throwfromthewoods
Double Eagle Member
Alright, alright. I hate creating new threads for essentially the same thing as an existing thread as much as the next prerube. But, seeing as how my old thread was specifically for the DJ Armory bag (which no longer exists)/Hyzer Bomb Squib bag (still available), and this is a different bag (believe me), I decided to start a new thread in case anyone is looking for a solid 10-12 disc backpack option for relatively cheap and doesn't want to wade through all my trial and error on the Armory bag.
The first difference the FuL Brick House has over the other counterparts are the zippers. These are nice, solid, quality hardware. The others, as some people have noted in the past, are not that great, and have a habit of catching/separating. The second big difference is the material. This bag is made from 1680 denier ballistic nylon. Some places have the cheaper version listing specs that also say 1680 nylon. I'm not sure if there's a difference between regular nylon and ballistic nylon, or if those specs are just wrong, but the quality feel between the two is decidedly noticeable. Overall this bag just FEELS much better made than my DJ Armory bag. The material is woven tighter, and there is much more padding to the bag overall.
I won't go into a great detail about my frame. I've written too much about it in the other thread. If you want a more thorough read into my frame, you can check out my other thread here:
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68484
Plus, frames are fun to build and experiment with. I'll give a general rundown of mine, but you can tinker around and see what you like. ½" PVC with corrugated plastic walls in front and back zip-tied to the frame. It fits 10 discs in the frame (although it's tight if you carry a lot of big mids or extra putters. For the record, I have a Buzzz, Opto Pure, Trident, and a Stalker for my thicker/wider discs. And then 6 more standard drivers/fairway discs. Like I've stated before, this frame stands on it's own and can just be dropped into this bag with minimal work. It makes the DIYer in me happy.
A neat, and crucial difference, in this bag is the "media pocket" on the front. It is made for an iPod or the like, and has a tiny hole above it for a headphone port. It's the perfect mini pocket. With the old bag I had to keep inventing ways to store my mini. Now it's right there on the front of the putter pocket where it is on almost any standard DG bag. The top pocket is still useable for just about anything. Inside the main compartment I can tuck an extra towel on top of the discs and off to the side so it's not in the way. The organizer inside the putter pocket lets me keep my wallet, keys, pencils, etc. It's certainly no Voodoo bag in the realm of bells and whistles, but it also doesn't leave me wanting in its simplicity.
Something new that I decided to do for this bag was fix up the bottom. It's a backpack first and foremost, so it's not build for weatherproofing or serious outdoor use. I grabbed a bucket top at Home Deport for $1 and cut out the top to fit on the bottom of the bag. Then I liberated some luggage rails from an old duffel bag. I cut the rails down to size, fused them together with E6000, and gave them a quick coat of truck bed coating. I put the plastic panel inside the bag under the frame and bolted the rails to it. And now it stays off the wet, muddy ground. Now, I want to stress I made this rail system with the old Armory bag in mind. The bottom of that was just the same material as the rest of the bag. Of course, I get the FuL bag to find out the bottom is actually a waterproof rubber material. :doh: I decided to put in the rails anyway, but it's only purpose now is to raise the bag off the ground a bit.
My final act will be taking it to a luggage repair shop so they can add a loop on the back about 6 inches below the eyelet so I can attach the backpack straps I have to make the bag ride higher up on my back.
After that, I think I will have done about as much as I can to make a very useable 10-12 disc backpack bag. It's light, solid, and should hold up well for me. I only play once (maybe twice) a week during the warmer months. So I'm not terribly hard on the bags' durability. The big thing is, this bag cost $22.49 during the holidays. It's even only $29.99 normally. Hyzer Bomb sells the knock-off version for $25.00. Even at full price, the extra $5 is more than worth the extra quality and features.
Without the backpack straps (which are also completely a personal choice. Even loaded up, the bag is light enough that the sling strap is not uncomfortable), this bag in total materials cost about $40. Take off some money if you'd rather just leave the bottom instead of put together a rail system (worth about $7 in parts). Add another $15 for the straps in cost if you want to go that route.
The first difference the FuL Brick House has over the other counterparts are the zippers. These are nice, solid, quality hardware. The others, as some people have noted in the past, are not that great, and have a habit of catching/separating. The second big difference is the material. This bag is made from 1680 denier ballistic nylon. Some places have the cheaper version listing specs that also say 1680 nylon. I'm not sure if there's a difference between regular nylon and ballistic nylon, or if those specs are just wrong, but the quality feel between the two is decidedly noticeable. Overall this bag just FEELS much better made than my DJ Armory bag. The material is woven tighter, and there is much more padding to the bag overall.
I won't go into a great detail about my frame. I've written too much about it in the other thread. If you want a more thorough read into my frame, you can check out my other thread here:
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68484
Plus, frames are fun to build and experiment with. I'll give a general rundown of mine, but you can tinker around and see what you like. ½" PVC with corrugated plastic walls in front and back zip-tied to the frame. It fits 10 discs in the frame (although it's tight if you carry a lot of big mids or extra putters. For the record, I have a Buzzz, Opto Pure, Trident, and a Stalker for my thicker/wider discs. And then 6 more standard drivers/fairway discs. Like I've stated before, this frame stands on it's own and can just be dropped into this bag with minimal work. It makes the DIYer in me happy.
A neat, and crucial difference, in this bag is the "media pocket" on the front. It is made for an iPod or the like, and has a tiny hole above it for a headphone port. It's the perfect mini pocket. With the old bag I had to keep inventing ways to store my mini. Now it's right there on the front of the putter pocket where it is on almost any standard DG bag. The top pocket is still useable for just about anything. Inside the main compartment I can tuck an extra towel on top of the discs and off to the side so it's not in the way. The organizer inside the putter pocket lets me keep my wallet, keys, pencils, etc. It's certainly no Voodoo bag in the realm of bells and whistles, but it also doesn't leave me wanting in its simplicity.
Something new that I decided to do for this bag was fix up the bottom. It's a backpack first and foremost, so it's not build for weatherproofing or serious outdoor use. I grabbed a bucket top at Home Deport for $1 and cut out the top to fit on the bottom of the bag. Then I liberated some luggage rails from an old duffel bag. I cut the rails down to size, fused them together with E6000, and gave them a quick coat of truck bed coating. I put the plastic panel inside the bag under the frame and bolted the rails to it. And now it stays off the wet, muddy ground. Now, I want to stress I made this rail system with the old Armory bag in mind. The bottom of that was just the same material as the rest of the bag. Of course, I get the FuL bag to find out the bottom is actually a waterproof rubber material. :doh: I decided to put in the rails anyway, but it's only purpose now is to raise the bag off the ground a bit.
My final act will be taking it to a luggage repair shop so they can add a loop on the back about 6 inches below the eyelet so I can attach the backpack straps I have to make the bag ride higher up on my back.
After that, I think I will have done about as much as I can to make a very useable 10-12 disc backpack bag. It's light, solid, and should hold up well for me. I only play once (maybe twice) a week during the warmer months. So I'm not terribly hard on the bags' durability. The big thing is, this bag cost $22.49 during the holidays. It's even only $29.99 normally. Hyzer Bomb sells the knock-off version for $25.00. Even at full price, the extra $5 is more than worth the extra quality and features.
Without the backpack straps (which are also completely a personal choice. Even loaded up, the bag is light enough that the sling strap is not uncomfortable), this bag in total materials cost about $40. Take off some money if you'd rather just leave the bottom instead of put together a rail system (worth about $7 in parts). Add another $15 for the straps in cost if you want to go that route.
