Brian's Intermediate Wheeled Bag

[RichMan]

I purchased this bag last season for the non-snow season because after 30+ years of lugging a bag around on my shoulders, it took a toll on my back, shoulders and neck. My health is important to me and if I want to keep playing to my expected level, you do what you gotta do. I do have my carry bag for the winter months. Given how dry a winter we had here in Gatineau/Ottawa, I got to use the wheeled bag quite often.

Just for reference details, I'm 6'2, 195?lbs. My gear is in the large/xlarge range. Generally I buy bags that measure 38x18x18 or in that ball park. For the most part, this sizing is common in intermediate bags. I tried a CCM wheeled pro bag (44x20x20) and I usually carry my pads on my shoulder but I wanted to see how it was to pack it all in and such but that thing was just too massive to bring about. And so, I already knew from the past that Brian's had this intermediate wheeled bag available and it was on sale for a good price and I jumped on it. It's a shame that they've stopped producing the carry version in the same dimensions and they have no plans on bringing it back as per Brian's customer service.

As you can see in the second pic, despite my size as a goalie, everything but the pads fit in nicely and there's still a few loose spots i could drop in extras if needed. My pants are McKenney 855 XL and they are a very old school barrel shaped pants. If I got my hands on something more up-to-date like the CCM HPG12A (which I hope to find in Habs edition), then I'd have even more room to play. The same will happen once I bring down my c/a from an XL to a L.

The build is a very sturdy quality nylon. U shaped opening for very easy access. A skate pocket at each end. A small zipper pouch on the inside for small objects. A large mesh zippered closer underneath the top of the bag for your gitch or jerseys or whatever your heart desires. The handles are sewn in very well and wrap down the sides to add to the secure fit. They even added metal taps to prevent tearing. The end handles are also stitched in very well and I don't see ever having issues there. There are three wheels of good size made of some galvanised rubber like on roller blades. The chassis that supports the bottom is your typical 3 runners frame with some kind of plastic sheet within the linings. It hasn't flexed or bent or warped at any time despite the overall weight. Of course, balancing out your gear in your bag is a smart approach. Maybe it would be a different story with their senior bag and my 35" pads inside it. On the side you pull, it has a built-in telescopic handle that honestly, even at 6'2, I haven't felt the need to use it yet.

So as all new bags, just like any piece of equipment, there's a break-in period. Well, as you can depict in the first photo, the sides have given in...or out...in any case, it has taken the marshmallow shape. What this does is make it sometimes cumbersome in tight alleys or when navigating around people or hallway sticks. In the change room, it takes up a little more room than the rest of the guys, as expected for goalies. If anything, I wish the walls around were reinforced by plastic sheets like in the bottom to help it keep its full rectangular shape. They could also just bake on some vinyl crisscross lines like they do on quality trail shoes to prevent the side walls to over-extend. It's not a deal breaker but it would be a nice idea.

All-in-all, I'm pretty happy with my purchase. If you like this style of opening and if you have suitable room in your vehicle to lug it around, this is a good choice for the price. 

All this being said, with concerns of available space in living quarters, obnoxiously small change rooms in older rinks, and the girlfriend staring at the bag like it's a homeless that keeps crashing in our living room day after day, I would seriously consider getting my hands on a Sumo bag in the near future.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Edited March 20 by RichMan