Apidura Expedition Frame Bag – The New Generation of Bikepacking Bags

Apidura released a brand-new Expedition series this year. At first I thought it was more of a rebrand, but on closer inspection I found that each bag had received both small and significant improvements. Today we're looking at their frame bag, which I've been riding primarily on two bikepacking races – Race through Slovakia and Race through Poland. In total I have around 3,000 kilometres on this bag.

The bag comes in four sizes: 2.8 L, 3.8 L, 4.3 L, and 5.7 L – one fewer than the previous version, and with slightly reduced volumes overall. For my road bike I went with the smallest – 2.8 L – which fit perfectly alongside two one-litre bidons. It weighs 210 grams and is fully waterproof. It's made from a new material that's more resistant to abrasion, and I find it cleans up a bit more easily too.

The bag holds its shape well, so there's no risk of it bulging out or sitting poorly on the bike. The stiffening is most noticeable in the top and bottom sections, and it does add some weight – the previous version was 65 grams lighter. Thanks to those reinforcements, though, it sits beautifully.

🔧 Features

Several features have been carried over from other Apidura bags, which shows how the company systematically applies learnings across its product range. The attachment system has taken a major leap forward. The top panel of the bag is covered in silicone strips, as are the securing straps themselves. Instead of traditional velcro, there are now buckles which allow you to tighten the bag much more firmly and it genuinely doesn't shift while riding. I do have a minor battle with the strap loop when dealing with the excess strap, but that's a small thing. The frame is protected from the buckle by a strip of material, so I wasn't worried about any damage – although extra protection never hurts.

The front section of the bag conforms well to the frame, sitting more snugly – a detail borrowed from Apidura's aero bags.

The bag has two zips. One side has a smaller pocket for smaller items; the other opens the main compartment, which contains an additional mesh pocket for organisation. A power bank fits in there nicely.

The narrow pocket on one side feels a bit too small to me – my Google Pixel 9a with a case won't fit. Without the case it just about goes in.

Inside are loops through which you can thread longer items – tent pegs, a mini pump, cable ties… You can thread items directly through or use your own velcro straps.

At the front there is a cable port for routing a charging cable or similar.

🤐 Zips

Zips have been something of an Achilles' heel on Apidura bags, but this generation takes a clear step towards addressing it. Along the full length of the zip there's an internal carbon strip (and in larger sizes, two strips) to prevent the zip from flexing unnecessarily – which can lead to failure over time. I genuinely appreciate that effort.

I can confirm the zip opens smoothly with one hand along its full length. It could glide a little more freely, but that's partly the nature of a waterproof zip – that protection comes at a cost. My biggest frustration is that Apidura still doesn't include a rain flap over the zip end. If you close the zip with normal force, a small gap remains at the end through which rain can enter. I experienced this firsthand: after riding through a serious downpour, I found a slight dampness near the bag opening. For full waterproofing you need to pull the zip all the way to the end, which requires noticeably more force and makes it much harder to open afterwards. I genuinely don't understand this design choice – it's another thing I have to think about in the rain.

🧑‍⚖️ Conclusion

Overall I'm happy with this bag – I appreciate that Apidura is pushing to innovate more. Over the last few years I hadn't noticed much real development, but this generation feels like a genuine step forward. When I compare it to a bag from two generations ago, it's a completely different product. The capacity is generous and everything inside is easy to access. It disappears on the bike while pedalling and is an excellent choice for gravel or road frames. It should also fit on a hardtail – the smallest size is genuinely compact – and I'd probably manage to squeeze it onto my full-suspension bike, though there'd likely be no room left for bidons.

If there's one thing I'd hope to see in the next generation, it's a better solution for the zip ends. But with these latest improvements, Apidura is clearly heading in the right direction.