What do you keep in your pannier pockets?

[deejayen]

I've bought a new pair of Carradice Super C Recumbent panniers which have four tall pockets between them, plus mesh pockets on the front.  I also bought a set of the Super C Universal/Front panniers which just have smaller pockets on the front.

I only have one rack on my recumbent bike, so won't be using the four panniers at any one time.  If camping I'll probably use the pair of Super C Recumbent panniers, or maybe one Recumbent pannier and one Universal pannier. 

I'm not sure how usable the tall pockets will be.  A 1.5 litre bottle of water will fit, but it sticks out the top of the pocket (the lid won't close properly).  I'll probably use one pocket for tools, but what to put in the other three...?  Perhaps a tent could be split up (inner and outer) and rolled into separate pockets...

On a separate note, I'm not sure that the quoted capacity for these panniers is matched in real life, plus they're heavier than quoted.

[PH]

I don't have pockets in my panniers, but i do have other small spaces that are the equivalent.  Used for stuff that I might want to get at quickly without searching through other stuff - puncture kit, first aid kit, gloves, arm/leg warmers, suncream, handwash, tissues, snacks, binoculars... 
IME Carradice pockets are neither secure for smaller items or weatherproof.  That's easily overcome, just use an inner bag (Ziplocks for some stuff, stuffsacks for others) or single item to big to escape.

[in4]

I think The Sage of Oregon ( Dan  ) had a view in this regard.
I use Super C rear panniers and agree re the pocket lids being a little loose.
I put a gas stove and canister plus fluorescent waistcoat in one pocket. In the other I put my second steel cable ( used with another locking variety) overtrousers etc. I keep my toolkit in the top of a pannier.
I’ve tried to reorganise my kit to fit into a pair of Altura Orkneys ( lots of pockets) but find the Carradice’s ‘single’ pocket design far easier and quicker to use. I keep most things in separate water proof bags anyway and am getting more OCD re what goes where as I get older!
I don’t recall my Super Cs letting in water and I’ve used them in some appalling rain in Scotland and Eire. The main compartment does strap down pretty tightly, unlike the pockets.

Although I’m not image conscious I quite like the shabby chic look of my well-used Super Cs. 

[mickeg]

I have a pair of Carradry panniers that I used for one tour.  They have one pocket on each.  I did not want to put anything heavy in the pockets, instead I always try to load my dense stuff in the bottoms of the panniers for better weight distribution with lower center of gravity.  I usually use my Ortliebs which have no pockets, so with that kind of thinking (not used to using pockets) I just shoved something light weight in the pockets as an after thought.

I carry a large handlebar bag when touring, that has all the stuff I might want to access quickly, so the pannier pockets did not need to serve that role.  But if I did not use a handlebar bag, then I might have used the pockets more?

The reason that I bought the Carradry panniers was that they were advertised as having a capacity of 58 liters.  I was planning a trip where I would have a suspension fork on my Nomad Mk II, thus no front panniers, I was looking for more volume.  That trip did not happen, but that is off topic.  When I got the panniers, I was really surprised that they did not appear to have that advertised size.  I estimated about 50 to 52 liters, not the 58 liters, which was a real bummer.  Years later I noticed on SJS website that the Carradry advertised volume fell from 58 to 48 liters.  Still larger than the Ortlieb but not what I was expecting.  If I knew that they were that size, I might not have bought them, as I was comparing them to some others before I bought them.

Since I owned the Carradry, I finally tried them on a tour in 2019.  I might use them again someday, but I used my Ortliebs on the tours I have done since 2019.

My point is that the Carradice people appear to have been a bit careless with their ratings.

I do not own any Super C panniers, so I do not know much about them.

[deejayen]

Thanks for all the suggestions and tips etc.

I've used Carradice saddlebags, and never had a noticeable problem with them leaking (here in Northern Scotland), so hopefully the Super C panniers will be similarly weather-resistant.  The caps of the pockets aren't very deep, and the webbing/buckles won't allow them to be cinched down too tightly, so something taller (such as the 1.5 litre bottle or tent poles) would allow rain into the pocket.  The lock is a good suggestion - I'll need to get one for touring.  My current stove/pan is too big, but that's another good idea.

The new panniers are currently a deep, shiny black colour, which, as the owner of a couple of shabby chic Carradice saddlebags, surprised me!

[mickeg]

I bought a new Carradice saddlebag a couple years ago, it also was a bit shiny, unlike the ones that I had bought years earlier.  But I saw nothing to concern me.

[Danneaux]

I think The Sage of Oregon ( Dan  ) had a view in this regard.

Thanks, Ian! 

I do indeed have some thoughts, having added Ortlieb Accessory Pockets to my bags (they fit other brands...even can be added to Carradice saddlebags) as well as bottle cages and deployable mesh bags for drying wet clothing in the fly...all fit on the same mounting frames that maintain waterproofness after installation and a low profile when these things aren't mounted. They de/attach in a flash, yet  and have remained wholly secure on the roughest roads.

I was so pleased with my installation on the rear of my rear panniers, I added a set to the front and rear of my front bags.

The nifty thing about them is not only what they hold, but how they allow for greater organization and space in the bags. When my stores are low, I often use the pockets to organize items in my panniers. I devote one pocket to a spare suit of clothing -- jersey, riding shorts, socks, underwear, wind jacket -- and another contains all my "reserve" bike tools (multitool, patch kits, tire levers, spare tube go in my Ortlieb underseat bags. Another pocket holds my spare electronics and accessories, quick to grab when I go into my tent of if needed while on the road. When I need more room in my main compartments (say, for food resupply). Another holds my meds and contact lens supplies/eyeglasses. I simply relocate the pockets from inside to outside my panniers.

I've attached some photos down below. Even if you don't have Ortlieb Accessory Pockets, it may give an idea or two on packing. Pockets can hold more than you'd think!

I also "found" additional "pockets" in the design of my Ortlieb SportPacker and BikePacker cap-top panniers that could possibly apply to your Super C's, but you asked about what to put in formal pockets.

Best, Dan.

[flocsy]

I bought the Vaude Aqua Plus over the Ortlieb mainly because of the pockets. I thought it'll be a useful addition. I don't feel they are that useful as I thought they'd be. It might be because of the pocket size or the shape. Maybe I'm not experienced enough yet to know what to put there. I had there either food or the lock so it's relative low (because it's heavy) but easy to reach.

[deejayen]

Thanks Danneaux and Flocsy.

The Ortlieb pockets seem to be a good design.  I think I'd get them if using Ortlieb panniers.

My Super C Recumbent panniers have pockets front and rear (the panniers are different from the standard Super C Rear panniers in that they're not shaped for heel clearance).  I haven't measured the pockets, and I don't have the panniers in front of me, but I estimate that they're probably around 250mm tall, 120mm wide and 80mm deep.  Those measurements could be completely wrong, though!

They're a decent capacity, but smaller items could get lost in there. 

 

[Danneaux]

Your Carradice pockets look deep and immensely useful!

Have you given some thought to placing items in small stuff sacks, then dropping them into the pockets from above?

I've sometimes done done that and found it made removal of items much easier. Replacement, too, and if the sacks are color-coded, so much quicker to find that elusive item.

Another thought, though only tangentially related to your original question and that pertains to finding stuff back again. For ages, I used a red Victorinox Swiss Army knife...till I got my red-and-black Ortliebs and found it camouflaged so perfectly it was difficult to locate quickly. I switched to a Wenger with yellow scales and...problem solved! I will also stick a little dot of reflective tape on some items, making them handy to locate deep in a bag if I use my LED headlight and an essential for my tire-changing tools for dark-of-night roadside puncture repairs. A quick sweep of the light ensures I don't leave and item behind.

Best, Dan.

[deejayen]

Thanks, Dan.   They're good tips. 

I might end up getting some small stuff sacks, if I decide to put smaller items in the pockets.  Hopefully, within the next couple of weeks I'll get an overnight trip away, and will see what I end up packing.  I think I'll probably struggle to fill one pannier, but it will be nice to be able to split things up between different bags, and also have room left over for food etc. 

I like the idea of the reflective dots.  It's easy to leave things behind in the dark, especially if you're tired and befuddled! 

[PH]

My Super C Recumbent panniers have pockets front and rear (the panniers are different from the standard Super C Rear panniers in that they're not shaped for heel clearance).  I haven't measured the pockets, and I don't have the panniers in front of me, but I estimate that they're probably around 250mm tall, 120mm wide and 80mm deep. 

Those have to be the biggest pockets I've ever seen on any panniers, I'm sure I've toured with panniers smaller than those pockets.  I take back what I said, pockets to me are somewhere to put small items to be easily accessible, I think those are too big for that.
I'd be tempted to stuff my tent into them, the fly would go in one pocket and the inner in the other.  In bad weather it would mean packing the tent when the pannier is already sealed and also make it easier at the next camp.
I'd leave one for a baguette, it's just crying out for it.  Maybe a bottle of wine in the other to go with it. 

[mickeg]

I suspect that you will decide to use the pockets for things that you want quick access to that is also light weight.  Heavy stuff in the pocket could make the pannier quite inconvenient for loading the main compartment if the sides of it keep collapsing as you try to pack it because of weight in the pockets.

But, after a few weeks you will conclude what the pockets are best used for.  Everyone is different in how they think for packing.

[deejayen]

I'd be tempted to stuff my tent into them, the fly would go in one pocket and the inner in the other.  In bad weather it would mean packing the tent when the pannier is already sealed and also make it easier at the next camp.
I'd leave one for a baguette, it's just crying out for it.  Maybe a bottle of wine in the other to go with it.

Yes, my first thought (as noted in my original post) was that I might be able to use them to carry a tent.  A baguette has also crossed my mind, as had a pack of spaghetti...