You can’t fail to have noticed that gravel racing is growing exponentially and practically every other product launch seems to feature something lighter, faster or more aero at the minute! Restrap, the UK-based purveyors of great kit for gravel riders, bikepackers, commuters and pretty much every other type of cyclist, are slowly growing their range of products aimed at the speedier end of the gravel market and today they announce the launch of a new lightweight hydration vest and an aero-optimised top tube bag. Read on to find out all the details. 

Today sees the launch of two new Restrap products which are aimed at the #fastfar crowd – a lightweight version of their ‘award winning’ hydration vest and a lighter, smaller and more aero version of their top tube bag. 

The introductory text for the Lightweight Race Hydration Vest makes it pretty clear who they think the target market is: “ Your only goal is to ride from A-B in the fastest time possible, your priorities are aerodynamics, comfort, weight and to be able to access fuel as ergonomically as possible.” You can spot straight away some sibling resemblance to their Race Hydration Vest, which was launched back in April 2024. While the OG version was aimed squarely at bikepackers and included plenty of storage options for “stuff” as well as carrying up to 2 litres of water, the new Lightweight vest is a more ‘pared-down’ offering and lives up to its name by being less than half the weight of the original.

Here are some of the design highlights of the Lightweight Race Hydration Vest:

• Lightweight mesh construction 
• Four stretch pockets on the front
• An underarm stretch pocket on each side. 
• Minimalist elastic chest retention, which can be adjusted and even unclipped with one hand
• Hydration bladder sleeve at the rear (bladder included). 
• Hose routing can be run over either shoulder, with a magnetic clip to hold the hose in place when not in use. 
• Stretch rear pocket for storing an emergency layer
• Reflective detailing to increase visibility at night 

The Lightweight Race Hydration Vest is offered in two sizes - S/M for chest sizes between 80 and 100cm (t-shirt size XS to M) and L/XL for chest sizes between 100 and 120cm (t-shirt size M to XXL). 

We’ve got one of the Lightweight Race Hydration Vests on test at the minute and we’ll report back later in the summer what we think of it. 

The Recommended Retail Price is £149.99/€179.99/US$236.99. You can buy the vest directly from Restrap and from selected retailers too. You can find all the details on Restrap’s website. 

Also new from Restrap is the Aero Race Top Tube Bag. Restrap say that their new bag is “for those who want their marginal gains AND energy gels in the same place.” We had the OG version of Restrap’s Race Top Tube Bag on test back in the spring and absolutely loved it. In a similar manner to their new Lightweight Race Hydration Vest, their new Aero Race Top Tube bag takes all the good bits from the old version but pares it back to make it lighter, lower profile and more aero. 

There are several key differences between the OG and the new Aero version – the most obvious is the removal of the headtube retention strap. Restrap say this has been made possible thanks to a “completely redesigned stiffener” inside the bag. The new bag still features an internal foam base to help deaden rattles and can be fitted either with top tube bolts if your frame comes fitted with them, or with the included ‘fast straps’ if it doesn’t. The other big difference from the OG version is the removal of the stretch mesh pockets from the side of the bag. The new Aero version now has a small pocket at the front – ideal for a small multi-tool, or tubeless tyres plug kit, or to put your empty wrappers in (and also less likely to rub on your knees if you pedal with a ‘knees-in’ style).   

Despite being visually pretty similar, the new Aero race bag is half the capacity of the OG version – 0.6 litres compared to 1.2litres for the OG version. While that means you’ll need to think a little more carefully about what you want to pack in the bag, the benefit is that it’s significantly lower profile and consequently a lot more aero. 

Restrap list the following features for the new bag:

• Aerodynamic design
• Recycled ripstop fabric
• Fast strap/bolt-on attachment
• Internal foam base with laser cut contours
• U-shaped stiffener for ultimate stability
• No headtube retention needed
• Stretch pocket for tyre plug tool
• YKK waterproof zipper
• Reflective detail
• Handmade in the UK

The new Aero Race Top Tube bag is available direct from Restrap and from selected retailers too. The Recommended Retail Price is £59.99/€74.99/US$91.99. You can find all the details on Restrap’s website.