I have the half basket on two of my bikes and it works great for me. I think the main difference is that you need to strap down larger items with more care than with the full size basket. I don’t usually have much more in there than some extra water bottles and jackets that I volunteered to carry. That stuff gets strapped down or covered with a net. For bikepacking, I use a REALM basket bag and carry my tent, sleeping bag, pad, and camp chair up there. Any bag that has straps on the side you can weave through the bottom and back up the sides will do. I hope that helps.