Bought a $70 "waterproof" pannier that leaked through the seams on my first rainy ride in Seattle
The tag said waterproof but my laptop sleeve was soaked by mile 4, so skip anything advertised that way unless it has welded seams, and does anyone have a cheap dry bag setup that actually survived a full winter here?
Had a Cascade Designs bag do the same thing back in 2019, zipper looked fine but the seam tape peeled off like old paint. Half my gym clothes were wet by the time I got to work. Now I just double bag everything in trash compactor bags inside the pannier and never think about it again.
You said it leaked through the seams, which makes me wonder if the fabric itself held up or if water was pushing through the zipper too. Seams are usually the first thing to go, but on a lot of cheap bags the coating on the inside starts peeling after a few weeks and then the whole thing is done. What brand was it so I know what to avoid?