A Hebridean adventure test

The trip was a five day tour, roughly following the Hebridean way, adjusted to account for the vagaries of Calmac ferries and the logistical challenges of getting back to an Oban car park in time to fulfil various obligations the following week. We carried lightweight camping and sleeping gear and only the barest minimum of cooking facilities (for tea, mainly).

We had the alloy version of the rack with the built in pannier mounts. If I was buying one, I think the extra cost of the carbon fibre version for a few grams of weight saving would be unjustified given that I’d be loading the thing with a few kilos of baggage anyway. Also, I’m old enough to harbour a few, probably unjustified, superstitions about the suitability of carbon for load bearing application in a knockabout environment. Likewise the pannier mounts; I can’t see the point of not having them; they’re pretty unobtrusive and they give you another loading option. Admittedly you do have to use Tailfin’s dedicated side pannier (various sizes from 5L-22L) and there are 3-pack mounts on the fork legs for stuff sac or Nalgene bottle cages, but still. We did in fact use the Tailfin panniers, and in many ways they were the best part of the system (see below). We didn’t use the dedicated Tailfin top bag, largely because we didn’t have one, instead strapping a tent to the rack platform. Which seemed as good a use of the space as any.

For the first two days we rode in more or less constant rain. Now, in my experience, if it rains long enough and hard enough,  everything will get wet. Having said that, one of the only pockets of dryness in those first couple of days were the side panniers. Made of Hypalon and nylon fabric and a rolltop closure, they kept out the Scottish weather when the seams and zips of our other bags eventually let in varying amounts of moisture. Even when everything else is damp and clammy, there’s deep joy in a dry change of socks. The panniers attach using Tailfin’s own X-Clamp hooks. These are super sturdy and seemed maybe a little over engineered at first glance, but they hold the bags immovably against the rack even when they’re heavily packed. The locking mechanism holds the solidly in place and there was no trace of movement even on the roughest terrain we encountered.