Upper Park Designs Backpack Bags

[ODRB]

I received my rebel rain fly for use with my Shift bag and it works very well and should allow a great deal of protection if I find myself in the rain. No mod needed as the rain fly has a elastic outer border which slips on easily and then a velcro strip to keep it in place under the shoulder straps.

Pics please?

 

[HereComesDaBoom]

http://imgur.com/frzFDBG

http://imgur.com/i4lo45i

http://imgur.com/Uy0KRgJ

 

[Glide]

If anyone is looking for a Shift, I have a new red one that I am looking to unload for $130 including shipping.

I see that Upper Park Designs is out of the Shift in every color.

 

[DeLa-Loc654]

Looks like Barsby and Mike Jones are sporting Shifts.

From "PHP #5 - New Years Disc Exchange, 2015 (Proctor, Eshelman, Locastro, Long, Barsby, Jones)" on youtube

 

[frasnow]

Rebel Review

I'm really enjoying the Rebel bag I purchased a month ago. Around Christmas time there were lots of bags at the $200 price point, including the Grip, but I decided to take a risk with the Rebel for my first backpack style bag. So far, it was worth it. My previous bag was a Latitude 64 Pro bag with Fade WeatherGuard straps. I can definitely fit more discs/stuff in my Pro bag, but with an equal number of items the Rebel is far more comfortable.

Pros
• Balanced – I'm amazed at how well balanced this bag is. Even with nothing in the bag I can lean it and it wants to pop back to vertical.
• Lightweight – I was unsure about this one until I began walking up a hill on my first hole with the bag. The difference was clear.
• Comfortable – The molding on the back feels hard to squeeze in your hand, but feels perfect against your back. The straps are the right thickness and I really like having a springy sternum strap. Using my previous bag my back would ache after tournaments, but with the Rebel it felt great even with the addition of a stool.
• Stool holder – Works well. Stool doesn't bounce around.
• Mini pocket – I was skeptical about this one while watching the Upper Park Designs video about the Rebel bag. Then I played a tournament. In prior tournaments I found it such a pain to get my mini out of my bag that I carried it in my pocket. With the rebel it was easy to grab and easy to put away.
• Vertical storage – I carry two putters, a midrange, and a driver. It's really nice to have these regularly used discs so accessible.
• Ease of access – With the large front flap the Rebel is really open. It makes it really easy to access any disc. There is no bag material to get in the way of the discs at the ends.
• Rainfly – I really like having a rainfly that covers the bag from top to underneath the bottom. The flap is easy to open, but a little annoying to close.
• Hypalon bottom – When setting the Rebel down on wet grass it is nice to know water won't be wicking up the sides and insides of the bag.
• Drink holders – I like how they fit a variety of sizes, but don't require adjustment.
• Color – It came in blue.

Cons
• Location of vertical storage – As Upper Park Designs admitted earlier in this thread, the vertical pockets are sewn too low. I wasn't prepared for how low and got really worried when the bag first arrived. After trying a few arrangements of discs in the vertical storage, and using the dividers in the back trick, I found something that works for me. I could probably squeeze another disc in the second pocket with my midrange, but I choose not to for ease of access.
• Size of side pockets could be slightly bigger – I wish the side pockets used a bit more of the available space on the side of the bag. It's rainy right now where I live and having to cram a raincoat, rainfly, rain pants, extra towels, etc. into the Rebel's pockets is tight. I keep towels in one of the drink holders. This is mainly a comparison to my old setup where my rainfly was on the WeatherGuard straps and the Lat64 Pro bag has huge pockets.
• Rainfly flap balloons in the wind – I thought about trying to get a picture of this using a hairdryer. The rainfly flap only attaches at the top (sewn) and bottom (Velcro). On windy, rainy days the flap balloons enough to cause gaps in the rain protection. This could possibly be fixed by making the flap a little smaller, and therefore tighter, or adding Velcro to the sides.

 

[WildlyMediocre]

Got my Shift last week, thanks to D-town Disc Golf having them in stock still. I had the original Shift awhile ago so I had a pretty good idea of what I was in for. The improvements are asthetically minimal but functionally leaps and bounds above the first version. I only carry 10-12 discs and some miscellaneous gear. The Shift has more than enough for my needs. Add in that it is lightweight and comfortable, and you have a very attractive bag. Right now it's holding:

Jade
Witness
River
Felon
Trident
Fugitive
Truth
Harp
Opto Judge
Soft Judge
Proxy (My only non-trilogy right now, but only because it's new and I wanted to try one out.)
2 towels
EMS rainfly
Disc retriever
Maxpedition pack (keeps my pencils, sharpies, scorecards, manual)
And I still have room in the middle for extra water if it's hot, or a light hoodie if I need to layer. With the side pockets still for my wallet, keys, phone, etc.

 

[Glide]

Sold.

If anyone is looking for a Shift, I have a new red one that I am looking to unload for $130 including shipping.

I see that Upper Park Designs is out of the Shift in every color.

 

[PMantle]

Rebel questions:

1. Can a putter fit in the mini slot?

2. Can you reach back and grab a disc from the very top slot while wearing the bag?

3. Does the bag carry ok on just one shoulder for short walks?

 

[Steve-0h]

1)NO
2)NO
3)YES

My rebel is awesome. When it is cinched up tight, it's like a koala bear is taking a piggy back ride. So light and comfortable. The mini pocket is just that, a pocket that will hold 3-4 minis or a mini clipboard. The rain fly has turned out to be the sweetest part of the bag. I get comments all the time during rainy or snowy rounds that say "Now thats a disc golf bag". I agree. While I can see the allure of having a putter quiver up top, most people with "those" bags, still end up taking their bag off to grab their putter. I don't know what all you're looking for in a bag, but this thing has made my back 100% happier than it used to be when I was hauling a DISCarrier with BackSaver straps.

 

[PMantle]

Bummer.

 

[teemkey]

Got my Shift last week, thanks to D-town Disc Golf having them in stock still. I had the original Shift awhile ago so I had a pretty good idea of what I was in for. The improvements are asthetically minimal but functionally leaps and bounds above the first version. I only carry 10-12 discs and some miscellaneous gear. The Shift has more than enough for my needs. Add in that it is lightweight and comfortable, and you have a very attractive bag. Right now it's holding:

Jade
Witness
River
Felon
Trident
Fugitive
Truth
Harp
Opto Judge
Soft Judge
Proxy (My only non-trilogy right now, but only because it's new and I wanted to try one out.)
2 towels
EMS rainfly
Disc retriever
Maxpedition pack (keeps my pencils, sharpies, scorecards, manual)
And I still have room in the middle for extra water if it's hot, or a light hoodie if I need to layer. With the side pockets still for my wallet, keys, phone, etc.

Which EMS rainfly? Please post a pic.

 

[frasnow]

Rebel questions:
2. Can you reach back and grab a disc from the very top slot while wearing the bag?

I have long arms, and I can do this, but I don't because it's not comfortable. If only the vertical storage was sewn just a little higher...maybe in version 2.

I've trained myself to pull my putter out right after the shot that gets me in putting range.

 

[MiketheGoalie]

Shift users, how do you load/utilize the inner storage vs. the outer pockets? Do you keep your most used stuff organized in the stacked inner pockets and therefore keep the flap open or do you use the side pockets for that and only open the flap when you need a less-utilized disc? Any concerns about multiple discs stretching the side pockets?

 

[DesertFox]

Shift users, how do you load/utilize the inner storage vs. the outer pockets? Do you keep your most used stuff organized in the stacked inner pockets and therefore keep the flap open or do you use the side pockets for that and only open the flap when you need a less-utilized disc? Any concerns about multiple discs stretching the side pockets?

I just put my putters and mids inside and my speed 7s in the left pockets and speed 9s in the right pockets. I keep a utility disc in the left inside inner pocket and one Speed 11 in the right inside inner pocket. 17 discs in all and it works fine for me!

 

[ODRB]

Drivers outside, fairways on one side, control/distance on the other, five on each side. Mids and putters inside, with the putters up top.

 

[namar]

I use the top slot like a putter quiver with the flap zipped mostly shut. That gives me space for 11 readily accessible with another 4-6 tucked inside in the lower slots.

 

[mattw]

I have the shift loaded with Putters (4) and Mids (4) on the outside. I then have my drivers and utility discs in the vertical storage (8). For a grand total of sixteen. That leaves me with whole lower portion of the bag open for all the other stuff you need space for.

 

[ranger]

will the shift stand on its own?

 

[DeLa-Loc654]

I owned the first version of the Shift and while it was made with good materials and was comfortable, it fell over every time I put it down (2 stars). [The new version:] it stands! Surprisingly well. They said making sure it stood well was a focus on the second version and I would agree, hills or flat ground it stands everywhere I put it.

^Some dude's review from their website.
So yes it stands. I'm bummed they're still out of stock on Shifts on their website.

 

[ranger]

ugh

I just lost $130

I think there is a restock in a month or two.