secured (?) soft luggage in asia
 

Hi all,

I'm thinking about getting soft panniers/bags with some protection like pacsafe (www.pac-safe.com) and pad locks, simply because my budget doesn't allow hard panniers (unless really really necessary). Besides, I also like the flexibility. I'm going from NL to India and back.

I'm not planning on staying too much in the big cities, and if I do, I plan on getting a hotel room or something quite soon, so I can lock the bags to something solid in the hotel room. Then I'll be sightseeing / strolling around the city / whatever with the bags locked inside.

So, my question is, is the security level acceptable for Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India-Nepal?

Cheers,
Peter

It is all a matter of fortune I guess. I would say yes, if you are careful. I did the route you mention with soft luggage, for the same reason, with only minor thefts. Then I got some ally boxes built in Cochi south India for 30USD. Still using em two years later.

So how did these minor thefts happen? Did they cut open/unzip (a small part) of your bags, in plain view or only during the night? Or could it also have happened with hard panniers?

Did you use the pacsafe net or something and was it worthwile?

Cheers and thanks,
Peter

I have only used soft luggage in my RTW travels with a small aluminum topbox for my most valuable things. In over 4 years around the world I have never, I repeat never had anything stolen from my bike. In the last leg, NZ to Thailand I purchased a pacsafe. I used it seldomly, trusting my intuition. I however used my cable lock alot, locking my riding clothes and helmet etc with it.
You can almost always find a safe place to put your bags.
I have seen aluminum boxes that had been broken into on several occasions. It ain't pretty, and if you really value your things, you bring them with you anyway.
Whatever you choose, Your best defense is common sense.

I travel with ali panniers and a dry bag or two on the rack. I used a Pacsafe for the first time on my last trip (Scotland) and found it really easy to use. I thought I'd get p***ed off with having to put it on and keep taking it off to get at stuff but it was so simple I wouldn't be without it now. It seems that if things can survive the UK they'll be OK anywhere (I'm sorry to say)

As the previouse post says though, there's no substitute for common sence though. I'm paranoid so piece of mind is everything to me!
Chris