Grit HTSE Hockey Tower Bag
The Grit HTSE Hockey Tower bag is unlike any bag I’ve ever owned. Aside from the numerous attributes, what sets this hockey bag apart from the rest is its distinctive stand-up feature. It’s almost like having a personal equipment locker on wheels!
Setting up the Grit HTSE Hockey Tower bag is quick and easy, and only takes a matter of minutes. The advanced design—which features adjustable shelves—allows you to keep all of your gear organized, eliminating the fishing around your bag for stuff when suiting up. The Grit HTSE includes a removable mesh wet/dry bag, which conveniently clips in place inside the bag; it’s perfect for keeping your jersey, socks, etc. together when packing for your game, and comes in handy when retrieving your sweaty stuff for the wash.
How many times have you gotten your socks wet from stepping on a wet spot from someone’s skates? The Foot Carpet feature of the Grit HTSE takes care of that. And what to do about your hockey sticks? No worries—the handy Blade Ports allows you to stow one or two sticks on either side of the hockey bag, which frees up your other hand. An optional garment bag that clips to the outside of the bag lets you stow your jerseys.
Putting it to the Test
When game day finally arrived, I proudly strut through the locker room and took a seat between my two teammates. To my left was an older model of the Grit Hockey Tower bag, and to my right was a competitor’s version. It didn’t take me long to determine that my Grit HTSE was far more durable than that big-name hockey bag.
After the game, repacking my Grit HTSE was a breeze. And loading the bag into the trunk of my car was a snap, with the sturdy handles on each end. Once I returned to my home, I unclipped the mesh bag containing my used socks and uniform, which kept it all together for the laundry. I then unzipped the hockey bag, allowing the unique Air-Dry flow-through ventilation feature to work its magic. The bag even has Velcro strips at the top that enable you to hang your shoulder pads and other gear, for faster drying.
The Bottom Line: With its rugged good looks and 11 color options, the Grit HTSE Hockey Tower bag would make anyone proud to own one. Available in two sizes, 33″ and 36″. For more information, go to www.gritinc.net
—Warren Tabachnick
Grit Pod Hockey Bag
I return home from most games with a dull ache in my shoulder and a visible stretch of red lines (broken blood vessels?) across my upper chest, to which my wife always asks, “What happened?!”
I wish I could come up with a cooler story: ‘Some jerk slashed me before I punched him out,’ or ‘I got caught under a net-front pileup while defending my goalie’—anything but the truth.
It’s just my hockey bag.
A plain, standard, black duffel-shaped hockey bag seems to be a common theme these days. The thing with this type of bag is that the straps just don’t bear the weight (which is quite a lot, by the way). If you think about it, the combined weight of all of your gear means you’re probably lugging upwards of 50 lbs. And if you’re the team captain, like me, and you decide to carry the pucks with you, the extra weight of those little suckers can add up real quick.
It’s not just the weight that bugs me; it’s the discomfort from a lack of padding. I have gotten into a little head game over the years, moving the jerseys and softer pieces of equipment to the “carrying side” (the part of the bag that will be pressed against my body when it is slung over my shoulder) so as to avoid getting jabbed in the ribs by skates, helmets, and other particularly unforgiving pieces of equipment.
The best part is, these are all problems I used to have.
A buddy of mine—who just so happens to be my teammate—approached me the other day with an offer: Take this great new hockey bag I have for you, quit whining about your hockey bag problems, and then write me a story about it.
Enter the Grit Hockey Pod
I have to admit, it does look like something out of a sci-fi hockey movie. A novel idea, for sure, the bag has a distinct top and bottom to it, sitting on a base with something of a pyramid shape and configuration.
My old hockey bag was a free-for-all, as far as organization goes. It’s no exaggeration that 99% of my teammates have no sort of order, no method to the madness. A glove inside a shin guard inside the pants with a jersey wrapped around it all… you get the picture; a total mess.
This new Grit Hockey Pod bag is a whole different animal; it has shelves! Hanging shelves that are meant to hold specific pieces of equipment: the helmet goes up top, gloves below, skates underneath, and a separate compartment to hold your jerseys and socks. I feel like royalty; this bag actually creates a cubby for me, just like the NHL players have. It’s incredible!
The Grit Hockey Pod also helps to solve an age-old hockey problem: hockey smell. When you get back from a game late at night and all you want to do is hit the sack, the Grit Hockey Pod zips open to allow air flow from the front to the (always) open back, meaning no festering, rotting, mildewing gear. You don’t have to worry about spreading out your gear on the deck or lawn, or hanging it on one of those crazy equipment trees. There is literally no extra effort required to air out your gear, which is perfect for lazy asses (like me and my teammates).
And how could I forget about the first point I made: this bag is wonderful on the shoulder. It features a thick strap that goes across the chest and distributes the weight evenly, rather than keeping that weight concentrated on your shoulder.
The Bottom Line: The Grit Hockey Pod offers superior looks and performance, at an affordable price. Available in 6 color combinations and 2 sizes, 30″ and 34″. For more information visit grit.inc.net
—Dave Green
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