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Review: Namba Gear Lil Namba Remix Backpack

By Matt Belcher on April 20, 2010

All traveling DJs need something to carry their gear around in, even if they’re just hoofing it down to the local dive bar for a tune-up set. After hunting for a suitably rugged, comfortable and well-priced bag for my digital DJ endeavors, I finally struck gold with the Lil Namba Remix Backpack. The smaller brother of the Big Namba Studio Backpack, this medium sized, nice-looking gear bag really does the job, and is integral to my setup. If you’re interested in a single gig bag for a laptop/controller/soundcard rig, check out the full review.

WHAT IT FITS

To give you an idea of how much can fit comfortably into the Remix bag, I laid out my usual gear on the sofa. I was even stunned myself when I saw what came out of it – it’s like a TARDIS!

THE BIG COMPARTMENT

• Plenty of room for the VCI without damaging the faders.

• The laptop pouch belittles my 13-inch Macbook, and will hold a 15-inch laptop with no trouble.

• Space for plenty of large cables, such as the NI Multicores in the large back pouch.

• It can carry the M-Audio Oxygen 8 V2, however, it’s a tight squeeze, and unfortunately requires me to lose a few cables.

IN THE FRONT

• Comfortably fits my big headphones, and NI Audio 8 DJ soundcard, which is fairly bulky.

• Room for loads of USB and RCA cables (in the handy velcro strap).

• Also accommodates a medium sized USB hard drive, small notebook, footswitch, guitar lead, sharpies and wine gums.

SECRET COMPARTMENT


• This is where I slot in my CDs. (The pictured wallet doesn’t come with the bag; it came with my car!)

• This could easily fit in magazines, documents, wallet, etc.

CABLES

• Namba included useful little velcro cable ties, which seriously help with digital DJ setting up syndrome – when you’re given 5 minutes to empty your bag in a dark booth, and you need that spare cable.

• Both compartments have dedicated cable straps to hold everything in place – which I’ve found super useful for the same reason.

THE VERDICT

PROS:

• Über spacious for a bag of its size and weight

• Plenty of handy compartments and straps to organise your gear well – a very valuable feature for me

• Comfortable on the shoulders

• Very brightly coloured interior, so you can see the contents in the dark

• Rugged design to protect your gear

CONS:

• It would be a tight squeeze for anything larger than a VCI-100 (look at it’s bigger brother, the Big Namba Studio Backpack for that).

In terms of how it weighs up against the rest of the market, the Lil Namba Remix Bag seems like the perfect way to carry around your gear for a price of $129.95 US. I have yet to find another bag on the market that is both larger than the usual oversized laptop satchel (like the new Traktor bag) but smaller than the mammoth producer bags, such as the Magma and UDG varieties. If your looking for something with more of a “dj gear” look then the UDG producer bag is also a solid option. Check out our review here.

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Comments (39)
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  • kero

    still is the udg bag the best way to transport my vci

  • ArthurGr

    UDG Producer Bag is so great, have one for VCI 100 SE, Audio 8, 15″ macbook pro, cables, CD, headphones, etc… Very durable, intelligent and good looking. Really have what you paid for

  • twan

    HA 130$? fuck yourself. were talking about a fucking backpack here. people are such fools. dont buy this shit.

  • Justin

    [quote comment=”29725″]http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR326834

    great bag alright…

    i found this for protection of my vci 100 arcade edition

    i have not purchased yet so i cant say if it fits snug with the arcade buttons !!

    ill let yall know as i live in the uk i will be ordering one just for home dustcover style protection

    cheers
    Graham[/quote]

    yeah definately let us know how good it fits with the vci arcade as mine will be arrivin soon and i was lookin at that cover as a bit of extra protection when its in my bag

  • Graham Teeling

    http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR326834

    great bag alright…

    i found this for protection of my vci 100 arcade edition

    i have not purchased yet so i cant say if it fits snug with the arcade buttons !!

    ill let yall know as i live in the uk i will be ordering one just for home dustcover style protection

    cheers
    Graham

  • soulslinga

    nice bag – people interested in this should also check out booq bags – i manage to get all my gear in an old model of their 17″ backpack, i just have to bring the bag and my coffin ;). It even fits a 10″ mixer with a 17″ laptop at the same time (that gets a little snug though). They can get pretty huge and heavy, but everything fits, including vinyl/control records. In mine i get about 15 records, headphones, 17″ laptop, extra needles, tools, emergency adapters, cables, etc…everything.
    http://www.booqbags.com/Laptop-Backpacks
    also – all dj’s should check out these cable bags by ikea – cables are usually so messy and these things allow me to bring all cables i might need and keep them neat – hangs right off the backpack, coffin or table with a little hook. I recommend the larger one for gigs, i use the smaller one on my desk to keep cables that normally sit in a pile.
    http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80138310

  • Sonicmove

    Some weeks ago i got a nice gig-bag from fusion-bag, in there i can put my laptop, an APC 40, a fireface, headphones, cd’s and so on. the quality is top, this bags are just amazing, check them out , i am convinced 200 %

    http://www.fusion-bags.com/

  • Matt Belcher

    [quote comment=”29669″]And its really the only solution for the akai apc 40 that i know of, at the moment[/quote]

    The ‘big namba’ (which I hope to review soon as they’re sending me one over) can hold an apc, which is pretty nifty! They also claim to be able to carry a CDJ 1000, which I’ll have to see to believe, but seems pretty darn impressive! That’s $159 RRP, so pretty good value..

  • DJ MAP

    [quote comment=”29588″]mono bags are seriously expensive.. stylish yeah, but $200 for their DJ bag? not sure about that..[/quote]

    Yeah they are, but they’re basically bulletproof. And its really the only solution for the akai apc 40 that i know of, at the moment

  • dj ill nino

    [quote comment=”29575″]I have the Logitech Kinetik Backpack. It’s almost identical but it also has a semi-hard shell on the back. It’s discontinued but can purchased now for as little as $20 new! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

    http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/06/medium_572680676_0ef2560c87_o.jpg%5B/quote%5D

    +1
    I have this exact same bag and I normally take it to events. But when I need a bit more storage I take my XPS Gaming backback.
    http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=212810132

    This bag is huge I can fit everything (mixer included) with room to spare.

  • Matt Belcher

    mono bags are seriously expensive.. stylish yeah, but $200 for their DJ bag? not sure about that..

  • Armando

    I was gonna say keep your eyes peeled on the monocase.com website over the course of the next coming weeks. The 2010 collection is about to drop and its DOOOOPPPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would say highly djtechtools approved.

  • mrlyzniak

    anything more than 100 dollars is too much for a backpack

  • Matt Belcher

    should be getting a Big Namba Studio Backpack soon, so I’ll get a review up as soon as I can.

  • Tamay

    My “Custom” Overlay looks way better than his one 😉

  • bob

    The UDG producer bag is awesome!!!!!! A bit more on the pricey side but you def get what you pay for!

  • Eduardo

    I was going to buy the udg producer bag but is more expensive than this one. I don’t know what to do, any help please??

  • Dj Nvidia

    Great review… I have been looking for a Dj oriented bag. I currently use a very targus computer bag, but you can tell it wasn’t ever made with the Dj in mind.

    I have been looking at the UDG Producer bag, but that is just too expensive. I’ll give this bag a serious thought…

  • mrpanda666

    Nevermind 😛

    Found the Big Namba :D…..and am definately picking it up.

  • mrpanda666

    How about 17 or bigger laptops??? Will it fit that big a laptop????

  • mpetersen3

    I have the Ogio Epic and love that bag, extremely well built, comfortable to wear even loaded down, and tons of pockets for everything. For anyone looking for a bag I recommend you check it out.

  • Hooker T

    I’m more of a “messenger bag” type. Check these out, I use the Guru for my DJ bag, It has a padded lap top compartment, a space under the flap for CDs, pens, note pads, etc.., and a separate compartment in the back for my VCI 100, audio card (Firebox), and all my cables and head phones. I think the Hip Hop or the M8 would do the job as well.
    http://www.ogio.com/category/view/8/Laptop-Messenger

  • belchman

    [quote comment=”29556″]Hm, would this fit Xone:1D’s and a 15″ MBP? Need to find something to house those (+ an Audio8, possibly a Maschine in the near future). Not a big fan of trolleys, they usually end up being too bulky. Something that’s airplane hand luggage compliant and that can fit all that would be best, be it a backpack or a trolley. I doubt this will do the trick – any suggestions?[/quote]

    That’s a lot of gear for one bag.. I’d imagine the 1Ds are a bit too deep for the lil namba, so that wouldn’t be a goer. However it would almost certainly hold a maschine. The guys at Namba are brilliant though, if you drop them a message, they’ll let you know if it’s possible or not. Perhaps the bigger bag could accommodate that lot?

  • Seddon

    Nice article Matt, (sorry i missed your call this morning haha!) Looking for a bag that’s just like this. Deffo hit me up when you get the UK distribution thing sorted. I’m sure loads of us could really benefit from it.

  • d.

    [quote comment=”29553″]thank u for that article – it is really a quite important question how to transport your equipment! the only problem here is the price – 129 bucks are quite expensive, isn´t there a cheaper possibility?[/quote]

    [quote comment=”29550″]Nice review Belchman, I can see what Lance means…. it aint the most stylish of things but is definitely practical. Maybe it’s open to a bit of DJTT modding? =)
    I’m sure you live in the here in the UK Matt, How much is it here and where did you get it or was it an order from the states?[/quote]

    Hi, maybe that’s interesting for you guys.

    http://www.thomann.de/gb/namba_remix_backpack.htm

    It’s 10.00 EUR for shipping and evtl. + tax fee.
    Check it out…

    Nice Article though, could be very interesting in the near future..

    thx, d.

  • DJ Moonie

    I stumbled across a really simple holder for my VCI-100.

    I already have a lappy bag which carries everything else, so this was perfect.

    Its simply a 15″ neoprene laptop sleeve that fits snuggling over the VCI-100, and has a carry handle at the top. Perfectly pad the VCI-100 from damage, fits it like a glove, and cost a ridiculous £3!

  • SysteMattiK

    Looks neat, I am using custom made Otus Bag by UDG for my main-gear & the second is Rockbag from Thomann which happily accommodates my Stanton scs1m controller. (The bag is solid & rugged and cost a mere £30.00 )

    If I was to scale down my gear for a gig, then Namba would be a good choice.

    There’s a swiss model which has very similar specs & is only about £40.00. I have had it for years now and it just keeps going and will propably outlive my hardware. ; )

    http://www.laptopbag.org.uk/wenger-hudson-laptop-backpack-black-padded-up-to-15-inch/

    Namba looks sexier though ; )

  • yc

    Hm, would this fit Xone:1D’s and a 15″ MBP? Need to find something to house those (+ an Audio8, possibly a Maschine in the near future). Not a big fan of trolleys, they usually end up being too bulky. Something that’s airplane hand luggage compliant and that can fit all that would be best, be it a backpack or a trolley. I doubt this will do the trick – any suggestions?

  • Matt Belcher

    [quote comment=”29553″]thank u for that article – it is really a quite important question how to transport your equipment! the only problem here is the price – 129 bucks are quite expensive, isn´t there a cheaper possibility?[/quote]

    Audiomidi.com has it for $99, if that’s any better? Unfortunately pretty much all bags are mega expensive, this seemed more affordable for me. (it’s definitely worth paying up for a rugged bag imho..)

  • lucart

    thank u for that article – it is really a quite important question how to transport your equipment! the only problem here is the price – 129 bucks are quite expensive, isn´t there a cheaper possibility?

  • Matt Belcher

    [quote comment=”29550″]Nice review Belchman, I can see what Lance means…. it aint the most stylish of things but is definitely practical. Maybe it’s open to a bit of DJTT modding? =)
    I’m sure you live in the here in the UK Matt, How much is it here and where did you get it or was it an order from the states?[/quote]

    Yeah, I actually quite like it’s design, but it’s the ruggedness of it which I particularly like!
    I do live in the UK. At the moment it’s almost impossible to get them (either the postage costs are ridiculous, or they don’t ship to the UK), which is why I’m mid-discussion with the owner of Namba in the states about setting up a distribution base in the UK.

    If you send me a message, I’ll keep you posted with how that goes. It should be sorted within the next 2 months if you’re interested in purchasing one.

  • Justin

    good write up, i was lookin at this bag in my search for an all in one solution

  • Fyoog

    Nice review Belchman, I can see what Lance means…. it aint the most stylish of things but is definitely practical. Maybe it’s open to a bit of DJTT modding? =)
    I’m sure you live in the here in the UK Matt, How much is it here and where did you get it or was it an order from the states?

  • Lance Blaise

    meh… the backpack thing looks childish, makes me feel like i am in high school or going to rave… pass!

  • JaideN

    Nice BackPack. What about a 17″ laptop? Would it fit?