Revolution vs. Gorilla Boy - The Best Bag for the Buck?

The Final Verdict

As I mentioned earlier in this article, I like to have two bags at any given time, so that of course means that I’m going to keep two of these bags and sell the others to new owners. I suppose I could keep all four of them, but that isn’t very practical. So which do I choose? I have to say that this is no light decision, as all four of these bags are of excellent quality, each having its own strengths and weaknesses. All the criticisms I’ve put forth in this article may seem nitpicky, but I know for many disc golfers, buying one of these bags is a significant investment, so I tried to point out any issues that people might want to take into consideration.

So that being said, the bags that I will finally choose to go with are: The Gorilla Boy Spider Monkey and the Revolution Carolina.

When it came down to the small bags, it was pretty much a toss up, both were equally matched in my view. In the end, I liked the Spider Monkey’s bottle holder and frame better than the Mini’s, even though it has a smaller storage capacity and doesn’t have the handy key clip I love so much. And I have to admit that I like having a bag that most people don’t have, along with supporting the up and coming “new guy”.

As for the big bags, it really came down to the extra storage capacity and water resistance of the Carolina. Living in the Pacific Northwest, and being a year round disc golfer, having water resistance and a place to put extra gear really are a highlight for me. In all honesty, if I lived in a drier and warmer climate, or just was a seasonal discer, I would probably go for the Kong. The reasons I would go for the Kong are that it’s easy to get into while on the go, rides better, and like my rationale for the Spider Monkey, its a bag that not everyone has. The Carolina does look nicer, though, which is a nice bonus, but my own opinion on aesthetics is that function outweighs form. Though of course, all things being equal, I’d pick the better looking bag.

The Future of Bags?

Revolution and Gorilla Boy have set the new standard of disc golf bags. Before, the main concern of people purchasing a bag was whether or not it would last through the abuse many rounds can dish out. Both companies have proven that they can indeed build a bag that will last, and now they’re stepping up in the luxuries. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t still room for improvement though. Of course there are the small things like Revo’s bottle holders and pencil pockets, and GB’s storage capacity and less-than-ideal front pocket, but there are other things that both companies could incorporate that I feel would make a better bag.

One oversight that jumps out immediately for me is the lack of a cell phone pocket. I’d hazard to guess that at least 95% of disc golfers these days have a cell phone, and with these bags, the only option is to throw the cell phone in a pocket with the rest of your gear. This ends up giving you a scratched face on your phone, as well as being a pain to get to in case you need to make or receive a call. Cell phone pockets are standard features on a lot of regular backpacks these days, so I don’t see why they’re not present on disc golf bags. Incidentally, the space that has the clear window on the Kong would make a perfect location for a cell phone pocket.

Another feature I’d like to see is to have an internal pocket in at least one of the main pockets on the bigger bags. My old PDGA Tour Bag had a zippered pocket inside one of its side pockets, and that was a bag I had design complaints about since I first bought it. Why a not-so-hot mid level bag comes equipped with this, and a top of the line bag doesn’t, I don’t understand.

These companies are continuing to make great products, Gorilla Boy has a backpack bag in the works, and Revolution recently introduced their Deluxe Mini, so I hope to see more good things to come from both. And who knows, maybe a new company will take these notes to heed, and design and build even better disc golf bags?