I’ve been using Ortlieb panniers for a few years. The first ones I bought were a pair of Bikepacker classic 40 litre. I had no real plans at that time to do any touring but was commuting daily to work on my mountain bike. I needed to carry a change of clothing and my lunch and was not comfortable wearing a back-pack.
I looked at various brands and settled on Ortlieb. This was partly due to a fact I read, that when the manufacturer first started making cycle bags he was using second-hand tarpaulins from lorries and occasionally one would be produced with writing from the original use still visible. Nowadays the company has moved on and has a much wider range of bags available.
The size I decided on was in the middle of the ones they make. The bags are 20 litres each and each one is big enough to take my sleeping bag which is the largest of the packed items I am likely to carry. I can also fit smaller items in along with this.
I considered buying the roll-top version but the classic which fastens with a lid and buckles looked as though it would be easier to access the contents of the bag when fitted to a rack. The double drawcords also allow for more adjustment when the bags are not filled to capacity. Each bag has an internal divider with a zipped pocket which is great for separating smaller items and allowing them to be found easily.
I bought a pair as they were on special offer although I rarely used two on my commute. What I did do was alternate the bags in order to allow longer life although this was probably not necessary as even after a few years they do not show much sign of wear apart from some scuffing from fitting and removing from the racks.
When I first started using the panniers I experimented with a few different positions for the fastening clips and settled on one which allowed for maximum rigidity and also ease of removing and mounting the bags.
The bags are guaranteed waterproof and I have had no issues with water ingress, even when riding in the wettest of days. Both styles of lid seem to do an equal job of keeping the contents dry and although I initially packed clothing into dry-bags I really do feel confident enough that my gear would stay dry without them. I still use them to pack but that’s more so I know what is where when pulling things out of the panniers. I pack the shoulder straps which were included with the bike-packer panniers but not the gravel-pack. These come in handy if I need to carry all four bags at once. They are especially welcome getting on and off trains when it can be a rush to get all luggage and the bike on in a short time. For lifting the bags at other times I use the straps which double as the release mechanism for the clips. I sometimes worry if these are durable enough for longer term but so far there seems to be no reason to be concerned that they will wear out.
When I started touring and needed extra capacity it was an easy choice to go for Ortliebs again. I wanted to buy smaller bags which were suited for use on a front rack. The gravel pack came as a pair and with a total capacity of 25 litres was just what I needed. As they only come in the roll-top version I would just have to get used to this method of closing. As it turned out it is not too difficult, especially as the smaller capacity and, with some fore-thought when packing, I don’t tend to pack things in the front panniers I would need to get out with the bags on the racks.
The gravel packs have two sets of hooks on the back for securing them to the rack but I found I couldn’t work out an ideal way to position them so I removed one. I find the bags fit onto my rack with no movement. Perhaps if fitted to a different style of bike or for use off road, the double fastener would be needed but it gives me a set of spares.
Ortlieb web-page
Just Me - On my bike 