>>1862683>>1862684It's a combination of both, panniers require that you bolt substructures (racks) to the bike in order for them to be attached, panniers and the metal substructures that support them can also make simple maintenance tasks trickier than they need to be. Bulky pannier bags can also make riding through terrain with tall grass or deep undergrowth difficult, or even impossible.
Modern bikepacking luggage eliminates all these issues, the bags can be removed in seconds, no metal substructure is required, they are far more aero dynamic too.
Modern bikepacking baggage represents an advance in the technology, an evolution shaped by experience and lessons learned the hard way. There will always be a place for archaic pannier systems, but they are pretty much obsolete, and for anyone looking to kit their bike up from scratch buying a traditional pannier system would represent a foolish purchase when confronted with all the options now available..
