Originally Posted by
phughes
Well, they are, except the fact they work very well, and last a very long time. I bought mine in 2011, and they are as good today as they were the day I bought them. They are always on my bike, and always have junk in them. 100 percent waterproof, and have never failed, in any way. One of my best purchases ever. I have the original type rollers. Love them, and will buy more from Ortlieb, and have. I have their handlebar bag, the newer type fabric. I've had it since around 2013, and I bought two duffels made from the same material as my back rollers. I use them on my motorcycle.
I haven't toured for eons (long before the Ortleibs) but I've been using the small rollers for 25 years for commuting and farmers market trips. SO they've been put on many times when I was half awake. Didn't always hear that click of the hooks fully engaging, Sent them sliding down the road a number of times. They simply don't care. One bag has a standard raft repair after I stuck a very sharp kitchen knife through it. (I called a rafting outfit in their off-season and they were happy to walk me through the repair.)
Yes, they are fully waterproof. You could carry water in them across the Sahara - but you might need to need to make special hardware to carry the bags.