how do you think the Dry-lites will hold up over time?
Thanks, Paul -- no harm in being a gear junkie: there are lots worse obsessions
Arkel says that the Dry-Lites are not (expected to be) as robust as their other touring products. From the look and feel of them, they seem to be well made, and of durable reinforced (rip-stop style) nylon. I doubt that they'd last as long as the HD cordura nylon panniers which Arkel makes, however, esp if one chucks them around campsites, into the beds of pickup trucks, etc.
They don't have backing plates or interior reinforcements as the heavier panniers do--but neither do they have zippers which can break. (Though I've never had a problem of that sort with any of my other Arkel panniers.)
I use my better-quality panniers almost exclusively for touring. This means that they get used intensively for a few weeks in all sorts of weather, and then not much 'til next time. I tend to look after my camping/touring stuff quite carefully, partly because I buy good quality stuff, party because I don't want it to break at awkward times, partly because I'm slightly obsessive about keeping it all in good nick.
On balance, I shd think they'll last me for a few years. Only major qualifier is that, if the raccoons get 'em, all bets are off.
Glad you liked the rivers! We are so privileged to live beside the Ottawa and its tributaries. A fine local journalist, Roy MacGregor, recently wrote
Original Highways: Travelling The Great Rivers of Canada. Well worth a read.
Cheers, John
