Hello Cyclists...
I am embarking on my first bike tour this October.
I plan on spending 2 months cycling New Zealand as of October (aka spring - RAIN)
The panniers I had planned on buying Serratus Aquanots from MEC (Canada) are apparently no more???
Any suggestions?
Thanks!!!

Hi,

what about the well known (also in Canada?) Ortlieb panniers? Okay, they're not from Canada, but surely they are available there. They're really waterproof, I couldn't imagine anything more waterproof ;-)
The Ortlieb Backpackers are somewhat similar to the MEC panniers you were planning to purchase.

I hope that helps...
Good luck,
Martin

I used the Serratus Aquanots on my cross canada tour
this Summer and they were great bags. I subjected them to a lot of abuse and some impressive rains and they never dissapointed. Unfortunately Air Canada lost one of my them at the end of my trip when I flew home and I was very sad to find that they are no longer made. MEC will, however, be making an almost identical bag sometime over the next few months and will be selling it under their own MEC brand name. But that will likely be too late for your trip. Please post what you end up purchasing and let us know how the quality is.

Have a great trip
Francois

ortlieb rules :-) ... since 5 years on my bike :-)

Yes, if I were you I would choose the Ortlieb Back- and Frontroller as well.
And you even can get them in Taiwan, so it shouldn't any problem to get them in Canada.
Take the classic ones, they're a little bit heavier, but cheaper.
Greetings from Auckland,
Katrin

i'd also recommend you the ortlieb one. the normal one, not the expensiver model of them. so you see: germany loves ortlieb. they are for nearly your life, so the money is worth it! stephanie

http://www.crosso.pl/startowa_e.html

polish company. goooooood quality and prices

Looks fine, but the mounting-system is old-fashioned!

Bernd

it's not ortlieb :-)
.. but the hooks are working fine and the waterproof sysem is as great as the expensive one.
waterproof "bag" inside cordura panier.

and the half price of Vaude or Ortlieb - what for nonwesterners is as important as anything else

"Our system is simple, reliable, virtually indestructible and compatible with 99,9% of the bicycle racks available on the market. It doesn't rattle like plastic Click systems and is much more damage-proof"

I use to have Ortliebs and after chenging for crosso .. well it's true what they wrote on the webpage

robb

take a look here
Mainstream-MSX
In Germany you can get also very good stuff for reasonable prices. We still on tour (since 07/2005) with this panniers. They are 100% waterproof, very good quality and in my opionen comparable with Ortlieb or still better - for the half price!

Hi!

I have been riding Ortliebs for 10 years, I know friends of mine who have been using them for over 15 years..and everyday on their way to work, shopping groceries as well as vacation. None of them have any problems.
There are other good waterproof bags BUT Ortlieb was the first (one of the first) companies to introduce waterproof gear, they carry all of the parts as spare parts even of older/very old bags, and they are very nice about repair and/or maintenance. A friend of mine sent her 12 year old bags to change the carry system to newer QuickLock1 and it cost her 5 Euros! Another friend sent her 10 year old frontrollers and they repaired the holes from an accident for free.
I think they are difinitely worht the money!
I would suggest to take the backrollers, you can also use them as waterproof clothes bag for canoeing.
Nadine.

Please look at the Date of the original Posting!

It's a never ending story!

Bernd