We travel all the time at E-Lacrosse. Whether it's to Vail or Perth, Amsterdam or Hawaii, Gettysburg or Chapel Hill there's always a reason to take a plane, train or car somewhere with our gear, some clothes and small accessories, especially for covering events.



We appreciate a good bag. We abuse them regularly. 2003 will be a great bag year for us because:
  1. lacrosse manufacturers have some great lacrosse bags out for 2003;

  2. bags are beginning to integrate carrying regular stuff and carrying our specialized lacrosse equipment;

  3. everyone (almost) sent us many free bags to review and we are in BAG HEAVEN!



This is the Brine G-Force backpack. I've hiked and traveled some with this small backpack in Holland while preparing for the Amsterdam Tournament. I found it very accessible and just big enough to fit a laptop, a change of clothes and some other key items.

     
A bungee string configuration on the front allows carrying of a pair of dirty shoes, a extra textbook or our Amsterdam map and Brine Maryland Terrapins logo hat. There is also a special built-in pocket to hold your stick!

     
The front pockets are big enough for my mp3 player, personal items and some reading for the 3 hour train ride from Amsterdam to Maastricht.

     
The big pocket holds my new Supercrosse gloves and Ventilator pads (look for a 2003 product interview with Brine's Bill Daye in the next two weeks! See more now.) with shorts and a jersey or a laptop and some clothing items. The construction is sturdy, zippers are strong and zip tags are a high quality rubber with the Brine logo.

     
There's a sturdy but soft rubber handle on top and the adjustable straps are comfortable, as is the breathable mesh padded back. This is a small backpack. It won't fit a whole bunch of textbooks, but for light travel and going to and from games or events, it's perfect!




The STX Axis backpack comes in two popular styles, a traditional two strap pack and a sling pack version. They both have similar features but differ in carrying volume. I used the Sling pack on a recent trip and found it to be a nice mid-size pack for carrying all your accessories and equipment except, of course, a helmet.

     
Just pop the clasp on the adjustable cross straps and the zippers all become accessible. The two front pockets are big enough to fit a shoe each but I stored an mp3 jukebox and a few books in mine.

     
For listening to cd's or mp3 players while wearing the pack a special padded pocket and headphone portal to the outside are very nice.

     
The sling pack version of this bag has a mesh half-pocket over one of the front pockets for sunglasses, maps, wet stuff or whatever you want at hand or don't want in the bag. Both have cell phone pockets on the strap front for easy access.

     
The sling pack strap is fully and quickly adjustable with velcro and a clasp system.

     
A pocket for business cards or change is on the Sling pack strap for convenient front access while wearing.

     
There's plenty of space for my E-Lacrosse Catalyst gloves and arm pads, even a pair of shoulder pads in the big pocket of the sling pack. The backpack version fits less in that pocket. It is generally a smaller pack because of this.

     
The backs of the silver Axis sling pack and the blue Axis backpack from STX.

     
The Axis backpack from STX carries less volume than the sling pack but otherwise has most of the same features.




The Brine High Octane Equipment Bag is a mid-sized equipment bag with many nice features. We can see this being the most universally used bag in the bunch. It's the perfect size for your equipment, including a helmet, or for taking a load of laundry home from college to wash overnight.

     
Brine starts with a bungee corded area on top that was perfect for our nasty shoes after practice and kept the things inside from getting muddy.

     
A vented pocket on one end is also ideal for shoes or any items that you don't want integrated into the bag's contents. A protective nylon bag is expanded inside the bag making this a big pocket if needed.

     
Both end pockets isolate sweaty or wet items from the rest of the bag. We'll keep a clean Six Tribes shirt and a book to read on the team bus.

     
The main pocket is roomy and fits my Supercrosse Gloves, Ventilator pads and Cascade E-Lacrosse C-Pro helmet.

     
An internal pocket stores and protects the head of our brand new Brine Prophecy stick (See more now). The shaft protrudes through a convenient portal. We like this bag and think it may be one of the best sellers this season. It may also be the most attractive of the bags and that's important as lacrosse games and trips to the gym can be a social scene for many of us in lacrosse!





deBeer carries a few great bags to compliment their very popular line of Women's sticks anchored by the Apex.

     
An assortment of colors and features are available. Pocket placement and capacity vary so ask when ordering from a Women's retailer like Sports-Her-Way.

     
A side pocket and bottom access are featured on this bag from deBeer.

     
The big purple bag is very nice. It fits a few sticks, gloves and your personal accessories for after the game!

     
Seen with the new Tropic Gloves from deBeer (more pictures of the deBeer women's gloves are available in our gallery).

     
This year's Tempest follows the huge success of the Apex! More pictures of both!




The new 2003 airline security guidelines forbid the locking of checked luggage, which means that the larger lax bags can now be used for checked travel bags with the same security risk as any bag. Even with their mesh portions and many un lockable zippered pockets they are just as secure as any unlocked bag. These two bags are durable and capable of surviving the role of checked bag as long as they are not overstuffed. Like any zippered luggage, they will not withstand extreme pressure from the outside if there is already too much pressure within.




Eduoard Dopper, one of our Amsterdam Tournament directors, uses the STX Locker Bag in his many travels throughout Europe with the Maastricht University team and when representing Holland Lacrosse and the tournament. It can function as a travel bag for air or rail travel and holds more than any bag we tested. But it can get heavy so you may not want to prove that. We'd love wheels on this model - A free idea for next year.

     
When this bag arrived via UPS, we were eagerly anticipating it's arrival, having seen it in our catalog and liking the concept very much. Within minutes of arrival, it was hung on the back of a door and we were loading stuff into it as if it were a locker. It's pretty cool.

     
Just hang it from the dual option hooks on any locker room wall, car, tree or hotel bathroom door and Viola - Instant Locker!

     
Once hanging, it has many hooks and pockets available. The side stick pockets open up to almost double the size when hanging.

     
There's plenty of room for helmets, shoes, clothes or any travel items. Interior separating walls are attached with velcro and can be removed to create one huge pocket inside.

     
A Great Feature: The entire attack stick (in this case an STX Hype - See more now)can be enclosed within the bag's confines. This is very nice when traveling by air as a loose shaft hanging out seems to draw undue security attention, snag on things constantly and just looks sloppy. I love this bag and already have my 2003 equipment loaded into mine.




I took this bag on a playing trip to Europe recently as my only checked luggage containing clothing, shoes, equipment with 2 helmets (one was a gift for a friend), two sticks and more. It held up perfectly through airline baggage handlers, my own fumbling and bumping everything in sight on two trains and a rainy hike or two. It's not available on store shelves yet but can be ordered by a lacrosse store like Lax World through your coach as a deBeer team purchase.

     
Side compartments are big and hold helmets, shoes or loads of tightly packed clothes.

     
Like the STX bag Interior separating walls are attached with velcro and can be removed to create one large pocket instead. On top are our new deBeer Pro-Lite gloves (See more now).

     
This bag's best feature - Backpack handles! This saved my life running for a train. A fully packed bag of this size gets quite heavy and this pack fits the contour of your body, has comfortable straps and a cross strap to alleviate back pressure. Travelling with this bag was a comfortable and enjoyable experience.


The deBeer small team bag is a smaller version of the bag we review fully below.

     
The main pocket provides ample space for my new Flare gloves (See more now), Intrepid arm pads, uniform and a few hats and visors.

     
Backpack straps make it a great pick for heavier loads! I use the mesh enclosed pocket for my Gait Helmet (We'll have a product interview with Paul Gait coming shortly and we'll get all the inside info on the Gait Helmet and all the new deBeer products).

     
The side stick pocket fits our new deBeer Triton (See more now). The opposite side features a small personal items pocket.


This one was Sam's favorite!





Lax World's Quest bag should cost more but it was misprinted for a client called, not surprisingly, "Quest". So this spacious bag is only 20 bucks.


It comes in red and royal blue and fits six attack sticks or a couple sticks and most of your other equipment. It will not fit a helmet.

     
It's a smartly constructed bag as the strap features an adjustable rubber pad for carrying and attaches at the front of the lid so it naturally falls open to choose a stick when unzipped. A Great Value!







February 15, 2003