Cheap pannier held up in the rain

A few weeks ago, I bought a pannier on Amazon for 50% off. It's a brand i had never heard of, but it was cute, and I got it for $37. Good enough for me.

I got caught in a downpour this morning. I typically carry my phone on a handlebar mount but I didn't want it to get wet. I didn't know where else to put it so I put it inside the pannier and finished the 8+ mile ride home in the rain.

Color me surprised that my phone was dry when I got home. I had worried that the bag itself would soak through because it's canvas.

Moral of the story: Sometimes buying off brand panniers works too. Also, I need to learn how to pack for the rain because I was not prepared.