What straps do you use to fix soft luggage to the top of your hard panniers?

icedfusion

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As part of sorting out mine and my daughters luggage for our trip to Norway, I want to be able to camp as well as stay in hotels/b&b's.
However, sleeping bags/tents will take up a lot of space so I have decided to strap them to the top of the panniers.
I have seen lots of different ways: rope, netting, bungee cords - but I am looking at using ratchet straps, is this overkill? What do you use?

Cheers
 
Rokstraps are good , i also like Green Chile straps.
 
Again, rokstraps. Cracking little things.
 
Another one for Rokstraps.
Another one for if it doesn’t fit in the panniers you don’t need it.
 
OnHellas said:
Another one for if it doesn’t fit in the panniers you don’t need it.
Click to expand...

The amount of stuff bods carry on tour never ceases to amaze me. I did 3 months London-Beijing and two months Nairobi-Cape Town with a 35l and a 31l pannier. No top box. Admittedly no camping kit but I still had room to spare and stuff I didn’t use.

What is in all those huge boxes with bags strapped on top?

:nenau:nenau
 
Thanks, will look at the rokstraps.

Idiots suggesting I am taking too much stuff are probably only 5ft4 with a lowered GS and can sleep in a little girls unicorn sleeping bag which they can fit in a sock bag - which they can then use for a tent. More power to you little folk.
 
richardbd said:
The amount of stuff bods carry on tour never ceases to amaze me. I did 3 months London-Beijing and two months Nairobi-Cape Town with a 35l and a 31l pannier. No top box. Admittedly no camping kit but I still had room to spare and stuff I didn’t use.

What is in all those huge boxes with bags strapped on top?

:nenau:nenau
Click to expand...

I did 3 months and 12,000 miles in North America with just the systems cases and a roll bag on the back seat with all the camping gear in it ……I use rock straps.
 
We took camping stuff to Norway and never really used it. Nearly every campsite had cabins or bunk rooms of various configurations but we always managed to get a cabin or room to ourselves. We did use sleeping bags though as not everywhere provided bedding. If they do, use it, as a sleeping bag in a heated cabin is waaay too hot. Campsites also all had kitchens and somewhere to sit indoors.

We travel as light as we are prepared to go before discomfort kicks in and way lighter than most people yet still can’t fit two people’s worth of camping gear and personal stuff into the inside of 2xpanniers + a roll bag on the rear rack.

This is how we packed for two months in Northern Europe on my then GSA and for other multi-week camping trips.

The wife doesn’t like it but clothes and personal stuff go in the pannier top bags**. This on the basis that they are lightish, and if the bags were stolen or lost it’s all easily and relatively cheaply replaceable and you can easily manage a few days before you would really have to replace anything. I’d be gutted if I lost my camping tent and it’d be harder to replace.

2xsleep mats and duvet and other squishy light stuff in the roll bag on the rear rack - Rokstraps. If the bag leaked or got stolen it’s hotel time.

Tent is stuffed directly into one pannier (no bag and no folding, literally just stuffed in) plus Helinox chairs, waterproofs and other damp proof stuff. Tools and some other heavy stuff live at the bottom of this pannier. Other pannier is the kitchen: stove, gas, plates food/coffee, booze, and whatever. Small Tank bag has docs and other important or valuable stuff. Take it with you each time you leave the bike.

Each bag or pannier is relatively lightly packed. This makes finding things and packing up easier plus there’s room for stuff picked up enroute.

We use the waterproof BMW/ GSA branded pannier bags. Waterproof zip plus a roll top and straps designed to fit onto the gsa pannier lids. QD too with handles and a shoulder strap if you want it. Recommended.
 
icedfusion said:
Idiots suggesting I am taking too much stuff are probably only 5ft4 with a lowered GS and can sleep in a little girls unicorn sleeping bag which they can fit in a sock bag - which they can then use for a tent. More power to you little folk.
Click to expand...

my , you're feisty for a newbie , i'm 6'2" , my gs isn't lowered . if you are solo , and you need to put stuff on top of the panniers , you're taking too much stuff. i packed carefully for a month away round Europe , i still came back with stuff i didn't wear .

When you're tired , just fuelled up , parked not as carefully as you should, and you are just getting off the bike , and you catch your heel , on the bag on the back .....

https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/199414-Heavy-Metal-around-Mongolia-and-Central-Asia

post 3 .
 
AustinW said:
We took camping stuff to Norway and never really used it. Nearly every campsite had cabins or bunk rooms of various configurations but we always managed to get a cabin or room to ourselves. We did use sleeping bags though as not everywhere provided bedding. If they do, use it, as a sleeping bag in a heated cabin is waaay too hot. Campsites also all had kitchens and somewhere to sit indoors.
Click to expand...

Re Norway, would it be foolish to travel without a tent, cooking equipment erc and assume there would always be a cabin available?
 
richardbd said:
The amount of stuff bods carry on tour never ceases to amaze me. I did 3 months London-Beijing and two months Nairobi-Cape Town with a 35l and a 31l pannier. No top box. Admittedly no camping kit but I still had room to spare and stuff I didn’t use.

What is in all those huge boxes with bags strapped on top?

:nenau:nenau
Click to expand...

Rushy said:
I did 3 months and 12,000 miles in North America with just the systems cases and a roll bag on the back seat with all the camping gear in it ……I use rock straps.
Click to expand...

Did you miss the bit about him taking his daughter and that they planned to camp. I might be wrong but I assume she will be a pillion. I can assure you, because I’ve really really tried but two sets of clothes, 2 sleeping bags/mats and other camping stuff, a bigger tent, etc etc does not go into two panniers unless you plan on being really uncomfortable. Whatever it was you packed for your trips you can neatly double. Would you still have had room?

Huts in Norway. Yes our experience was they were readily available. We did phone ahead for Nordkapp and on Lofoten to book but otherwise just rocked up and if we were cold/wet/tired asked for hut or room which we mostly did as the weather wasn’t brill. There’s enough campsites so if the one you try first is full it’s not that far to another. We were there in late June to early July. Which is early still so it may be different later on. But, would I not take a tent? Umm probably not as it means we could travel so much lighter but would phone ahead for a bed at some point on the day.
 
AustinW said:
We took camping stuff to Norway and never really used it. Nearly every campsite had cabins or bunk rooms of various configurations but we always managed to get a cabin or room to ourselves. We did use sleeping bags though as not everywhere provided bedding. If they do, use it, as a sleeping bag in a heated cabin is waaay too hot. Campsites also all had kitchens and somewhere to sit indoors.

We travel as light as we are prepared to go before discomfort kicks in and way lighter than most people yet still can’t fit two people’s worth of camping gear and personal stuff into the inside of 2xpanniers + a roll bag on the rear rack.

This is how we packed for two months in Northern Europe on my then GSA and for other multi-week camping trips.

The wife doesn’t like it but clothes and personal stuff go in the pannier top bags**. This on the basis that they are lightish, and if the bags were stolen or lost it’s all easily and relatively cheaply replaceable and you can easily manage a few days before you would really have to replace anything. I’d be gutted if I lost my camping tent and it’d be harder to replace.

2xsleep mats and duvet and other squishy light stuff in the roll bag on the rear rack - Rokstraps. If the bag leaked or got stolen it’s hotel time.

Tent is stuffed directly into one pannier (no bag and no folding, literally just stuffed in) plus Helinox chairs, waterproofs and other damp proof stuff. Tools and some other heavy stuff live at the bottom of this pannier. Other pannier is the kitchen: stove, gas, plates food/coffee, booze, and whatever. Small Tank bag has docs and other important or valuable stuff. Take it with you each time you leave the bike.

Each bag or pannier is relatively lightly packed. This makes finding things and packing up easier plus there’s room for stuff picked up enroute.

We use the waterproof BMW/ GSA branded pannier bags. Waterproof zip plus a roll top and straps designed to fit onto the gsa pannier lids. QD too with handles and a shoulder strap if you want it. Recommended.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, it is really appreciated - I would probably still take a tent, but I like your packing recommendations.
Normally I wouldn't take camping gear and I could pack 2 weeks worth of stuff on a K1300R in my sport panniers - but for two people and camping equipment, the storage needs are much higher!
 
Another for Rokstraps.

In years gone by i used ratchet straps and over time of over tightening...as you do :)
they tend to pull out or bend loops on cases etc.
i thought what's all the fuss over rokstraps and tried them....brilliant things

The magic of the rokstrap is its design.
You put a bag on the bike and hold it down with a rokstrap... as you ride the items in the bag move or air comes out and with a normal strap it would become loose.
the rokstrap is partly elasticated (strong elastic) and as the bag shrinks moves.. the strap pulls down more and keeps it in place.

Regarding you carrying too much, ignore some of these on here.... Most travel alone and stay in posh B&B/Hotels.

I travel with the wife and carry camping gear.
I carry a puncture repair, pumps, toolbox, 2 sleeping bags, tent, cooking stuff, clothes, waterproofs x2 and camera equipment.
the one i own is a 58ltr and i have 2 panniers and i still struggle for room when away for more than a week.
So i put a LOMO bag on top secured by 2 rokstraps

In my avatar you can see the bag on my back seat as i was travelling alone that trip :)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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