When you are first getting into survival alongside a pack mule or another animal, it can be incredibly exciting. After all, you are going to be able to bring so much more with you when you are working with an animal that can carry a good portion of its weight in supplies. However, before you get too excited about the idea of going packing with a mule or a horse, you are going to want to make sure you have everything you need. This also includes making sure you have food, water, equipment, and clothes to keep both you and your mule happy during the whole trip. In addition to making sure you have all of the supplies you could possibly need, you also need to make sure you have something to carry all of these supplies in. This is where panniers and saddlebags come into play.

Panniers are a type of saddlebag that a lot of people use when they are going camping with their pack mule. Top packs are almost always used in conjunction with panniers they simply ride on top of the panniers and the mule. Sometimes referred to as H packs. There are several things you should be looking for when you begin your search for the top packs and panniers. When you know what aspects to pay the most attention to, you can rest assured knowing you are making the best decision possible.

What Should You Look For

There are about three different categories you should put most of your attention into when you are searching for different top packs and panniers for your mule or horse. First, you should make sure the size will accommodate everything you need to bring. If you are a light packer, you may be able to get away with purchasing a much smaller pack than other people need. Likewise, if you are planning a working trip into the fields or the mountains, or you simply know you want to bring a lot with you, you may need to look at some of the largest packs out there.

The second thing to pay attention to is the material the saddlebags are made from. This material will determine just how well the bags can withstand wear, tear, and weather from being used just about every day they are worn by the animal. In the same vein of thought, you should also make sure the saddlebags you are looking at can be washed, even with a little bit of disassembly. As much as people may not want to wash their saddlebags, after sitting on a mule all day, it might be worth it.

Finally, you will want to make sure you look at the quality of the bags that have caught your attention. A low-quality bag may end up tearing at the seams or succumbing to the weather a lot more easily than you would expect, causing you to need to spend even more money getting brand-new ones. Instead, it is generally going to be worth it to search for saddlebags from a reputable seller and dealer.

You will also want to consider the type of pack to look for. There are two types of top packs, one sits just behind the saddle and are often the most prominent bags that you will bring with you. The other sits on top of the panniers and across the back of the mule or horse. There are panniers, which are bags that sit on the sides of a mule or horse. Panniers can also come in hard or soft versions, depending on the type you choose to invest in. There are also horn bags, which sit in front of the saddle and are dedicated to small but heavy objects.

What Bags Should You Look For

Now that you have a good idea of what you should be looking for, you can begin thinking about which brands and which bags are going to make the biggest difference during your trip across the plains or the mountains. Some bags are designed to be massive and sit just behind the saddle so that it can be something that you lean up against. Other bags are designed with convenient placement in mind, such as with horn bags. For reference, horn bags are bags that sit near the front quarters of the animal, generally in front of the saddle. The location is easier to reach and the weight distribution is easier on the animal’s part. With all of that being said, here are some packs that you should consider looking into for your next adventure.

If you are looking for a good all-round pack that you can use for just about anything, you may want to consider this one. While it certainly is on the high end for the price, the size and quality are nothing to scoff at. It has containers that you can put more fragile goods in or things that are more sensitive to temperature. It has areas where you can store larger pieces of equipment that you are bringing with you, such as a tent. If you are not looking to be so ambitious in how much you can pack into your saddlebags, this pack may do the trick at a fraction of the price.

this one is not made from nylon, but is actually made from canvas to provide a strong and sturdy structure to protect whatever belongings you choose to add to this particular pack. They are generally better containers for softer or more fragile belongings that you are bringing along, or belongings that do not fare well in the weather. These panniers are designed to be used with a pack saddle.