Apidura vs Tailfin

I’m looking for some opinions from people who’ve used both systems.

I’ve been bikepacking for years and have used Apidura bags on trips all around the world. Despite what you often read online, I’ve honestly never had much of an issue with saddle bag sway while riding. My rear bag has always been very stable, mainly because I’m packing very light.

I recently decided to try a Tailfin setup anyway and ordered the CargoPack with the carbon fiber arch, hoping it would be an upgrade.

Unfortunately, it arrived with what appears to be a manufacturing defect. The holes in the aluminum structure don’t line up, making it impossible to assemble the mounting hardware. I’ve already contacted Tailfin support, so hopefully they’ll make it right, but it has made me question whether I should even switch.

Here are my thoughts:

- My current Apidura setup works really well. I only carry about 1.8 kg in my saddle bag, and I’ve never really experienced annoying bag movement.

- The Tailfin CargoPack with the carbon fiber arch (the lightest setup I could configure) adds about 800 g over my current rear setup.

- Additionally, the Tailfin frame bag is also much heavier (280 g vs. 174 g for my Apidura), and that’s before adding the extra straps (+55 g). That’s almost 2x heavier.

- Overall, switching to Tailfin would add more than 1 kg to my bike. My complete bikepacking setup is around 12 kg, so that’s almost a 10% weight increase.

- I really enjoy riding a light bike, especially on long climbs and rough gravel.

Here’s my current packing list if anyone’s interested:
https://lighterpack.com/r/7ou8pb

So I’m wondering:

- Is the added stability of Tailfin really worth an extra kilogram?

- Has anyone switched from Apidura to Tailfin (or back)?

- If you’re only carrying around 1.8 kg in the rear, would you still choose a rack system?

- Is this QA issue just bad luck, or have others had similar experiences?

I’d especially like to hear from people who’ve spent significant time with both systems before I decide whether to keep the Tailfin or return it.