over the summer i purchased a set of front and rear panniers on ebay that bore the serratus label. although, looking at the MEC website, they appear to be identical to the MEC PF series panniers. (did MEC buy out serratus? i've had trouble learning more about this company.) although they are not technically waterproof, they are very durable.

mine has a urethane coating on the inside, which makes them "mostly" waterproof. i have sprayed them with a backpacker waterproofing spray to help out, but will probably line them as well.

not sure whether or not i have the larger or smaller versions, but they are definitly not king-sized. which for me is perfect. helps to avoid packing too much stuff. from camping experiences, i know that i can live comfortably with few luxuries. in fact all the clothes i plan to bring on tour fit into one of the front panniers, which is mot much larger than a large shoe box.

bottom line- very durable, but i wouldn't use them in monsoon season. but if you line them or get (make?) some covers, you will find yourself with a very good set of panniers for a reasonable price. are they really impressive? no, not really. however, until panniers can aid in pedalling up long steep hills, all brands have a long way to go to be impressive.