throwfromthewoods
Double Eagle Member
Out of all the companies that make bags, No Excuses seems to be one of the most…mysterious? Unknown? Frustratingly uninformed? However you perceive them, or if you've never heard of them at all, I wanted to open this thread and share some experiences and viewpoints that I've had in dealing with them.
The first part of this thread is going to be purely who No Excuses are and what it is they do. My backpack is currently being made and once it hits my door I'll be happy to post pictures, reviews, and course evaluations.
A lot of people know the general concept behind No Excuses. They make custom bags. That comes with some pros and cons. Whether their business is right for your money is something you'll have to decide on your own. They do have a few standard bag builds. If you go with one of those, you get to choose two colors and it will run you about the same as a Grip or a Mahal. Then you get to decide what kind of customization you want. That can range from embroidery to patches to extra pockets/storage. The biggest unknown people seem to have on these forums is what those options do to the price. I can't quote you prices, but I can say from experience adding stuff won't skyrocket your bag up to $500.00. It all depends on what you want and if you think it's worth it.
One of the unique benefits of having a No Excuses bag is David's Pill Pocket design. It's a bottle holder, storage pocket, and mini/pencil pocket all in one. The pocket is actually built around a bottle holder, similar to how the large Prodiscus backpack operates. He also builds the putter pocket to the depth you want, which is cool. If you like 3-putter pockets you can have one, 2 putter pockets, he even told me he could measure it for 2 or 3 drivers if you like having go-to drivers in a putter pocket.
Every bag is built by hand. That's going to be a pro or a con depending on your viewpoint. The bottom line is, it's going to take time. 4-6 weeks is an average turnaround time for a backpack to get built. That being said, they are very involved in the process. I had a long phone conversation with David regarding exactly what I wanted. He seemed very dedicated to getting everything down. A couple of years ago, I think his focus on this side of the business was a bit lacking. I know of a couple people who had some less than ideal experiences with not quite getting what they asked for. At least in my experience, I can say he's kept in touch with me each step to make sure it's all done and nothing is forgotten. Of course, the final word on that will be once I get the backpack.
They also don't have a website. All his business is word of mouth and Facebook. I believe No Excuses shies away from the website route because websites are for retail. If you go onto the Grip website, or the Voodoo website, you click on what bag you want and select "BUY." And that's not how No Excuses runs. They seem to be satisfied with their Facebook traffic and the business they pull in. I only mention this because some people had expressed wariness about a company that only operates off Facebook. I haven't had any issues or concerns with this.
They're definitely a niche option. I've built a dozen or so DIY bags and enjoyed them all. And I got away from paying the premium for a Grip or a Contender because they weren't quite designed for how I play and what I need. So I made the decision that I had saved enough going the DIY route and selling them to justify undertaking this project. So far, I'm pleased with the process. I'm looking forward to owning a backpack that is uniquely mine. You'll have to decide if it's a route you'd be interested in going. I'm not trying to actively promote No Excuses. I'm not trying to funnel business their way. I'm just sharing my experience because they don't have a voice on here. And I think they are a unique enough operation to warrant solid information being out there.
A small aside: David liked the direction I was looking to take with my bag. I didn't quite reinvent anything he already does. I just re-organized some features to create a new version. He's decided to make it into a new base model. It's been named the Game Changer. It's going to be sleeker and focused more on disc selection and convenience than carrying around the kitchen sink. Once it's been finalized, it can be ordered as a regular base model with the 2-color option for a base price. And you can still customize it how you want. I don't want to get into just describing the features/organization here. I'd like to wait until I can illustrate everything with the actual bag. And then I can also speak to the quality of the bag as well.
The first part of this thread is going to be purely who No Excuses are and what it is they do. My backpack is currently being made and once it hits my door I'll be happy to post pictures, reviews, and course evaluations.
A lot of people know the general concept behind No Excuses. They make custom bags. That comes with some pros and cons. Whether their business is right for your money is something you'll have to decide on your own. They do have a few standard bag builds. If you go with one of those, you get to choose two colors and it will run you about the same as a Grip or a Mahal. Then you get to decide what kind of customization you want. That can range from embroidery to patches to extra pockets/storage. The biggest unknown people seem to have on these forums is what those options do to the price. I can't quote you prices, but I can say from experience adding stuff won't skyrocket your bag up to $500.00. It all depends on what you want and if you think it's worth it.
One of the unique benefits of having a No Excuses bag is David's Pill Pocket design. It's a bottle holder, storage pocket, and mini/pencil pocket all in one. The pocket is actually built around a bottle holder, similar to how the large Prodiscus backpack operates. He also builds the putter pocket to the depth you want, which is cool. If you like 3-putter pockets you can have one, 2 putter pockets, he even told me he could measure it for 2 or 3 drivers if you like having go-to drivers in a putter pocket.
Every bag is built by hand. That's going to be a pro or a con depending on your viewpoint. The bottom line is, it's going to take time. 4-6 weeks is an average turnaround time for a backpack to get built. That being said, they are very involved in the process. I had a long phone conversation with David regarding exactly what I wanted. He seemed very dedicated to getting everything down. A couple of years ago, I think his focus on this side of the business was a bit lacking. I know of a couple people who had some less than ideal experiences with not quite getting what they asked for. At least in my experience, I can say he's kept in touch with me each step to make sure it's all done and nothing is forgotten. Of course, the final word on that will be once I get the backpack.
They also don't have a website. All his business is word of mouth and Facebook. I believe No Excuses shies away from the website route because websites are for retail. If you go onto the Grip website, or the Voodoo website, you click on what bag you want and select "BUY." And that's not how No Excuses runs. They seem to be satisfied with their Facebook traffic and the business they pull in. I only mention this because some people had expressed wariness about a company that only operates off Facebook. I haven't had any issues or concerns with this.
They're definitely a niche option. I've built a dozen or so DIY bags and enjoyed them all. And I got away from paying the premium for a Grip or a Contender because they weren't quite designed for how I play and what I need. So I made the decision that I had saved enough going the DIY route and selling them to justify undertaking this project. So far, I'm pleased with the process. I'm looking forward to owning a backpack that is uniquely mine. You'll have to decide if it's a route you'd be interested in going. I'm not trying to actively promote No Excuses. I'm not trying to funnel business their way. I'm just sharing my experience because they don't have a voice on here. And I think they are a unique enough operation to warrant solid information being out there.
A small aside: David liked the direction I was looking to take with my bag. I didn't quite reinvent anything he already does. I just re-organized some features to create a new version. He's decided to make it into a new base model. It's been named the Game Changer. It's going to be sleeker and focused more on disc selection and convenience than carrying around the kitchen sink. Once it's been finalized, it can be ordered as a regular base model with the 2-color option for a base price. And you can still customize it how you want. I don't want to get into just describing the features/organization here. I'd like to wait until I can illustrate everything with the actual bag. And then I can also speak to the quality of the bag as well.
