Spencer Harding's review of our Anywhere Panniers

If you had asked me ten years ago about reviewing a set of panniers, I would have swiftly responded, "Why would I run panniers with all the good bikepacking bags available." Even then, in the fledgling days of bikepacking, there were so many great options besides the traditional four panniers on a Surly Long Haul Trucker. Today, there are even better options, but panniers have also strayed from their roots and become a viable and enticing option once again.

I've been saying for years that the Jammer is the best bag Road Runner Bags has ever created. Rolltop backpack sales numbers will prove me wrong, but I stay away from riding in backpacks these days, hence the pannier review. I've spent tons of time with the Jumbo Jammer and always found it TOO large (yes, I know the Middle Earth Jammer exists), but mainly the amount of space above the internal stiffener roughly ending at the bar line. You could pack it much higher and fuller, but that space needs to be more structured than the lower half of the bag.

Drawing on the structure and silhouette of the Jammer Bag, the Anywhere Pannier is a taller design that allows for more usable space. The bag still uses an internal stiffener but likewise relies on the bike rack for some structure. This allows for about two-thirds of the total bag to be packed before you get into the floppy roll-top part of the bag. 

Road Runner Bags' CWS (Closure Webbing System) manages whatever slack is left behind the roll-top closure and the internal stiffener. A zig-zag of webbing and D-rings cinch the bag tightly to prevent everything from being floppy. I've been thrown under the bus for saying these straps are too long, and I am happy to report that the Anywhere pannier straps have returned to a reasonable length.

A pro tip on packing: Roll the bag and cinch everything before mounting the bags to your rack; this gives the bag a bit of a curved shape. The preload on the bag will help tension the mini voile straps used to attach the bag. Many racks have very narrow gauge tubing, so properly tensioning the Nano Voile Straps is difficult. The added tension of the bag creates a push/pull with the straps instead of solely relying on the straps for tension.

I loved the outer pocket on the anywhere panniers. While I crave simplicity, I have yet to see easy-access organization using bags with just a large space. All zippers do is break, so the Velcro flap closure has my seal of approval here.

Speaking of simplicity, it is such a pleasure to dump all your gear easily into the Anywhere panniers—hardly any stuffing and cramming into tight spaces like a handlebar roll or seat pack. With the two Anywhere Panniers and their combined capacity of ~30 liters, I could easily carry all my gear for a bikepacking trip. The Anywhere Panniers strike a balance between the classic Ortlieb panniers (~40L) and other smaller "micro" panniers (less than ~10L).

There are plenty of great options for bikepacking gear these days, and we are seeing a resurgence of interest in racks and panniers. The Anywhere Panniers work well on smaller bikes with tire clearance issues. Or maybe you want a simple, easy, and secure way to carry your gear. Anyway, you cut it; the Anywhere Pannier is a great bag that might make you fall in love with panniers again.

Words and photos by Spencer Harding.