Mammoth IPA Hockey Bag

[Chadd 916]

First of all, a big thanks to Erik and the folks at Mammoth for offering up the bag for a long term review. It shows a lot of confidence in the product that they are willing to send us stuff to beat up and tear apart.

Initial impressions: It's a very good looking bag with the branding and logo on the top of the bag. Chances are that people will ask you what it is, as they won't be able to see it if you are carrying your gear into the rink. It's a very stealthy look overall, dark grey tarpaulin with black straps and hardware. Only the lighter grey logo and gold anodized hardware break up the stealth theme of the bag. I could easily see a smaller bag like this being popular with referees, as many of them look for bags without colors.

I'm a big fan of tarpaulin for hockey bags, it holds up better than anything else I have ever used. Mammoth uses a fairly heavy tarpaulin as well, they didn't cut corners on materials at all. There are a lot of areas where they could have saved money and made the bag cheaper, I'm happy to say that they did not do that.

I questioned the use of the anodized hardware when I first read about it, but I think I'm going to like it. With the zipper pulls being laces and anodized cylinders, they are easy to fix should the pulls break. I have had problems with a lot of zipper pulls on my guitar gig bags lately, so I'm probably more concerned with zippers than most people lately. Obviously, this isn't going to help them sell you another bag next year, but their focus appears to have been to make the best bag they possibly could. I also like the metal "tube" on the handles at the ends of the bag. They're easy to grip and won't cut into your hands like the normal nylon strapping would. It's another thing that I questioned when I first read about it, but I think I'm going to like that quite a bit.

For the first day or so, I thought that they had failed to include a shoulder strap with my bag. Then I found it in the small side pocket. Again, the focus on quality is evident here. Not only are the "D" loops on the bag made of metal, so are the snaps on the strap. Even the piece that helps you adjust the strap length is metal and not cheap plastic. The shoulder pad is removable and adjustable, making it easy to put just where you want/need it.

While I usually prefer a bag without external pockets, placing it between the straps on the side works very well. The pocket is large enough for your tape and other accessories with room to spare. The zipper on this pocket is the only one with a traditional pull, but it shouldn't be an issue. There is also another pocked in a fairly unique location, under the top panel. This is the place that I would put my base later, towel and other soft stuff.

The main compartment has a large D shaped opening that gives you access to the entire interior of the bag. It's not just a small opening, you essentially unzip three sides of the entire top panel. While I normally prefer a single zipper down the middle, this is a huge improvement over that. No more pulling apart the sides of the opening to put stuff in or take things out of the bag. You also won't have to put something in the bag and then arrange it inside, just put it where you want it and move on. For someone with "fat guy" hockey pants, like me, there is no problem dropping your stuff into the bag.

Ok, now to the inside of the bag. The bag is lined with a much lighter grey material, making it very easy to find the stuff that ends up in the farthest corners of your bag. This is a great feature for guys that can never find that pair of black laces they know are in there somewhere. Just about everything will contrast with the lining and make it easier to find. As someone who plays in a rink that has dismal lighting in the locker rooms, this is something that I can appreciate. There is also an additional pocket inside the bag itself, large enough for a cell phone, wallet, car keys, etc....

And of course, they have a bottle opener on one of the handles. As someone that is always looking for a bottle opener after the game, I can appreciate the utility.

I'm looking forward to updating this review as I use the bag, it very well could be the last bag I ever need. It may be more expensive than most other bags but there is a very high level of attention to detail and focus on quality. They set out to make the best bag they could, not the best for a given price. Making products in America often adds a lot to the price of products as well, but many feel that it is worth the extra cost.

Pics coming soon