Yeah the locker thing is why I stopped too. Had mine cracked open in a Budapest hostel and lost my phone and cash. Ibis Budget is solid for the price, I stay at those a lot now. You get your own keycard and no weirdo roommates to worry about.

That exact SAME thing happened to me last spring with a Kelty tent I snagged for two hundred bucks. I was camping in Yosemite and a light rain turned into a nightmare by 2 AM with water dripping right through the seams. My sleeping bag got completely soaked and I ended up sleeping in my car for the rest of the night. I was SO mad because the box said "waterproof" in big letters but it was basically a wet sponge. The worst part was the return process too, they only gave me store credit after a massive fight. I feel your pain on this one, those big brands really know how to trick us with fancy marketing.

Have you tried a frame bag and a smaller backpack combo? I used to hate climbing stairs with panniers too, but splitting the weight saved my knees and my back.

My neighbor took three dents in his mailbox from the garbage truck before he put up a reflector pole. I swear people like us have to learn things the HARD way. It's like how I refused to use those little sink strainers for years until I had to fish a whole fork out of the garbage disposal. We get so stuck on how things LOOK or our pride about being right that we ignore the obvious fix right in front of us. The decals probably saved that bird's life and now your view is barely different. Sometimes the cheapest ugliest solution is the smartest one.

Ran five miles in wet boots the other day @roseb62, felt like walking on sponges.