Altura Arc 20 Roll Top Pannier

The Altura Arc 20 Roll Top Pannier is a mid-sized pannier created specifically with commuting in mind and is tough, fully waterproof and straightforward in design. It's a no-fuss, no-frills, day-to-day carrying solution.

If your bike has a rack, panniers are a handy way of tackling the day to day requirements of commuting. Many traditional panniers are designed more with touring in mind, and can be quite large for the job of transporting a change of clothes, shoes and a laptop and papers, but not so the Arc 20.

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As the name suggests, it's a simple 20L roll-top affair, with a board at the back to stiffen the side facing the bike, plus reflective bits and bobs.

Sold singly rather than as a pair, the Arc 20 is made from tough waterproof fabric, using ultrasonic welding for low weight and to help retain a waterproof construction. Thanks to that waterproof fabric and the Velcro and roll-top closure, the contents of the bag stayed dry through a variety of exciting spring weather including deluges.

The main body of the pack will take a 15.6in laptop easily, although as there's no padding, you'd want that in a protective case of some sort, but even then there's still space for shoes and spare clothes.

Given that the primary use of a pannier of this size is likely to be either for commuting or general about-town errands, the inclusion of some sort of pocket for keys, phone and so on would have been useful, but is sadly lacking.

> Check out our guide to racks and panniers here

The pannier rack fitments are high quality Rixen Kaul, designed to be usable on a variety of rack tube dimensions from 6mm to 15mm. A sliding and rotating lever at the bottom enables the bag to be used on either side and helps secure the bag to the rack at any forward/back change of position.

The fitments are easy to use and adjust, and the pannier is stable when on, whether fully laden or virtually empty. A webbing carrying handle joins onto the fixtures area, making the bag both easy to remove and easy to carry when off the bike.

The Arc 20 comes in a good bit lighter than many waterproof panniers, such as the Lomo Dry that Steph Mann tested last year and the Altura Night Vision 20. There's also an Arc 15 for smaller loads.

It's a well-made and tough bag, providing good protection against the elements, and it's not a bad price for what you get in terms of quality components and fabric. For anyone looking for a reliable and safe commuter pannier, this will do the job well.

Verdict

Practical and tough pannier that's just the right size for everyday commuting