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| Yes it has been 'Approved by Cats' |
Well as you can see from the picture at the top of the page, this is yet another Battlefoam product that has received a coveted 'Approved by Cats' award. Ironic when I think back to the fact that I was originally reluctant to spend my money on Battlefoams, what I thought were expensive products. It was other peoples products that finally convinced me to give Battlefoam a go as theirs kept failing me. So two 'Approved by Cats' awards from my original reticence, it was a close run thing though on this bag, for a number of reasons that I'll let the cats explain for themselves later on. However, the crux of the matter is that this bag protects those delicate Infinity miniatures beautifully, and primarily that is all that matters surely? It's also a good size for the game and can carry all my gubbins as well.
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| Tybalt inspects the stitching |
This is a bag filled with foam. If you've seen a Battlefoam bag before then you'll know to expect a nice quality canvass skin to the bag, with a hard plastic shell underneath that tough skin to provide a good level of protection. The bag comes with 3 foam trays in total. You get a 1.5" tray that will carry 41 or so standard Infinity troopers. The second tray is a 2" thick tray and will carry a further 14 standard sized troopers, 12 larger HI type troopers, 5 small remotes and 4 large remotes. The final tray is a 3"of pick and pluck foam, perfect for TAGs and other weirdly shaped mini's. Personally I'd have preferred a half and half 3" foam tray, with some different shaped cut outs and some pick and pluck, but it's a good configuration all round. Any who here's the ever chirpy Romeo waxing lyrical about his product, it gives you a good idea though of what the bag looks like:
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| the best way to carry it |
OK, I think it is clear to see that this bag was definitely designed for Infinity as a game. From the huge pocket at the front of the bag that is easily capable of carrying the current two rulebooks and the planned third mission book. To the shape of the cut outs. I have had a few problems with some of my other bags and indeed my PACK 720 when carrying my Infinity stuff. The miniatures are just way more delicate than most, and require a tighter fitting foam than most games miniatures require. This bag provides that though and make no mistake, the cut out shapes are spot on for Infinity.
I love my Infinity miniatures a little bit too much if I'm honest, but there is no question that some pieces are excessively delicate. Corvus Belli have decided to go for good looks with some miniatures over sturdy gaming functionality. I like this uncompromising stance myself as I'm a painter deep down. However, it can make carrying the things around a right pain in the ass. So after roughly a month of gaming and running around with my mini's in the bag what do I think? It's bloody brilliant, that's what I think. Not a single miniature damaged, no paint chipped and it's easy to carry around.
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| The pick and pluck tray, it's a bit too much for Infinity collections |
The huge pocket at the front of the bag easily fits the books in, and although this makes the bag a bit front heavy, when you are using the shoulder strap across you, the weight of those books pushes the bag into you and actually makes it easier on you to carry. The big tight pocket at the back of the bag is great for keeping laminated reference sheets and my Micro Art game templates. One of the side pockets is a nice good expandle size that you can drop your dice and counters in, but I have to be honest and say I've yet to find a good use for other tight zipped side pocket. I'd prefer two baggy pockets personally, but on the whole it's brilliant for Infinity.
Detail 8 out of 10
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| The large side pocket stuffed with D20's and conters |
As with all my Battlefoam bags I think it's fair to say this is a high quality product, exceedingly well constructed. The stitching is high quality, as are the metal clasps and buckles. The rubber is soft to the touch and sturdy enough to feel like it'll stand up to repeated punishment. I kinda wish my Warmachine bag had a rubber handle now! The canvass the bag is made out of, to quote Romeo, is a 'durable' material. My Warmachine bag has seen some serious punishment and it still looks damn fine, and this Infinity bag is made of the same hardy stuff. That makes me a happy bunny! But all of that pales into insignificance when you actually get to see the Battlefoam foam. Now I've had people tell me that 'foam is foam'. Trust me it's not. It's not that you can get laser cut foam, although that is a bonus (but others now offer it), it's just better. It feels firm and rigid and gives the bag much of its structural strength yet is soft and cushioned. The bottom of the trays are a thicker substance that helps the tray retain it's shape during transport and stops gaps opening up for the miniatures to slip out of. Trust me, it's the foam that makes the biggest difference and all these canvas bags other firms are bringing out to compete with the Battlefoam product still don't seem to get that it's the foam that's the difference.
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| Plenty of space for those big books and a third book... |
These bags were stopped by US customs when they first arrived in the US. This stopped Battlefoam from being able to keep to their distribution schedule, which pissed some people off. However, I was given a money off coupon and email updates keeping me informed that were quite regular. These things happen and I think it's how companies deal with them that shows how good they are. Battlefoam did all they could and rather than sending it to their UK distributor to then send onto me they sent it direct and included paper work to show UK customs I'd already paid UK VAT on the bag. From the date that Battlefoam received the bag to it actually getting into my hands was 5 working days. That's from the USA to UK in 5 days, no duty to be paid and exceedingly well packaged. If other people have a problem with that service then I think they're being overly fussy.
Price 7 out of 10
Right this is the thing that I always say that Battlefoam could do a bit better. This bag cost me £73.20, and while I'd pay pretty much whatever it takes to keep my Infinity miniatures safe, I can't help but feel that the price could be a tad cheaper. There's no getting away from it, although I think Battlefoam is the best product on the market, you clearly pay for it. Only you will know personally whether it's worth spending that sort of money for your Infinity miniatures.
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| Another photograph of that glorious foam |
Overall 9 out of 10
Overall I think this is a great product well suited to Infinity. I've said before that I don't think I can see myself ever wanting to put my expensive hobby toys in any other carry case product. I think the tight spaces in the foam this bag comes with are perfect for my delicate Infinity miniatures. The case is just the right size for me and my current ways of playing Infinity. I've managed to fit two decent sized factions in my bag, and that's great as it means I have options whenever I go places now. But, more importantly it means if somebody wants me too I can run them an intro game. Just like my Warmachine bag made me far more likely to take my Warmachine and Hordes miniatures around with me, I think my Infinity bag will make me far happier to carry my delicate space ninjas, bunny girls and deadly robots around. Peace out!
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| All hail the Poppy bed!!! |
Poppy: Teh ovva kats fourt dis bage wos tu smaul. Teh iz rong!!!
Macavity: Nowe, nowe Poppy taht not faeyer. Wii sayed it wus tu smaul fur uss.
Tybalt: Shee iz sutch a liyer.
Dinah: Tis gud fur skratchering powest tho!!!
Poppy: Maykes a bettur Poppy bedde.
Dinah: Tru, bute I thunk it iz bettur at holden thowes minachures teh non furre wun lykes.
Macavity: Yers tis ver gud at taht.
Tybalt: Yers I tis tryed tu deztrois it amd teh miniachures insyde it. I cuddent tho.
Poppy: Maykes a bettur Poppy bedde.
Macavity: Wii haz gotte tu appruves it, ryhte?
Dinah & Tybal: Yers, qwyte.
Poppy: Ownlee as teh Poppy bedde tho, bute yers, key. I appruves it.
It is a great looking bag! I really do need to invest in a battlefoam bag for my miniatures, they just seem so expensive when you look at them :(
ReplyDeleteI really want to get the Hordes or Warmachine bag but the idea of parting with £100 stops me......I suppose it is a small fraction of what I have actually spent on models...let alone the time spent painting......
I learned my lesson with my first wacky army bag.
ReplyDeletePull foam is kinda lame, and nobody makes 'standardized minis.'
With my Tau, I've got little Kroot Arms and weapons that stick out and get broken.
Don't EVEN get me started on Broadsides....just...don't.
With my Flames of War minis the infantry get lost (they're so small), and the tanks either stick out the top (lil' machineguns and such), or have to in the vehicle tray where they flop around too much for me to feel good about it.
I won't be buying any more generic army bags.
My minis are too valuable.
The lesson has been learned.
And besides, it's 'Approved by Cats.'
What more does anyone need to know?
These are indeed great, as FLG says, the price does hurt the product.
ReplyDelete@Darth tater, have you read my review of the Warmachine bag?
ReplyDeletehttp://thefrontlinegamer.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-my-battlefoam-bag-saved-my-life.html
Have to be honest I was a little bit like you, I thought the cost was prohibitive. I also couldn't see how they'd be worth the asking price. But after other products let me down I decided what the heck, might as well give it a go. Worth. Every. Penny. As I say, as hobbyists we spend so much money on our miniatures, spend ages prepping and painting them. Why chuck them in a cheap bag where they'll more than likely get damaged?
@SinSynn, Sadly it seems to be a lesson we all have to learn ourselves. Normally the hard way it seems.
@Sorrowshard, yep they are pricey, but as the olde saying goes "quality costs".
My biggest problem with battlefoam has always been the way the owner comports himself (or has comported since he seems to have settled down somewhat). Which certainly doesn't help the price issue any.
ReplyDeleteThe lawsuits of dubious validity, the way he camps threads about his product and the earlier (and godawful) product videos that we're more attacks on competitors than accurate descriptions. It's all kind of offputting.
Everything I've seen about the bags has been overwhelmingly positive so hopefully there's a case of my own from Santa in the near future, but I've just always felt like the company is a little 'off'.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on that.
@Lauby, I've conversed with Romeo, and exchanged emails a few times with him and he seems like an OK guy to me. Just somebody trying to make a living and doing what he can to protect and promote his company. As for the lawsuits, I really don't know anywhere near enough about the incidents to comment.
ReplyDeleteI read the wild internet gossip and scandal, much of it I have to say rang a little hollow when put under scrutiny. Companies and people get things wrong at times, especially when you've put a lot of personal effort into something and then it feels like someone comes along and gives you a sucker punch. It's why when I have something bad to say about a product in a review I'm always at pains to explain why and try to be constructive.
As to Romeo and Battlefoam? Honestly if his company continues to make the best product on the market and I continue to be able to justify the cost, I'll keep buying the stuff. If people want to boycott Battlefoam because they think he's a jackass that's up to them. But trust me it's their loss not Battlefoams. lol.
good to know. Thank, man. Here's top hoping that a shiny malifaux bag makes it's way from the north pole. hehe.
ReplyDelete@Lauby, word of warning with the Mofaux BF bag, if you've put your Mofaux mini's on the base inserts then the pre-cut shapes aren't quite big enough for some of the taller or expansive miniatures. I have the cherry red one, review incoming by the end of the week.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm now the proud owner of the Infinity alpha bag.. And I love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad I read your review as I thought it was way to expensive. After spending some time putting together those fragile Infinity figures however.. That said, I won't be buying a battlefoam bag for every game I own as that would get way too expensive. I'm thinking KR multicase will do for my Tyranids and I might order one of the smaller Feldherr cases for some of my other skirmish games.
A note of warning for those thinking about ordering this or any bag:
DO NOT ORDER THEM FROM WAYLAND GAMES!!
First of all, it's literally the first time I've gotten them to send me my order instead of a refund and this is the third attempt.
Secondly, it took them 3 months to get it here. After some research it turns out that this is probably because of Battlefoam UK. However, on their site it is listed as an item of high availabilty. Only after 2 months they told me that deliveries are always this slow with this supplier and only after I mailed them myself.
And lastly, have you ever had a very expensive item arrive at your doorstep in a box that is too small? I have now.. They probably used about half a roll of ducktape to keep that box closed. It was also the only thing keeping the damn thing together, as it had torn at the seams.
I know these bags are though and won't need that much protecting. Still, get a box that fits please..
PS: Whoosah.. It's cool, I'm calm..
Yep they're a damn good product and make no mistake about it. I was Mr Skeptical at first, but a few Battlefoam bags later and I'm convinced. As to Waylands Games... email them and complain. Apparently they can do no wrong, so perhaps if people start letting them know when they have done something wrong it'll help them get a greatewr appreciation of what people actually think of their service.
Delete