More than a year ago,Mosko Motosent me their 35-liter Backcountry panniers and a mounting kit to try out for free. There were no conditions; they just said to use the bags and find out how well they performed. Well, that’s a pretty sweet deal, isn’t it? But Mosko did not know there was a bit of a risk in sending me their soft panniers.

I have been a pretty diehard aluminum pannier fan, mostly because I am more of a travel guy than a hard off-road guy. I like a hard pannier’s security, their lack of straps or anything to get tangled or lost, and their utility to be used for other things, like a small table for a roadside picnic.

艰难的筐子里,我可以去里面堵塞的东西t worrying that the pannier will break, and I can lock everything up. They always stay put with no sagging or drooping when heavily loaded. And while hard panniers do not provide absolute security, their solid surface and integrated locks made them feel like a level up from the protection a soft bag could provide. So when the Mosko Moto panniers arrived, it was more of a “convince me” than an “oh joy” feeling.

Construction

Mosko claims that their panniers are “bombproof.” That seems like a pretty big claim, but as I pulled the bags from the box, it was immediately apparent that they were heavy-duty items. The bag’s outer shell is 1680 denier nylon and Hypalon. The material is thick and stiff. So stiff that with the material between the pannier’s layers, it retains its shape even when it is not loaded. Frankly, at this denier, there is not much competition out there.

如果你不熟悉海帕伦,synthetic rubber coating added to nylon or polyester fabric to add abrasion resistance. It’s also the same material used in the construction of tubes in inflatable boats. The bag’s front and rear panels are made from 22-ounce 840 denier TPU.

Inside each bag is a removable and washable inner dry bag. They are made of 22-ounce 840 denier TPU with welded seam construction. On the outer edge of the top of the bag is a layer of Velcro. It mates to the inside of the pannier bag to keep each inner bag in place.

The pannier has several buckles. Five of them are made from aluminum. All but one attach to the front panel (aka beavertail). The fifth is at the bottom of the pannier. Because they are aluminum, you can safely use the straps as compression straps to reduce the width of the pannier. The three remaining buckles are used to secure the roll top of the pannier, with two at the sides and one over the top of the pannier. As a nice touch, a plastic swivel also helps keep the straps flat and not twisted.

Mosko has also sewn on MOLLE grids made from Hypalon. The MOLLE allows you to attach various other accessories to the sides and the bottom of the panniers.

Pannier security

Each pannier has a couple of security additions. The first is an aluminum locking bar at the top of the bag. You can run a cable through the bar and attach it to the bike’s pannier rack to help secure the pannier to the bike. As an additional backup, there is also a second locking feature at the side of the bag. It consists of a separate locking mechanism using a metal tab that can be secured with a small padlock or cable.

Attaching and removing Backcountry panniers

Mosko Moto’s Backcountry pannier system differs from most other pannier rack systems. The Backcountry panniers do not require straps or any other kind of tiedown mechanism. Instead, they use a mounting system that is a hybrid between the mounting mechanisms found in both hard and soft panniers.

With the Backcountry, while the outer and inner pannier bags are soft, at the back of the bag, you will find a hard, flat, fiberglass-infused nylon backing plate. That plate attaches to a separate fiberglass-infused nylon plate that Mosko calls the “wedge.” The wedge attaches to your bike’s pannier rack using four aluminum “pucks” and eight flat-headed bolts.

With the wedge installed, you merely slide the pannier’s backing plate down the wedge, and it locks itself into place with a small metal tab. To remove the pannier, you pull a single strap attached to the tab and lift using the fabric handle mounted to the top of the pannier.

The TLDR (too long didn’t read)

Well, there’s no sense in keeping you waiting. So, with all the details out of the way, the TLDR on the Mosko Moto 35 Liter Backcountry panniers is that they far exceeded my expectations.

Rugged and 100% waterproof

The bags are rugged and took more than a year of abuse both on- and off-road. In all cases, the bag’s contents stayed 100 percent dry, even after several successive days of riding in the rain. Although I did not crash with the panniers installed, there is no sign of wear on the bags other than a few scratches from tree branches and the dirt and insects that have accumulated on them.

I expected that the top of the bags might get some wear after being rolled up, compressed, and unrolled many times. But so far, there is zero sign of cracking or other signs of significant wear.

Easy attachment, removal

Attaching and removing an entire pannier is a breeze. Push the pannier down onto the wedge, and it is secured to your bike. To take a pannier off, you grab the pannier’s purpose-made handle and pull the small fabric strap at the side of the pannier. Then pull up, and the bag is free. If you don’t want to remove the entire pannier, you can quickly remove and carry the clean inner liner from the pannier’s interior with its included compression/carry strap. Removing the inner liner means that you will not have to worry about getting dirt and grime from the exterior of the pannier on you or into your tent or motel room.

Thoughtful design

There are many thoughtfully designed utility ideas designed into these panniers. Briefly, here’s a list of some features over and above the pannier’s interior storage.

• Sturdy handles are attached at the top of the pannier to help you carry or easily remove the pannier from its wedge.
• The pannier’s beavertail has multiple uses. It not only allows you to reduce the width of the pannier but it can be used for those times you want to carry items (like wet/sweaty clothes) but do not want to open the pannier.
• An aluminum locking bar at the top of the pannier allows you to use a locking cable to help secure the pannier to the bike.
• A small pocket with Velcro closure is available inside the beavertail. It can hold small items or the cable mentioned earlier.
• MOLLE webbing behind the beavertail on the outside of the bag can be used to hold camp tools or other items you don’t want to store inside the pannier.
• Hypalon MOLLE panels on both sides and underneath the pannier. They allow you to mount additional storage bags to the pannier.
• There’s a hidden panel where you can write your contact information in case the pannier is lost.
• The interior dry bag is held in place with two Velcro strips at the top. This allows the interior dry bag to stay open for ease of access until you want to close the pannier.
• You can also use the compression strap on the dry bag as a handle. It allows you to remove the clean, dry bag and carry it easily and its contents to your tent/motel. There is no need to remove the entire pannier to take your gear with you.
• The inside of the pannier’s dry bag is cyan blue to help you see what is inside.
• Mosko offers an excellent “Crash Care Program.” If you crash and damage your luggage that affects its use within the first two years, Mosko will repair it for free the first time. If you have a major crash and your insurance doesn’t cover the bag(s), you can send them the police report, and they will assess the damage and repair or replace the bags for free for up to five years. In my opinion, their crash protection program is the best in the business.

Security

Security of the bags and the items inside are just about on par with many hard panniers. While a determined thief can steal or get into the Mosko Moto panniers, they can do the same with hard panniers. At least with the Mosko Moto Backcountry panniers, there are two separate locking mechanisms to be defeated for a thief to steal your bags. Still, cutting attacks are more easily accomplished.

Pricing

Mosko’s 35-Liter Backcountry panniers are priced at $850. If you would like to add additional auxiliary exterior pockets that attach to the MOLLE loops, they are available at additional cost. While $850 is a lot of money, the Mosko Moto 35-Liter Backcountry panniers price favorably against similar aluminum panniers.

Considerations

There are some considerations that each rider will have to assess. For example, most good metal panniers will resist an attack by a cutting implement. It would be a hassle to cut the Mosko Moto panniers open with a knife, but it is doable.

Some buckles are plastic. While the buckles that could see high tension are aluminum, three other buckles are made of plastic. They appear sturdy and should are not subject to a lot of tension. But they are plastic and, over time, could break more easily than their aluminum counterparts.

这些袋子是重型nd sturdy. And their weight is representative of that. One pannier, its wedge, mounting pucks, and hardware weigh approximately 10 pounds, 12 ounces. That means a set will weigh in at close to 22 pounds (this weight does not include the pannier rack). Frankly, that was more than I expected. My similar-sized aluminum panniers, including all their mounting hardware, weigh much less than these.

Finally, there is the issue of price. These panniers are of premium quality, and their pricing represents that. Any way you look at it, you have to consider these bags as an investment, just as are most metal panniers. While the Mosko Moto Backcountry panniers are not cheap, they will likely last a lot longer than something less well-made and less expensive. And if there is trouble, there is an excellent crash warranty to back them up.

Summary

So am I a convert to soft panniers? The answer is yes. After more than 15,000 miles (twice across the US and once across Canada), the bags have performed flawlessly. They are easy to install and remove. They carry an exceptional amount of gear and keep it dry. If you need more storage, you can opt for additional exterior pockets. Frankly, I found the Mosko Moto 35-Liter Backcountry panniers to be the best designed and most durable soft pannier I have ever tried.