Panniers are containers that hang from the pack saddle, one on each side, so the load is balanced across the animal: keep each under 35 cm wide so they do not catch on trees and rocks, and keep the pair within 2 kg of each other. Use rigid panniers of wood, basket or plastic for fragile items and produce, and soft panniers of canvas or sacking for loads that cannot break.
Part of Pack Animal Management
Side-loading containers for pack animals: the two families, the width limit and the balance rule that governs both.
Panniers Turn A Load Into Two Balanced Halves
A pannier pair divides the load into two matching halves, one on each side. That is why two equal containers beat one large one: equal weights hold the saddle square, and a narrow container clears the trail. The container type decides what it can carry; the balance and width rules are the same for both.
| Type | Examples | Best for | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid | Wooden boxes, woven baskets, plastic containers | Fragile items, produce | Rigid Panniers |
| Soft | Canvas bags, duffle bags, grain sacks | Non-fragile loads | Soft Panniers |
What You Need
- A pack saddle with hanging points — the arms of a sawbuck or the pommel and cantle of a modified riding saddle; see Pack Saddle Design.
- Two containers of matching size.
- Hooks, loops or straps to hang them.
- A scale or balance — to weigh each side. See Logistics & Load Planning for ways to weigh.
Method: Specify A Pannier Pair
Step 1: Fix the width limit. Under 35 cm per side. Wider panniers catch on trees and rocks.
Step 2: Choose rigid or soft. Rigid for fragile items; soft for loads that cannot break and for tight trails.
Step 3: Make the pair matching. Same size, same hanging height, so the saddle is level.
Step 4: Weigh each side. Maximum difference between the two: 2 kg.
Step 5: Check height and clearance. Hang so the bottoms clear the ground and the animal’s legs.
Worked Example
A large mule, comfortable load 60-70 kg per the source table, with a pannier pair.
- Per side, comfortable: 60 / 2 = 30 kg to 70 / 2 = 35 kg.
- With a maximum 2 kg difference, a 70 kg load splits at worst as 34 kg and 36 kg.
- Check against the width limit: with two panniers each under 35 cm wide, the total width added to the animal is under 2 x 35 = 70 cm on top of the animal’s own body width.
The source gives no allowance for the weight of the saddle and panniers themselves; weigh them and count them in the load unless the animal’s allowance says otherwise.
Common Mistakes
- Panniers wider than the trail allows — see Trail Hazards.
- Unequal weights — the saddle rotates.
- Loading the heavy item at the top — see Weight Distribution Rules.
- Hard corners on the animal’s side — pad them.
Safety
A pannier is a moving obstacle
Panniers swing and catch on trees and rock; a snag can spin an animal or push it off a narrow path. Keep them under the width limit, check hanging loops before each day, and never hang a pannier so the animal cannot be freed from it quickly in water or after a fall.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Rigid Panniers — boxes, baskets and tubs
- Combine with: Weight Distribution Rules — packing them