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Lomo Pannier Dry Bag and Rucksack
990g 25L £27.00 (each)
The Lomo Pannier Dry Bag and Rucksack is, as you’d expect both pannier and rucksack designed to be a dry bag for bicycle and hike. Lomo are famous for their watesports gear, such as wetsuits, amongst other things. You’d expect a lot of thought to have gone into the design and manufacture. It has. Equally, there are compromises to be made both as panniers and rucksacks. I have found them to be a really handy bit of gear. Compromises, yes, but Lomo have done a pretty good job at making them work at a very nice price.
Pros: multi-purpose, waterproof, well-designed for purpose, solidly made, light loop.
Cons: rail hooks not adjustable, tight fit over bigger rails and tubing, hook ‘n’ loop straps fiddly, no handle to help lifting off rails.
Specification
The 25 litres capacity Lomo Pannier Dry Bag and Rucksack is made from hardy and waterproof PVC Tarpaulin. Both qualities are enhanced by welded seams.
The rail hooks are to be found inside a zipped folding pouch. This protects your back when using the rucksack. It also means that they are fixed, rather than being adjustable. It also means that they have no handle that both lifts and releases the hooks, such as one finds on the Brae Cycling Yonder Pannier or trusty old Ortliebs.
The shoulder straps for the rucksack fold away, too. This protects them whilst using the pannier. There is also a clip-on strap that turns the pannier into a shoulder bag for shorter walks or lighter loads.
The hooks are designed to fit tubing up to 10mm diameter. The hooks are fixed in place and cannot be moved. The base of the pannier can be secured to the rack by a hook ‘n’ loop strap that is secured to the pannier. This is adjustable.
Finishing touches are reflective patches which double a light-loops if you want side-lights, or more likely a rear light on your rucksack.
The panniers are sold individually, which is especially handy if you only have one back to carry the rucksack on and do not want a pair for your bike.
Mounting 3/5
The hooks push down over the rails with the flex in the plastic hook holding them in place. The hooks cannot be adjusted laterally. They are set 14cms apart (centre to centre) and held in place by screws. All seems safe and sound. However, with no ability to adjust the hook position, it may not suit every rack. It should fit most, but if you require your panniers to sit in a certain position, e.g. way back to give space for your big feet, then it may be worth checking things out first.
The hooks push down over the pannier rail and are held tightly in place by their length and tension. There are some small clips that flip into position to help keep things secure. These are easy to miss, but you might need to push them into the recess when taking the pannier off the rack. Naturally, they fit snugly, but this means that they can be a bit awkward to release – especially as there is no handle to lift the pannier with. I found this trickier with a fully loaded pannier.
Securing the hook ‘n’ loop strap requires a bit of thought in the first place. The strap position can be adjusted by altering the slots through which it is secured to the pannier. Getting this sorted out to start with is a great help. Try to get it in the best position to secure it to your rack as possible. At first, I wondered how the hook ‘n’ loop would hold when the pannier was heavily laden. I needn’t have worried. However, removing the pannier requires a bit of fiddling about to release the straps. A bit of a pain, when compared to bracket-type fixtures, such as on the Brae Yonder Pannier. Equally, with the rail hooks being fixed, the hook ’n’ loop straps prevent movement forward or back.
As a backpack, the straps are adjustable and padded around the shoulders. There’s a chest strap, too, for added stability either on or off the bike.
Capacity 4/5
A pair of 25litre capacity panniers will go a long way to stowing your touring kit, or doing a big chunk of the weekly shop (based on a two-person household and buying fruit and veg on a separate occasion – terms and conditions may apply). Equally, it’ll swallow your commuting stuff, although I’d bag electronics and have a padded sleeve over a laptop – but maybe that’s just me. On tour, my sleeping bag, mat, one-man tent all fitted into one pannier. Whilst these were not ultralight gear (the tent, for example was an old MacPac, the sleeping bag a two season Ajungilak, for example). There was space for fillers.
Much of the time, it has just been home to my commuting tool kit, lock, waterproof jacket, a variety of healthy sandwiches (one at a time), and those odd bits of stuff that need to be bought on the way to or from work.
Copious capacity does not equate to massive max weight. Remember that your rack will have a weight limit which includes the weight of the pannier.
Having toured successfully for many years with slightly smaller rear panniers, the fact is that the bit of additional space comes in very handy every now and again: stocking up when wild camping, carrying additional water, pressies for those back home who are eagerly anticipating the return of the adventurer.
Care and Durability 3/5
Care of these is a bit different to the usual wash and wipe required by most panniers. There are zips that will be exposed to spray and road or trail dirt and fabric hook ‘n’ loop straps facing a similar threat.
Exterior cleaning requires little more than a wipe with a damp cloth, maybe a touch of bike cleaning spray for stubborn dirt or that bit of grease that magically gets everywhere after a bit of mid-ride maintenance. Zips can be should be gently wiped or brushed clean and, maybe given a very wee drop of a friendly general protectant or very light oil
I have come across occasional comments that welded seems on some dry bags can lift away from the fabric. I have to say that I have never seen this on any dry bag any of my family has used – and there have been a good few. Certainly, in the weeks I have used our Lomo Pannier and Rucksack Dry Bag, there has been no sign of anything of this kind. It is still top nick and I would expect it to remain so.
In common with all dry bags, it is a good idea to keep the wet out or, if it gets in, ensure that the interior is cleaned and dried. Plastic bags, even in a dry bag, can be very handy for keeping wet gear to itself. On the same from, I have found that condensation can build up in the compartments where the rucksack straps are stowed.
Performance 3.75/5
There’s always a danger that kit attempting to do more than one thing can have limitations. That does not mean it is not a decent bit of kit, just that it will inevitably have compromises. In that context, much depends on the job you want the kit to do. I’d not have these as my first choice for a big, mixed-surface tour, but for a tour with miles on the bike and hours exploring away, it could be just the ticket. Likewise, for a ride to the beach and a swim. As a cyclist, primarily, I’ll try to avoid the pitfall of my main perspective. Please read my remarks with at least one eye on what you want these panniers to do.
Added to my remarks on capacity, I’d start by saying that stability on the rack has been very good. Despite having no adjustment, the rail-hooks hold tight and, under most circumstances, road riding with a light to moderate load, I’ve not felt the need to use the hook ‘n’ loop straps – a definite plus as my clumsy fingers and thumbs found them a bit of a faff. There was no sway. Even better, the rail hooks could be positioned so that the weld for the stays prevented any forward movement. This was on the road or canal towpath at speeds up to 15mph.
Under more weight, at higher speeds, and especially on windy gravel tracks, I have ensured the hook ‘n’ loop straps have been in pace. I’d wondered how well these would hold when compared to the more common adjustable bar. Then I remembered the old elastic and hook fixture that held my touring panniers in place in 1982, and was not so surprised when the hook ‘n’ loop held firm when bounced about and the bike swung around the bends.
Porting between bikes, and even loading unloading is not as convenient as on many models, where a handle pulls the clips loose and then lifts the pannier away, for example the Brae Cycling Yonder Pannier or the renowned Ortlieb models. Pulling the clips over the rack rails at the same time as holding the bike down requires a bit of dexterity, especially when the load is on the hefty side. Whilst this is a pest rather than a deal-breaker, it is a consideration.
As a rucksack it is fine for carrying light loads when combining a bit if exploration with a bike ride. On the whole, I’m not a big fan of cycling when wearing a rucsac. However, it has its place and the Lomo Dry Bag Pannier and Rucksack actually sits nicely on the back and does not obstruct over the shoulder glances. Just take a moment or two to adjust things for comfort and visibility.
Similarly, the shoulder strap is perfectly adequate for the intended use.
With Lomo’s background in water-sports gear, you’d expect the Dry Bag promise to be fulfilled. It is. Properly secured, they’ll keep everything dry, although I’d avoid full immersion.
On a slightly different note, I have noticed a build-up of condensation in the compartment where the rucksack straps are housed when not in use. This has been most pronounced on warm days followed by cold nights – as are common in the UK in early autumn. Not a huge problem in itself, but it is worth airing or wiping these compartments to avoid damp building up on the strap fabric.
Value 4/5
Lomo, as ever, offer a lot of bang for the buck. There are numerous rivals, but few match it price-wise, although many have bells and whistles. For example, Craft Cadence Cycling Back Pack has specific loops for carrying a lock, which can also work as light loops etc. Mind you, it comes in at £99.99. even so, it offers more opportunities to organise bits and bobs.
Decathlon offer a model at around £70 – depending where you look. With 27litres per pannier they offer formidable capacity and have a reassuring two yar warranty. Closest in price comes the Goture 3 in 1. A tad pricier, it shares many of characteristics of the Lomo. At the other end of the market is the Ortlieb Vario – at £192.
Overall, if you want a straight forward bag for your back and your bike rack, take a look at the Lomo Dry Bag Pannier and Rucksack.
Summary
Jacks of all trades can either be masters of none or hit the sweet spot perfectly. I’d not take these on my big cycling trip – I’d not take a combined pannier rucksack of any type: you might. However, I’ve found these ideal for hitting the beach or spending time away from the bike. The large capacity is also ideal for carrying heavier, bulkier loads; a dry robe springs to mind, but multipacks of toilet rolls have also been carted home from the shop.
Verdict: 3.5/5 Well worth a look, and not just if you are on a budget.
Steve Dyster
https://www.lomo.co.uk/products/25l-bike-pannier-dry-bag/
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2025
