Arkel or Ortlieb?
 

Hi guys....these are both great Panniers. Any pros and cons to each? I have a Surly LHT and can't decide which Panniers to get...

Ortliebs are cheaper, waterproof, and have one huge pocket.

Arkels, while I haven't tried them, I have seen them in person, and if I had the money wouldn't hesitate to get them. Even though they don't have a rubberized material, they claim waterproof on the description. I believe them.

Money no issue, you just can't go wrong with an arkel product. I have the handlebar bag and love it. It doesn't claim waterproof, but I've been through a day of riding in the rain and not a drop, so take that for what you will. I also think if you like order to things, then arkel will probably be a better bet. (OCD level order)

Things tend to need extra little stuff sacks and whatnot to keep everything organized in the ortliebs. Still, they're durable, and on sale, can be very cheap.

Yeah, I'm swaying over to the Arkel side. The Dolphin 48 is a nice bag. And I love the outside pockets and compartments. Arkel is pulling ahead for me...

Ortliebs have amazing waterproof qualities with no rain cover requirement. But they're typically one big bag with all the access through the top and you provide the organization.

Arkels provide lots of organization options in their various models, but need a rain cover for real water protection. I have some of the XM-40's (now XM-45) and love the top load, but with a big zipper down one edge for very convenient access, plus they're narrow at the bottom, so they can be more forward on a rack for better handling. My wife has an older version of the T-28 in a one-off blue color and still exclaims about how wonderful they are after more than 10 years.

Both brands are extremely well constructed.

..
The Ortlieb Classic is $180...the Arkel Dolphin 48 is $193..not much of a difference.

You can't compare a sale price on the Arkel with full retail on the Ortliebs. : P Ortliebs can be had at 180 for the full set if you find the right dealer at the right time. I googled the Arkel Dolphins and it's one of their less complex bags, retail was still over $250. The G54s are 400 clams! So it does depend on which bags your getting too.

If you found Arkel Dolphins at 193, that's a great deal.

You can get Orteliebs with the big side pocket - I have those for rear panniers and really like them. Ordered my front, rear, and handlebar bags from thetouringstore.com - great to deal with, and way better prices than I could find in my neck of the woods.

The Bike Packer Plus...they are nice. Great price..$204..if you live in the US:(

The shipping to Canada was reasonable - espcially since he did it with USPS and I didn't have to pay sales tax.

ARkel GT54s are stupidly heavy.

Lone Peak if you want pockets, Ortlieb if you want waterproof.

Arkel GT54s are stupidly heavy.

I think their T-42s make more sense and are not overdone.
The GT-18 front panniers are really the best front panniers I have found.

Their handlebar bag sux. One big, bucket.
They have 82 zillion compartments on the GT54s and none in the handlebar bag where you need them.

Wayne at The Touring Store is GREAT! We have bought all our Ortlieb panniers and Tubus racks from hime.

Dude you Canadian... Support Arkel :p

Both are awesome, I really like my Arkel bags overall, you can strap a lot of stuff to them on the outside easily if need. Ortliebs. If the only negative about them is once and awhile my rear bag will fall off after putting the bike on the ground. You do have to check ever time before you ride.

Try ebay/Kijiji for a used set. I picked my up used from some guy near NAIT for like 200 bucks for the full set.

Yep..planning on it. The Dolphin 48 will be mine:)

I have a brand new pair of Ortlieb front rollers I am thinking of selling. I now use home made kitty litter panniers and I find them superior to all of the commercially available panniers. They are totally waterproof, easy to pack, open and close in half a second, and are cheap.

IMO- Ortlieb panniers are simple, durable, relatively light, and waterproof. My rear panniers have between 12,000 and 15,000 miles on them. I experienced 35 days of rain during the tour these pictures were taken. Those panniers and bags are waterproof! They have been carried as checked baggage on buses, trains and planes, survived a few not so insignificant crashes, and suffered the normal wear and tear of touring. All my Ortlieb gear is still in excellent shape after a lot of use.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...e62818a6e9.jpg

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...1d02e48e43.jpg

Their clean profile also make them easy to load into the various cargo bins and overhead compartments

Organization is not a problem for me, but that is an individual thing. Some people are organized with anything and some folks have problems regardless of the number of pockets. I don't like panniers with a bunch of outside pockets, but again that is a personal thing.

Different tour, but almost as wet.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...3ec7d50af4.jpg

In the end we get what we think will work for us. It is not an irreversible decision. Good luck!

I agonized over this for a long time as well, both brands have different good points. I kind of liked the idea of having more-easily-accessible outer compartments in case of needing to get at something small while out on the road (Arkel.) I also liked the idea of easy-peasy waterproofness and the mechnical simplicity of no zippers (Ortlieb.) The weight factor, which others have mentioned (Ortliebs being lighter.)

In the end, what most swayed me toward getting Ortliebs was their attachment-to-the-bike-rack system. *Love* how supremely easy/fast it is to get the Ortliebs on and off the bike -- no elastic hook cords, and if need be, I can do it one-handed while balancing the mostly-loaded bike with the other hand, no problem whatsoever. And yet the bags stay firmly on the racks while underway, quiet, unmoving, rock-solid.

I haven't shopped for panniers since then, and that was a long while ago, so maybe this is no longer such a big distinction between the two brands.

If that's true, I'm amazed any serious cycle tourists still prefer Arkels. The built-in waterproofness of Ortliebs is a huge advantage. Not having to stop and faff around with raincovers every time it starts to rain is a benefit I couldn't live without.

+1. Arkels are heavy. I like the simplicity and lighter weight of Ortlieb.

I get most of my use out of my Ortliebs because of their open dry inside construction,
between tours, they are my grocery shopping , on the bike, bags.

My previous choice, compartmentalized, Beckman_Gordon are idle since last long tour.

These panniers from MEC look cool. $68 each.

http://i.imgur.com/TLZY97Z.jpg

Arkel make waterproof panniers that weigh and cost the same as Ortlieb. Putting them on and off the rack is a one-handed operation. The big handlebar bag has two closed pockets and two mesh.

I use non-waterproof pannier and it isn't a hassle. Only one needs waterproofing using a garbage bag and when it ventilates when it's nice out. My stuff doen't get wet when I ride, it gets wet when I use/wear it.

We see Canadians riding the Coast with the MEC bags. IDK the Mounting scheme on them .
as far as ease of use. Ortlieb are easy to remove,
Beckman, removal is more an inside knowledge, thing .. adding to the On Tour security..

I got my own raincovers created for them ..

+1 Wayne at The Touring Store. great price, great service!!!

Doug64 - great post!!!!! Nothing like some action shots to make a point!!!!!

As for my opinion: I've only used Ortleib, no complaints! That said, the owner of the local bike shop keep trying to sell me Arkels. This though he sells both brands. He's in love with the pocket idea. me? Not so much. But, I know the product is excellent.

Just got the dolphin 48
way nicer than the ortliebs.
and you don't follow the norm which Is nice for me.
go dolphin!

the MEC bags look perfectly functionable, the thing that stands out for me is the quality of the mounting system. My wife has bought a diff Mec bag that has the same system and it just doesnt look like it would last that long with a lot of use.

that said, for someone starting out, less expensive panniers can be a great way to start, especially if the stuff doesnt get used that often. Because I commute regularly and use my bags, easy to use and well built are a big advantage in the long run of the life of stuff, I just happen to be a fan of the Ortlieb mounting system. A friend has some Arkel stuff, and it seems exceptionally well made, just like the Ortlieb bags. I too find the Arkel line of bags a bit too heavy for me.

OP: Back in the spring I pondered the pannier selection issue also...forever it seemed. In the end I narrowed it down to either the Lone Peak LP-10 set w/ optional rain covers or a set of the Orties. Price was almost the same either way. Looked at both in person and tested at dusk for degree of reflection against car headlights.

I liked the appearance and reflectivity of the Lone Peaks over the Orties. I also liked that the LP's had more compartments, etc., without having to buy extra ones.

So the decision point leaned toward the Lone Peaks and that was also pushed along by fact that the Lone Peaks were fully sourced and produced in the USA. In they end, I selected the Lone Peak LP-10 set in the yellow/black theme.

Having now owned at least one set of each of the major brands, I am sure I would be happy touring with any of them. They are all great panniers. If you find either on sale at the right time...snag them and ride into the sunset.

/K

Yeah, I'm going with the Dolphin 48 too...plus I like buying anything Canadian made!

I have no experience with Ortlieb but do with Arkel. We have both the GT54 (bought when not so expensive) and T42. I like the various pockets on the GT54 but agree there are quite heavy. I think the T42 is a perfect size for me for credit card touring.

I like having the inner liner, as well as the rain cover. Both are easily washable. I like to use the inner liner to separate clothes when wet. So if I wash my pants, which can be slow to dry, I will pack them outside of the liner and keep my clean and dry clothes insider the liner. Because the bags are breathable the wet clothes does not create mold or smell. But for me the biggest advantage of the Arkel is the various outside pockets. I like to keep things separate and easy to find are repack. I also like that the arkels can be fully opened / unzipped so you can access everything without removing everything - not on the road but in a hotel or campsite.

I also like that I can easily tie two bags together, tied at all four corners, to create one piece of luggage for flying.

This year I bought an Arkel small handlebar bag and am pleased with it. It holds everything I want - camera, wallet, glasses, phone... and is easy to open and close. The biggest selling point for me is the attachment bracket which is really solid, but most importantly can be removed and reinstalled, or just moved to help in removing the handlebars when flying, and do not rely on a cord that is not reusable.

I really don't mind carrying the rain covers and then just quickly putting them on if it rains. It keeps the bags clean as well as dry. And if I get in a bind and need extra space for some reason I can put them on and use the space for something else (very rare). My wife thinks the covers also help when travelling through some train stations which have a reputation for pick pockets etc - they would have to cut the cover and bag and would not be as easy to access as other people's luggage or backpacks.

Love my Ortliebs (Roller Classics).
I take camera gear with me when I tour and I trust them completely to keep the water out.
I havnt tried the Arkels.
I doubt I ever will.
Not cause theres anything wrong with them but because in the Ortliebs, I've found a product I can trust.