Bags and Panniers
Ortlieb Bike Packer Plus Panniers
Firstly, yes they are expensive, but if you're looking for panniers that'll keep your stuff inside 'bone dry' then they are worth every penny.
Last year I went on a 100+ mile cross country trip and used a different pair of panniers (non waterproof). The terrain was mainly off road, so the bikes, riders and equipment took a real thrashing; needless to say, by the end of the journey my panniers were a mess - destroyed. Then I notice my friends 'Ortlieb Back Roller Panniers' were unscathed and he hadn't had one leak. I wanted them, but opted to go for Bike Packer Plus instead!
I review a fair bit of kit but I just couldn't let these go. I use mine at least a couple of times a week. The waterproofness of them is immense, they have battled really bad weather (i.e. snow, rain, hail) and nothing, not one leak. They take a beating, and by looking at my panniers you can tell they are abrasive protected, otherwise they'd be ruined by now. Decent size for long tours, handy zip pocket on the outer front of the pannier and the usual reflective patch for safety. My only flaws are, apparently there is an anti theft device on them ??????? is there? And lastly (and I suppose it isn't that much of a flaw) the straps have two different points of adjustment, this makes the panniers not look that pretty when semi full. All in all, i'd give them 9/10.
