a better photo to show how they work well enough with stuff in the handlebar harness, it keeps things low ish so not an issue when placing the drybag and stuff in a way not to be sticking up and out the sides where the shifters swing inwards.
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Yeah, the bikepacking front bag harness systems put the weight and volume lower than the modern handlebar bags that use a quick release bracket.
Decades ago handlebar bags also hung lower when they hung from a steel rod support that cantilevered off of the handlebar.
You have seen photos of my usage of a second stem to lower the quick release bracket for my handlebar bag, so I won't bother showing that again here.
I use bar end shifters on my touring bikes, except the Rohloff bike. But that Rohloff shifter is mounted on the end of the handlebar (with a Hubbub adapter) too, so I suppose you could call that Rohloff shifter a bar end shifter.
I am not sure why the drop bars on bikebacking bikes initially were angled out more, as that was not a big aero advantage. But I can see how the extra width on those bars is needed for bikepacking handlebar harnesses, especially when brifters are used.