Transporting game boxes is a pain in the neck. For the uninitiated, most board games come in boxes that are usually about 13″ square, making them rather awkward to carry- especially in numbers. Folks have come up with a lot of ways to move them from place to place. I’ve seen everything from reusable shopping bags to giant plastic bins too big and heavy for one person to carry. Don’t get me wrong, even the lower quality game boxes these days are often more durable than we give them credit for; but a lot of these methods beat the crap out of your games. And while the wear and tear can be a sign of a much loved title, it sucks to have your favorite game box beat up and broken.

Then came the game bag, a product that has become indispensible for hobbyists. It’s sized to fit those 13″ boxes, padded enough to protect from bumps, and zips up tidy to present a nice clean package when walking in to game night. Well… All of this in theory of course, because in practice…

Look, there are a lot of game bags they have popped up in the last few years; too many, really. Most of them are at best okay; some are absolute garbage. Sub standard materials, bad stitching, Padding that doesn’t hold up… I’ve owned two sets of game bags, and I’ve also tried a lot of other options, and most of that time was spent incredibly frustrated with the situation.

Enter the Game Canopy, from Level3b. I recieved one as a gift from family, and after owning that for a year I bought another. These are by far the best game bags in existence, with superior design, materials, and build quality. There are three different designs to choose from:

• The Game Canopy, which is big enough to hold 5-6 average sized games
• The Vanguard, my personal favorite, carries 2-3 titles
• and The Deep Space, which is bigger than the original and designed to hold your biggest game boxes, but should comfortably fit 9-10 normal games

When opened, the bags effectively display your games without needing to remove them from the bag. They come in a variety of colors to match your style. They are incredibly well made, from some of the best materials. The zippers are luggage grade and function smoothly. Just the simple decision to wrap the straps down around the bottom of the bag blows my mind- redistributing the weight from a small patch of stitching where the handle is attatched, to the strap itself; making the bag incredibly durable. You can even get a fitted rain fly if you live in a particularly wet environment.

I have heard one relavent critique; and while I don’t agree, I believe it is a fair criticism. Each bag has a flat, open pocket on both the front and the back. I have heard some folks complain about these pockets because they’re small and don’t zip closed. This is an understandable frustration, but I’ve found the issue to be a bit mute, as I’ve managed to keep pens, notepads, even a micro-game in this pocket without ever losing anything.

Finally, a lot of folks will argue that these bags are too expense. While they do cost more than many competing products, my response is that age-old and quite cliched addage “You get what you pay for.” Yes, there are more affordable game bags out there, and they’re less expensive for a reason. My advice is simple- buy one good bag instead of two cheap ones.

As I have previously mentioned, I own and use two of these bags, both in the striking Imperial Purple. I use the original Game Canopy for bigger groups, but I stick with my trusty Vanguard for most game nights. I wholeheartedly recommend Game Canopy, and by extension Level3b. Their dedication to thoughtful design and material quality makes this the best game bag on the market.

Want to know more? Check out Level3b.com!

Agree or disagree? I’d love to hear your thoughts- sound out in the comments below.