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Salient's Catalyst Medium Backpack
- Thread starter iacas
- Start date
Titan037
AKA dgfanatic7
My review is 90% written. It's longish…
I love long detailed reviews
truk
Par Member
Alright, now that my Catalyst is up to room temperature, some photos and updates:
It's still a tight fit, but 2 Judges will fit in the go-get-it slot with the divider in place. I'm curious how much more it will stretch with continued use - just going from out of the box to sitting upright was the difference between "not happening" and "just fits". The discs still stick out too far to close the flap every time, but if you shift the area around a bit, it will close. With the divider it's kind of a moot point though - they don't come out without a good tug.
Pics:
Vs Gateway
Catalyst all the way. Without going into any specific complaint (lots of things I didn't love), they hold about the same amount of discs, but the Catalyst just does a lot more with the same overall size. Lots of wasted space in the top of the Gateway - you can put a lot of stuff in there, it just all has to come out to reach the discs. Speaking of: they come out a little easier in the Gateway than the Catalyst, but the PVC frame is all kinds of annoying when it pulls apart, but without it the bag is too floppy.
Vs Ranger (1st run)
This is a lot tougher to call. The quality should tip the scales for the Catalyst, but after a full summer/fall of disc golf, we're not seeing the wear others have on our Ranger.
It is noticeably easier to pull discs out of the Ranger's flat front than the Catalyst U shape. With 17 assorted mids and drivers, the corner discs really do need to be pulled and twisted with some effort, where the Ranger can swallow 18 and they all come out easy. On the other hand, our Ranger has dumped its load a few times, so maybe too easily. Going down to 15 discs, they come out much easier, but don't fall out either.
The non-disc storage could go either way - the big top compartment on the Ranger is very versatile, but the Catalysts side pockets can hold as much or more and to me are a better solution than the umbrella/stool holder on the Ranger (unzip and drop in vs. Velcro strap). Having two drink holders is going to be nice in July, too.
Profile Shot:
The Ranger and Catalyst both sit really tight to the back and keep the weight in close. The Gateway sticks out almost twice as far and with stuff in the outer pocket, the extra strain is immediately noticeable. The Ranger's top compartment is a bit of a double-edged sword - it makes it a true box shape and if you load it up, the weight at the top can really pull on the shoulders.
The carry handle wins hands down on the Catalyst. The Ranger's is on the
straps and doesn't lift straight up, which can and did lead to spills. The Gateway has nothing but a hanging loop. It could be gripped by the top of the main compartment, but that got painful on the fingers.
Overall, I'm really happy with it. It seems like it will hold up really well and should be a lot more comfortable too. If there is a chance to make changes for a second run, I'd definitely suggest deepening the go-get-it compartment and squaring off the U of the main compartment a bit more, but I don't think either problem is a show-stopper.
It's still a tight fit, but 2 Judges will fit in the go-get-it slot with the divider in place. I'm curious how much more it will stretch with continued use - just going from out of the box to sitting upright was the difference between "not happening" and "just fits". The discs still stick out too far to close the flap every time, but if you shift the area around a bit, it will close. With the divider it's kind of a moot point though - they don't come out without a good tug.
Pics:
Vs Gateway
Catalyst all the way. Without going into any specific complaint (lots of things I didn't love), they hold about the same amount of discs, but the Catalyst just does a lot more with the same overall size. Lots of wasted space in the top of the Gateway - you can put a lot of stuff in there, it just all has to come out to reach the discs. Speaking of: they come out a little easier in the Gateway than the Catalyst, but the PVC frame is all kinds of annoying when it pulls apart, but without it the bag is too floppy.
Vs Ranger (1st run)
This is a lot tougher to call. The quality should tip the scales for the Catalyst, but after a full summer/fall of disc golf, we're not seeing the wear others have on our Ranger.
It is noticeably easier to pull discs out of the Ranger's flat front than the Catalyst U shape. With 17 assorted mids and drivers, the corner discs really do need to be pulled and twisted with some effort, where the Ranger can swallow 18 and they all come out easy. On the other hand, our Ranger has dumped its load a few times, so maybe too easily. Going down to 15 discs, they come out much easier, but don't fall out either.
The non-disc storage could go either way - the big top compartment on the Ranger is very versatile, but the Catalysts side pockets can hold as much or more and to me are a better solution than the umbrella/stool holder on the Ranger (unzip and drop in vs. Velcro strap). Having two drink holders is going to be nice in July, too.
Profile Shot:
The Ranger and Catalyst both sit really tight to the back and keep the weight in close. The Gateway sticks out almost twice as far and with stuff in the outer pocket, the extra strain is immediately noticeable. The Ranger's top compartment is a bit of a double-edged sword - it makes it a true box shape and if you load it up, the weight at the top can really pull on the shoulders.
The carry handle wins hands down on the Catalyst. The Ranger's is on the
straps and doesn't lift straight up, which can and did lead to spills. The Gateway has nothing but a hanging loop. It could be gripped by the top of the main compartment, but that got painful on the fingers.
Overall, I'm really happy with it. It seems like it will hold up really well and should be a lot more comfortable too. If there is a chance to make changes for a second run, I'd definitely suggest deepening the go-get-it compartment and squaring off the U of the main compartment a bit more, but I don't think either problem is a show-stopper.
Attachments
Thanks for that comparison truk. This is actually one of the only reviews of Gateway's backpack I have seen on the web too. The side view makes it real easy to see how the weight is carried on the backpack. I think I'm glad I didn't bite on the Gateway deals this year. Plus w/the way the side pockets work on the Gateway, carrying towels and extra things just looks messy. If it's muddy at all out that towel would be muddy before you even wiped off your first disc. Very cool.
Johnson
Double Eagle Member
Nice review, it seems like the Catalyst kind of "hides" the discs a bit compared to other backpack styles...
HeavyCritters
**Stickin'Putts**
The "mouth" on the Catalyst looks sort of like the L-Series Grip bag, so I can see why there is a bit of contention about it.
I used to get frustrated with the size of the opening on my old L-Series until the fabric loosened up a bit, then it was ok.
It'll most likely be the same way with this bag.
I used to get frustrated with the size of the opening on my old L-Series until the fabric loosened up a bit, then it was ok.
It'll most likely be the same way with this bag.
Titan037
AKA dgfanatic7
I would love to know this as well
ScottyLove
Double Eagle Member
DJ... I'm gonna be honest with you. It's comments like this that just make me go, "hmmm..."
You don't know which it is... so it's best to just not comment and let it be. I distinctly remember the guy trying 3 different ways to roll it up and he clearly stated it was as tight as he could get it.
Sure others are having great luck with their pockets... but it's just as likely there is a flaw in how the pockets were sewn on one just as much as it is his rolling technique.
My point... your continued speculation about how great the the bag is going to be is just as bad as the haters. You don't have one yet. At this point it's kind of mute 'cause you will soon, but the constant shilling without any first hand experience simply turns me off.
Keep up the great customer service...
constantlyej
Bogey Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2013
- Messages
- 72
My red/black should be arriving tomorrow (hopefully). Expect a full review + photos.
I have wide shoulders (former college football offensive lineman and college hwt. wrestler) and I am very curious how this will feel on my larger shoulder frame. I will be sure to let you all know as soon as I can get it on.
I have wide shoulders (former college football offensive lineman and college hwt. wrestler) and I am very curious how this will feel on my larger shoulder frame. I will be sure to let you all know as soon as I can get it on.
mattc
* Ace Member *
Has anyone come up with any ideas on how to access the upper dead space storage area yet?
With the way these reviews are coming in, my wife just may like this bag better
I know she likes the gray/green of this bag a lot better than the black/black she has.
The biggest hurdle to opening up that space, will be doing it in such a way that it has the least impact to the handle supporting material
Also needs to open more than just a slot.
I am thinking an angled on the side, or u shaped zipper right on top in side of the handle mounting.
Thoughts- ideas?
I think hers will be here tomorrow.
With the way these reviews are coming in, my wife just may like this bag better
I know she likes the gray/green of this bag a lot better than the black/black she has.
The biggest hurdle to opening up that space, will be doing it in such a way that it has the least impact to the handle supporting material
Also needs to open more than just a slot.
I am thinking an angled on the side, or u shaped zipper right on top in side of the handle mounting.
Thoughts- ideas?
I think hers will be here tomorrow.
tampabay
Double Eagle Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2011
- Messages
- 1,484
I like that the handle is on the top...sometimes I don't carry my bag very far (like if I hole out and the next tee pad is less than 50 ft away) I'd rather just grab it than put it on. +1 for the handle!
I don't have a bag, just making an observation!
I don't have a bag, just making an observation!
Last edited by a moderator:
Titan037
AKA dgfanatic7
I was just making an observation based on the picture that was supples but I see what you are saying
tdschrock1
Double Eagle Member
I ended up cutting the bottom seam out of the little pouch pouch - I can get into the full area this way. Since its a narrow entry point, its a little tricky to put things in and take things out, but the extra volume is nice. Feeling around in the compartment is a bit tricky
Cut out the pocket that's there. Put a few strips of velcro in and make your own "pouch" that's large enough. Velcro it to the top and back and sides of the bag in enough places to support it (so it doesn't just sag and fall down) and you're done.
That's not a concern at all. The handle is sewn at both sides to the top of the bag. There'd be no reason to weaken that support - you'd just likely put some velcro on the inside towards where the back straps are, internally.
I don't agree that it needs to open more than that. You can make the opening quite large.
That doesn't make much sense to me. The opening would be tiny if you tried to cut a new zipper line between the handle, and the handle would constantly get in the way of getting stuff in and out of that area.
That area is not fully secured. Things can go down the edges/sides of the bag.
truk
Par Member
Thanks. I ended up re-writing the Gateway section a few times. I really didn't want to turn it into a complete bash of the bag, but next to a Ranger or Cataylst, it's just completely outclassed. It got me through a year of disc golf and at the time was the only backpack my wife could even find for sale. It's held up well too, but you're exactly right on the towel ring - any time I'd need a towel, half of it was unuseable from dragging on the ground.
This review is long and has many pictures, so I've split it up so that I can post it without the site telling me it's too long or has too many images.
I've previously bought a Challenger that I gifted to my brother-in-law, and my regular bag is an orange first-run Contender with the useless mini pocket. I have two other Contenders as well - a navy blue and black one, and a MJ special purple/pink/black one.
I also have a Crunch Box, a Grip L series, an Ergo 1, a Golf Mahal, and a Prodiscus. Yeah, say what you want, but I'll sell or gift or use most of them as prizes when our club starts to have events.
All the bags have been well made and use good materials. The Contender is PERFECT for rounds where I want to carry what is - for me - the max amount of discs. I actually like that the first run has open "slot pockets" on the side because I'll put my approach disc (usually an Anode) there for quick access. Sometimes I put another disc on the other side. I like that spot more than I think I'd like the zippered pockets on version 2.
The Catalyst I wanted for rounds where I didn't want to take 27 discs or whatever fits in my Contender. I wanted a bag that was somewhere between my Crunch Box (about 12 discs, I think) and my Contender. The Catalyst looked to be that bag at a good price (pre-ordered within about 24 hours of that being possible).
I got my Catalyst on Monday. It was dropped off at a UPS Store on Thursday, December 12. The color is about what I was expecting, which is better than the original super-shiny photos from months ago which made the grey look VERY light. I like the bright green. It's one of the colors we use for our Golf Evolution logo and "brand" so we have shirts in colors similar to this, etc.
Here's what I got:
The free disc (it's grey with a slight lavender hint, and a tiny bit of yellow in the middle) was inside the box. I won't be talking about the disc in this thread, and it barely appears in other pictures.
Anyway, that's the bag. Quick inspection showed no packaging or shipping damage.
I first tried out the Go Get It slot (GGIS). I may just call it the Putter Pocket from here on out because that's how I'll probably use it. The Catalyst videos seemed to show a slot with a piece of plastic around the middle, dividing the area into two slots (as the other user who got his bag last week thought too), but if you compare what I got to the video, you can see that it's not a design change… it's just not particularly well designed IMO. The video makes it look like there's a piece of plastic across the middle of the slot in the bag, but it's really just a boxy shape that takes up the whole slot in the bag area.
The hole in the bag measures 8.5 x 1.5 inches or so. The plastic pieces (the picture above shows the back side, which is why the right edge looks unfinished) are firm plastic with a velcro strip on the front and back bottom edges. These velcro strips secure the plastic to the flap of fabric that forms the bottom, back, and top sides of the GGIS/putter pocket.
The hole in the plastic measures about 8.25 x 1.375 inches. It's just shy of seven inches deep (which is why your discs stick out a little). I could shut the velcro over two putters, but I had to push the putters back pretty firmly and they made little bumps on the back side of the bag where it rests against your back. I didn't feel it much when I put it on, though, so no real worries, and you probably won't shut that velcro when playing anyway.
The putter pocket plastic is poorly designed because I feel like nothing was really gained by putting these plastic pieces in there. They go the full depth, and they're not particularly tall. To wedge a disc in on TOP of one of the dividers you have to shove it between the bag and the plastic. It makes more sense to put two discs into the slot itself, rather than shoving it in, but the slot is just narrow enough to make putting two putters in a complete non-starter. Not only will the 7 inches of plastic rub off your stamp, but it takes quite a bit of effort to pull the disc out.
So I decided to try the bag with the plastic "box" removed.
The plastic sleeve or box looks like this. Seen here are a $$$ Wizard and a Neutron Anode. I usually putt with a Wizard and throw an Anode on a lot of approach shots, and you can see here that these two discs bow out the top edge of the plastic. No way could I put one of the discs on TOP of this and force it down like you see in the videos.
I've previously bought a Challenger that I gifted to my brother-in-law, and my regular bag is an orange first-run Contender with the useless mini pocket. I have two other Contenders as well - a navy blue and black one, and a MJ special purple/pink/black one.
I also have a Crunch Box, a Grip L series, an Ergo 1, a Golf Mahal, and a Prodiscus. Yeah, say what you want, but I'll sell or gift or use most of them as prizes when our club starts to have events.
All the bags have been well made and use good materials. The Contender is PERFECT for rounds where I want to carry what is - for me - the max amount of discs. I actually like that the first run has open "slot pockets" on the side because I'll put my approach disc (usually an Anode) there for quick access. Sometimes I put another disc on the other side. I like that spot more than I think I'd like the zippered pockets on version 2.
The Catalyst I wanted for rounds where I didn't want to take 27 discs or whatever fits in my Contender. I wanted a bag that was somewhere between my Crunch Box (about 12 discs, I think) and my Contender. The Catalyst looked to be that bag at a good price (pre-ordered within about 24 hours of that being possible).
I got my Catalyst on Monday. It was dropped off at a UPS Store on Thursday, December 12. The color is about what I was expecting, which is better than the original super-shiny photos from months ago which made the grey look VERY light. I like the bright green. It's one of the colors we use for our Golf Evolution logo and "brand" so we have shirts in colors similar to this, etc.
Here's what I got:
The free disc (it's grey with a slight lavender hint, and a tiny bit of yellow in the middle) was inside the box. I won't be talking about the disc in this thread, and it barely appears in other pictures.
Anyway, that's the bag. Quick inspection showed no packaging or shipping damage.
I first tried out the Go Get It slot (GGIS). I may just call it the Putter Pocket from here on out because that's how I'll probably use it. The Catalyst videos seemed to show a slot with a piece of plastic around the middle, dividing the area into two slots (as the other user who got his bag last week thought too), but if you compare what I got to the video, you can see that it's not a design change… it's just not particularly well designed IMO. The video makes it look like there's a piece of plastic across the middle of the slot in the bag, but it's really just a boxy shape that takes up the whole slot in the bag area.
The hole in the bag measures 8.5 x 1.5 inches or so. The plastic pieces (the picture above shows the back side, which is why the right edge looks unfinished) are firm plastic with a velcro strip on the front and back bottom edges. These velcro strips secure the plastic to the flap of fabric that forms the bottom, back, and top sides of the GGIS/putter pocket.
The hole in the plastic measures about 8.25 x 1.375 inches. It's just shy of seven inches deep (which is why your discs stick out a little). I could shut the velcro over two putters, but I had to push the putters back pretty firmly and they made little bumps on the back side of the bag where it rests against your back. I didn't feel it much when I put it on, though, so no real worries, and you probably won't shut that velcro when playing anyway.
The putter pocket plastic is poorly designed because I feel like nothing was really gained by putting these plastic pieces in there. They go the full depth, and they're not particularly tall. To wedge a disc in on TOP of one of the dividers you have to shove it between the bag and the plastic. It makes more sense to put two discs into the slot itself, rather than shoving it in, but the slot is just narrow enough to make putting two putters in a complete non-starter. Not only will the 7 inches of plastic rub off your stamp, but it takes quite a bit of effort to pull the disc out.
So I decided to try the bag with the plastic "box" removed.
The plastic sleeve or box looks like this. Seen here are a $$$ Wizard and a Neutron Anode. I usually putt with a Wizard and throw an Anode on a lot of approach shots, and you can see here that these two discs bow out the top edge of the plastic. No way could I put one of the discs on TOP of this and force it down like you see in the videos.
So anyway, I took the plastic out and just to show you, took a picture after I detached the U shaped piece of fabric that remains inside the putter pocket from its velcro attachment on the back wall of the bag:
You'll notice that the putters are basically hanging straight down into the main storage area. I reattached the velcro, and took a picture inside the putter pocket showing the right side of the putter pocket:
In this image you can see the back velcro strip to which the plastic box would attach, the stitches for the reverse side velcro that attaches this flap to the back wall of the bag, and the right interior wall of the bag. This strip of fabric with the velcro strips is only attached at the front of the bag (top and bottom of the slot area), and to the back with velcro, so the left and right sides, though they're the width of the bag, are unattached. That's how the "pouch" can be seen in the main storage area above. It's like a long "U" shaped sleeve that can "fall down" if you detach the back velcro.
So that's how my putters look with the plastic removed. I actually tried putting in a third putter, and it fits easier than two putters with the plastic box, so again I really recommend you consider just taking the plastic box out entirely.
Then I loaded up my bag with some drivers, fairways, and mids:
The putter pocket cover was in the way, so I tucked that into the putter pocket itself (the velcro matches up since I removed the plastic, too, so I won't be able to accidentally pull the flap out either):
I have 17 discs in the main compartment here.
- 5 Distance Drivers
- 7 Fairway Drivers
- 5 Mids
I could jam one more mid in there but it felt a bit forced, and if I change up to 5 5 6 that's 16, plus two in the putter pocket, is 18 to 19 discs, which is just about what I wanted to carry anyway (without cramming stuff in OR having lots of flopping around).
Now, disappointingly and as mentioned above in a few posts, discs are NOT as easy to get out of the left and right sides as I'd hoped. They're not too difficult to remove from the left side because I'll just lift them up and to the right, over the top of the discs, before pulling it out. Sometimes, though, the disc will catch the flap when doing this, so I have to kind of push it back with my hand as I grab the disc. Discs on the right side don't come out easily using that method as their flight plate faces the other discs. As I said above, earlier in this thread, I was able to grab the Tursas and lift up my whole bag for a minute without any noticeable movement.
To demonstrate this difficulty, here's a short video showing the removal (twice) of a disc from the left side as well as what I've said about the Tursas sticking in the right side. You'll note what I said about the flap catching my Lace (particularly the first time) as well:
URL to video on YouTube
You'll notice that the putters are basically hanging straight down into the main storage area. I reattached the velcro, and took a picture inside the putter pocket showing the right side of the putter pocket:
In this image you can see the back velcro strip to which the plastic box would attach, the stitches for the reverse side velcro that attaches this flap to the back wall of the bag, and the right interior wall of the bag. This strip of fabric with the velcro strips is only attached at the front of the bag (top and bottom of the slot area), and to the back with velcro, so the left and right sides, though they're the width of the bag, are unattached. That's how the "pouch" can be seen in the main storage area above. It's like a long "U" shaped sleeve that can "fall down" if you detach the back velcro.
So that's how my putters look with the plastic removed. I actually tried putting in a third putter, and it fits easier than two putters with the plastic box, so again I really recommend you consider just taking the plastic box out entirely.
Then I loaded up my bag with some drivers, fairways, and mids:
The putter pocket cover was in the way, so I tucked that into the putter pocket itself (the velcro matches up since I removed the plastic, too, so I won't be able to accidentally pull the flap out either):
I have 17 discs in the main compartment here.
- 5 Distance Drivers
- 7 Fairway Drivers
- 5 Mids
I could jam one more mid in there but it felt a bit forced, and if I change up to 5 5 6 that's 16, plus two in the putter pocket, is 18 to 19 discs, which is just about what I wanted to carry anyway (without cramming stuff in OR having lots of flopping around).
Now, disappointingly and as mentioned above in a few posts, discs are NOT as easy to get out of the left and right sides as I'd hoped. They're not too difficult to remove from the left side because I'll just lift them up and to the right, over the top of the discs, before pulling it out. Sometimes, though, the disc will catch the flap when doing this, so I have to kind of push it back with my hand as I grab the disc. Discs on the right side don't come out easily using that method as their flight plate faces the other discs. As I said above, earlier in this thread, I was able to grab the Tursas and lift up my whole bag for a minute without any noticeable movement.
To demonstrate this difficulty, here's a short video showing the removal (twice) of a disc from the left side as well as what I've said about the Tursas sticking in the right side. You'll note what I said about the flap catching my Lace (particularly the first time) as well:
URL to video on YouTube
Note that this is WITHOUT the rigid plastic in the putter pocket area. I really don't want to have to re-arrange my bag - I like the arrangement I've always had (roughly longest distance to shortest distance, left to right). This is disappointing as I'd specifically asked this question in the pre-production time frame and was assured that discs were VERY easy to get in and out, "even the large Prometheus" or something we were told.
In fact, with six fairways, six mids, and four putters (all MVP) in my Grip, it's much, much easier getting the far right-most disc out due to higher "ceiling" than it is out of the Catalyst. To further test this, I just swapped all the discs in my Grip (18 MVP discs I bought for the Erie Disc Golf Club as loaners, etc.) with the 19 (5 DD, 7 FD, 5 M, 2 P) in my Catalyst and the Grip is definitely the winner in terms of ease of disc removal, especially from the right-hand side of the main storage area.
In the end, a wider and lower-cut, more "corner-like" and less rounded zipper path would have been better. I realize you probably can't do a true 90° hard corner, but it's very rounded and the radius of the rounding could have been reduced significantly to ease disc removal.
You can see both how much added vertical space is available on the Grip and how much more rounded the Catalyst is in this picture here:
It's easy to see that the Grip not only has a wider opening due the decreased radius, but that the taller opening is due entirely to the putter pocket on the Catalyst. This would be an acceptable tradeoff if the storage space on the top of the Catalyst was used to its full potential, but it's not. The Grip has at least as much storage space - arguably a little more since you can use the space beneath the putters for a towel or BirdieBag or such - without constricting the main opening.
To put it another way, were it not for the top handle on the Catalyst (which is a great feature), you could imagine taking the Catalyst's putter pocket, orienting it vertically, and you'd basically have the Grip. But instead, the putter pocket shrinks the main opening and makes disc removal more difficult than it is on the Grip.
I'm not trying to harp on this, but removing discs is something you do frequently, so if something is even a little annoying, if you do it often enough, it can be a pain. But that's enough, and so I'm moving on to the hoodie test, even though I rarely wear hoodies and almost never put an extra in my bag (I'm more likely to wear an Under Armour full-sleeve shirt, a t-shirt, and bring a light Adidas golf jacket.
There's a full and relatively thick hoodie from Old Navy in there. It's not a lightweight hoodie, but it is only a large.
There it is zipped up.
And there's the hoodie sitting on top of the bag.
As you can see (or maybe you can't, ha ha!), it's fairly thick, with stitched on lettering, and a belly pocket (what are those things called? Handwarmer pouches?). It went in both side pockets fairly easily. I just folded it and rolled it a little and shoved it in.
I really don't want to have to re-arrange my bag - I like the arrangement I've always had (roughly longest distance to shortest distance, left to right). This is disappointing as I'd specifically asked this question in the pre-production time frame and was assured that discs were VERY easy to get in and out, "even the large Prometheus" or something we were told.In fact, with six fairways, six mids, and four putters (all MVP) in my Grip, it's much, much easier getting the far right-most disc out due to higher "ceiling" than it is out of the Catalyst. To further test this, I just swapped all the discs in my Grip (18 MVP discs I bought for the Erie Disc Golf Club as loaners, etc.) with the 19 (5 DD, 7 FD, 5 M, 2 P) in my Catalyst and the Grip is definitely the winner in terms of ease of disc removal, especially from the right-hand side of the main storage area.
In the end, a wider and lower-cut, more "corner-like" and less rounded zipper path would have been better. I realize you probably can't do a true 90° hard corner, but it's very rounded and the radius of the rounding could have been reduced significantly to ease disc removal.
You can see both how much added vertical space is available on the Grip and how much more rounded the Catalyst is in this picture here:
It's easy to see that the Grip not only has a wider opening due the decreased radius, but that the taller opening is due entirely to the putter pocket on the Catalyst. This would be an acceptable tradeoff if the storage space on the top of the Catalyst was used to its full potential, but it's not. The Grip has at least as much storage space - arguably a little more since you can use the space beneath the putters for a towel or BirdieBag or such - without constricting the main opening.
To put it another way, were it not for the top handle on the Catalyst (which is a great feature), you could imagine taking the Catalyst's putter pocket, orienting it vertically, and you'd basically have the Grip. But instead, the putter pocket shrinks the main opening and makes disc removal more difficult than it is on the Grip.
I'm not trying to harp on this, but removing discs is something you do frequently, so if something is even a little annoying, if you do it often enough, it can be a pain. But that's enough, and so I'm moving on to the hoodie test, even though I rarely wear hoodies and almost never put an extra in my bag (I'm more likely to wear an Under Armour full-sleeve shirt, a t-shirt, and bring a light Adidas golf jacket.
There's a full and relatively thick hoodie from Old Navy in there. It's not a lightweight hoodie, but it is only a large.
There it is zipped up.
And there's the hoodie sitting on top of the bag.
As you can see (or maybe you can't, ha ha!), it's fairly thick, with stitched on lettering, and a belly pocket (what are those things called? Handwarmer pouches?). It went in both side pockets fairly easily. I just folded it and rolled it a little and shoved it in.
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