maximum01

I've toured with classic Ortlieb's for the most part and found them fully waterproof. I recently purchased some Plus material replacements and was shocked by the flimsy feel of the material. I just wondered if anyone has experienced water ingress from these under prolonged downpours?

I had a pair of Altura condura panniers which claimed to be waterproof but they always got damp after a whole day of rain.

Doug64

My wife has used Ortlieb Packer Plus panniers for 22,000 miles, a total of 2 years of actual touring. She also kept a pair of Packer Plus front panniers full time on her utility bike for the last 10 years. The red front panniers have faded a bit , but both sets of her panniers are still waterproof. I actually have more serious looking scuffs on my Back Roller front and back bags. They are also still waterproof. We live in Oregon and she rides her utility bike most weekdays year-round, unless we are on a tour, and they still work as advertised. We had one tour that we had 35 days of rain. Her panniers were fine.

If you were going to ford a stream, and there was a chance of submerging them, I'd take the Ortlieb Backroller Classics, but for anything a little tamer the Packer Plus will be waterproof. The only reason is the rollers are like a drybag, and the Packer series have the flap top closure.

This was a pretty good downpour on the Oregon Coast. Her bike has the red Ortlieb Rack Pack.


I think this also qualifies as a downpour There are 4 bikes parked against the building, our daughters were with us on this tour. We all use Ortieb gear.


She used the Packer Plus front panniers on her rear rack for a ride across the U.S. They were new on this trip, 2007.

maximum01

Thanks, that's very reassuring to hear and also interesting to learn about your wet weather tours. I'm from Scotland so rain is a constant menace on my bike journeys. The rain can be really bad here so much so that the Altura''s I mentioned soaked through on a tour last year despite claiming to be waterproof condura with hydrostatic welds. It's the Bikepacker Plus I purchased as replacements. I guess Ortliebs are just an extra level up in quality. It surprises me, as the laminate only seems to be on the inside but I'll trust your experiences and stop worrying about it. Thanks again

djb

I've used plus ortliebs going back to 1993 or 94 and can also confirm that they are waterproof. While they do feel flimsy, I've been impressed by how tough this material is also.
When considering biking up to Scotland to see my family up near Inverness way, the one consolation was that all my ortlieb stuff, all, really is waterproof!
Tis a shame I won't be able to make it, but it is what it is.

teacherlady

We bicycled into Toronto about an hour after the rain started falling during the July 2013 Flood.

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2014/07/...spread-damage/

I had the Ortlieb Plus Bike Packers when we arrived arrived in Toronto. My companion didn't have them, but he did by the time we left two days later! My stuff was completely dry, but his was emphatically not! His other panniers were good for a light rain, but not for a sustained downpour or deep puddles.

Fortunately we had splurged on a downtown high rise hotel, because we were planning to stop and enjoy a few days of the Toronto Fringe Festival. The doormen welcomed us with a smile - but did follow us with mop, and that night, our bicycles stayed in the luggage room, not our hotel room.

The first time we went to MEC to buy my companion new panniers, they were closed because the power was out, but they opened eventually. Several of our play choices were rained out, and I remember a walk through knee deep water, but we managed to enjoy the Fringe and the city.

djb

a good example of how if you are someone who bikes regularly, it really is worth putting the money out for waterproof panniers right off. Back in the day Ortlieb was the only one on the market, but theyve been totally worth it over the years of commuting and not worrying about things being wet, let alone on bike trips.

KC8QVO

When I started distance cycling in 2014 I bought a set of kayak dry sacks as make-shift panniers. They worked until I bought my Ortleib set in 2019. I had the thought of getting Ortleibs off the bat in 2014, one of my riding partners has toured with them for years and years. It just wasn't in the cards $-wise. I made do with the dry sacks for quite some time - and went through rain with them without issues (before holes wore in to them, but I have since patched the holes with duct tape).

I trust everyone's good experiences - my riding buddy's and others - with the Ortleibs. I have yet to get wet on a trip, but the bags soaking through is not a concern for when I do get caught in the rain.

indyfabz

I’ve been using sport and bike packer plus panniers since 2011. Even with UV-caused fading on the top of the rears they are still 101% waterproof. Red is the fastest color.

theskywasgreen

+1 for the red

fietsbob

Red is certainly the fastest sun fading fabric.. is it because UV is the opposite end of the color wavelength spectrum?

Discuss, with Science citations..


The Plus fabric is a Nylon Cordura , made for Ortlieb, with an exceptionally thick coating, polyurethane,
that melts in their seam welding machinery

they use a similar process welding the seams in their classic fabric of a PVC impregnated fabric core material ,
already used in truck side curtain tarps..
several other companies get the tarp material,
used, already imprinted with logos , and sew them together into bags,
sewing of course leaves needle holes ..





....

Doug64

Yes, the red Packer Plus panniers fade, but it does not affect the integrity of the bag.

Thr color of the flap vs. the color under the flap after 13 years of hard use.

fietsbob

Other than the expected UV breaking up of the polymer chains that make up all nylons..
maybe the thick coating then picks up more of the load..

dwmckee

Stop worrying and start riding!!

indyfabz

Mine are getting close to that after 11 years. My tent is small so I often leave them out in the rain at night. No fear of doing that.

Fissile

Waterproof bags are a double edge sword, they keep water out....they also keep water in. If you're cycling in a damp, warm environment, and you put your damp or wet stuff into a waterproof bag all day, expect things to start getting all high school science experiment-like.

djb

Just don't do that and it will be ok.
That's my 27 year experience with waterproof bags.

fietsbob

Carradice gets their waterproofness by using a very dense woven cotton canvas, the thread swells when damp.
just don't ford a flooded stream up to your waist or more, deep..






...

Doug64

The same thing can happen if you put your damp or wet stuff into a non-waterproof bag. Non-waterproof panniers do not breathe. They are usually made out of some kind of coated water-resistant fabric. They are worse becuse when it rains you are almost gauranteed to have damp or wet stuff inside your panniers. I've used Ortlieb panniers for the last 13 years for about 2 years of actual touring, and have not had an isuue with damp things in the panniers. I've even carried wet tents in an Ortlieb waterproof rack pack for a couple of days without a problem. On one tour we had 35 days of rain, and it seemed like we were wet all of the time.

This is our loaded "kitchen" pannier getting cleaned after riding through a muddy area.

indyfabz

Like Doug’s fade. (The lighting minimizes the distinction. The top is lighter than it appears.) Still crazy waterproof after all these years.