Castelli Race Rain Bag

Castelli's Race Rain Bag makes a compact kit bag that holds enough gear to deal with a wide range of conditions. For those of us without a team car, this is a great race day option.

• Pros: Easy to pack, compact, fits loads of kit, kit is easy to access
• Cons: Pricey compared to a small holdall, no shoulder strap

Castelli's Race Rain bag isn't really designed for full kit bag duties. You'll more commonly see several of these wedged into the back of the team car, stuffed with wet weather gear and shoes, a just-in-case policy to guard against crashes and changing weather. Each rider on a pro team will get their own labelled bag with kit in their size; that way, should a rider need a jacket or an extra warm pair of gloves, they're easy for the mechanic in the back to find.

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As most of us don't have a team car and a helpful mechanic, it's primarily going to serve as a dedicated kit bag, be that for sportives or, in my case, local races. For this purpose, I've found it to be absolutely perfect. The bag is compact, taking up very little space in the car and in front of the washing machine post-race. It packs loads of kit in which is easy to get to, with a large main section and some smaller dividers. Shoes are housed in a separate compartment and I clip my helmet onto the top handle.

In the bag, I can fit three baselayers, a Gabba, jersey, bib shorts, skinsuit, shoes, sunglasses, leg, knee and arm warmers, mitts, warm gloves, socks, overshoes, a bag of pins, my licence, a towel and, most importantly, race snacks. The heavier, winter items are stored towards the bottom, and for most spring/summer races I'm just reaching for a skinsuit.

Castelli has prioritised reducing pre-event faff to a minimum, as the last thing you want before you head to the start line is undue stress. Having dedicated compartments for smaller items like warmers, socks, mitts and overshoes means that they're always in the same place, making a last-minute kit adjustment much easier.

The bag is made using a pretty standard rucksack material. It's pretty resistant to wear and doesn't look worn despite sitting on the tarmac and other rough surfaces in car parks. The zippers that Castelli has used on the outside of the bag are oversized and really easy to open quickly. The shoe compartment is vented and can be detached from the rest of the bag if not needed. You get a name panel on the top of the bag for easy identification.

Under the flip-open top there are two mesh pockets. They're perfect for little items that you'll need for every race as you can see what's in there and get at the contents quickly.

Packing kit back into the bag is quick too, and once I get home from a race, the small size means that this isn't getting in the way when left in front of the washing machine. Once the kit is dried, the bag can be packed up again with everything in its place, ready for the next race. The ease of organisation that this bag brings is great.

What's not so great is the price compared to a basic rucksack which, if you want to ride to your event, is going to be much more useful. It is, however, much cheaper than Scott's RC Raceday 60, though that is a highly organised bag. Scicon's Race Rain Bag is similar, just with slightly more organisation, but the £104 price tag is quite a lot higher.

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At the same price, you've got KitBrix Kit Bags. These come with a shoulder strap, allowing you to ride to a race and they also zip together should you buy multiple bags. For me, the slightly larger size of the Castelli bag and the extra compartment for shoes fit my requirement better.

If you're going to be going to a lot of cycling events, be that sportives or races, you'll be well-served by the Castelli Race Rain Bag. It's perfect for packing up at the start of the year and holding your kit for any conditions.

Verdict

Well made, fits loads of easily accessed kit and compact size – all of which makes this easy to recommend