Outdoors & Fitness
The Best Bike Panniers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
We compared these four on the spec that decides whether a pannier fits your bike at all: the diameter of rack tubing its hooks are designed to accept.
The short version
The Arkel Dolphin 24L is the pick for touring and for anyone with a fat-tubed rack, because its Cam-Lock system is offered with oversized hooks quoted for larger tubing at 15 to 21mm, and the bag itself is two waterproof roll-top compartments rather than one sack. The North St. Route Pannier 24L is the value and build choice: 1000d Cordura lined with waterproof recycled EcoPak sailcloth, 726 grams, a tapered shape to reduce heel strike, and hook size chosen at checkout. The Two Wheel Gear Pannier Backpack Convertible 2.1 PLUS suits a commuter who has to walk at both ends, since it converts to a backpack in under ten seconds and carries a 17 inch laptop, though it weighs 1.45kg empty and its KLICKfix rail tops out at 16mm. Skip the Banjo Brothers Waterproof Pannier unless your rack is thin-tubed and your needs are modest, because its painted steel hooks are specified only up to 16mm and its capacity is published as 1000 cubic inches instead of in litres. Check your rack tube with a caliper before you buy anything. Best for: riders who would rather measure the rack than return the bag.
Our picks at a glance
- Arkel Dolphin 24L Waterproof Pannier - Buy. A twin roll-top waterproof pannier whose Cam-Lock mount is offered with oversized hooks quoted for larger tubing, which is what makes it fit racks other bags will not.
- North St. Bags Route Pannier 24L - Buy. The most completely specified bag here and by far the lightest, with a tapered shape aimed squarely at heel strike and hook size chosen at purchase.
- Two Wheel Gear Pannier Backpack Convertible 2.1 PLUS - It depends. A 30L bag that becomes a backpack in under ten seconds and swallows a 17 inch laptop, which is worth the weight only if you actually walk at both ends of the ride.
- Banjo Brothers Waterproof Cycling Pannier - Skip. A sensibly built budget pannier whose painted steel hooks are specified only up to 16mm, with the maker's own suggested fix for thicker racks being to bolt a second rail to yours.
The verdict in 30 seconds
What mattered most
- Stated capacity
- Rack tubing accepted
- Stated weight
- Stated dimensions
- Water protection
- Shell material
A pannier is a bag with a mounting system attached, and the bag is the part everybody shops for. The mounting system is the part that decides whether the bag goes on your bike. Rear racks come in a range of tube diameters, e-bike and cargo racks are routinely built from thicker tube than touring racks, and a hook sized for one will not close around the other. Three of these four publish the diameter range their hooks accept and the fourth sells hook size as a choice, which is more disclosure than this category usually gives. We read all four pages and compared the mounts as carefully as the bags.
A twin roll-top waterproof pannier whose Cam-Lock mount is offered with oversized hooks quoted for larger tubing, which is what makes it fit racks other bags will not.
Best for: Touring and loaded commuting on any rack, including the thick-tubed racks that come on e-bikes and cargo bikes.
- Two waterproof roll-top compartments rather than one, so gear can be separated on a long trip.
- Arkel describes the Cam-Lock system as fitting all racks, with oversized hooks available for larger tubing quoted at 15 to 21mm.
- Side pockets are broad and elastic enough for water bottles, and the compression webbing can run inside or outside the mesh pockets.
- The webbing can be passed under the light tabs to hold them in place, which is the kind of detail that stops straps flapping.
- Sold as a single bag or as a pair, and made and assembled in Canada.
- Arkel publishes no weight and no dimensions on the product page.
- At 24L per bag Arkel recommends it for rear use and points front-loading buyers to the 16L Dolphin instead.
- Most expensive option here by some distance.
- The oversized hooks are a separate item rather than being in the box, so fat-tube racks are an extra step.
The most completely specified bag here and by far the lightest, with a tapered shape aimed squarely at heel strike and hook size chosen at purchase.
Best for: Commuters and light tourers who want a durable, light bag and have had heel-strike trouble with boxy panniers.
- Full dimensions published: 22 inches open, 16 closed, by 10 wide and 6.5 deep, at 24L capacity.
- 726 grams, or 1.6 pounds, which is less than half what the convertible weighs.
- 1000d Cordura shell lined with waterproof recycled EcoPak sailcloth.
- Tapered build specifically to reduce heel strike, which is the complaint that makes people stop using panniers.
- Hook size is a selectable option, with extra large hooks offered for cargo racks.
- Sold as a single bag, so a matched pair is two purchases.
- A lined bag is water resistant in a different way from a welded waterproof one, and the seams are not sealed.
- No stated rack tube diameter range, so the hook option has to be chosen by asking rather than by reading.
- One roll-top compartment with no internal division.
A 30L bag that becomes a backpack in under ten seconds and swallows a 17 inch laptop, which is worth the weight only if you actually walk at both ends of the ride.
Best for: Bike commuters who have to carry the bag into a building, especially with a large laptop.
- Full specs published: 14 inches wide by 19 high by 8 deep, 30 litres, 3.2 pounds or 1.45kg.
- Recycled 600D poly ripstop with a TPU waterproof coating.
- Uses the Rixen and Kaul KLICKfix Modul Rail with adjustable hooks and dual locking, stated for racks from 6 to 16mm.
- Padded 17 inch laptop sleeve with top access, plus a quick-access padded pocket and dual expandable bottle pockets.
- Converts between pannier and backpack in under ten seconds, with shoulder straps and a sternum strap.
- 1.45kg empty, roughly double the North St. bag, before you put anything in it.
- The KLICKfix rail is stated for 6 to 16mm tubing, so thick e-bike and cargo racks are out.
- A 30L bag sits high and wide on a rack, which makes heel and pedal clearance worth checking.
- Carrying a loaded 30L pannier as a backpack is comfortable for a walk to the office, less so for longer.
A sensibly built budget pannier whose painted steel hooks are specified only up to 16mm, with the maker's own suggested fix for thicker racks being to bolt a second rail to yours.
Best for: A thin-tubed conventional rear rack, short wet commutes, and a budget that rules out the rest of this list.
- Welded-seam liner keeps contents dry, and the liner is both removable for dry weather and replaceable.
- Rugged nylon exterior at the lowest price here.
- Banjo Brothers publishes the hook limit plainly, at rack tubing up to 16mm.
- A universal J hook means installation does not require the lower dropout hook.
- Capacity is published as 1000 cubic inches, about 16 litres, which is both the smallest here and stated in a unit nobody else uses.
- Painted steel hooks chip, and chipped paint on steel near a wet rack is the start of rust.
- Banjo's own answer for racks with tubing over 16mm is to bolt a smaller secondary rail to the rack, which is a workaround rather than a fit.
- No published weight, dimensions or shell denier.
| Criteria | Dolphin 24L Waterproof Pannier | Route Pannier 24L | Pannier Backpack Convertible 2.1 PLUS | Waterproof Cycling Pannier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Buy it | Buy it | It depends | Skip it |
| Best for | Touring and loaded commuting on any rack, including the thick-tubed racks that come on e-bikes and cargo bikes. | Commuters and light tourers who want a durable, light bag and have had heel-strike trouble with boxy panniers. | Bike commuters who have to carry the bag into a building, especially with a large laptop. | A thin-tubed conventional rear rack, short wet commutes, and a budget that rules out the rest of this list. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium | $ · budget |
| Stated capacity | 24L per bag | 24L | 30L | 1000 cubic inches, about 16 litres |
| Rack tubing accepted | Cam-Lock stated to fit all racks; oversized hooks quoted for 15 to 21mm | Hook size selectable, extra large offered for cargo racks | 6 to 16mm, Rixen and Kaul KLICKfix Modul Rail | Up to 16mm, painted steel hooks |
| Stated weight | Not published | 726g (1.6 lb) | 1.45kg (3.2 lb) | Not published |
| Stated dimensions | Not published | 22in open, 16in closed, by 10in by 6.5in | 14in by 19in by 8in | Not published |
| Water protection | Two waterproof roll-top compartments | Waterproof recycled EcoPak sailcloth liner | TPU-coated 600D recycled ripstop | Removable welded-seam liner |
| Shell material | Not published on the page | 1000d Cordura | Recycled 600D poly ripstop | Rugged nylon, denier not published |
| Carries as a backpack | No | No | Yes, converts in under ten seconds | No |
| Heel strike measure | Not stated | Tapered build, 10in wide | Not stated | Not stated |
| Sold as | Single or pair | Single bag | Single bag | Single bag |
| Made in | Canada | Portland, Oregon | Not published | Imported |
Which one is right for you?
- Touring and loaded commuting on any rack, including the thick-tubed racks that come on e-bikes and cargo bikes. Buy it Arkel Dolphin 24L Waterproof Pannier
- Commuters and light tourers who want a durable, light bag and have had heel-strike trouble with boxy panniers. Buy it North St. Bags Route Pannier 24L
- Bike commuters who have to carry the bag into a building, especially with a large laptop. It depends Two Wheel Gear Pannier Backpack Convertible 2.1 PLUS
- A thin-tubed conventional rear rack, short wet commutes, and a budget that rules out the rest of this list. Skip it Banjo Brothers Waterproof Cycling Pannier
How we judged the field
Five things decide a pannier, and the one people research last is the one that determines whether the bag is usable at all. The mounting system comes first: what diameter of rack tube the hooks accept, whether they lock, and whether a larger hook is available. The second is capacity, which sounds simple until you notice that this category cannot agree on a unit. The third is how the bag keeps water out, and there are two genuinely different approaches, a sealed roll-top and a waterproof liner inside a tougher shell. The fourth is weight, because a pannier is carried empty far more often than people expect and an extra kilogram of bag is an extra kilogram on every ride. The fifth is heel clearance, which is the single most common reason a pannier ends up unused in a garage.
On the first of those the field turned out to be more transparent than we expected, and it splits cleanly at 16mm. Two Wheel Gear states 6 to 16mm for its Rixen and Kaul KLICKfix Modul Rail. Banjo Brothers states up to 16mm for its painted steel hooks. Arkel describes its Cam-Lock as fitting all racks and offers oversized hooks quoted for larger tubing at 15 to 21mm. North St. does not publish a range but makes hook size a choice at checkout, with extra large hooks offered for cargo racks. So we picked one bag from each of those four positions rather than four similar roll-tops, because the mount is where the real differences live. The capacity units are the other thing worth noticing: 24L, 24L, 30L and 1000 cubic inches, which is about 16 litres and is not a number you can compare at a glance.
Arkel Dolphin 24L Waterproof Pannier - buy
The Dolphin is the pannier we would buy if we did not know what rack it was going on, because it is the one that solves the mounting question outright. Arkel describes the Cam-Lock system as fitting all racks and separately offers oversized hooks for larger tubing, quoted at 15 to 21mm, which puts thick e-bike and cargo rack tube inside its range instead of outside it. The bag behind the mount is a proper touring design: two waterproof roll-top compartments rather than a single sack, so wet kit and dry kit can be separated, with side pockets broad and elastic enough to take water bottles. The compression webbing can be routed either inside or outside the mesh pockets depending on how you want to squeeze the load, and passed under the light tabs so nothing flaps. It is made and assembled in Canada and sold singly or as a pair. What Arkel does not publish is a weight or a set of dimensions, which is a real gap on a 24L bag, and Arkel’s own advice is that 24L is a rear-rack size, with the 16L Dolphin the one for front use.
North St. Bags Route Pannier 24L - buy
The Route Pannier is the best documented bag here and the one we would recommend to a commuter without hesitation. North St. publishes what the others mostly do not: 22 inches open and 16 closed by 10 wide and 6.5 deep, 24L of capacity, and 726 grams. That last figure is the striking one, because it is less than half the weight of the convertible bag in this comparison, and a pannier’s empty weight is carried on every single ride. The construction is 1000d Cordura lined with a waterproof recycled EcoPak sailcloth, which is the liner approach rather than the sealed approach, and the shape is tapered specifically to reduce heel strike, at a stated 10 inches wide. Hook size is a selectable option, with extra large hooks offered for cargo racks, so the fit question is answered at checkout even though no diameter range is printed. It is handmade in Portland and sold as a single bag, which means a matched pair is two orders, and there is no internal division inside the single roll-top compartment.
Two Wheel Gear Pannier Backpack Convertible 2.1 PLUS - it depends
The Convertible 2.1 PLUS answers a question the others do not ask: what happens when you get off the bike. It converts from pannier to backpack in under ten seconds with proper shoulder straps and a sternum strap, and it is built around a padded 17 inch laptop sleeve with top access, which is a genuinely large laptop. Two Wheel Gear publishes the lot: 14 by 19 by 8 inches, 30 litres, 3.2 pounds or 1.45kg, recycled 600D poly ripstop with a TPU waterproof coating, and a Rixen and Kaul KLICKfix Modul Rail with adjustable hooks and dual locking stated for racks from 6 to 16mm. The costs are weight and geometry. At 1.45kg empty it is roughly double the North St. bag, and a 30L bag sits high and wide on a rack, so heel and pedal clearance are worth checking before you commit. The 16mm rail ceiling also rules out the fat-tubed racks that arrive on many e-bikes. Buy it if you carry the bag into a building. Skip it if the bag lives on the bike.
Banjo Brothers Waterproof Cycling Pannier - skip
The Banjo Brothers pannier is honest, cheap and competent, and it is still the one most people should pass over. What it gets right is the wet-weather design: a welded-seam liner inside a rugged nylon shell, and that liner is both removable when the forecast is dry and replaceable when it eventually fails. What holds it back is partly the mount and partly the disclosure. The painted steel hooks are specified for rack tubing up to 16mm, and Banjo’s own suggested answer for anything thicker is to bolt a smaller secondary rail onto your rack, which they document with a photograph. That is a workaround, not a fit. Painted steel is also the least durable hook material here, because paint chips where it grips and bare steel next to a wet rack rusts. Then there is the capacity, published as 1000 cubic inches. That is roughly 16 litres, the smallest here, and stating it in cubic inches when every competitor uses litres makes it hard to compare without doing arithmetic.
Arkel Dolphin 24L Waterproof Pannier vs North St. Bags Route Pannier 24L: which should you buy?
The Dolphin and the Route Pannier are the two to choose between, and they answer different versions of the same question. If your worry is whether the bag will mount at all, buy the Arkel: the Cam-Lock plus the oversized hook option quoted to 21mm is the widest rack compatibility here, and the twin waterproof roll-tops are the right build for multi-day touring in bad weather. If your worry is what the bag is like to live with, buy the North St.: 726 grams against an unpublished but clearly heavier Arkel, full dimensions you can check against your rack, and a tapered shape designed around the heel-strike problem.
The water protection difference is worth understanding rather than scoring. Arkel seals the bag, so the contents stay dry because the bag itself does not let water in. North St. lets the shell get wet and protects the contents with a waterproof sailcloth liner, which allows a tougher, nicer outer fabric and is pleasant to live with day to day, but is not the same promise in a week of rain. Sourcing differs too: Canada for the Arkel, Portland for the North St., both published. Buy the Arkel for touring and for awkward racks. Buy the North St. for commuting, for light weight, and if heels have been your problem.
What to look for
- Measure your rack tube first: two of these four publish a hook range and both stop at 16mm, so a thick e-bike or cargo rack narrows your options immediately.
- Convert the capacity before you compare: 1000 cubic inches is about 16 litres, which puts it well below a 24L bag despite sounding larger.
- Look for an empty weight: it varies from 726 grams to 1.45kg across these four, and you carry it on every ride whether the bag is full or not.
- Work out which kind of waterproof you want: a sealed roll-top keeps water out of the bag, while a liner lets the shell soak and protects the contents.
- Check heel clearance against published dimensions: a long or boxy bag mounted forward will clip your heel, and only one maker here states a design measure against it.
- Check whether the bag is sold singly or as a pair: most are single, so a balanced load is two purchases and twice the price you were looking at.
Our final take
Panniers get chosen by fabric and colour and rejected by geometry. The two things that actually end the relationship are a hook that will not close around your rack tube and a bag that clips your heel on every stroke, and both are checkable before you spend anything. Measure the rack, convert the capacity into the same units as everything else, and look for an empty weight. On that basis the Arkel Dolphin is the pick for touring and for awkward racks, because the oversized hook option quoted to 21mm goes where most mounts stop. The North St. Route Pannier is the better daily bag at less than half the weight of the heaviest thing here. And a pannier whose maker suggests bolting an extra rail to your rack is telling you something.
Questions, answered
How do I know if a pannier will fit my rack?
Measure the top tube of your rack where the hooks will sit, using a caliper or a set of drill bits if you do not have one. Then compare it to the diameter range the pannier publishes. Two of these four state a range outright, 6 to 16mm for the KLICKfix rail and up to 16mm for the Banjo Brothers hooks, and Arkel quotes 15 to 21mm for its oversized hooks. If a maker publishes nothing, ask before ordering, because a hook that does not close around your rack tube is not a problem you can solve with a strap.
Why do e-bike racks cause pannier problems?
Because they are built to carry more, which usually means thicker tube. A touring rack is commonly around 10mm, while integrated e-bike and cargo racks are often noticeably fatter, and several standard pannier hooks stop at 16mm. Banjo Brothers is unusually direct about this and suggests bolting a smaller secondary rail to the rack as a workaround. Arkel's oversized hook option, quoted up to 21mm, is the cleaner answer. Check the diameter before you fall in love with a bag.
What is heel strike and how do I avoid it?
It is your heel clipping the front of the pannier on every pedal stroke, which is maddening and eventually wears a hole in the bag. It happens when the bag is too long, too boxy, or mounted too far forward. North St. is the only maker here that publishes a design response, a tapered build and a 10 inch width intended to reduce it. Otherwise the fixes are to slide the bag rearward on the rack, use a shorter bag, or use a rack with more setback.
Are roll-top and lined bags equally waterproof?
No, and the difference matters in real rain. A roll-top with welded or waterproof fabric, like the Arkel Dolphin, is designed to keep water out of the bag itself. A bag with a waterproof liner, like the North St. Route or the Banjo Brothers, lets the outer shell get wet and relies on the inner to protect the contents. The liner approach is often more comfortable to live with because the outer can be a nicer, tougher fabric, and the removable liner can come out in dry weather. For multi-day touring in wet climates the sealed roll-top is the safer bet.
Should I buy one pannier or two?
One is enough for commuting and it is what most of these are sold as. Two matters when the load gets heavy, because an unbalanced rack makes the bike wander at low speed and wears one side of the rack. Arkel is the only one here sold as a pair as well as singly. If you are buying one, mount it on the side away from traffic and away from the drivetrain, and be aware that you will probably buy the second one eventually.
Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Arkel Dolphin 24L Waterproof Pannier vs North St. Bags Route Pannier 24L.
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