Dog,
I bought the jacket last year that is made the same as these bags. I've had no problems with it, but, it surely is NOT 'top-of-the-line' stuff. If you're lookin' for something to get you by - it works. If you're looking for a more permanent fixture, I'd save my money. Case in point - If you NEED a set of bags for an occassional long jaunt, and you'll only mount them when you need them they'll work. If you're the type that prefers to have bags mounted at all times, they probably will struggle to outlast the elements.
They are thick, they are heavey, but they are also pieced together from what seems to be left-overs of a better product. I think the most likely point of failure is the stitching. And, if you can man a needle, that's not something that will stop you from using them. You can look at it this way - I paid $30 for a jacket. I already got a year of problem-free use. If it falls apart tomorrow, the loss is mimimal at most (and I'll have a ton of scrap pieces of leather to play with, too
