We stock three different seat packs from Silca because they're just great designs that we feel each serve a different bike. All three use a Boa closure, which means that there's no velcro anywhere to catch on the legs of your shorts, and it also makes adjusting the packs incredibly easy and secure. With a roll-type seat pack, the Boa closure also ensures that the roll won't rattle loose because each time you turn the dial, the adjustment stays put. But how do you decide which one will work best for you? We thought we'd go through the main points of each to help clarify the strengths of each one.
Seat Roll Premio
The Seat Roll Premio is the smallest of the three, and is designed with the needs of road riders in mind. The canvas fabric is waxed to keep water from soaking in, and then quilted with reflective thread to add a bit of visibility without disrupting the understated look of the pack. This is the smallest pack of the line, and its three pockets are sized to fit a tube up to 700x45c, a mini tool, and two CO2 cartridges with a regulator, or a similar assortment of items. Having a pack with only as much room as you need ensures that everything stays as secure as possible, and also just makes for a small, out-of-the-way package that's there when you need it, but easy to forget about the rest of the time.
Seat Roll Grande Americano
The Seat Roll Grande Americano uses the same basic three-pocket design as the Seat Roll Premio, but expands it to accommodate a tube up to 29x2.5". The fabric is 1000D ballistic Nylon with a water repellent finish to keep the contents dry and gives the pack a long life. Compared to the Seat Roll Premio, pretty much everything on this pack has been updated slightly to make it able to handle its larger load with ease: a lower pleat allows the bag to expand when loaded, a slightly lower Boa position helps tuck the pack up into the saddle for the most security, and a more robust vertical strap is there to keep the pack's contents secure in even the roughest terrain. This is a great pack for your mountain bike, or for carrying a little bit more than the bare-minimum on your road bike, and to make the whole thing even sweeter, the Seat Roll Grande Americano is made in the USA!
Seat Capsule Premio
The Seat Capsule Premio holds a similar amount to the Seat Roll Grande Americano, but does so in a zippered capsule that stays attached to your saddle. Internal pockets keep your tube (or tubes if you're carrying multiple smaller ones) apart from tools (which have their own pocket). Because the carrying compartment of the Seat Capsule Premio doesn't cinch down, it can't get quite the low-profile of the other two, but for those riders who like to keep their seat pack attached to their bike at all times, this one is hard to beat.
So which one is best for you?
In our estimation, the Seat Roll Grande Americano is a great choice for most riders: it's got enough room to be able to handle either a couple of road tubes, or a single mountain bike tube, so you can use it on various bikes, and we really like that it's hand-sewn in the USA. If you're just going to use the pack on your road bike, and have your repair kit down to a minimal size, the Seat Roll Premio is a great option. The reflective quilting is a really nice touch, and the size is about as small as you can get. And for those who just want a more traditional seat pack design, the Seat Capsule Premio has features that make it very attractive.
In any case, we think you can't go wrong with Silca seat packs. Having used a lot of seat packs over the years, we can vouch for the difference the Boa attachment makes, and having developed a fondness for the tucked-away design and classic look of seat rolls, we are happy to find some that really stay put, and hold their contents securely.
