Category: Adventure Bike Panniers

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Why We Use Australian Made Canvas—And Why It Matters

Standard panniers and Large Top Bag

Built for Aussie Conditions, Backed by Aussie Values

At Naz Bags, we don’t just make canvas gear—we craft durable, functional products made to handle Australia’s harshest conditions. Whether you’re riding through the bush, wheeling rugged trails, or camping off-grid, your gear has to keep up.

That’s why we use 100% Australian made canvas in nearly everything we make—from saddle bags to tool rolls, rear motorcycle bags to custom covers. It’s not the cheapest option—but it’s the best. Here’s why it matters.

1. Tough as Nails: Designed for the Aussie Outdoors

Australian made canvas is specifically engineered to withstand:

  • Intense UV exposure without breaking down
  • Heavy rain and high humidity, thanks to water-resistant coatings
  • Rough use—scrapes, mud, dust, and more

Cheap imported canvas may look similar, but it often lacks the density, treatment, and longevity of Aussie-manufactured textiles. When you invest in quality canvas, you’re getting gear that won’t give up after a few rides or storms.

2. Sustainability Starts with Materials

We care about the land we’re lucky to live and work on. Australian canvas is:

  • Manufactured under strict environmental regulations
  • Made in part from natural fibres like cotton, which biodegrade more easily
  • Crafted with lower-impact dyes and treatments

We also work to minimise offcuts and reuse materials where we can—so your bag isn’t just strong, it’s part of a conscious production cycle.

3. Supporting Local Matters

When you buy from us, you’re supporting:

  • A small Australian workshop (that’s us!)
  • Aussie textile mills that employ local workers
  • A regional supply chain that keeps money in our communities

We don’t outsource the tough stuff. Our workshop is where your gear is designed, cut, sewn, and packed—with care, by hand.

4. Long-Term Value Over Fast Fixes

Yes, you might find a cheaper bag online—but what’s the true cost?

  • Cheap canvas frays, tears, and leaks sooner
  • Imported products may not meet safety or quality standards
  • Fast-fashion gear ends up in landfill far too soon

A Naz Bag is made to last years, not months. Most of our customers return not because something wore out, but because they want a second or third bag!

Feel the Difference—Choose Quality

If you’ve ever handled a genuine Australian canvas bag, you’ll know the feel: thick, flexible, textured, and rugged. It’s the kind of material that says, “I’ve got your back,” whether you’re hammering up a trail or hauling gear through the bush.

We’re proud to support local, use ethical materials, and deliver tough, handcrafted gear that works hard—just like you.

🛒 Explore our full range of canvas gear here
📩 Got a question or need something custom? Contact us—we’d love to hear from you.

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Steel Pony Panniers

There used to be another Australian made offering for canvas panniers: Steel Pony Panniers. The Gascoyne panniers were listed as 37 x 23 x 44 = 37 litres which makes them very similar to our Big Fella Panniers. Steel Pony Panniers are mentioned on many a blog and forum from times past. I am not sure what happened to the business but the website is no longer available.

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Panniers for a Royal Enfield Himalayan

Customer question: Do your pannier bags work well with the standard RE pannier racks?

Our answer:

They sure do. A lot of the pictures of our Himalayan on the group and our business page and website have the panniers on standard racks. We have the Large Panniers on ours, which do take some care to ensure that they do not get near the exhaust. For that reason I recommend cutdown jerry cans in them, which makes a great semi-hard shell that if you add a rope handle means you can pull them out at camp. 
That said, the Standard Panniers fit great / better and are a bit smaller. They don’t sag as much due to the less depth. You cannot fit the cutdown 20L jerry cans in them but some people have used other things. Much of it is in the way you pack them. 
Gary, on the Royal Enfield Himalayan Australia group, has the Stubby Panniers. I didn’t recommend them due to extra depth so they sag but he has the cutdown jerry cans in them and they seem to be working well. 
Our panniers, as far as fitment goes, are made to fit most bikes / racks. They are generic, in that the throwover straps are adjustable and there are 6 loops at the back so you can work out how to best fit them. A pair of small flat straps is my recommendation and are an option with panniers. But we also provide 4 double sided velcro loops that you can use to attach them to the racks so they don’t move about whilst riding. 
I hope that helps. Always happy to answer questions and you are welcome to call, during business hours, if you like.

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Making Inserts for Panniers

Many people love the idea of having soft panniers but still having some form to them… Semi-hard panniers.

Naz always had cut down jerry cans in hers when she was travelling. They had rope handles

From the kitchen pannier

and one side was the kitchen which she could simply lift out at camp. This idea works well for our Big Fella Panniers and Postie (or large) sized panniers. You can get 20L plastic jerry cans cheaply then you simply cut the tops off, drill or burn holes for handles and attach rope handles.

For smaller panniers such as our standard size motorcycle panniers or small saddlebags another idea is to construct boxes from coreflute sheets. The sides can either be taped or you can use the angle joiners that are used for sheeting in bathrooms (see the picture in the gallery).

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Custom Panniers on a Quick Mount System

These panniers were developed with an initial enquiry via email about a set of Big Fella panniers without straps. Over a number of emails a design evolved that allowed a sheet of ply to slip inside the back of the panniers and a sheet of pvc on the outside. Mounted to these are the fittings of a quick mount system as many have on hard panniers.

The flap was shaped differently to cover the rolldown more than our standard panniers and there is a pocket inside the front for a piece of corflute for stiffening.

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Adventure Riders

I am not doing well with the blog posts but I have been busy-ish. This week I have had two Advrider inmates visit the workshop. I am starting to think Adventure bikes will be my biggest market as the guys often know of me from my time on the forum and following my big ride around the place.

One that came out today took this awesome shot of me and I look forward to taking all of my range in sometime to his studio to be photographed.

I really miss having an adv bike. Lately I have been thinking about the Royal Enfield Himalayan. It would be similiar to a dr650 but its a 410cc single. But for now I will just keep riding my cafe racer and watch everyone else’s adventures.

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Custom Canvas Panniers

This last week has been custom and new product week. Often a custom order turns into a new product that I have been considering for a while. One I have finished today is the second set of our new Big Fella Panniers. This set has pockets for water bottle on the back of each and has one side narrower than the other. They also called for a longer throw-over strap which I will keep in future sets. It will now cover a 600mm distance between bags. The finalised template for these large 25 – 35 litre panniers is now done, which mean it won’t feel like reinventing the wheel every time.

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Adventure Bike Panniers

Our adventure bike panniers  have been designed as throw-overs that should fit almost any adventure bike or road bike. They are very adjustable with hook and loop tape on strong webbing that can go over or under the seat. There are also tabs at the rear base that can attach to various spots via straps or zip-ties and a loop on the end of the front buckle straps that could have a strap ran through it.

So far we have sold them to a KLR owner (with custom pockets) and a KTM690 rider. Both are very happy with the fit and adjust-ability.

The panniers are suitable for adventure bikes as they are made from 11oz ripstop canvas with a water resistance rating of >200 mbar. We both use them and have never had anything wet inside. This is probably due to the roll-down top (sealed with hook and loop tape) and flap over the top.

The standard panniers are about an 18L capacity.

*Note: The newer and specific adventure bike panniers called the Big Fellas have different features such as molle webbing front and back to hold pouches or water bottle holders. They are also now 20 – 35L capacity and made from 18oz ripstop.