There is no one best set of panniers for everyone. However, depending on the person there is probably a "best" for their needs.
I use Ortlieb products because they best serve my needs: durable, waterproof, good mounting mechanism, and well designed.
Our whole family use Ortlieb panniers, bar bags, and rack packs. Two family members are absent from this picture, but they are also Ortlieb users.
You can tell we are a little biased when it comes to Ortlieb products.
Wife's, daughters', and my bike.
Originally Posted by
Kelly I
Do you want waterproof? Remember - anything that is even slightly damp and stowed in the pannier (tent with dew) is going to make everything else in the bag damp.
If this is true, it would not matter if the panniers are waterproof or just "water resistant", the outcome would be the same. I store my tent and rainfly in the same waterproof bag as my sleeping bag and thermarest pad without any problems. If the tent or rainfly is wet I store it in its sil-nylon compression sack and put that in a plastic garbage bag until I can dry them out. My bag, pillow and pad are also in sil-nylon compression sacks, which keeps them dry.
Tent, sleeping bag, sil-nylon ground cloth, compressible pillow, and thermarest pad all go in Ortlieb Rack Pack.
