The Long Way Here 01 : The Harness
I’ve received a ton of feedback on the harness of the RP 9L. Much of it has been incredibly positive, some of it fairly critical, but all of it valid. Negative feedback can sting at times, but it’s undeniably the most valuable. That feedback is what makes the next design better than the last. It’s what motivates me to try again. That being said, I thought I could share some insights about how and why the harness on the RP 9L ended up the way that it did.
Designed for The Long Days
I designed the RP 9L for people who ride their bikes for a long time. For the 8-, 10-, 12-hour days. The harness is the result of thousands of hours and thousands of miles of testing. I designed it for the riders at the far end of the bell-curve, knowing that if it works for them, it’ll be pretty useful for the average rider as well. I’ll be the first to admit it isn’t perfect for everyone, but let’s dive in to the details so I can show you why I think it’s at least pretty damn good.
Adjustability and Comfort
If you’re a bag nerd like me, you’ve probably noticed that the harness on the RP 9L works a little differently from others on the market. It can be adjusted from both the top and the bottom. One of the biggest challenges in designing a vest is achieving the close, stable fit needed to keep the pack from bouncing or shifting. Fit is critical, but riders come in all shapes and sizes. In an ideal world, everyone would get a pack that is tailored specifically to fit them, but obviously, that’s not really a viable option. To solve this, I developed a design that allows for a huge range of adjustment. 5’3” riders with 30" chests and 6’5” riders with 48" chests have all been able to find a comfortable, secure fit with the RP 9L.
The harness is constructed with a 2-way stretch mesh fabric. The stretch is oriented horizontally, so the harness can stretch and expand with your chest, while remaining static in the vertical orientation. This helps distribute weight, while not impeding your breathing.
While the mesh appears quite solid, it actually has a very open structure. It has very high airflow and permeability scores in the lab. All that really means is it lets air flow over your chest, allowing sweat to evaporate and keeping you cooler for longer.
“A place for everything, and everything in its place”
There are a lot of pockets on the harness of the RP 9L, and that’s intentional. Having your essentials easily accessible can be the difference between an excellent ride and a miserable one. Plus, an extra pocket or two doesn’t hurt when you’re picking up someone else’s used gel wrapper from the trail.
On any given day, I carry my phone, gels, a little solid food, gloves, tire plugs, a small multitool, and some cash in my harness, all accessible with one hand while riding.
We’ve all been there: you know you need to eat, but it doesn’t feel worth stopping to grab some food. Next thing you know, you’re bonking and just want to be done. Or you think you might have missed a turn, but checking the map feels like a hassle, and before you know it, you’re backtracking five miles. Or you get a puncture, and by the time you dig your plugs out of the bottom of your pack, your tire is completely flat and you spend the next 10 minutes inflating it with your mini-pump.
Having what you need within easy reach lets you keep moving, and that means you can ride more and faff less.
The RP 9L harness features six tiered pockets so the contents don’t overlap. This keeps the harness comfortable and low-profile even when fully packed. Maybe that’s too many pockets for some people, but the design is meant to keep you organized and efficient. Everything has its place. So when you’re twelve hours into your ride, you don’t have to wonder where your gummy bears are, because they’re right where they should be.
Words by Tom Kvilhaug