I use the Novara Deluxe Panniers for my daily commute. They're solid, well constructed performers. After more than 18 months of regular use I've had not a single problem. The supplied rain cover is a bit thin and light, making them adequate for light to moderate rains, but any heavy rain would probably be too much. I wouldn't know anything about a good, heavy rain residing in parched northern California and all. I used them once for a short three day trip, but it was a fair weather credit card trip so with my light packing requirements I had plenty of room. I like the design of the bags. There are convenient, usable pockets and easy, reliable mounts. All in all, I'd happily repurchase if necessary but I'm pretty sure I won't need to think about that for a long time.