plus 5 or 8 for s'bag. Replaced thick straps with superlight ones. Cheap, light, doesn't bounce, easy on/off.

[Wotsits]

I had exactly the same problem, the bag always tried to escape half way down the best downhill sections of trail. Both loops on the Alpkit bags don’t quite line-up with the Wildcat straps, but work fine if only one set are used..

[Mart]

Just a thought .... Put some seam sealant blobs on the harness which will grip the dry bag better when you tighten the straps

[Richard G]

I had exactly the same problem, the bag always tried to escape half way down the best downhill sections of trail. Both loops on the Alpkit bags don’t quite line-up with the Wildcat straps, but work fine if only one set are used..

Should probably be able to add another loop to one / both sides fairly easily to get the perfect fit.

Just a thought .... Put some seam sealant blobs on the harness which will grip the dry bag better when you tighten the straps

Yeah, I did wonder if there was a way to make the dry bag or the straps "grippier". I might try that when I use the smaller of the two bags that I normally use (I don't tend to have so many issues with that one).

[ScotRoutes]

FWIW I just use the middle trap on my Revelate Harness/Saltyroll setup to stop any sideways slippage.

[u02sgb]

Another option:
Lioness front bag means you've got two additional straps round the bag and makes it a bit more stable too

[Richard G]

Given the choice I'd have nothing on the bars, so not eager to put more up there!

[whitestone]

I think it comes down to what you have in the dry bag and how you pack it. Typically the smallest bag I use with the Lion is Wildcat's own double-ended dry bag at about 8L. This will be tightly packed with my bivy kit and comes to around 1Kg including the dry bag but not the Lion. The bag naturally packs well so I don't get the tapered shape that's potentially a problem. It also has a large enough circumference that even with a bit of "encouragement" I'm not bottoming out at the smallest length of the Lion's straps.

I've tried to use the Lioness in the way u02sgb mentions but it kept slipping to one side

[Mart]

I had exactly the same problem, the bag always tried to escape half way down the best downhill sections of trail. Both loops on the Alpkit bags don’t quite line-up with the Wildcat straps, but work fine if only one set are used..

Should probably be able to add another loop to one / both sides fairly easily to get the perfect fit.

Just a thought .... Put some seam sealant blobs on the harness which will grip the dry bag better when you tighten the straps

Yeah, I did wonder if there was a way to make the dry bag or the straps "grippier". I might try that when I use the smaller of the two bags that I normally use (I don't tend to have so many issues with that one).

The new Revelate front harness uses the same principle

[Richard G]

Too much scope for vertical movement on those I've found. The fork straps of the Lion are a big advantage over the headtube straps of other types of harness.

[psling]

You could always glue a short strip of velcro to drybag and underside of harness. Probably only need a couple of inches lengthwise at top centre, front edge.

[HUX]

Use an A5 sized piece of that silicone coated mat used in kitchen drawers between harness and bag. Very grippy and light!

[Trail-rat]

I guess your not using the tongue ? Never had an issue with this happening