I was just looking through old posts on my blog and discovered this post I composed nearly 5 years ago that inadvertently never got published. So I’ll just make a few additional comments and get it out there anyway.

The post was originally composed in about April of 2015.  Since then  I have absolutely no complaints about my saddlebags, after probably 2,000 trail and pack trip miles.  Sadly, it appears these saddlebags, sadly, are no longer offered on the Outfitter’s Supply website. They now show an upgraded version, however, that have leather covers and straps, with brass buckles. The price is nearly $100 more than the ones I bought in 2015, at $149.95 (currently on sale, though), but they look like good, tough saddlebags.

ORIGINAL POST:

One of the indispensable pieces of gear for any trail ride or pack trip is a good pair of saddle bags. Over the years I have used a number of saddle bags of various sizes and materials, but the ones I keep coming back to are canvas saddle bags in the size range of 12″ X 11″ X 4″, or thereabouts. As I was preparing for the upcoming pack trip, I shopped around for a pair of saddle bags, as my old ones are just plain worn out.

Some of the things I look for in a canvas saddle bag or reinforced seams, leather straps, and steel buckles. Up until recently, all of the offerings I have looked at and seen in online stores are made of thin canvas and have nylon straps and plastic buckles. While these saddle fittings might be perfectly satisfactory for the casual trail rider, they simply don’t hold up to what I put them through. While leather saddle bags are pretty and nice, when I compare prices with the canvas bags and consider what I put them through on my pack trips, I have preferred canvas over leather. Well made canvas bags are durable and I don’t cringe every time they get jabbed by branches or scraped on rocks while on the trail.

I recently purchased a pair of bags from Outfitter’s Supply. I had spotted them unexpectedly in their online store and had to try them out.

When I received them, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality workmanship. They, of course, bear the Outfitter’s Supply Trail Max brand. The canvas is quite heavy, probably in the 15 ounce range, and all the seams are reinforced with nylon webbing. Straps of nylon webbing reinforce the canvas connecting the two bags and heavy-duty grommets reinforce the saddle string holes. The holes are well-placed for attaching the bags to the saddle with the saddle strings for both my saddles. They also have a D-ring attached to the forward side of both bags, for additional attachment points for saddle strings or clips at the sides of the saddle below the cantle. The bags have two closure straps, made of good quality latigo leather that run completely around the opening side of the bags bags and are well-stitched in place at the top and bottom. They have chromed steel buckles, which completes the heavy duty nature of these saddle bags.The bags are large and roomy, measuring 12″ X 11″ X 4″. They can hold a lot of gear without being overly bulky.

At $54.95, these bags are quite a bit more expensive than other canvas bags offered by other vendors, however, these are very well made and have all the heavy-duty features I have been looking for. I am very pleased with these saddle bags and expect they will be the last saddle bags I ever need to buy for my packing needs…that is unless I need a second pair. That, for me is worth paying the higher price. You only have to pay it once.

I’ve had my share of lesser canvas saddle bags. I am happy with these.

END OF ORIGINAL POST

After 5 years of hard use, my Outfitter’s Supply Trail Max canvas saddlebags are still going strong. As I said before, I have absolutely no complaints. The buckles and straps are still in good shape, the canvas is wearing well. The seams are holding, with no fraying, and they are easy to clean. I expect I’ll be putting these through many, many more trail miles ahead.