[Update] Looks like Chainbangerz have been taking some heat on the apparent construction of the bag at this point. The old video has been taken down, and the new video has a scrolling text blob prefacing the fact that the current one in the video is a sample bag, not a final product. Probably should’ve just updated the existing video, as deleting videos (and their comments, where I presume the shit-talking occurred) can look more incriminating than leaving stuff up there. But now, we’ll never know lol. Either way, video’s fixed.
Everyone knows the backpack style disc golf bags that are out right now. Grip, Dynamic Discs, and recently Latitude 64 pretty much seem to own the market there. But there aren’t many others. I mean, even Innova doesn’t have a backpack style bag, they’re sticking with their traditional long bags at the moment–but I have a feeling it’s coming soon. But other than the former three brands, not much else that I’m aware of.
Enter Chainbangerz (or Chainbangers, however they decide to spell it on whichever website you’re on). This Seattle, WA company has just recently thrown their hat into the ring, and released the Kraken. Name alone, awesome. And it looks pretty sturdy so far, seems to be well thought out. But there’s a few big kickers that I think really makes this bag stand out.
First off… Built-in hydration support! Throw a Camelbak bladder in there, and boom! Done, son! And the back storage area is pretty roomy as well. Granted, it doesn’t have the width/depth space the Dynamic Discs Ranger does, making it a very good possibility that your sammiches will get rather squished. But there’s plenty of other goodies in this bag to make that acceptable. Lots of pockets and restraints, umbrella holder, chair holder, room for two large water bottles at least, and a pretty respectable disc capacity all come together to make this a quite popular bag, if it gets the recognition it deserves.
So how does the Kraken stack up to the established bags? Well, lucky for you, I spent my precious evening hours crafting this fancy little table for exactly that purpose. Lo, and behold:
| Kraken | Grip A14 | Dynamic Discs Ranger | Latitude 64 DG Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Ballistic | Polyurethane coated 1000 denier nylon | 600D Poly and 400D Dobby nylon oxford fabric | "Sturdy nylon fabric with artificial leather and embroidered logos" |
| Internal Frame | Yes, stiff | Yes, stiff | Molded back panel? | ? |
| Disc Capacity | 20+ | 21+ | 18+ | 20 (main compartment, 30 if all compartments are used) |
| Putter Spots | 4+ | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Mini Pockets | 2 | ? | External mesh pocket | 1 |
| Hydration Bladder Spot | Yes | No | No | No |
| Drink Spots | 2 (External) | 2 32oz | 1 | 1, up to 1.5L (Do your own metric conversion) |
| Pencil/Sharpee Pockets | 8 | ? | External mesh pocket | Two misc side pockets |
| Umbrella/Stool Spot | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | No/Yes (collapsible, doubles as second smaller water bottle spot) | Yes/No |
| Extra Storage Space | "HUGE" | Valuables pocket w/ key tether | "Large", valuables pocket, two external pockets | "Large top pocket", side valuables pocket, two misc side pockets, top pocket has phone slot |
| Straps | Quick release straps at front, chest strap, | Torsoform back and strap system | ... They're there | ... They're there |
| Bottom Reinforcement | Yes, bottom rails | Two bottom rails, polyurethane coated 1000 denier nylon base | Water resistant material, reinforced feet | "Two large plastic ridges", "inside bottom of bag has a sheet of plastic protecting it from moisture coming in from the bottom |
| Extra Clips/Loops | 20+ | ? | Towel, bag tag | I'm sure there are? |
| Rainfly | Yes | Aquavail rainfly | No | Yes/No |
| Zippers | Elastic zipper pulls | ? | ? | ? |
| Colors | Black/Red only at this time | Black, Gray, Teal/Gray, Purple/Gray | Camo, Fracture Pink, Hex, Ralph, Toucan (... Just go check the pics on the site lawlz) | Black/White |
| Warranty | ? | Lifetime guarantee | Limited Lifetime Warranty | ? |
| Manufacturing Location | Washington, US | ? | ? | ? |
| Price | $232 | $258.99 | $174.99 | $199.99 |
| Availabilty | Pre-orders at this time, no release date | Available now | Available now | Available now |
Honestly, I really like the first outing from Chainbangerz. Nothing really special to look at when compared to some of the others, but the functionality appears to be there. And the price point is pretty reasonable too. It really combines a lot of what had me on the fence between the Ranger and the DG Luxury bags. And even though it’s a bit more than both, that built-in hydration bladder spot really is friggin’ genius and makes it worth it. I can’t wait to get my hands on it and see how it feels in person.
What do you think? Have another bag you like that we should know about? Leave a comment!
[Via Average Disc Golf]
[…] something that can carry more than just discs and one drink. I’ve previously posted a comparison between the reigning champs of disc golf backpacks, the Grip, Dynamic Discs Ranger, Latit…. I’ve been leaning toward the Ranger and the Kraken, but the price has been a bit […]