Jack Wolfskin Rack Bag

At 22 litres, the Jack Wolfskin Rack Bag is a handy size bag for commuters. It's comfortable to carry and has a removable lining that makes it easy to clean. The downside is that its lack of adjustability can make it fiddly to fasten and get onto your bike rack – which is disappointing considering its £110 price tag.

For more options our best pannier bags and pannier racks buyer's guide is the place to go.

Removable lining

First, the best bit, which caused me an audible 'Ooooh' as I opened it up: the removable lining. It's attached using Velcro, which allows you to easily remove it for cleaning and to reattach it, and I think it's a very smart piece of design.

I do own some fairly feral panniers that I don't wash that much, for fear of damaging the waterproofing. Well, that's my excuse. And I love the idea of being able to quickly whip out the lining and soak it in suds.

Cleverly, there's also a zip-up pocket underneath the removable lining, to keep valuables hidden and safe.

Waterproof and comfortable

It's waterproof and kept my laptop dry when cycling in a downpour. It's also very comfortable to carry when you're off the bike.

This is because the Jack Wolfskin Rack Pack is completely soft, rather than having the hard plastic shells that some panniers have.

It's even okay when it's knocking against your leg when you're carrying it.

And the bag's overall softness is helped by the fact the bag also has a soft Velcro loop to attach it to the bottom of the rack instead of the usual hard plastic clip.

Attaching it to the bike

The flipside to this is that not only did I find the Velcro loop a bit fiddly, but the clips at the top of the bag can't be adjusted either, which can make it hard to get the bag ideally placed on your rack.

The result is that the bag shook when I rode.

While this didn't affect my ability to ride (nor did the bag come off), I did wonder how long the clips would last, as they being slightly shaken each ride. And because they can't be unscrewed to move them left or right, this also means they can't be unscrewed to be replaced. If they snap, the pannier's useless. I don't mind paying top buck for a small pannier, but I do want to feel it has longevity going for it.

Fastening the bag

I also had issues with how the bag fastens. It wraps up, then you fasten it at each side with a buckle. The problem is that the strap that holds each buckle isn't centred on the side panel – so the buckle gets buried in the material and you have to feel your way in to attach it to the clip.

I have an old Ortlieb pannier with the same design, but since the buckle is centred on the side panel, this issue's avoided. The Jack Wolfskin Rack Bag is far from cheap and for £110 I'd want it to fasten easily.

Value

For £55, though presently on sale for just £33, Stoic makes the GranvikSt, which is the same size and has similar properties.

The Brooks England Scape 22L pannier comes in at a pretty pricey £125 but Emma rated it when she reviewed it a few years ago.

If you can make do with just 20 litres rather 22, I've been using an Ortlieb Back-Roller Urban for a few years after buying it second hand – and even now there's still plenty of life in it. And Simon's recent review suggests the Back-Roller design is still made to the same high quality today.

Conclusion

The Jack Wolfskin Rack Bag is basically well constructed and seems pretty durable – but it is let down in a couple of areas. If you can get it at a heavily reduced price it might be handy as a commuter bag rather than as the bikepacking pannier it's designed to be, and I was impressed with its removable lining and comfort off the bike. But for £110 I feel it should be easier to do up and sit more securely on your bike rack.

Verdict

Comfortable to carry and the removable lining is great, but a bit fiddly do up and can shake when you're riding