The top rear and front panniers for bike touring, from large to small, waterproof to budget-friendly options. Find the best cycle expedition pannier bags, updated for 2024.
Despite the rise in bikepacking trends, touring panniers are still going strong and, in my opinion, remain the best choice for long-distance cycling expeditions.
While Ortlieb continues to dominate the pannier market, there’s no shortage of great alternatives from other brands—often at a fraction of the cost. But do they have the same quality and durability?
We’ve put together this list of the best bike pannier bags for touring in 2024 to help you make the right choice.
6 best touring panniers in a nutshell
- Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic
- Thule Shield
- Brooks England Scape Pannier
- VAUDE Aqua Plus
- MSX Mainstream
- Ibera Bicycle Bag PakRak
Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic
Specs
- Materials: Polyester single and double-coated with thermoplastic coating
- Construction: Radiofrequency welding is 100% Waterproof
- Attachments: Heavy-duty adjustable hooks clip (Plastic)
- Reflectivity: 3M Scotchlite reflectors
- Features: Integrated inner pocket Shoulder strap
- Capacity: 20L
- Weight: 950g
Ortlieb needs no introduction—these German panniers have dominated the bicycle touring and bikepacking market for decades. The Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic is likely the best-selling bike pannier worldwide, tested by thousands of cyclists in the most extreme conditions.
While the price is on the higher side and there have been some concerns about quality not being what it once was, they remain among the top choices for bikepacking. For those seeking an even stronger and lighter option, consider the Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus, made from Cordura instead of Polyester.
Thule Shield
Specs
- Materials: 100% Polyester
- Construction: Radiofrequency welding
- 100% Waterproof
- Capacity: 25L
- Attachments: Steel (adjustable)
- Reflectivity: Reflective stripes
- Weight: 2.5lb / 1130g [25L]
- Closure: Side-lock Roll Top
- Portability: Shoulder straps
Thule, a brand renowned for quality, is best known for its car bike carriers, but their bikepacking bags are proving to be strong contenders against the leading brands.
These 25-liter touring panniers offer excellent value at just $150 per pair—they’re durable, fully waterproof, and equipped with adjustable hooks and a lower locking system, making them compatible with nearly any bike rack. They also include an internal pocket.
Thule Shield panniers are available in four different sizes.
Brooks England Scape Pannier
Specs
- Waterproof (IPX4)
- Roll top closure
- Front reflective logo
- Front pocket with coated YKK zip and protective flap
The Scape Large Pannier is a durable, 100% waterproof bag (IPX4 certified) designed for rear bike racks. It features welded construction and weather-resistant details, including a roll-top closure with a secure internal velcro strap, ensuring your belongings stay dry while allowing for expandable volume.
Built to withstand the demands of cycle touring, this pannier is made from tough materials and includes carefully chosen components like an external pocket with a protective flap, enhancing both storage capacity and organization.
The bag also offers modular functionality, with a lateral daisy chain for attaching additional Scape bags or a rear light. It comes equipped with an aluminum Klick Fix® attachment system, making it compatible with most rear racks.
VAUDE Aqua Plus
Specs
- Materials: PVC-free tarpaulin
- 100% Polyester; 1000 D Embossed Thermoplastic Polyurethane coated
- Construction: Radiofrequency welding
- 100% Waterproof
- Capacity: 25.5L
- Attachments: Fully adjustable QMR 2.0 attachment system
- Reflectivity: Reflective logo
- Weight: 1060g
- Closure: Roll Top
- Features: Welded outside pocket
- Inside pocket
- Shoulder straps
These panniers, crafted at the VAUDE headquarters in Germany near Lake Constance, are made from sturdy, PVC-free tarpaulin, supporting their climate-neutral production process.
Featuring a roll closure system, the panniers allow users to adjust the bag’s size while ensuring it remains watertight. Organized storage is enhanced by the inclusion of both internal and external welded pockets.
The QMR 2.0 system ensures a secure and easy attachment to the rear gear rack, with quick adjustments and hassle-free mounting and removal.
For added security, the panniers can be directly locked to the QMR hook with a bike lock, making them an ideal choice for secure cycle touring.
Reflective elements are included to improve visibility during rides in low-light or nighttime conditions.
The VAUDE label guarantees a ‘PVC-free’ product, ensuring the panniers are free from harmful materials.
Key features of the Aqua Plus panniers include a spacious main compartment, a removable shoulder strap that also functions as a packing strap, and the user-friendly QMR 2.0 attachment system.
While they may not be the lightest option on the market, their optimized shape, adjustable guiding hooks, non-slip feet, and enhanced stability make them a dependable choice.
As a brand dedicated to ethical practices, VAUDE is a proud member of the Fair Wear Foundation, which advocates for fair wages and good working conditions across its production facilities.
With a maximum load capacity of 25 kg, the Aqua Plus panniers rank among the largest available for bike touring.
MSX Mainstream
For our African bicycle expedition, we needed the most rugged and dependable panniers we could find. With road conditions ranging from bad to worse, we wanted to ensure our bags would stay securely in place and withstand the constant threat of thorn trees tearing them apart.
The two pannier models available, the SLR 55 MX and the SL 55 ZX, both offer a massive capacity of 26 liters each. The SLR, also known as the Front Controller, can be reduced to 15 liters by rolling the roll-top closure more times, but it’s still a sizable and somewhat heavy pannier.
This design clearly caters to long-distance expedition cyclists—like us—who live on the road and are happy to trade a few extra grams for a pannier that’s sturdy, reliable, and versatile.
MSX Panniers feature one of the most robust mounting systems in the market. The bottom clamp, which can rotate 360 degrees, attaches at three points—two of which are adjustable to fit various racks. A plastic panel protects this T-BONE system in high-stress areas.
The top fastening uses the OneTouch V8 (OTS-V8) system, allowing one-handed operation of the upper locking hooks, ensuring stability and a rattle-free fit on racks with pipe diameters up to Ø 16.5mm. Adapters for smaller diameters (Ø 8mm to Ø 11mm) are included.
Both pannier series also have lateral rings for attaching a shoulder strap or additional gear. The top-center closure lets you adjust the packing volume by varying the number of roll-top folds, offering more space with fewer rolls and a compact fit with more rolls.
Ibera PakPak
Specs
- Materials: 1680D nylon
- Closure: Top lid with buckles
- Construction: Water-resistant, needs rain cover to reach 100% (Provided)
- Attachment: Plastic (adjustable)
- Reflectivity: Reflective trim.
- Capacity: 15L
- Weight: 900g
- Features: 2 large reinforced compartments, 2 side pockets, Hand-carry strap, waterproof cover
The Taiwanese brand Ibera was established in 2004. Like many companies in China, Massload, the parent company behind Ibera, has a long history of manufacturing bicycle parts under contract for major American and European brands. They eventually decided to create their own brand.
The PakRak bicycle panniers from Ibera come with two large reinforced compartments, two side pockets, a hand-carry strap, and reflective trim. They are among the most affordable bikepacking panniers, although they are not fully waterproof.
Today, Ibera offers a variety of pannier bags, including a fully waterproof model that is slightly more expensive. You might want to check that one out as well.
