Originally Posted by ghettocruiser
Maybe this is a MTB-background thing, but I've never seen anyone hop up a curb with loaded saddlebags, and I know I never could. That alone kills the deal for me.
It's also a lot harder to pick up a loaded bike and carry it up stairs etc. I used to use saddlebags for long-haul trips, but I think nowadays I'll vote backpack, at least for trips of less than a hour or so.
I hop kerbs with loaded panniers. Can't say I would suggest you try it though. I also have a cheap messenger bag I got on ebay. Lemond brand - names's vaguely familiar... For $10, it does the job when I need to take my stuff with me into a store. The last time I wore a backpack and rode a bike, I was in school.