Wanted to reach out on the Forum and say hi! We make frame bags and storage solutions to maximize space in your GFC. All bags are machine sewn here in San Diego, California and are custom to your vehicle.
Our goal is to keep in-line with the GFC ethos by using as much US sourced material as possible, as well as the reputable high quality brands we have come to know and love (YKK, Cordura, 3M, Gutermann, etc.).
We understand that you work hard for your money and choose where to spend it. We do the same and have a tendency to over-research everything (and use this forum a ton)! Fast fashion and next-day Amazon are very embedded in the day-to-day lifestyle of many people. Filstrand products take a step back from that approach with the goal of bringing design, engineering, craft, and making tangible products back. Sure, you can buy a $50 bike frame bag off Amazon and make it work. If that is what you want to do, then by all means! If not, then we can help get you set up with a product that is made to last and fits your exact needs.
There have been others that have made similar products to these, however those options aren’t available any longer or updated for the V2 Pro. We are here to fill that gap. Each frame bag is custom built to each truck make, model, year, and bed length, just like the GFC that sits on top of your rig. Each frame bag takes roughly 12-15 hours to make and are pieced together with industrial Juki sewing machines.
We are a small company and are working to expand our supported vehicles, decrease lead time, and continue to provide quality products.
I can vouch for the time and quality James puts into these bags. Mine were the first for the 2nd Gen Colorado and James came to my office to get the measurements perfect. They fit perfectly and are very, very sturdy.
I’m very curious about how you use them. I’m in the market for these specific bags, which I spotted on Instagram.
For me, a few things are requirements:
Double sided access
Bright interior
Stuff doesn’t tumble out when opened
But when I went through my stuff to think about what I’d put in these bags, I was a little stumped. Most things have found a place in my GFC, so it wasn’t immediately obvious what the best use of the frame bags would be.
Also, I really value having at least one side totally clear/open. So for me I can only fit them on the driver’s side.
I initially had the same issue, trying to figure out what to put in them. Right now, I only have stuff in the passenger side bag. I put my keys in the inside mesh. In the inside pocket I have a head lamp, flashlight, knife, and a phone charging cord. Basically, stuff that I frequently access. In the outside pocket I keep my collection of lumbering bear and m0to clips and hooks, some zip-ties and my Hellerman zip tie anchors.
I think I’ll put my TP, wipes, and biodegradable bags in the inside pocket of the driver’s side so they’re always handy if I need them.
See, I was thinking the opposite - put things that I wouldn’t access regularly, but want a specific spot to keep them out of the way - first aid supplies, etc.
I could see that too. I was toying around with them this past weekend. I realized that the majority of the time I spent at my truck was at the back end, whether I was making coffee, changing, etc. I thought about the things that I had to keep going elsewhere to grab and putting them in the bags.
There are surprisingly a lot of ways to configure the bags, but we are not here to sell products that won’t get used! Common orders we are seeing are two front bags, or two rear bags, or only bags on one side (Driver or Passenger). Also a lot of interest in recover gear / air down gear storage. Our best advice is to plan out your use case then order (if interested). Happy to answer any questions and provide dimensions if curious!
As @YetiX mentioned, the Rear Frame Bags get used more since they are accessible when just your GFC rear panel is open.
The Front Frame Bags are more practical when you are camping/hanging in Cabana Mode, therefore we keep items in there that are mainly used when we are staying put for a bit.
Any chance you would consider providing zipper access from both sides? That’s my only hesitation, else I would pull the trigger on these in a heartbeat!
@Casablanca - We will be release openings for new orders next week (June 24th, via Instagram). The website will likely always be “out of stock” for frame bags since we can’t stock ~65 color variations for each the GFC models! I personally go back and forth with customers multiple times to ensure they understand all the possibilities and get the colorway, style, and orientation they want. Making the process a “one click” buy is difficult.
@elliott - We can definitely do that! Both sides of the frame bags are fully customizable. We have made dual side zipper for customers in the past. If that’s something you are interested in, reach out via email, hello@filstrand.com
@elliott Here are some photos of the Single Horizontal Zipper option to allow dual sided access. We currently have an order in for bags with the 3 Zipper option on both sides, will be awesome to see how they come out!
Do these fit the Pro model? Reason I ask is because the GFC that is pressed into the side panel takes up more interior room and leaves only a very tiny amount of space between the side panel and the space frame. Placement of the velcro piece will be critical…
@Guerillah - Good question. I am assuming you are talking about what the below photo shows?
The Velcro strap is about 5mm thick (total) and works fine as there is some play in the GFC panel and the Velcro will compress a bit (if needed).
Speaking for the V2 (non-pro version), you will notice that there is a bit of space between the GFC panel and the angled cross space frame (press on the panel from the outside and you can feel it). I believe this is intentional to prevent metal on metal contact.
Yep, that G in GFC that is right on the other side of the bar. There is very little room in that spot. I think so long as the Velcro doesn’t line up at that spot, you’ll be fine…
