Just got a Carlton last week! I've now played three rounds with it.
A few misc. initial impressions:
- Bigger and heavier than I thought. It's the widest bag that I own, which I wasn't expecting. I think it's basically the same footprint as the Octothorpe, but the top corners are cut off to make the triangular shape, and make it look smaller in pictures.
- That said, it's of course still insanely comfortable. Equally comfy to my Upper Park Shift, which is smaller, lighter, and carries much less.
- I got the 3-disc sleeves on both sides. But at the moment, I'm only using the top pockets, where I've put two putters on each side (was snug at first, now they slide in/out easily). Putting discs in the middle/bottom pockets causes the main compartments' discs to slant outwards a bit. Getting those out is still fairly easy, but putting them back in was too much of a bother. Sometimes I'll try to put discs in the inner-most slot of the main compartment, and accidentally slide into the bottom pocket. I may put some gaffer tape over both the middle and bottom pockets to make access smoother. Or just get the putter pocket sleeves, though I probably wouldn't use the mini/pencil/scorecard holders.
- The main compartments hold more discs than I expected, so I'm still okay on disc capacity. I comfortably fit 8 drivers on one of the sides for example, possibly with room for even one more.
- I coated the bottom of my bag with Plasti-dip, for bomb-proof abrasion protection and peace of mind. I've done this before with other bags, and it works great. I didn't do as neat of a job as I probably should have, but hey, it's my bag, and it adds character. I know plenty of people swear by the bag material's durability, but I'm rough on my gear, and don't mind the slight defacement.
- I'm still getting to know the bag and how to arrange my discs, but so far through three rounds it's fantastic!
Also adding my thought process behind deciding on this bag, in case it's helpful for anyone in a somewhat similar boat.
- Looking to carry 17-22 discs, and enough storage for a jacket plus an umbrella at least.
- Have some emerging back problems. Ultra-comfortable bag is a must. Have a cart, but not a fan of it, and not sensible on the majority of my local courses anyway.
- Grip bags are extremely uncomfortable to me, my B-series kills my back after full-weekend tournaments, so Grips are entirely ruled out. Will assume this also rules out the vast majority of other large backpacks, except Upper Park and Pound.
- Used a quad bag with shoulder straps this past summer, and it was comfortable and awesome, but not enough storage space for winter use.
- Love my Upper Park Shift, but it doesn't have enough storage space, build quality could be improved, and key/phone storage/access is awkward. Rebel would be great, but appears to be OOP, and I don't like Legacy's branding on their version at all.
- Octothorpe is probably too much bag for me. I usually don't carry quite enough discs to fill it up, and wouldn't use 50% of the storage space even on a full tournament load-up.
- If I do need to carry more discs, the Carlton's side pockets are very well-suited for the task. For a course with multiple water carries, I could see myself carrying a full alternative set of drivers, for example. Versatile design is nice.
- In summary, super-comfortable bag with plenty of storage and versatility, but not too big, means that the Carlton and Rebel were basically my only options. The Rebel being OOP or Legacy-branded rules it out, and so far I'm very happy with how the Carlton has suited things.
