The best DJ Bag (and all around best bag for anything) money can buy.
You'll never need another bag ever.
Welcome to my new series on gear I love. A DJ bag might seem like a weird choice for a first article. Backpacks certainly aren’t the sexiest piece of tech in the world, but without a great pack, the rest of your precious gear is likely to get damaged. While this article is primarily for DJs, our winning bag has multiple uses, and isn’t even sold as a DJ bag, so DJ or not, you might find this interesting.
Most of the DJ bags I have tested from music stores have been flimsy and cheap. They rarely stand up to any sort of abuse. Usually the zippers fail first, but in some cases the whole bag rips leaving you in a bad spot when your laptop crashes to the floor right before a set. If you don’t want to read the whole article, go ahead and click here to see the bag.
Why should you trust me?
I have been a DJ since 2007, so at the time of this article, 16 years. I am not a bedroom DJ, or one of the lucky guys who gets to show up with a USB stick and some headphones. I DJ 4-8 times for week, often have to load in all of my gear from speakers, DJ setup, cords, etc, and I am often bringing in more than the basics, because I have to be prepared for any situation.
The Losers
My advice is to never buy your pack from a music store. The most expensive pack i bought from my favorite DJ store was made of cheap fabric, and lasted about 2 months before it ripped. You just don’t know what you are going to get, and quality is all over the place. I don’t want to trash any company in particular, but this has been my experience.
What do I look for in a good bag?
First off, it has to protect my sensitive electronics, especially my lap top. It has to hold a lot of gear, because I am hauling wireless mics, lots of cords, headphones, a small x1 controller, and a lap top stand. This leaves me with a heavy bag. For that reason I need something that won’t rip, with tough zippers that won’t break, and comfortable and durable straps. I also walk long distances with this bag, so it has to be comfortable.
The Winning Company
My DJ Bag of choice is made by a company called GORUCK. They were started by some special forces veterans interested in building indestructible bags for an athletic activity called rucking. Rucking is a long distance hike with a weighted bag. When you hike with weight, you burn a lot of calories. I bought a bag for this purpose, and was so impressed with the quality, almost every backpack I own is made by GORUCK now from my carry on, to my rucking pack, to my DJ bag. Their bags are incredibly durable. None of my bags have failed in any way, and they have been through hell and back. If your bag does fail, they carry a lifetime warranty.
The Best DJ Bag
The bag I use week in and week out to carry my gear is the 40L GORUCK GR2. It has 2 main pouches filled with organizational pockets, a laptop sleeve, and an outer pocket. It is also covered in Molle Straps if you need even more storage. This bag is big enough to carry all the cords, wireless mics, and DJ gear I need for most gigs, and is comfortable, durable, and protects all my equipment with no problem. I started using this bag at least 6 years ago, and have not had to replace it yet. It is covered in stains from being spilled on, dropped in mud, and thrown around the back of my suburban, but it just keeps going. I would rather buy something that is high quality and lasts a life time, than something that will fail after a few months at the worst possible time. So far, the GR2 is the best bag. If you’re a DJ that doesnt have to carry as much stuff, the 34L GR2 may be a better fit for you.
Other Great bags from GORUCK
The GR1 is the little brother to the GR2. It features one main pouch full of organizers instead of 2, still has a laptop pouch and outer pocket, and depending on the model you get, is still covered in molle. This is a great every day pack.
The GR3 is the ultimate carry on bag if you prefer a pack to a suitcase. All that needs to be said about it, is it’s big.
The rucker is great if you’re interested in rucking as a form of exercise. I ruck 9 miles around white rock lake with the rucker and a padded hip belt frequently, with no problems. I burn almost 1500 calories in 3-4 hours carrying the 30 pound ruck plate and water. While i definitely had to build up to this distance, it has been much easier and achievable than jogging for me, and Im losing weight as well as gaining muscle.
Downsides
The only downside with this bag is it isn’t fully water proof, so be careful in the DJ booth, and don’t set your bag in a puddle of beer!
Never knew bags matter just as much for DJs like it did for photographers! What a fun little read !