Yeah, I recorded the audio before I shot the video... when I went to shoot the video I realized I didn't have any bottles of water. So I used a bottle of what I did have. My home is a home filled with the necessities, not nonsense :)
Jamie, Excellent, as always. This is a great review on commercial mobile storage options for our board games! Well done sir, very useful review. Yes, you convinced me to get the Game Topper- which I love! ... and you convinced me again on the Game Haul bag. Chris
I own both the 4 game and 6 game Game Haul bags and love them both. You can even turn the larger bag on its back and fit one or two larger games in there as well. Mechs vs Minions is just a tad too big to fit but the other day I had both The Reckoners and Sythe in there with some room for a few small card games to boot (although there is no carrying handle if you load games in with the bag on its back).
Nice! I do wish I had that one for this review video - but I've been waiting to do this review for a really long time and I needed to get off my duff and do it! I'm gonna stag one of those.
@@Thesecretcabal The Large version with 14"x12.5" base vs 12.5"x12.5" actually costs less... would you say there is any reason to avoid buying it vs. the standard size?
The Meinl Percussion Cajon Box Drum Bag-Standard Size-Heavy Duty Nylon with Internal Padding and Carrying Grip, Gig) is the same price as the Chromacast on Amazon and it has the handle strap that raps around the bag to give great support and the bag is better made than the chromacast. I have 3 and I love them.
The Game Canopy bag's flap is designed so that people all around the table can see your stuff. While it seems we're now down to flat-flap bags, they lead to heaving to rotate the bag around or people having to walk around the table to check what games are in someone's bag. Another note, if a game slips out and forward (usually small games, or accessories), the Game Canopy flap will keep it from flying off, while all the other bags mean it'll hit the table and then bounce wherever it wants.
Thank you for this Cajon bag idea, it's freakin genius! These are much cheaper, even here, than the titled "board game bags", and most importantly they are availible, not like the dedicated gaming bags. Also, you seem to have a great taste! I haven't tasted the quarter cask, but the standard 12y version is one of my favorites.
@Jamie I’ve seen many pictures with the Game Canopy bags folded down. Some completely. Others where the body has games and the front flap is unzipped, lying down, and folded flat. My question for you: If you would simply fold the front down flat after you unzipped it, could you then tuck it underneath like the other bags? I dunno. Just seems like one of those things where someone could walk by, quickly it fold down and tuck it back, and I’d be left standing there like, “Well sh*t...that was pretty easy.” Genuine question. Not trying to give you sh*t.
There's a Chromacast that will hold the over-sized games and is super affordable, I have one and use it a lot. The bag is horizontal shaped as opposed to the vertical ones shown here (I also have one of those and have been using it for years for this) with a handle on top.
I'd like to throw in a recommendation for the Battle Foam X-P.A.C.K. I own three and find them to be quite convenient and durable. Currently on clearance for $29 as well.
Just looked at that bag and the design is pretty bad, IMO. Holds the games vertically and some games may not fit "perfect" and the lid could come lose and have all the parts and cards fall around in the box. Also, it only holds 2 games. Not the best design.
I recommend looking into the Board Game Garage. It has similar dimensions to the Game Canopy Deep Space, so can hold those bigger games. Beyond that, it has the same quality as the Game Canopy, but solves a lot of those design flaws you called out, and for a cheaper price (MUCH cheaper than the Deep Space). I have that and the Game Haul and between the two I'm covered. Agree that Game Haul is a great bag for the price that will cover most needs.
Do you know the "Board Game Backpack" from Enhance, its amazing. I have it since 2 weeks and love it. It has a very nice surface and its so stable and could carry gloomhaven and Twilight imperium at the same time on your back. The Zippers are very strong and you could carry 4 Game Matts. xD ...
Having used a bag like that and also a 6 game game haul, I will say it's worth the quality of life upgrade to go with a gamehaul or chromacast type bag if you use a bag often.
If I were taking my games places often, I definitely would go with the game haul after watching this. I am usually the host of game days and nights though so they do not travel much
Yeah I actually have grocery bags I use too. We have ones with our logo on them and I got some at conventions and they do work just fine as well. I was targeting this video to people who might be looking go to the next step.
I have a smaller verzion of the Chroma Cast cajon ag that I paid $19 on Amazon for. This is nearly identical to the Gamehaul except I can usually get 5 games in plus the side pouches.
I have always carried my games around in cardboard "banker?" style boxes with a lid. It was okay, but I always thought there should be something better. Jamie, thanks for this video. I like that you don't always have to do videos around the latest hotness. I like reviews/info about ALL things related to the tabletop game hobby. Thank you. Cabalist til death.
Game haul is great and has held up awesome but you may want to check miniature market... they have some really nice bags and support game stores... maybe not amazon.
Here's a question: Do you really benefit from bringing 6 games? Do your games get play, or do you play 1-3 and the others were brought for nothing? I feel like the 6 game cases are great, but if you want to take less games, then it will look all smooshed because those bags depend on the games to stay rigid haha
i have a question i'm curious about, maybe you can answer. there are 2 types of chromacast cajon bags, both nearly identical, you have the standard i believe which is 12.5' x 12.5' x 20' but there is a slightly larger one that's is a few dollars cheaper where i'm looking that is 12.5' x 14' x 21', which would you recommend?
Completely agree with the Game Canopy. I bought one for my buddy and myself. It is brilliantly made and crazy high quality. That said, the strap is indeed absolutely useless. After seeing the other options, I would completely go with something cheaper.
I agree. I bought a Game Canopy last KS and while it is a nice bag, it's too expensive for what you get. The strap is awkward, and that front flap is weird. I'd steer people away from Game Canopies to much cheaper options.
I backed the Deep Space Canopy bag on Kickstarter for $159 but if I didn’t need one that size to carry Mechs vs Minions, Batman Gotham City Chronicles, Clash of Rage, Heroes of Land Air and Sea and Too Many Bones I’d of went with a cheaper option.
I am all in with the Game Haul as well. I have all three versions, the big 6 game Game Haul (I use it for my Thursday morning GenCon rush), the Game Haul Game Night bag (it's what I use for weeknight game nights, and some Saturday game days), and the Game Haul Gateway (the first of their's that I bought. It's basically a game-box sized shopping bag with a clear vinyl front so you can see the games you brought, but if you want the one on the bottom, you have to empty the bag). I also have a Board Game Garage bag (www.boardgamegarage.com), a very nice bag that compares favorably to the large Game Canopy bag, without the annoying zipper location and at a lower price point.
Uh, how come they just don’t make them with small wheels and a pop out slide handle variant like modern day canopy luggage? Haven’t they heard of causing back problems hauling heavy games? What year is this? Think and get the design right and you will be the winner. Padding and durable straps is important too for geeks.
I think I still prefer the Chromacast bag over the Game Haul bag because it holds a lot more. I bring way too many games to game night, but I like a lot of options. heh ;-)
Deep Space is the one built for those, but it's possible that you could fit some oversized games into the Cajon bags if you went vertical. That all depends on how well the game is packaged inside the box.
Great review! I’m looking to transport Middara and Batman in my near future but I’ve become chronically cheap in my middle age. So I have to stick with my $2 IKEA bags for the time being.
