BAG REVIEW:Gorilla Boy-Spider Monkey

[wedahaws]

I have played many rounds with the Gorilla Boy Spider Monkey. I would rate it a 10 out of 10 stars for a mid sized bag. Below are the top 10 reasons why I believe this bag is well worth the $55 I paid for it. ($35 bag, $10 strap, and $10 shipping).

1.PVC pipe inserts keep the bag upright and open at all times making it easy to switch out discs and my seeds from spilling.
2. Putter pocket is large enough to effortlessly holster putter with one hand but snug enough to keep it secure.
3. Mesh pocket on the side is the perfect size to hold a bag of sunflower seeds upright and open for easy access.
4. Firm and durable material give the bag a higher quality feel than other mid sized bags on the market.
5. Comfortably holds 8 or 9 discs in main compartment which provides enough disc options for large courses but small enough that I don't feel self conscious taking to a small course. (Will fit up to 10 or 11 discs in main compartment if you pack them in tight but will make it a pain to thumb thru discs and pulling them in and out.
6. Allows me to easily fold the top flap out of sight into back pocket for unobstructed access to discs throughout the round. Top flap tucks back in a way that you cannot see it which gives the back a tight and finished look.
7. Similar to the putter pocket the mini pocket is a perfect size.
8. No slip shoulder strap is much better than the cheep strap that comes with smaller bags. Unfortunatly, you have to pay $10 extra for it.
9. Comes equiped with 4-point hookups which can be used for a backpack strap if desired (also sold seperatly)
10.Cup holder is insulated to keep drinks cooler longer.

For players that don't want to carry the big compitition bags the Gorilla Boy Spider Monkey is a great buy.

 

[iacas]

So... why get a Spider Monkey over a Fade Crunch Box? Honest question (I have a Crunch Box I'm going to keep around as my "light bag" for "casual rounds").

1. Same.
2. Crunch Box putter pocket fits two putters easily. Spider Monkey fits only one.
3. Not mesh but Crunch Box has a pocket there too. And they have a mesh pocket in the "hood" or "lid" flap that's really nice too. Stands up when the bag is open.
4. Probably about the same, maybe Spider Monkey is better?
5. Ditto. 9-10 in the main, 2 easy in the putter pocket.
6. I like the pocket in the flap on the Fade. Velcro holds it in place.
7. Ditto. Mini pocket there too.
8. Strap included free! Nicely padded.
9. Same.
10. No real insulation on the CB.

It's my opinion, but the Gorilla Boy website is horrible. Tiny pictures, only one of them, bad navigation (you click "Spider Monkey" and don't see any because they're sold out), etc.

Anyway, just asking. Maybe a good debate. Maybe Gorilla Boy does more for disc golf, or whatever. Honest questions. I bought my Fade when I was really, really, really new to DG. I'm not attached to it, but it seems like these bags are nearly identical.

 

[wedahaws]

Great challenge iacas. I'll try my best to plead my case although I'm sure the Crunch Box is great and works very.

In the spirit of the 10 point theme that has been established, here I go:

1. Keeping the bag upright
•I'm not sure how the Fade Crunch is designed to keep upright The Spider Monkey has plastic
sidewall inserts on the front and back. Combined with the 1.5-2 inch PVC inserts, the bag
always remains stiff and maintains its shape regardless of how many discs are in the bag. I
also like the PVC inserts because they allow my discs to slide back and forth when I'm thumbing
thru my selection.
- I think the product could be improved upon by making the plastic sidewall inserts more rigid.
2.Putter Pocket
•I prefer to only carry one putter with me so I don't see any additional benefit of having a
pocket that holds two. However, if I ever decide to carry two putters at all times a larger
pocket would be a plus. Regardless of the number of putters I decide to carry I prefer the fit to
be snug but not so tight I have to fiddle with it.
3.Pocket for Seeds.
•I love to eat sunflower seeds when I play. Because the mesh pocket on the Spider monkey is
on the end they are always accessible whether I'm carrying the bag or not. If I was using the
mesh pocket on the Fade for my seeds the bag would not be as accessible while I'm walking.
So given the choice I'd prefer to the pocket on the end.
- I do wish the spider monkey had slightly larger zipper side pocket similar to the Fade Crunch.
4.Bag Material
•I was instantly impressed with the material used to build the Spider Monkey. The side walls and
top are made with a heavy duty canvas and the bottom is made with an even thicker material.
I've never personally handled a CB so I can't say for sure if material is better or not.
5.Number of Discs it can hold.
•Other than the extra putter I think the S.M. and the C.B. are about the same when it comes
to the number of discs they can hold.
6.Top Flap
•As a personal preference I'd prefer that the top flap fold away and out of site because I like
the clean look and I don't have to ever worry about the Velcro wearing out or becoming
detached when the bag is being jostled around.
7.Mini Pocket
•It's a draw.
8.Bag Strap
•I must admit that I was not excited about paying extra for a bag strap. I think it should have
come with at least a cheap one. The bag strap that I bought has a fixed pad that is about a
half inch thick and about 1.5 feet long. The strap is fixed in place which I like because I don't
like adjusting a little pad from time to time. So despite my aversion to paying extra for the strap
I'm glad I have it.
9. 4-Point Hookups.
•Draw
10.Drink Holder
•One additional benefit to having the insulated bottle holder is that the padding keeps the drink
snug in the pocket.

I completely agree with your assessment of the Gorilla Boy website. I had to wait a few months before I could get a Spider Monkey in Black. I think it's a one or two man show and they can't keep up with demand due to time or manpower.

I watched a video review on the Fade Crunch and I like many of the features it has such as the large zipper pocket and rubber feet on the bottom. If I didn't have the Spider Monkey I think the CB would be at the top of my list but now that I have a spider monkey I can't imagine trading it for any other bag I've seen.

***please forgive any spelling or grammer errors***

 

[j0atz]

I'll tell you why the GB is better than the Crunch box...may only be from my experience but I had 2 crunch boxes rip at the seams in a matter of months...GB doesn't ever rip. O_O

 

[iacas]

Great challenge iacas.

Thanks. I'm glad you took it in the spirit in which I intended it.

FWIW I would give a lot of points to the Gorilla Boy because the guy who makes them (by hand, himself, personally it seems like) is right here on the forum, and for about the same price, I like to support individuals over companies.

So that's a bullet point you could have listed.

1. Keeping the bag upright
•I'm not sure how the Fade Crunch is designed to keep upright The Spider Monkey has plastic

Mine doesn't fall over either, but the SM has plastic on the sides while the CB does not.

3.Pocket for Seeds.
•I love to eat sunflower seeds when I play. Because the mesh pocket on the Spider monkey is on the end they are always accessible whether I'm carrying the bag or not. If I was using the mesh pocket on the Fade for my seeds the bag would not be as accessible while I'm walking.

I was saying you could use the pocket on the end of the CB. It's not mesh but it's a pocket all the same. I wasn't referring to the CB's mesh pocket (which is somewhat of an added pocket over the SM).

I completely agree with your assessment of the Gorilla Boy website. I had to wait a few months before I could get a Spider Monkey in Black. I think it's a one or two man show and they can't keep up with demand due to time or manpower.

I give them a plus for that. I just wish they'd hired someone to help them with their site a bit more, and that they spent a little money on photography of their stuff.

Also you'd never know it's a small shop. I think that's something they should push out there more. It's a plus.

Anyway, cool. If I had to buy a bag of this size I'd probably try to get a SM because I like supporting the little guy. I do like the added size of the putter pocket and the mesh pocket for something like my phone, but they're pretty similar overall.

P.S. j0atz with a good point too. Can't comment on that yet per se as mine hasn't ripped, but I've used it three times, so...

 

[Brall]

very good review!

__________________

on the issue of comparing bags and what to buy, each person has to make the decision for themselves.

the question usually comes down to this; Should I buy this really good bag for $X, or should I buy this really awesome back for $Y? Both bags fill my needs so why pay extra for the awesome bag when I can save a few bucks on the good bag?

here's how i came to the decision for myself...

this is already a cheap sport so you are in the unique situation where you can go that extra mile and get what you want.

if a time comes when i'm 60 yrs old and i'm still playing disc golf with the same two bags i baught when i was 33 then i seriously doubt i will regret buying them. what say you?

 

[steve a]

I had a spider monkey and would have ended up keeping it but the side pocket was to small. I read it was the same size as the side pockets on the silverback but it was not nearly as big. It was just to small of a bag for glow rounds and I ended up going back to my innova standard w/quads.

 

[Countchunkula]

I'm really happy with my Fade Crunch. I've been using it for about a year, no issues so far. Great bag for the price.

 

[wedahaws]

Good vs Awesome

[QUOTE Should I buy this really good bag for $X, or should I buy this really awesome back for $Y? Both bags fill my needs so why pay extra for the awesome bag when I can save a few bucks on the good bag?QUOTE]

Fair question.

I'm of the opinion that if I'm going to use the same bag for several years I want it to have as many of the features I desire as possible so if it takes buying the awesome to get it…I'm your huckleberry.

Here is how I came to that opinion.
Before my current bag I owned a "Discraft Weekender". It was great to have because I was getting tired of hauling my discs around by hand. Plus, I was able to pick it up for cheap. I was very happy with is at first but over the period of a few months the shoulder strap came off and the seams began to rip apart(A buddy of mine who bought his at the same time experienced the same thing). I also got tired of the bag falling over which often resulted in my discs sliding out. In addition, because of its small size there was nowhere to put my seeds, and the drink holder only held in a water bottle if I looped the string around the neck. As a result of this experience I was very careful to pick out a bag that had at least the following features: 1.Constructed with high quality material and made to last. 2.Large enough to carry seeds, phone, keys, and other misc items. 3.Stand up on its own regardless of the number of discs inside. 4.Top flap stays out of the way during rounds.

If I only played a few times a month I would be content with a good bag but if I'm going to play a few times a week I want an awesome bag. As an avid player(by commitment not skill) I try to take care of my equipment and buy equipment worth the effort of maintaining. So for me it's worth going the extra mile to get the "awesome."

 

[Mabuku1]

Oh, you're talking about the Revolution Carolina Team Bag.