Silca Mattone Seat Pack

The Silca Mattone is a compact, tidy-looking bag that absolutely doesn't budge once snugged up under the saddle.

I've never been one to adhere to the controversial Rule #29 ('No European posterior man-satchels') for the very good reason that they are extremely useful. Finding one that is the right size, fits securely, looks really good and doesn't swing about like a billy-goat's man-sack is not as straightforward as it seems. However, with the Silca Mattone, a good handful of right buttons have been firmly pressed.

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The key selling point is the use of the Boa fastening system, more usually seen on race shoes. This is fitted to a broad, rubberised strap which itself slots through a strip of webbing on the top-side of the pack.

Fitting the Mattone is simply a matter of slipping the Boa button through and over one saddle rail, the other end of the strap over the opposite rail, and wrapping the strap around the bottom of the bag. The red nylon 'fishing line' is then easily looped around the hook and the whole assemblage made secure by winding up the Boa dial.

This is far-and-away the best fastening system I have ever tried. As well as being quick to fit and even quicker to remove, it allows the pack to be snugged up against the underside of the saddle – and there it stays for the duration of the ride, totally safe and without flopping about. The Boa system seems such a good solution that it's surprising it hasn't been seen before. Evoc uses it, but as a way of securing its pack to the seatpost.

I fitted the Mattone to three bikes, each with quite different saddle and seatpost combinations, and it worked equally well with all; the only slight issue was where the under-saddle clearance was a bit tight for the Boa button to go through, but it did work on all of them.

Silca says the pack is 'for the cyclist looking to carry a spare tube, CO2, Multi-Tool, and some cash in a discrete, water-resistant package'. That's pretty much what you get (though I'll return to the 'water resistant bit of that in due course). I filled mine with a Topeak Hexus X multi-tool (admittedly not exactly minimalist), Topeak Ninja inflator head and a standard, unused 18-28mm butyl inner tube. I was also able to fit in two CO2 cartridges, a quick-link and a credit card and cash. I always carry two tubes (hence the two gas bombs) so the other still has to go in a pocket, but this is a matter for personal choice. There are a great many riders who want a small pack, and that's what this is.

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The interior is well padded, to the benefit of rattle-control but the slight detriment of space. Into the rectangular(ish) compartment is sewn a slim nylon pocket, which is where your cash and cards go. The whole arrangement opens out like a book. I found this practical when the pack was off the bike; in situ, it was less so. Despite Silca's claim that the Mattone allows 'easy access to the multi-tool and money/card slots when on the bike without risk of spilling all the contents of the bag', in practice, because the pack mounts with the lid facing down, the heavier contents of the main compartment can fall out if you use it this way. However, since the Mattone is quick to remove and refit, I just did that.

The other issue was the 'water-resistant' claim. There's no official standard for this, but a reasonable person might expect the Mattone to keep the contents dry even when exposed to spray from the back wheel, given this is where it has to spend its working life. The inclusion of a YKK waterproof zip also raises your hopes. In practice, a 50-mile ride over wet roads resulted in a soggy interior that took 24 hours to dry out.

The reason, it seems to me, is that while the main compartment is rubberised on the outside, the lid isn't. Since it's the lid that's pointing at the back wheel, it takes the brunt of the spray. Silca shows the pack mounted the same way up that we've done it in our pictures, but wouldn't it be better the other way up? This would also solve the problem of the contents falling out when the pack is opened while still on the saddle.

Although not cheap, the Silca Mattone is pretty good value. It compares price-wise with the Fidlock PUSH saddle bag that we tested recently, but that suffers from the rattle that the Mattone is designed to avoid.

The Piggy from 76 Projects will save you £20, has a similar compact look and also snugs up securely under the saddle, but you have to wrestle with Velcro straps to do that.

If you want the Boa system but not the Silca Mattone, you could look at the Evoc Boa. It's a rather different beast, being a roll-top closure, and uses the Boa to attach to the seatpost. It comes in three sizes and is more expensive, starting at £79.99. 

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Overall, the Silca Mattone's good looks and secure fitting are enough to convince me it's worth the money if the bag fits your requirements. It'd be better with the lid at the top, though.

Verdict

Secure, good looking little pack, but having the lid at the top would surely be better...