randel

Yes, HDPE is used for fuel tanks because it has great chemical resistance. Also plastic bash plates are often made from HDPE because it's great impact resistance. Cross linked PE is a modification from HDPE. Wikipedia says so: Cross-linked polyethylene, commonly abbreviated PEX or XLPE, is a form of polyethylene with cross-links. Almost all PEX used for pipe and tubing is made from high density polyethylene (HDPE). PEX contains cross-linked bonds in the polymer structure, changing the thermoplastic to a thermoset. Thermoset means that after material cures, it's properties change and you can't melt it again and remold. Thermoset materials are generally stronger than thermoplastic materials due to the three-dimensional network of bonds (cross-linking), and are also better suited to high-temperature applications up to the decomposition temperature. However, they are more brittle.

I can't say my panniers are ultimately better, but made with different philosophy. I would like to explain my ideas behind design and material choice, this probably also helps to understand benefits. First, saying "plastic pannier" is as informative as saying "metal pannier" - imagine 3 similar panniers made from aluminum, steel and lead. Their all metal, but everybody understands that they have very different properties. Same is valid also for plastic. My panniers are made from HDPE (high density polyethylene), while most OEM panniers are made from ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene) - easy to manufacture, stiff and cheap. One important difference between these two materials is elongation at break. When ABS elongation is in 5-25% range, HDPE breaks usually at 100-300% elongation. It means for user, that pannier made from ABS breaks after relatively minor deformation, while you can completely fold HDPE and it still doesn't break - check my crashtest video: https://youtu.be/Bc38U5kVgkA. But main difference between my and other plastic panniers is different philosophy. While other manufacturers have tried to make panniers stiff enough to hold shape (reason to use ABS), I focused to using plastic main advantage over metal - low stiffness and good flexibility - and designed my panniers to benefit from this. And this makes them very different from all others. This also allows me to make my panniers twice as light as common plastic pannier. Biggest disadvantage for OEM panniers is, that most have only 3 point fixing system - 2 upper and third close to passenger footrests, making a triangle. No support for rear lower edge. This means, that even minor crash creates enormous loads to fixing system and while OEM panniers have rather stiff plastic, they break. And finally, making panniers flexible means, that they act like airbags, decreasing dynamic forces and protect your bike. I highsided my KTM 950SE at 80km/h and didn't even bend rear subframe - but right pannier upper corner was deformed after crash. I hope this explains why choose Tark panniers over others

Thanks to digitallysane for posting this topic and inviting me to this forum. I am creator of this Kickstarter campaign. If you have questions about my panniers, I would be glad to answer them.