My tour last year had me with a BOB and 4 others with loaded panniers. I can't say one was better than the other. I seemd to have a much easier time packing, and unpacking. I only had 1 bag with all my stuff, for during trip use things I did have a handle-bar bag, and small trunk. Also in the evenings when we would ride from the camp grounds into town for eiher food, ot to actually eat I just had to drop the BOB and go.