Nelson Rigg Survivor Series Dry Saddlebags - Long Term Review

[MillCreek]

Mine arrived and these are not going to be for me. So I am debating on keeping them versus sending them back. They seem well-made enough but after mounting them on my racks, they were just too floppy without an internal stiffener, and it was difficult to cinch the straps down enough without them being fully loaded.

My NR CL-850 bags with the internal stiffeners mount in a much more solid fashion.

[Dan Alexander]

I didn't like the thin internal stiffeners that came with my Wolfman Expeditions so I searched around and found a Sterilite kitchen garbage can that was just the right size, cut it down to appropriate height and the bags keep their nice shape empty or full. Also the white interior makes finding things easy in low light conditions.

I think it was the 1082 but for the new bags you'd have to check the specs for sizes or hit Wallmart etc and see what will work

http://www.sterilite.com/ProductCate...y=29&section=3

Others have used 5 gallon gas containers and cut the tops off. Works on Andy Straps, Steel Pony and all the other soft bags out there

[mouthfulloflake]

Originally Posted by MillCreek

Mine arrived and these are not going to be for me. So I am debating on keeping them versus sending them back. They seem well-made enough but after mounting them on my racks, they were just too floppy without an internal stiffener, and it was difficult to cinch the straps down enough without them being fully loaded.

My NR CL-850 bags with the internal stiffeners mount in a much more solid fashion.

By a sheet of thin pastic from mcmaster carr, and make your own stiffeners.

[MightyMouse]

I'd like to know if the Nelson Riggs Adventure Dry Saddlebags are made out of a heavy vinyl or if they are are made out of a heavy coated material, like a normal dry bag? I will buy them if they are made of a woven fabric that is coated with PVC, but don't want to buy them if they are simply a heavy plastic/vinyl that does not have any fiber in them.

[C-Stain]

Originally Posted by MightyMouse

I'd like to know if the Nelson Riggs Adventure Dry Saddlebags are made out of a heavy vinyl or if they are are made out of a heavy coated material, like a normal dry bag? I will buy them if they are made of a woven fabric that is coated with PVC, but don't want to buy them if they are simply a heavy plastic/vinyl that does not have any fiber in them.

I emailed your question to Nelson Rigg and received a response.

The material is a 24oz heavy duty PVC.

Hope this helps in your decision.

[HaChayalBoded]

will it fit a helmet?

One thing I love about my Ortliebs is that you can put an XXL helmet in it, I put it in upside down and then shove stuff in it like a pair of gloves or a balaclava.

[MightyMouse]

The material is a 24oz heavy duty PVC.

Still does not answer the question. Frustrating. Says nothing about woven fabric or coated fabric. PVC=Plastic. If Nelson Riggs says "PVC" and nothing else, then I can only assume they are made out of 100 percent plastic and not PVC coated fabric, so will not buy them unless they say there is fabric in them.

[Dan Alexander]

Why not email them yourself instead of asking someone else and not liking the answer you get

[MillCreek]

I had these bags for a brief while before returning them. I am of the opinion that they are made of a coated fabric, not a vinyl or plastic sheeting. In flexibility, feel and construction, they were similar to other coated fabric dry bags that I have.

[C-Stain]

Originally Posted by MightyMouse

Still does not answer the question. Frustrating. Says nothing about woven fabric or coated fabric. PVC=Plastic. If Nelson Riggs says "PVC" and nothing else, then I can only assume they are made out of 100 percent plastic and not PVC coated fabric, so will not buy them unless they say there is fabric in them.

Originally Posted by MillCreek

I had these bags for a brief while before returning them. I am of the opinion that they are made of a coated fabric, not a vinyl or plastic sheeting. In flexibility, feel and construction, they were similar to other coated fabric dry bags that I have.

I would tend to agree with MillCreek. The weight of the material seems to be on par and of the same construction of any of the paddling bags I've been exposed to. As the guy who got them and is going to use them extensively all season and beyond, I can not give you the answers you want.

I would suggest that if this is such an issue, either buy a set that you can return if you don't like them and make your own observations or look for a different manufacturer.

I've been as forthcoming as I possibly can be, attempted to supply answers and you're still not happy. I'm done.

[MightyMouse]

Sorry if I offended or annoyed you. I thought it was a simple question that could be easily (and absolutely) answered upon examining the bags, but I guess it is not. I appreciate your help and that of others in this thread. I value the honest opinions of members on this forum much more highly than those of manufacturers who all say their product is great.

I pressed the issue more than I normally would because you were given these bags to keep in exchange for writing a review. I'm careful to not expect anything from people on this forum who are volunteering helpful information with no compensation.

It makes me think that if Nelson Riggs, when asked specifically if their product is made from woven fabric coated with PVC, responds that they are made of PVC, then they are either made entirely of PVC; are avoiding the question; or else their customer service people are not well-informed or don't care. That is the perception this answer projects.

I'll continue to follow this thread in case you or others post further observations when you start using the bags, but I'll make sure to not ask any questions.

[mouthfulloflake]

Mighty Mouse

from the nelson rigg website:

"Made from a 24 OZ waterproof and durable tarpaulin PVC"

from google:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_PVC_tarpaulin

https://www.google.com/search?q=what...w=1366&bih=667

http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question...8181710AANfBRw

http://www.unisign.com.cn/product/PV...Tarpaulin.html

[C-Stain]

Originally Posted by MightyMouse

I pressed the issue more than I normally would because you were given these bags to keep in exchange for writing a review. I'm careful to not expect anything from people on this forum who are volunteering helpful information with no compensation.

Let me clear something up.

I offered to write the reviews AFTER I was offered a piece of luggage. The folks an Nelson Rigg did not offer these with conditions.

I have been a user of Nelson Rigg products for many years and have ALWAYS been happy with their products. There was a reason why I was anxious to see a set of these bags when I saw who the manufacturer was.

For what it is worth, given the price point of these bags, what I have observed so far from the set I have AND comparing them to others on the market, I think they are a great value for the money. I still have yet to load them and mount them on my bike.

I am still able to find fault.

Please continue to watch the thread. If something fails you will know about it. If I find that these bags are absolutely incredible for the type of riding I am doing and they exceed my expectations, you will know about it as well.

Honesty is not something I have a problem with.

Originally Posted by MightyMouse

Sorry if I offended or annoyed you. I thought it was a simple question that could be easily (and absolutely) answered upon examining the bags, but I guess it is not. I appreciate your help and that of others in this thread. I value the honest opinions of members on this forum much more highly than those of manufacturers who all say their product is great.

I've given you all the information I have. I have given you a comparison to the paddler's duffel I have used for the past 3 seasons. MouthfullofFlake has given his assessment. The only other way I could really tell you what the fabric is would be to cut them and see what's in the middle. THAT, I am not going to do. Ping Inmate FredGreen. He's seen the bags and has experience with waterproof fabrics with his job. Maybe he can give you more information.

Just know, I'm not offended. Annoyed, yes. I can't give you any more answers than I already have.

[mashy]

I used NR 850's on my V-Strom and was very happy with quality and service. When I switched to the Tenere I threw the 850's on it and burned up the left side bag. I contacted NR wanting to buy the left side only and was told they only come in pairs. OK, I'm ok with that as it was my fault it burned. NR did offer a discount on a slightly used set but I didn't think the discount was enough. I'm happy with NR and now want to decide on the 850's or the new Survivor Dry Bags. Could you provide me with your thoughts on the two different styles? Based on my limited contact with Nelson Rigg, I will continue to use their product.

[adictiverx]

Hi C-Stain (and world)
Could you post some images of the bags stuffed, or with various pieces of kit inside? also would love to see pics of them on the bike prior to making any mods (stiffeners and the like).

Oh, and Nelson-Rigg is releasing their new CL-855 soon and i am debating between them. Long distance/term trips are rare for me so i am leaning toward these (<$)