Was looking into a Grand Prix backpack as a Christmas gift but many reviews state that the quality is poor. Looked for Henry Lloyd - discontinued. SmartPak is carrying one made by UA - but I don’t like the UA logos front and center (and not sure it has a spot for crop). Looked at GearMax and liked the smaller one but prefer an ‘outside’ helmet pocket. Any ideas?
I hear excellent things about the Noble Equine backpacks! https://www.smartpakequine.com/noble-outfitters-ringside-pack-12148p
I hate my Grand Prix. Both the design and the quality are appallingly poor.
A friend just got the UA backpack Smartpak sells and it’s great. Its footprint is much smaller, though it seems to hold as much (or more!) as my larger Grand Prix since it is designed so efficiently with different compartments for different things. My Grand Prix is basically one big gaping space without a lot of dividers.
The logos aren’t that noticeable.
I also hate my Grand Prix, but unfortunatly the damn thing won’t die. My next backpack will most likely be a normal backback that I can affix my helmet to the outside of, maybe this one
I have a friend who raves about a backpack made by these guys, I can’t pull the exact link at work but worth a look!
I bought the UA bag a few weeks ago, and I like it so far. I’m sure there are better gear bags at higher price points, but I was on a budget, and this one gets the job done.
It’s actually just the UA Striker soccer gear bag with an added SmartPak logo on the bottom, and since soccer players don’t carry crops 
it doesn’t have a dedicated spot for a crop. It would be nice to have a spot for a crop, my jumping bat is short enough to fit inside the bag, or I can just leave it sticking out of one of the zippers.
In terms of “features you can’t see in Smartpak’s footage,” it has this long compartment attached to one of the side pockets–I assume that this is designed to hold soccer cleats–so one of the side pockets is actually much bigger than it appears from the outside. There’s also a series of velcro slide-in slots in the top compartment, which is where I keep my checkbook for lessons, gloves, etc.
FYI, there’s also a UA Striker II bag with a slightly different design, but if you have beef with the prominence of the UA logo, the Striker II isn’t an improvement in that department.
Second the Noble Equine- plus they’re a great company that stands by their product. They have two different backpacks, one is larger and one is smaller.
[QUOTE=ccr052700;7875847]
Was looking into a Grand Prix backpack as a Christmas gift but many reviews state that the quality is poor. Looked for Henry Lloyd - discontinued. SmartPak is carrying one made by UA - but I don’t like the UA logos front and center (and not sure it has a spot for crop). Looked at GearMax and liked the smaller one but prefer an ‘outside’ helmet pocket. Any ideas?[/QUOTE]
I love my Henri Lloyd backpack. Seems like you can still find them through sailing supply stores (which is where I purchased mine a few years ago.)
?http://www.team1newport.com/HENRI-LLOYD-BACK-PACK-30L-Y55093/productinfo/HLY55093/
[QUOTE=ccr052700;7875847]
Was looking into a Grand Prix backpack as a Christmas gift but many reviews state that the quality is poor. Looked for Henry Lloyd - discontinued. SmartPak is carrying one made by UA - but I don’t like the UA logos front and center (and not sure it has a spot for crop). Looked at GearMax and liked the smaller one but prefer an ‘outside’ helmet pocket. Any ideas?[/QUOTE]
I love my Henri Lloyd backpack. Seems like you can still find them through sailing supply stores (which is where I purchased mine a few years ago.)
http://www.team1newport.com/HENRI-LLOYD-BACK-PACK-30L-Y55093/productinfo/HLY55093/
I do not find my GPA backpack very user-friendly, for what it’s worth. Hard to get at things without everything falling out. Hard to see things. Collects dust in the deep “pores” of the weave.
[QUOTE=REH;7876646]
I do not find my GPA backpack very user-friendly, for what it’s worth. Hard to get at things without everything falling out. Hard to see things. Collects dust in the deep “pores” of the weave.[/QUOTE]
I know I already posted on this thread but I cannot even express how much I hate this bag. I hate that in order to get anything out of it you have to unzip it all the way down the bottom so it flops open and everything spills out of it. HATE HATE HATE.
Also, my totally average-sized helmet falls out of the front helmet pocket on a regular basis no matter how much I tighten or loosen the buckles on the bag. One day I am going to lose it at a show.
I have a lamicell backpack (it’s light grey) that is great and it has a whip pocket with Velcro a bit further up to secure it as well. It has lots of room and pockets inside, everyone “borrowed” it for a ring bag at shows. And it is tough too.
