Mix Hockey Bags

[Stewie 721]

wondering if anyone has any experience with this company. Looking for backpack style hockey bags, and ones without wheeled components that have all the features i want are currently hard to find, so came accross these selling on SLS and wanted to see if anyone had any input. May get one anyways to test out. 

 

https://mixsports.com/mx5-ice-roller-hockey-backpack/

[start_today 770]

I love the water bottle holder on the side. Sometimes sticks, bag, water bottle, and a case of beer makes for some dicey moments trying to open a door. 
 

My friend is producing a bag for another niche sport, and she put a water bottle holder on it and I was like holy shit, you’re a genius. 

[althoma1 574]

Yeah, the water bottle holder is a good idea.

I don't have this backpack, but I have an older Alkali RPD Max that's very durable and works well. I see the new Alkali Revel looks similar, but is out of stock. The Alkali doesn't have the water bottle holder, but it does have a chest strap that clips up that helps distribute the weight evenly. Unfortunately, it looks like the Mix doesn't have a chest strap. 

The other non-wheel backpack that seems to be in stock is the Warrior Pro Carry Backpack, but that one doesn't have the chest strap or the water bottle holder and is more expensive than both the Mix and Alkali. If I was in the market for a new backpack, I'd gamble on the Mix if I was in a hurry or wait for the Alkali to come back in stock if there was no rush since I like my current Alkali bag. 

[xstartxtodayx 343]

oooh that looks pretty rad, and yea I agree a water bottle holder would be clutch many times.  I'm using an Eason Pro 15 backpack bag (which was then branded as Bauer Pro 15 before being discontinued from what I can tell).  I love the backpack straps and how the Pro 15 is just a basic open bag, this Mix one (and the Alkali and Warrior mentioned above) seem neat with their compartments which might make it easier to walk with (with mine it's so long it hits the back of your thighs when walking so it can get annoying).  Mine is presently starting to deteriorate so I'm curious how this Mix one works out, please keep us posted.

 

[Stewie 721]

There’s definitely some things I am skeptical on with it, but feel like I have enough curiosity to spend the 80 on it. 
 

currently I use a labeda backpack for roller, but the water bottle pouch is all torn up and I hate wheeled backpack bags as the internal frame is a bit annoying to me. For ice in using the warrior bag that doesn’t have the wheels, but It also doesn’t have a water bottle holder and I can’t seem to find the non wheeled ones in stock anywhere. 

looks like maybe these have two water bottle holders which is perfect because I usually bring a premixed biosteel carton for the bench, and some high quality H2O for after the game

[noupf 42]

I'd like to know the dimensions or at least the cubic inches available.  For some body like me who uses 16" shin guards and XL sized everything, i find that bags today don't have quite enough room.  I just want a big big enough, where i can toss everything in and zip it closed.  Aint nobody got time ( or energy ) to carefully arrange my gear after a game to be able to easily zip it shut.  

Edited August 11, 2022 by noupf

[fbvnyc 12]

I've been eyeing this bag since it first popped up on SLS.  I use backpacks because it allows me to have both hands free and is easier for stairs.   Currently using an Easton one in the US and older Bauer model(preferred) overseas.  

Water bottle holder is a great idea, my only worry would be stuff getting caught on it.  

I messaged this company about getting a video review made.  They didn't seems receptive to the idea.  

 

[xstartxtodayx 343]

Anyone buy/test this Mix hockey bag? 

I've been watching it on SLS and just noticed it is reduced 15% right now so is just under $80 shipped.  My bag is starting to fall apart so might have to pull the trigger on this.

[krisdrum 233]

Their stick bag looks pretty similar to one by a company named "Partage" https://www.amazon.com/Partage-Hockey-Stick-Bag/dp/B07ZMXWB8N

I don't see anything similar to the gear bag under that name, but I am wondering if they are importing these and slapping some screen printing on them and there could be another source elsewhere in the market. 

[xstartxtodayx 343]

ok I took the chance and ordered a bag, came to about $85 after tax.  It sounds like size wise it'll be similar to what I have now just shaped slightly differently (my skate pocket is at one end and this had individual pockets on each side).  I'll return and let everyone know after I get it and try it out.

[Stewie 721]

i havent done it yet, but will probably still look to do so soon to try it out. maybe ill await your initial impressions. I have two pacific rink bags, but prefer my warrior backpack, its just easier.

 

[218hockey 50]

Well just about every backpack has two of those bottle holders. And that mesh style will rip. Maybe not right away but eventually.

[Stewie 721]

11 hours ago, 218hockey said:

Well just about every backpack has two of those bottle holders. And that mesh style will rip. Maybe not right away but eventually.

My warrior has 0 bottle holders and is never in stock, and when it is it looks like it will be 40$ more than I purchased mine at, and I have a labeda one with a bottle pouch that was awesome, but that too ripped. I’m also skeptical on the long term holding ability of these mesh ones, but I usually just carry biosteel cartons so maybe it’ll hold up to that ok. 

[Stewie 721]

On 9/6/2022 at 5:06 PM, xstartxtodayx said:

ok I took the chance and ordered a bag, came to about $85 after tax.  It sounds like size wise it'll be similar to what I have now just shaped slightly differently (my skate pocket is at one end and this had individual pockets on each side).  I'll return and let everyone know after I get it and try it out.

Any input? My roller bag has further deteriorated so I started considering these again.

[xstartxtodayx 343]

1 hour ago, Stewie said:

Any input? My roller bag has further deteriorated so I started considering these again.

So far so good.  

Coming from an older Easton backpack (which was really just a normal hockey bag but with shoulder straps) this one has much more room to it.  The build quality seems really good, the zippers are all really heavy duty but not the smoothest so while they feel really strong they are a bit of a chore to open/close at times, I'd rather have this than zippers that are easy to open/close but feel like they'll fail at any moment (which was the case with my old Easton).  The skate pockets fit my size 7.5 skates pretty well but I can't imagine they'd work well for people with large skates.  There's plenty of room in the three other pockets, I use the one larger one for tape/wax and scissors, one small one for powerfeet inserts and a screwdriver, and the other for extra laces and misc. bolts/j clips/etc.  Coming from a bag with just a mesh pouch for stuff I almost feel like I have too much storage now lol.  The main compartment is large which is awesome, tons of room to put everything in, the one downside was it had a pretty strong chemical smell when I got it which lasted about 2 weeks, luckily I keep everything in the garage otherwise this wouldn't have stayed inside the house.  The shoulder straps work well but I have 2 gripes... first, I wish they were a few inches longer since with a hoodie, or even a coat, it can be tough to get the second arm in at times even when extended out as far as they can go, a few more inches on the adjustable straps would be awesome.  And second, the shoulder straps are connected at the top in like a semi circle that can dig into your neck/shoulders, I wish they made the straps more separate and maybe slightly wider... I'm not a huge guy by any means but it almost feels like they designed this for a kid with how the straps are.  Oh and the water bottle holders, these are something I didn't really care about but I've found them useful, I stick my normal sized gatorade water bottle in one and then my small pre-game drink in the other, so far so good, if they rip I'll just go back to putting the gatorade bottle inside the bag (I don't fill it up til I get to the rink so it's empty) and carrying the pre-game drink.

So overall I'm really happy with the bag, for the price it's definitely worth it (I got mine from the company through sidelineswap when they ran a 10% off sale, it worked out to be almost $10 cheaper than direct from their site after shipping and taxes).

[Stewie 721]

1 hour ago, xstartxtodayx said:

So far so good.  

Coming from an older Easton backpack (which was really just a normal hockey bag but with shoulder straps) this one has much more room to it.  The build quality seems really good, the zippers are all really heavy duty but not the smoothest so while they feel really strong they are a bit of a chore to open/close at times, I'd rather have this than zippers that are easy to open/close but feel like they'll fail at any moment (which was the case with my old Easton).  The skate pockets fit my size 7.5 skates pretty well but I can't imagine they'd work well for people with large skates.  There's plenty of room in the three other pockets, I use the one larger one for tape/wax and scissors, one small one for powerfeet inserts and a screwdriver, and the other for extra laces and misc. bolts/j clips/etc.  Coming from a bag with just a mesh pouch for stuff I almost feel like I have too much storage now lol.  The main compartment is large which is awesome, tons of room to put everything in, the one downside was it had a pretty strong chemical smell when I got it which lasted about 2 weeks, luckily I keep everything in the garage otherwise this wouldn't have stayed inside the house.  The shoulder straps work well but I have 2 gripes... first, I wish they were a few inches longer since with a hoodie, or even a coat, it can be tough to get the second arm in at times even when extended out as far as they can go, a few more inches on the adjustable straps would be awesome.  And second, the shoulder straps are connected at the top in like a semi circle that can dig into your neck/shoulders, I wish they made the straps more separate and maybe slightly wider... I'm not a huge guy by any means but it almost feels like they designed this for a kid with how the straps are.  Oh and the water bottle holders, these are something I didn't really care about but I've found them useful, I stick my normal sized gatorade water bottle in one and then my small pre-game drink in the other, so far so good, if they rip I'll just go back to putting the gatorade bottle inside the bag (I don't fill it up til I get to the rink so it's empty) and carrying the pre-game drink.

So overall I'm really happy with the bag, for the price it's definitely worth it (I got mine from the company through sidelineswap when they ran a 10% off sale, it worked out to be almost $10 cheaper than direct from their site after shipping and taxes).

Thanks for the feedback! Your comment about the shoulder straps is my number one concern with the bag, definitely looks like the area around the neck could be awkward and uncomfortable, but perhaps I’ll still give it a try, maybe I’ll just hang it up in the barn to air out a few weeks. 

[xstartxtodayx 343]

Updating this post... had the Mix backpack since Sep. 2022 and am now looking for a replacement.  The bag itself was a good size and had good features but the quality of the inner coating was poor (it has a PVC/rubber like coating they applied to the nylon all over the inside of the bag, probably the cause for the nasty chemical smell it had for the first few weeks).  I have had black pieces of coating in all of my equipment for the past 6 months or so, started as a minor thing but now is getting out of hand with so much crap finding its way into my gear.  The areas where it peeled off you can now see light through the nylon so I'm guessing it's only a matter of time til the material rips through.  I contacted the company to see if there was any warranty or anything, mainly just to see what they'd say and if they knew about this issue, their reply was a resounding no to there being a warranty but offered a 35% discount if I wanted to order a replacement.  That's definitely going to be a no from me.  So, currently I think I've settled on the Warrior Pro backpack as a replacement, the only thing I'll miss about the Mix bag is the water bottle holders which I didn't even care about at first lol

So anyone looking at the Mix Hockey backpack, save your money and look elsewhere, spend a little more now to save a lot more down the road.

[shoeshine boy 242]

I got a Pacific Rink bag just over a year ago and I'm loving it. at 54, I feel better being balanced with my gear instead of having it on one side (I used Warrior Pro Carry bags for YEARS) and refuse to get a wheeled bag.

https://www.pacificrink.com/products/player-bag

mine is a junior bag though so a bit different from their main bag. I looked at both but wasn't a fan of those "hideaway backpack straps" on the senior bag.

Edited April 2 by shoeshine boy

[krisdrum 233]

46 minutes ago, shoeshine boy said:

I got a Pacific Rink bag just over a year ago and I'm loving it. at 54, I feel better being balanced with my gear instead of having it on one side (I used Warrior Pro Carry bags for YEARS) and refuse to get a wheeled bag.

https://www.pacificrink.com/products/player-bag

mine is a junior bag though so a bit different from their main bag. I looked at both but wasn't a fan of those "hideaway backpack straps" on the senior bag.

What size equipment are you wearing?  I debated getting the Junior size when I received the senior bag as a gift, but it seemed like the Junior was going to be a really tight fit for my gear, so I stuck with the Senior.  I mostly wear Adult Small gear.  

[Westside 232]

I've been using a Pacific Rink bag since 2017 or 18? Something like that. Minus a year of Covid where it sat in corner collecting dust, it has fared well being moved from the house to the car/plane every week.

I went with the Varsity bag as I didn't think I'd ever use the backpack straps, and it was 50% less expensive. PR sold me a pair of the skate holders which I sewed into the Varsity bag exactly like the Player bag. I like the skate holders because they keep the skates in a specific part of the bag and the water bottle holders come in handy. I find gear dividers in general more of a nuisance and I already have a laundry bag. Only thing I miss is not having the top flap to hold jerseys/base layers, but whatever.

I wear senior sized medium gear and the bag fits it well. I don't think there's any way I could get it all to fit in the Junior bag

[Stewie 721]

I’m using the warrior backpack. My mix bag also had issues but mainly with the cheap ass zipper system, but I had low expectations for it to begin with and feel it’s still worth the 60 as my roller hockey bag where it will get much less abuse. 
 

the warrior backpack is much better in terms of build quality, if only it had a water bottle and one more miscellaneous storage pouch 

[shoeshine boy 242]

22 hours ago, krisdrum said:

What size equipment are you wearing?  I debated getting the Junior size when I received the senior bag as a gift, but it seemed like the Junior was going to be a really tight fit for my gear, so I stuck with the Senior.  I mostly wear Adult Small gear.  

I'm a 5'2" female so most of my gear is smaller (13" shins and gloves for example) plus I also wear a girdle instead of traditional pants. I'm confidant that the girdle/shell is a huge help in getting my stuff in the smaller bag. 

[krisdrum 233]

50 minutes ago, shoeshine boy said:

I'm a 5'2" female so most of my gear is smaller (13" shins and gloves for example) plus I also wear a girdle instead of traditional pants. I'm confidant that the girdle/shell is a huge help in getting my stuff in the smaller bag. 

Got it.  Thanks.  Maybe I should have given it a try.  I'm running similar sizes and set up and have plenty of room in the Player bag.  Rechecked last night after my skate and I don't have any gear larger than Adult Small and 13" gloves and shins.  Is your gear a pretty tight fit in the Junior bag?  Or do you have room to spare?  

[shoeshine boy 242]

23 hours ago, krisdrum said:

Got it.  Thanks.  Maybe I should have given it a try.  I'm running similar sizes and set up and have plenty of room in the Player bag.  Rechecked last night after my skate and I don't have any gear larger than Adult Small and 13" gloves and shins.  Is your gear a pretty tight fit in the Junior bag?  Or do you have room to spare?  

I think this is the video I watched that helped me pack most efficiently:

the only issue that you might have is skate size but you could always store your skates blade up with soakers if you had to.

I don't have a bunch of extra space but really, I was carrying too much crap around anyway. the only time I wish that I had more space is when I go to tournaments.