The Topeak Pannier DryBag DX would stand out among any other range of panniers. With the sheer size of it, it comes with certain advantages that put it on a scale of its own.
The first thing that is definitely worth noting for anyone considering this as their pannier of choice, is that due to the sheer size (Length: 28 Width: 30/18 Height: 65 cm) you may struggle to fit in on your rack. We definitely struggled with ours and did end up knocking it each pedal stroke. After some adjustment with an Allen key this was fixed.
Whilst you can adjust its position horizontally, a height adjuster for vertical movements would have been a useful addition for better positioning of the pannier.
Coming with that uniqueness of size, is a tightly waterproofed material. In fact, as stated by Topeak and after using it, I can agree that it is truly “sonically welded and fully seam-sealed”. The top is also confidently watertight. With this pannier, your items are protected from the elements.
The pannier DryBag DX also comes with an adjustable hooks for holding it onto racks and with three sets of two -piece each of 12mm, 10mm and 8mm thickness spacer. you can interchange this before use to suit/fit your rack thickness on the bike you are going to use. The advantage with this particular style is the flexibility of being able to use this pannier on different racks without the worry of it not holding tight. Also, that goes without saying that should you change your bike or rack, you’d be able to remove the spacer in use and replace it with one of a suitable thickness.
Finally, it comes with reflectors on the side which means that cycling in the dark, you would not face the danger of your pannier being missed because another road-user could not see how much space you need.
All in all, the Topeak Pannier DryBag DX is a delight especially for those with much to carry. The durable construction should give many years of use and the waterproofing means even the worst of the weather won’t effect you.
Guest post by Godwyns Onwuchekwa
Looks and sounds like a direct copy of the Ortlieb rolltop.. but without the brilliant ‘lift to release’ clasp..?