The products mentioned in this article are selected or reviewed independently by our journalists. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission, but this never influences our opinion.

Vaude Aqua Back pannier bag review

Waterproof rear pannier bag with environmentally-friendly production and materials

Our rating 
3.5 out of 5 star rating 3.5
GBP £120.00 RRP | EUR €135.00
for pair
Vaude Aqua Back pannier bag

Our review

A good waterproof bag for on-bike mounting with plenty of stowing capacity
Pros: Big capacity; waterproof
Cons: Fixings can become loose
Skip to view product specifications

The 24-litre-capacity Vaude Aqua Back panniers are ‘carbon-neutrally’ manufactured in Germany from a PVC-free tarpaulin material.

Advertisement MPU reviews

The bags use welded seams, so there are no holes left by stitching to let water in.

You’ll achieve closure by rolling the top of the bag over a few times. If the pannier isn’t full, it’s worth giving a little squeeze to get excess air out.

Once rolled – towards the back – pass the adjustable strap over and pull tight. For a belt-and-braces approach, the buckles on the side for the shoulder strap will take the clips at the top of the bag. I did this because the shoulder strap is best removed and stowed when on the move.

Vaude’s QMR 2.0 locking mounting system works well. Lift by the rear handle and the hooks open, place over your rack and then to lock simply press the clips to close. Lifting up releases the locking mechanism automatically.

You can also lock the bags to your bike by threading a suitable lock through holes in the mechanism. Both top and bottom hooks are easily adjustable – knurled plastic dials loosen and move them. I did find these needed occasional tightening.

A single Aquaback weighs 970g and can be stuffed with up to 12.5kg of underpants, laptops and camping equipment. The laptop slips into an internal pocket, which also has a mesh pocket for keys, passports and the like.

Advertisement MPU reviews

The closure system and the tough material with welded seams meant my belongings stayed completely dry in big downpours.

Product Specifications

Product

Price br_price, 5, 3, Price, EUR €135.00GBP £120.00
Weight br_weight, 5, 6, Weight, 970g (37 x 33 x 19 cm) – single bag, Array, g
Brand br_brand, 5, 10, Brand, Vaude

Features

Capacity br_capacity, 11, 0, Capacity, 24l, Array, l