Agu X-Rain 850 panniers

With the wonderful weather that we enjoyed over summer and winter looming on the horizon these waterproof panniers from Agu will be just the ticket for keeping your kit nice and dry, whether you are commuting or on tour.

At five pence short of £120 these are pretty serious panniers, comparable with the best that Ortlieb has to offer. You do get what you pay for though as these are impressively waterproof. The fabric is completely impermeable, with fully watertight seams, and the roll-top closure means that no moisture will get into the main compartment. I used these in a hefty downpour and the only weak spot I managed to find was the zip on the outside pocket.

As my bike didn't have a rear mudguard I flipped the top flap over the rack to act as a spray shield. After eight miles of soaking wet commute the water being flicked off my rear tyre had penetrated the waterproof zip and settled in the pocket. That's probably not a fair test though and in normal use the waterproofing of the zip should withstand everything but the most torrential deluge.

Organisation is pleasingly simple, with a single main compartment and two pockets, one on either side of the top flap. The outer pocket is a little tight but large enough for small essentials like keys and a wallet. The inner pocket is much larger but made of mesh, so it's best used for stuff that can withstand a little road spray. You also get a natty little removable pouch which attaches inside the main compartment on poppers, so you can use it as a handy stash for documents, money and other nick-nacks. Total capacity of the pair is 45 litres which should be enough for most uses although the roll-top gives a bit more flexibility if you've got stuff that bulges upwards.

The one slight niggle was the absence of the 'reflective strip' that the manufacturer's blurb promises. I couldn't see it in any of the pictures and the only reflective bits I could find were a postage stamp sized logo on one edge and a slightly larger CWT patch at the bottom of the wide surface, so it's either a marketing bod's error or a fib. It's not the end of the world though because the rubberised fabric would easily take some reflective stickers and there is a light loop.

They've been a dependable and easy to use companion for commuting and with our dodgy weather it's been reassuring to know that when I get to work I'm guaranteed to have dry pants.

Verdict

Tough and watertight panniers for overseas adventuring or just commuting through the glorious British weather