I have two different kinds of panniers and both end up wearing on the rack where they are attached. My Arkels cause less wear than the Performance, but both result in some wear and tear. You could get the racks powder coated, I just repaint them before each tour with a rattle can, and that works for me. The rack I use is made of solid aluminum stock so the little wear is not a structural issue. If you have a rack that uses hollow tubing then small amounts of wear could be more of a concern.