Bag suggestions/Qogir (cheap bag) review after a few seasons.

[jupiterboy]

I bought a Qogir brand bag a few seasons ago (Fall of 2022). It is having some issues, and after playing a tournament in a steady rain, I can see needing something less basic.

There are some things I generally don't like in a bag. Laminated nylon is one of those. I've seen delamination on a variety of backpacks, disc golf and other. This is what I'm talking about:

Fortunately, this bag only uses this lamination on this one side pocket. If it is used inside, I can't see the delamination because it is covered by a light nylon lining layer. I note Latitude 64 uses lamination, but seems to have a much more robust lamination.

The other issue the bag is having is fabric failure. I note many makers use a nylon that is reinforced with a square pattern of stronger threads. Presumably this is to add strength to a lighter fabric. Here you can see the stress from pulling putters has caused fraying and failure, which I've stitched back together:

One feature I like about the bag, which has surprised me, is that the waterproof bottom is holding up pretty well:

I originally thought this would fail, and wanted a bag with rails or knobs on the bottom.

All in, this bag is OK for $40 US. It holds 20 discs or so—plenty for me. It is pretty rigid and doesn't fall over except on an extreme slope. It gets crowded when I need to carry an umbrella and jacket, etc.

So I'm looking at replacements that are about the same size or a little bigger. I generally think bags are a bit over-engineered and too heavy, which is to say a lighter bag appeals. I'd like to avoid lamination, and would really be into something with heavier fabric. I suspect a cotton duck bag where you could wash in a waterproof treatment would make a great bag, but there's nothing like that.

So far, the bags I'm considering are the following, but please make any comment or suggestion because I suspect there are some I'm not seeing.

1.) Atlas Pioneer V.4

Pioneer V4

Everything you need and nothing you don't. The Pioneer V4 is the Pioneer built FOR YOU using all of our community's feedback. The V4 offers increased stability through alternate sewing patterns and reinforced pseudo supports in the putter and side pockets. Customers will also receive an...

atlasdgs.com

2.) Berg's Manta

♻️The Manta Backpack♻️ | Berg Sport

The Manta Backpack is a stylish and practical bag for disc golfers. It is made from recycled plastic bottles, making it an eco-friendly and sustainable choice for disc golfers. The backpack has adjustable straps, a spacious main compartment, and several pockets for all your disc golf essentials...

www.bergsdiscsports.com

(the bottom may not be as durable as I want)

3.) Renu EcoPack 1

Renu Disc Golf - Sustainable Disc Golf Equipment

Renu Disc Golf manufacturers. Sustainable, eco-friendly disc golf bags for casual and avid disc golfers. Renu Disc Golf uses upcycled billboards to make the most sustainable disc golf bags on the planet.

renudiscgolf.com

(drink holders don't cinch down, and I carry smaller water bottles to keep weight down)

4.) Fossa Skinny 2.3

SKINNY 2.3 - BROWN

SKINNY 2.3 The Skinny 2.3 has all the same great features as our Skinny2, but with a few notable upgrades! • Inserts will be 5mm Coroplast board upgraded from 2mm Polyurethane • Double layer fabric & additional bar-tacking • Upgraded rainfly & rainfly attachment • Upgraded strap attachment...

fossadiscgolf.com

Let me know what I'm missing.

 

[jupiterboy]

Couple of things I forgot. Elastic. It's going to fail quickly, so these mesh pockets with elastic are meh. Also, considering the Discology bags, but not sure which one.

 

[HyzerRoc]

Not sure if there is a waterproof bag that is gonna last.

Bags with some plastic liner inside are just gonna tear after a while and the liner is gonna peel away. Innova has some bags that are made of a material similar to that of an Ortlieb bike bag (like truck tarpaulin). Although I cant find an example right now as googling doesnt bring up anything useful. Other than that I would accept that your stuff is gonna get soaked by heavy rain. Thick fabric can take a shower and some bags like a grip have a pocket with a plastic cover so your wallet and phone are not gonna get soaked as fast.

The tearing fabric along with the shoulder straps wearing thin happens in almost all bags sold by disc manufacturers. Most of those are also constructed like a box that is heavy to haul around. Grip bags are much slimmer than those, have really thick shoulder straps that are gonna last a decade from what I have seen and their plastic frame and fabric are also gonna last really long. When I see people with a deformed grip bag they also abuse it really hard by overstuffing it, sitting on it and so on.

The rails on bags come in really handy if you are gonna set it down on concrete/gravel/stone because it is gonna wear down the fabric and eventually cause it to fail. Less so on grass.

1) looks like a copy of a grip bag and its price is really good. If it is of a comparable quality to a grip bag this looks like a good deal. Doubt it tho.

2) has the same cheap shoulder straps as any bag sold by disc manufacturers. They are gonna wear thin within one or two years.

3) same as 1 but made of nylon. This might actually be waterproof but I suspect the nylon will also tear after some time, creating holes where you will get water in but that might be manageable. In the pics it looks like those also use cheap shoulder straps.

4) cant see where you would put a jacket or food in there. The pocket in the front seems too small for that and if you pack that one full it also has good leverage against your back.

Maybe you caught on already but I really like grip bags. They are expensive and probably over engineered but they hold up a long time and have all the space I would need. They are not waterproof, but Im not convinced any bags really are as fabric will only hold so much water and plastic will tear. They also dont have the best capacity if you are not gonna get the biggest one (which is too big and heavy IMO).

Also there is always the option of putting some rain coat over the bag but who would actually want to do that and pull up the coat during a round? Not really an option.

 

[jupiterboy]

Not sure if there is a waterproof bag that is gonna last.

Bags with some plastic liner inside are just gonna tear after a while and the liner is gonna peel away. Innova has some bags that are made of a material similar to that of an Ortlieb bike bag (like truck tarpaulin). Although I cant find an example right now as googling doesnt bring up anything useful. Other than that I would accept that your stuff is gonna get soaked by heavy rain. Thick fabric can take a shower and some bags like a grip have a pocket with a plastic cover so your wallet and phone are not gonna get soaked as fast.

The tearing fabric along with the shoulder straps wearing thin happens in almost all bags sold by disc manufacturers. Most of those are also constructed like a box that is heavy to haul around. Grip bags are much slimmer than those, have really thick shoulder straps that are gonna last a decade from what I have seen and their plastic frame and fabric are also gonna last really long. When I see people with a deformed grip bag they also abuse it really hard by overstuffing it, sitting on it and so on.

The rails on bags come in really handy if you are gonna set it down on concrete/gravel/stone because it is gonna wear down the fabric and eventually cause it to fail. Less so on grass.

1) looks like a copy of a grip bag and its price is really good. If it is of a comparable quality to a grip bag this looks like a good deal. Doubt it tho.

2) has the same cheap shoulder straps as any bag sold by disc manufacturers. They are gonna wear thin within one or two years.

3) same as 1 but made of nylon. This might actually be waterproof but I suspect the nylon will also tear after some time, creating holes where you will get water in but that might be manageable. In the pics it looks like those also use cheap shoulder straps.

4) cant see where you would put a jacket or food in there. The pocket in the front seems too small for that and if you pack that one full it also has good leverage against your back.

Maybe you caught on already but I really like grip bags. They are expensive and probably over engineered but they hold up a long time and have all the space I would need. They are not waterproof, but Im not convinced any bags really are as fabric will only hold so much water and plastic will tear. They also dont have the best capacity if you are not gonna get the biggest one (which is too big and heavy IMO).

Also there is always the option of putting some rain coat over the bag but who would actually want to do that and pull up the coat during a round? Not really an option.

Thanks for the thoughts. I believe Atlas will release a Pro version soon in heaver fabric. The big complaint about the bad is that the discs fall out if the bag tips over.

I'll add that I'm a big fan of wash-in wax based water proofing over lamination. Lamination always fails. Wash-in can be re-applied, is not expensive, and works over time.

I'm not having issues with shoulder straps, either, but I lift my bag by the handle.

Might grab a Westside bag for cheap and see what it looks like. Can't find one at a local shop.

 

[jupiterboy]

Solved. We'll see how this works.

 

[HyooMac]

Good luck!

I carried an original Skinny for a year or two,and liked it well enough until the sides bowed out from repeated use, causing the Velcro on the shelves to pull away (he acknowledged the problem with his own in the beginning of the video clip). And @HyzerRoc pointed out the smaller amount of storage in the new model.

My one bit of advice to anyone looking for a new bag is to start with a clear sense of how many discs you REALLY carry most days.

I've noticed that most "premium" models, regardless of brand, have room for around 30 discs. As someone whose carry is fewer than 20, that helped me focus on "smaller" bags. Because I play year-round in the NE, I need more storage room for clothing layers that come off or go on during a long day. So I was happy to trade some disc space for storage space.

Your mileage may vary, but consider your own "ratio" of discs-to-storage. Price, style, durability, and other factors are all important to consider, but starting here will help focus your search by eliminating a lot of models at almost every brand that don't really meet your individual needs.

 

[HyzerRoc]

Looks like it fits everything you wanted in there, hope it is gonna hold up well for you

I've noticed that most "premium" models, regardless of brand, have room for around 30 discs. As someone whose carry is fewer than 20, that helped me focus on "smaller" bags. Because I play year-round in the NE, I need more storage room for clothing layers that come off or go on during a long day. So I was happy to trade some disc space for storage space.

Your mileage may vary, but consider your own "ratio" of discs-to-storage. Price, style, durability, and other factors are all important to consider, but starting here will help focus your search by eliminating a lot of models at almost every brand that don't really meet your individual needs.

Grip bags also have a surprisingly low capacity for discs. My bx one only carries 16 in the main compartment and 3 in the putter pocket without overstuffing it, which I really want to avoid. In exchange they have a ton of space for other stuff which, as a player without a car, is absolutely necessary for tournaments.

 

[jupiterboy]

Looks like it fits everything you wanted in there, hope it is gonna hold up well for you


Grip bags also have a surprisingly low capacity for discs. My bx one only carries 16 in the main compartment and 3 in the putter pocket without overstuffing it, which I really want to avoid. In exchange they have a ton of space for other stuff which, as a player without a car, is absolutely necessary for tournaments.

CX2, I believe, would be great for me.

I got this Westside bag for $50. It's very much the size of my old bag, with a few extras. I'll hit it with some seam sealer here and there. It's got a solid sheet frame in the back, bottom, front, then soft sides.