Touring - How to carry stuff on top of your rear rack

I am getting ready to go on my first tour and have packed everything up and come to the realization that it would be nice to carry some stuff on top of my rack. Like food and my spare tubes and tools. I am only carrying a rear rack and panniers because all my camp stuff is pretty small and lightweight. I also have a jannd handlebar bag bug it just isn't big enough for all of that stuff. I was looking into seat bags but they seem too small and trunk bags strike me as very impractical. But I don't know much about this sort of thing so I am asking you guys. thanks in advance.

It's usually better to carry light stuff on the rack as to not elevate your center of gravity.

I use a small day backpack strapped from the pack's handle to the seatpost or front of rack and a bungee in the back, going through something like a daisy chain or elastic daypacks have to carry a fleece. A daypack is nice because:

- It gives a daypack for day hikes (d'uh!).
- It adds one or few small pockets.
- It's easier to secure a single bag than a bunch of random things.
- It's easier to cover in case of rain. Just wrap it in a large plastic bag.

If you don't need the content during the day, you can wrap it and it'll take care of those dangling straps.

Inside the panniers is usually more secure and preferable.
I use the rack top for drying stuff.
A bunji chord strapped across the rear rack or an elasticated cargo net is what you need.
Wrap all your bits in a bag and try and ensure that it is wider at the ends than the middle or the bag may bounce off.

My camping stuf,tent sleeping bag and pad go in a brite yellow dry bag on top of rear rack with bunge cords. the bag is set aside if you motel for the nite, is very visable on the road. I'll admit to being pretty heavy, but I still strongly recomend geting the real heavy stuff low and in the front.

I carried our tent lengthwise on the rack and an ortlieb bag (http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/BikePanniers.html) across the top. The bike becomes unstable with too much weight up high...and if you have an easily accessable pack it is often tempting to stuff another thing, then another, and another... and before you know it you've got too much up top... like this...

http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bikes1.JPG

I will never be carrying more than 2 days worth of food and I am not bringing that many tools and things. So it won't be that much stuff.

Delta Cargo Net II is the way to go for lightweight sizable items on top of a rear rack (food, bottles, putting washed/wet clothing over the top of the food/bottles to keep cool, rainwear, top & leggings etc) but tools are best stored carefully kept out the elements, maybe in a ZipLoc bag (or two) down the side of a pannier.

I'll second the Delta cargo net. you can move the hooks around on the cords to accomodate different size loads and BF and I have used ours to strap some truly massive boxes to our racks If you put a dry bag under the net you'll be set.

i wrap my sleeping bag and pad in a tarp, burrito-style, and bungee it on lengthwise. it's lightweight stuff that rides well up there, and the tarp is serving double duty so it doesn't take up space in a bag. it's also much cheaper than a drybag.