Marsee Seat Bag
MARSEE SEAT BAG
CW EVALUATION
Easy on, easy off
YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT TAILPACKS, RIGHT? Handy guys, they are. Handier for solo rides than tankbags because strapped atop the passenger's seat, they don't intrude upon your riding environment the way a tankbag can. The best ones hold a lot-shaving kit, a light change of clothes, maps and books, and whatever you’re likely to need to fix flats, clean helmet visors, etc.
The 22-Liter Seat Bag from Marsee (Box 2588, Temecula, CA 92590; 909/ 694-9742), available in black, red/black and purple/black, is a recent addition to a field crowded with quality contenders.
We like the Marsee pack for many reasons, including the following: It’s got lots of storage space, a claimed 22 liters, or about 1300 cubic inches. That’s plenty for a rider’s weekend, as long as you know how to pack light. Most of what you pack will be stowed in the padded and lined main pocket, a top-loading, double-zipper box. The pack also consists of four ancillary poekets-a very shallow one, best for holding the pack’s shoulder strap, and three larger ones good for stashing pairs of socks, cleaning supplies, tireplugging kits, etc.
All but the shallow, front pocket are closed by plastic zips that are operated by large, easy-to-grab pull-tabs. That front pocket is secured by means of velcro patches. As a safety measure, the rear pocket is coated with reflective material aimed at reducing the likelihood of your becoming a rear-endcr statistic.
So far, so good, even when it comes to the method by which the Marsee bag latches to the bike. It does so courtesy of a quartet of large plastic hooks snapped to pencil-sized bungee cords arranged in a crossways, corner-to-corner layout. It’s an effective arrangement, complete with interior adjusters that insure the bungees stay at the length you select. One downside is that the hooks are the snap-on, fall-off variety, and can easily be lost. Our test bag came with an extra pair. Good thing. Also, the hooks will scratch unprotected bodywork. It’s best to preface their fitment with a strip of clear tape. One final comment: This pack does not come with a rain cover. We think this is a significant omission.
Still, the Marsee Seat Bag offers obvious quality and thoughtful design. At a suggested retail price of $100, it ain’t inexpensive. But the good stuff never is. K3
