Elite Paintball Guns

The Empire XLT is really the hugest gear bag I have seen so far. It can probably fit twice your gear and there might be some more room left in it. Seriously – it huge. It has big main compartment and plenty of pockets with some additional pockets in them. It’s really nicely made – great looking and which is more important, very sturdy. You’ll notice later in the specifications that with the bag itself you also get a removable gun case, tool pouch and a carry-on gym bag. Whatever you can think of this bag has it. What I like best is the goggle pocket – it’s very nice and very well protected (unlike some other bags I’ve seen lately). The bag also has telescopic handle (and trust me this comes in very, very handy when you load the thing), shoulder strap, and some off-road wheels (again a great touch – those are not the fragile wheels some other bags have, that you’re expecting to break any moment). Enough of that, look at the provided info now:

“XLT™ GEARBAG
The largest gear bag Empire carries; this bag will hold it all. You will be able to carry everything you would ever need at the field with you. The MTS™ has been added to this huge gear bag as well, so you can strap in 2 markers.

* Vented wet pocket
* Removable gun case (accommodates 2 markers)
* Felt-lined goggle pocket
* Side pockets filled with zippered mesh pockets
* MTP Market Tether System
* Removable tool pouch
* Inside the side pocket in a lightweight carry-on sized gym bag (To transfer to if your bag is overweight for the airlines).
* Internal organizer pocket
* Telescopic hide-away pull handle
* Rugged off-road wheels
* Removable shoulder strap”

There are a few tiny details I can put as a downside, but don’t get me wrong – the bag is great…those are just tiny, tiny things that can make it better. First off the main compartment has no dividers. Just one divider would make things so much better, but there aren’t any so you just have to deal with it. Also the side pockets are somewhat tight…but you can still keep plenty of things there. And last the Marker Tether System is kind of pointless in my opinion. It’s no more than a couple of Velcro straps that don’t even hold your marker that secure. Other than that the bag is awesome and if you can afford it I’m sure it will meet your expectations and even exceed them. There’s also plenty of color and theme choices (yet another thing you don’t get from the other companies). It’s kinda pricy though – you can find it for about $160, but again do get it if you can spend that kind of money…you’ll love it.

So, duffel bags may not be the most comfortable ones, but they sure are the most effective when it comes to carrying a ton of things. So if the Rogue Backpack is a good choice if you don’t have a lot of stuff to carry the Unity Crosstrainer SE Duffle Bag is exactly the opposite. It has a huge main compartment that can hold all of your gear, two guns and whatever more you can think of. It also has plenty of outside pockets that may come in handy. It’s really durable and not to mention very nice looking. The shoulder strap is heavy duty and very comfortable. Pretty much all you can expect from a paintball bag to be. So here is some more info about it:

One day, One Bag. This compact shoulder bag boasts overnight accommodations for 2 guns, your full line of paintball clothes and equipment, plus the ability to morph into an external gun carrying case (attach your intact marker set up). There is a huge main compartment, with a foam-padded base. Heavy duty ergonomic shoulder strap, that removes if you want it to. Exterior pockets designed to carry spare lenses and a tool kit. Made from Ballistics nylon with the Empire unity custom urban camo.

Features:

* Holds two guns plus a padded detachable gun case
* Side mount Tether system
* Hide-Away wet pocket
* ID window
* Zippered Tool pouches
* Large main compartment for gear
* Abrasion resistant base
The only downside I can think of about this duffel bag is how heavy it will get when you fill it up. But that’s not really the bag’s problem is it. So if you insist on carrying everything “paintball” you own you should suffer the heavy consequences. In the end, in my opinion the bag is really great and totally worthy and if you can spare $80 on it you should definitely get it.

The first thing you’ll notice if you’ve checked website offers for the Empire Rogue Backpack is that there’s no description to go with it – no specifications or features. I find that a bit strange, especially since it’s not one of the cheapest backpacks out there. Anyway I can still give you my opinion on it and it’s only up to you whether to get or not. So if I have to describe the backpack with just one word it would be “average”. There’s really nothing too exciting or special in it to distinguish it from all the other similar products out there. It’s a pretty normal backpack actually and in the world of paintball and all the gear it consists of that’s not a good thing. The bag is really not as big as it looks on the picture. Sure it will hold your gun (or even two) and maybe some additional small stuff, but most of your gear will still need to be hanged on the outside which for many people, me included, is not the best way to go. I mean, you’re buying a backpack with the intension of actually carrying stuff in it and not so much on it, right. So the Rogue is not really my favorite offer out there, but I have to give it credit for being very, very comfortable. You’ll be amazed. So I guess if you don’t have many things to carry anyway, you may as well like it if you give it a try. Its price is about $60 which I wouldn’t really spend on it, but as I said in the beginning in the end it’s all up to you. Just mind what you’ve read so far.

The Empire Heater is a pretty good backpack. Especially for the money it’s priced. You can get it for about $55 which in the world of paintball backpacks is really not so expensive. Can you find something better – certainly, but you have to be willing to pay the price for it. The Heater is pretty big and you’ll be able to fit almost everything in it. Still, some of the bulkier stuff will be left on the outside. There’s a place to hang them though so if you don’t mind that you’ll like the bag. It has a big main compartment and plenty of additional pockets for your other stuff. The bag is strongly made and will keep up with the weight of your entire gear. The inside is made of nylon material which is very easy to clean. You have padded back straps and a strong grab handle. Pretty much everything you need from a backpack. Here are some more details about it:

* Specific pocket for your compressed air tank and loader
* Roomy main compartment for all your clothes and pads
* Clip for your goggles and harness to attach securely
* Neoprene grab handle to yank your bag out of you trunk
* Concealed padded gun compartment
* Two front pre curved padded compression straps
* Moisture wicking back pads
* Organizational pocket with places for your MP3 and all of your personal stuff
* Coated nylon material inside that easily wipes out any unwanted paint spots

The downsides worth pointing out are the lack of space for your entire gear and the lack of padding on the bottom of the backpack. I’ve already cleared the first part and as to the second – you just have to deal with it and be careful when putting your backpack on the ground. Other than that the bag is really a good deal. As I already mentioned the price is pretty good one and I’m sure you’ll be happy if you decide to get the Heater. There’s not too much to be expected from a backpack.

Those of you who don’t like the backpack style can chose something like the Trainer for instance. It is duffel style bag, again big enough to fit most of your gear and very practical. The
Dye Trainer has thick Velcro handle and reinforced stitching all around, making it very durable and safe to carry around. The bottom side of the bag is lightly padded, so it will keep its shape and protect your gear when you leave the bag on the ground. The Trainer helps you organize your luggage very well – it is divided into four compartments, one along the side, large center, and two on the other side. It also has additional zippered pockets in the rear and front. See the info provided for it:

Large duffel style main compartment
- Adjustable shoulder strap
- Name card holder
- Dual zippered front pockets
- Large zippered rear pocket
- Microinjection logos
- Embroidered Dye logo, Dye logo Zipper pulls
- Dimensions: L26″ X W15″ X H11″

The biggest disadvantage of the Trainer is that even though it’s pretty big it may still be unable to fit all of your gear and you may need to carry something else with you. Also it would be nice to have some more padding on the bottom and maybe some for the pockets. Anyway the bag is a pretty good one and I think you’ll like it very much. It will cost you about $50 which is pretty much the cheapest Dye bag you can get. Still, if you don’t insist on the brand name you can find just as good, similar products for even less money.

Even though it’s a 2006 model the Dye Explorer will cost you quite a sum. It keeps its price high, but the qualities of the bag totally justify it. It’s a beautiful looking bag, huge and very practical. There’s plenty of room for your gear and more. It has many, many pockets for storing wallets and keys, plus removable gun sleeves, and clothes compartment. And even when you think you’re running out of space – there’s a little zipper that can expand the bag 2″ more. The Explorer 2006 also has wheels and, unlike the Navigator 2008, it is equipped with telescopic handle for easy transport. It has padded back and bottom so it keeps it shape and is very comfortable. Here’s the provided info about it:

- Small travel wheelie bag
- Telescopic handle and clear wheels for easy transport
- Two book-style padded gun pages
- Two main compartments for gear
- Accordion style expandability for over packing
- Two carry handles
- Built in barrel compartment and bottle sleeve
- Sectional interior

There’s just one thing I want to point out as a downside – even though the Explorer looks like a backpack there are no back straps on it. This way you can only wheel it, but not carry it on your back. Other than that the bag is great and if you have $100 to spend on it I suggest you do. You won’t regret making that decision.

If you have some more money to spend take a look at this next bag option. The Dye Navigator 2008 is certainly not for everyone, but absolutely a great product. It’s practically two bags that clip together with 4 large, adjustable clips and can be hauled around as one. The first bag is pretty much a travel bag where you can keep your everyday clothes and accessories. Its entire bottom has reinforced plastic that extends to the sides and front of the bag to prevent wearing out and tear. It consists of two compartments – one for your clothes and one for whatever you decide. It has plenty of space in it and is pretty practical. The bag also has a hard plastic handle for grabbing onto when you need to lift the bag up and two rollerblade wheels that look pretty durable for easy and smooth rolling. The second bag is the gear bag. It has no hard surface or luggage rails on, just padding on the bottom. It’s big enough to fit all of your gear, but still has plenty additional pockets for use. There are also shoulder straps (padded) and a waist and chest strap for carrying the bag around as a backpack. And if you don’t want to carry it, just like the travel bag, it features its own set of wheels. Here’s the provided information about the Navigator 2008:
•    Largest compartmentalized paintball gear bag available
•    Upper completely detaches from lower
•    Upper converts to backpack for dual usage
•    Both upper and lower sections feature wheels for easy transport
•    Padded gun section holds up to 3 markers, 1 with tank
•    Redesigned large side pockets for extra storage
•    Large rear compartment for storage
•    Large front compartment for goggles and extras
•    Multiple carrying handles
•    Padded backpack straps
•    Waterproof section for cleats
•    Vented with durable metal eyelets
•    Heavy duty ballistic nylon construction
•    Backpack waist clip for extra support
•    Large heavy duty YKK zippers with DYE logo zipper pulls
•    Extremely large lower section for clothing storage
•    Embroidered DYE logos
•    Dual Name card holder
•    Dimensions L38x W19x H21
“The Navigator is the original paintball gear bag that completely separates into two halves. This unique design allows you to separate your dirty field gear from your clean street clothing. Fill the top section with all your guns, goggles, jerseys, pants, you name it. Then keep all of your clean clothes in the bottom section, allowing you to go out to the celebration dinners in style. The top section of the Navigator converts to a backpack with padded straps and back support, while the bottom section can be left at the hotel with all of your clean clothes for the night life. Both top and bottom sections now feature wheels for easy transport. The Navigator can hold up to three guns, one of them still with the tank on it. You can also store your goggles without the worry of deforming them while it is left in the trunk. The bottom section features two large compartments. One to store all your clean folded clothes and the other is waterproof for all of your bathroom supplies.”
Just like with every other product there are some things that could have been done better. Nothing too major believe me, but still worth mentioning. Like the fact that there is no telescoping handle. The featured wheels don’t make too much sense when there’s no telescoping handle (not to me anyway). Also the backpack straps could have used a bit more padding, but that’s not too big of a deal in my opinion. Other than that the Navigator is really a great bag to have. The build quality is simply excellent, something we’re used to when talking about Dye products. It’s gonna cost you thought. The price for this bag goes up to $200. Pretty steep, but totally worthy if you ask me. For those who can afford it – don’t hesitate getting it.

We went through almost all the possible paintball gear out there and as you can see it’s quite a luggage to carry around. And sure you can use any regular bag or something, but it’s always a plus to have some more options. And there are. Starting with Dye Ranger 08 Backpack. That’s a pretty good looking backpack if you ask me, and pretty comfortable too. It’s big, it’s practical and I’m pretty sure you’re gonna like it. It has a large main pocket that’s gonna fit most of your gear and for the rest of it there are five smaller pockets on the front, one on each side, a laptop sleeve accessible from the side and the main pocket and an mp3 player pocket on the top flap. There are three sleeves inside the bag to separate gear from clean clothes. The backpack straps and back are nicely padded so no matter how heavy the thing is it will still be comfortable. And in case you’re not carrying much stuff you have the option to compress the bag with the side Velcro tabs and make it smaller. Read the provided info about it and we’ll move on:
•    Unique military style duffle backpack
•    Multiple handles for easy carrying
•    Large outer cargo pockets
•    Wide open main compartment
•    Heavy duty buckle closure system
•    Adjustable padded backpack straps
•    Side Velcro tabs to compress bag with smaller loads
•    Dimensions L24x W15x H16
Dye did a very nice job with this backpack, but there are some things they could have done better. What I don’t like is that the body of the bag is completely flexible (except for the padded back), and there is no frame to help keep its shape. It’s kinda irritating. Also be careful as there’s no padding on the bottom. If you don’t want to break something make sure you don’t drop it on the ground too hard. The closure system is pretty good one, but the somehow the top flap is pretty loose so you better figure out a way to close it more tightly. If you can deal with those tiny flaws, this is the bag for you. It will cost you about $75 (which is not cheap), but it’s gonna last you for quite a while and I’m sure it will meet all your expectations.