Hi Ian
Hopefully this won't come as bad news to you but the recommended weight limit on the RST is 17Kg (total), 12 rear, 5 on the front. I'm sure however, that in the context of other recent debates on this forum, that this really does err on the side of caution. I think I might have had nearer 14kg total on the rear on my last tour in Britanny and the RST more than coped going full-pelt on the stretch I did on the towpaths of Nantes-Brest canal.
The rack is a TorTec, can't remember which model exactly but sold specifically as a lightweight model (yet capable of holding 30Kg). It is exceptionally light and sturdy at £25, a real bargain: the only problem I've had with it is the lack of tubing (only two tubes) protecting the pannier from the wheel towards the rear of the pannier (hopefully that makes sense!). At one point, the pannier that I use for commuting was warping inwards at the back and in real danger of catching in the spokes, but have since managed to remedy this effectively through inversion and repositioning of hooks and still have sufficient heel clearance.
The Panniers are Altura Skye (50 litres?) , certainly capable of taking a fair bit more than I took to Andalucia with me, probably about 18kg if you really want to pack them out to the max. They've lasted 7 tours to date with no real signs of wear other than a hole in one of the pockets inflicted by an errant screwdriver! Wouldn't recommend the lightweight Tortec rack with anything more voluminous though! Hope this helps.
