What backpack bag should I buy?

[New013]

Yes I know there's all kinds of threads like this out there, I know I can look up all kinds of info on my options. My response to all of that is I'm lazy and it's much easier for those of you who have bags and are more familiar with the ins and outs of them to suggest what would suit my needs best.

Now I know I'm going to get a lot of this is my bag or whatever and that's fine but try to keep in mind the things I'm about to put out there as what I care the most about.

#1 - Comfort and weight - I have back issues so my main concern is not only the comfort of the bag but the weight. I don't carry all that many discs usually and I don't put a bunch of stuff in my bag. I want lightweight and comfy more than anything. I wish more companies would put out there the exact weight of their bags.

#2 - Quality - I'm rough on my **** so I want it to last and be able to handle being dropped, thrown around and whatever else I feel like doing to it.

#3 - I carry at the extreme maximum for some competition scenarios 19 discs which includes two putters that would presumably go in the putter pocket. So I only need a bag that carries at most 17 in the main compartment. However on the regular I only carry about 12 discs or even less depending on the course so the ability of the bag to carry less discs and not have them jumble all around is key.

#4 - Again I don't carry a bunch of crap with me. I'll usually have a couple towels, a mini, one slender water bottle, some pencils/sharpie, my phone/keys and possibly an umbrella. I don't use a stool or have a bunch of other stuff I want to cram in there so a ton of storage isn't really my concern.

 

[mattc]

well if you drag your feet a month or so
i will be able to tell you about my wifes' new catalyst
which sounds like about the right size, for the amount of discs, you say you carry
other than that, my grip A series meets all your other requirements to a Tee

 

[onemilemore]

I'd go Voodoo Mojo and Straight Jacket straps. Excellent quality, super comfortable, and has dividers that can be configured to the lower or higher number of discs you carry. It's not a backpack, but my Straight Jackets have been damn comfy in the amount of time I've had them.

 

[truk]

As another future Catalyst owner, I'd suggest holding out another month and waiting for reviews too. Like mattc said, it should be just what you're looking for and at a great price even without the pre-order discount.

I do have some experience with two other backpacks and can give you some feedback on those that will probably help you weed out one or both of them:

Gateway regular backpack (my current workout bag/former disc golf bag)
-------------------
1. Probably the biggest thing that would drive you away. It covers point number 2 on durability, but it is also very heavy compared to my wife's Ranger. The discs sit too low unless you really cinch up the straps, but that makes removing it an extra chore (and they're on the thin side and dig in a little too much). If you use the putter pocket, that puts more weight further out, compounding the weight problem. Overall, very unfriendly to my back. Also, it does not have a carry handle (just a loop that most kids' school backpacks have) and carrying it by the straps leads to spills sometimes.
2. Only seeing a little wear and tear on some of the edges inside the main compartment after just over a year of use. It has plenty of life left to go on as my new gym bag.
3. The PVC divider needs about 16-18 discs or they really rattle around. Taking it out would help, but then it gets really floppy and you'll end up with a backpack full of assorted discs. Again, using the putter compartment puts extra weight way out back. There is a pocket inside the main area for a putter, but it's against your back, so there's that. Plus if you carry anything soft, it will end up warped after a few rounds.
4. Not much for extra storage, but enough to cover what you're looking for. No pencil holder though.

Dynamic Discs Ranger (wife's bag)
------------------
1. Everything sits closer to the back, plus extra padding makes for a lot better fit. It's also noticeably lighter unloaded. It does lack a chest strap, but the weight distribution and strap configuration make up for it. The carry handle means it doesn't have to go back on your back for short hole transitions either.
2. No problems with ours other than it being a first run, so the main storage area is slightly snug with mids, but there are a lot of reports of tears along the bottom of the bag. If you're rough on bags, that could be a problem.
3. The main pocket scales from 14-18 disc really well. Less might have them getting sideways and bouncing out, so a storage container or some foam might be needed there. If you end up going over the bottom and putter pocket capacity, the top storage area fits a bunch more.
4. Much better layout than my Gateway. External pencil slots, mini holder, stool/umbrella slot, pocket for phone/wallet/keys, nice stretchy drink holder.

 

[TrippinBill]

I recommend an ergo.

 

[DanJon]

Grip. My lady got me one over a year ago because I too have lower back issues.
(Herniated disc). It sits nice and high on the back and is actually pretty light when not overloaded.

I carry 18 with room for a few more. I can store all my crap and even still fit a light jacket.


You can easily fit less discs comfortably by adding one of those innova disc dividers.

Quality is top-notch too with a good warranty.

 

[Sooner34]

Wait for the Catalyst. Or get the Physical Flight Contender 2. Grip, Ranger, Simeon, and Ergo1 owners locally have told me how nice the bag looked, have remarked on the quality, and said the comfort was top notch. I love it.

 

[ill4mation]

You sound like you need a Grip bag. It has a putter pocket that can holds 2 putters and a nice pocket up top for wallet, phone, and a key ring for keys in the same pocket. You wont be disappointed with a Grip for sure.

 

[Titan037]

Wait for the Catalyst. Or get the Physical Flight Contender 2. Grip, Ranger, Simeon, and Ergo1 owners locally have told me how nice the bag looked, have remarked on the quality, and said the comfort was top notch. I love it.

Sooner, Contender 2 are out of stock currently and won't be in stock for a while, besides its too much bag for what he is looking for. Also recommend holding out for reviews on the catalyst. It would do your wallet good to wait for something to be reviewed that is 100 bucks cheaper than a grip if it has some of the same features and build quality while still having a few key distinct features of its own.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I say get a Grip bag, mine is by far the best bag I've ever had. Grip EQ is the best bag company on the market IMO. Why get anything with but the best? If your willing to pay $200 or more for a bag & don't need a bag with a lot of disc & storage space like a Mahal than the Grip is the bag for you.
Here's a quote from from a different thread I posted.

Grip A-Series - amazing bag that is tried & true from a tried & true company. In the top three bags on the market in my opinion. Has decent storage & is the perfect bag for people who carry around twenty discs. Great design & quality materials. The rain-fly is awesome in the rain. Grip pays attention to detail better than most if not all bag companies. They also listen to their customers. The L-Series main complaint was it fell over on inclines easily so they fixed that on the A-Series. Grip even improved things that I would of never thought needed improvement like lowering the back straps compared to the L-Series. It has some of the same components as other top bags but Grip did them better. For example the handle for carrying the bag short distances is made out of better materials than the Ergos & is integrated right into the back straps. Also the Grips rain-fly is better than the Ergos. I think most backpack bags are ugly but the Grip looks sleek & professional. Overall its the best bag I've ever owned & if I ever need a new bag Grip will be getting my money.

 

[BIGHAFNER]

A buddy of mine, well he plays Grandmasters and I'm 19, used to pull a cart. But quit when he started using the Ranger Bag. He said he doesn't need to anymore.

 

[jcassidy1990]

A buddy of mine, well he plays Grandmasters and I'm 19, used to pull a cart. But quit when he started using the Ranger Bag. He said he doesn't need to anymore.

Rangers look great and carry well but their bottoms are garbage. Watch the corners for shredding. My buddy's started tearing after 4 months. The feet aren't the best and the bottom fabric isn't attached to the frame.

I use a grip. My only gripe is that it tends to fall over. You begin to learn the angles that it need to be laid to prevent toppling but quality, comfort and value are top notch with a grip.

 

[brandocommando9]

I have a grip and a ranger I used the grip as my main bag and the ranger for glow I like the top pocket on the ranger for glow rounds because I can fit a large jacket, my grip can barely hold a wind breaker. but I will say that is the only reason I like the ranger and in general prefer the grip by quite a bit just and it is built like a tank compared to the ranger, wish I could fit a good size jacket and it would be the perfect bag.

 

[BIGHAFNER]

jcassidy: I use the big Prodiscus bag, I've had it for almost a year and the only thing wrong is that its dirty and I haven't washed it. I would reccomend it to anybody, but the OP wanted something that wasn't too big and heavy. And the Prodiscus is a big heavy bag. But again, I'm 19 and 6'4" so I'll be okay.

 

[discreid]

I'll recommend a Grip or an Ergo2. I tried the Mahal, but didn't really like it. Replaced it with a Grip and used that for the last year. Really like the Grip, but recently decided to try the Ergo2 mostly out of curiosity. I just used the Ergo for a four round tournament this weekend, and really liked it. I think it might be a little more comfortable than my Grip and seems like it is going to hold up for the long run.

You'll probably be happy with any of the three bags I mentioned. Plus they're pretty easy to sell if you want to try out a different one.

 

[HiFi]

Yes I know there's all kinds of threads like this out there, I know I can look up all kinds of info on my options. My response to all of that is I'm lazy and it's much easier for those of you who have bags and are more familiar with the ins and outs of them to suggest what would suit my needs best.

Now I know I'm going to get a lot of this is my bag or whatever and that's fine but try to keep in mind the things I'm about to put out there as what I care the most about.

#1 - Comfort and weight - I have back issues so my main concern is not only the comfort of the bag but the weight. I don't carry all that many discs usually and I don't put a bunch of stuff in my bag. I want lightweight and comfy more than anything. I wish more companies would put out there the exact weight of their bags.

#2 - Quality - I'm rough on my **** so I want it to last and be able to handle being dropped, thrown around and whatever else I feel like doing to it.

#3 - I carry at the extreme maximum for some competition scenarios 19 discs which includes two putters that would presumably go in the putter pocket. So I only need a bag that carries at most 17 in the main compartment. However on the regular I only carry about 12 discs or even less depending on the course so the ability of the bag to carry less discs and not have them jumble all around is key.

#4 - Again I don't carry a bunch of crap with me. I'll usually have a couple towels, a mini, one slender water bottle, some pencils/sharpie, my phone/keys and possibly an umbrella. I don't use a stool or have a bunch of other stuff I want to cram in there so a ton of storage isn't really my concern.

If I hadn't found a good deal on a used Revo and quads I would still be using the bag in this thread:
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95534

 

[Johnson]

I too have a bad back and the only bag that truly fits your qualifications is the Catalyst. I would be more than happy to give you a full review once mine gets here. Salient used top notch tough materials and it is the perfect size that you're looking for.

 

[HeavyCritters]

I say get a Grip bag, mine is by far the best bag I've ever had. Grip EQ is the best bag company on the market IMO. Why get anything with but the best? If your willing to pay $200 or more for a bag & don't need a bag with a lot of disc & storage space like a Mahal than the Grip is the bag for you.

This is your answer.

 

[HeavyCritters]

I too have a bad back and the only bag that truly fits your qualifications is the Catalyst. I would be more than happy to give you a full review once mine gets here. Salient used top notch tough materials and it is the perfect size that you're looking for.

How do you know this? You've never even seen the bag with your own eyes.

You're going to vouch for its quality and durability sight unseen?

:\

 

[Titan037]

How do you know this? You've never even seen the bag with your own eyes.

You're going to vouch for its quality and durability sight unseen?

:\

he is making a reasonable assumption based on the in depth video he has seen on the catalyst and its hard to argue the bag being made out of 1000D Cordura, just like the grip is and I agree. That is why several are suggesting he wait for the customer reviews. One thing to add, Salient will have a full stock of bags even after pre orders are shipped out, so should new decide to wait to see customer reviews and then decide he wants it, he won't be waiting long at all to get it.