browell

Does anyone use this on thier touring bike with drop bars? I'm thinking about getting it instead of a front rack and panniers. What are your thoughts?
https://www.epicdesignsalaska.com/?page_id=9

nun

The harness/dry bag combo that fits between the drops is probably a good alternative to a regular
handlebar bag, but it won't be big enough to replace the front panniers too. I did some experiments just strapping compression dry sacks to my bike and found that a 10L bag would fit between the drops if it was 75% full, so I could get 7.5L of space.

https://wheelsofchance.org/2010/02/02/ultralight-setup/

The big advantage of the dry sack system is that it tends to be lightweight, however, it's not easy to get into so items that you need on the road have to be packed in one of the harness' pockets.

tiggermaxcocoa

I contacted Epic Designs a while back, along with Carousel Designs about some of their bags. I ended up buying a large seat bag from Carousel Designs. It works great for me, but like nun said, the capacity is not very much compared to even modest panniers. The handlebar bag would be even smaller than the saddle bag if you have drop bars, and since it requires you to use a dry sack or other compression sack, it's really only good for carrying a sleeping bag, pad, or small tent.

When I first found this idea of "rackless touring," I was very intrigued. Over time and after having used the Carousel Designs saddle bag, I'm starting to realize that this is more of a mountain bike thing. Racks and panniers work on rough trails, but not nearly as well as bags strapped directly to the bike. For long days on the road, when you're carrying 20-30 pounds of gear, racks and panniers are by far a better option for efficient travel. That's my opinion, at least.