Gura Gear Chobe Video Review (Features Score: 20; Access. Score: 9/10)

Overall:

Pros =  25.5 points; Cons =  -5.5 points; The Gura Gear Chobe's Features Score = 20 points. (Score sheet posted below.)  Accessibility Score: 9.0 out of 10. (Details in Accessibility section below)

Video:

Gura Gear Chobe - Is it a good value?

The Question

If you are a regular reader of this blog (all three of you), then you know that I recently asked: Why is the Gura Gear Chobe so similar to the Mountainsmith Endeavor while their prices are so different? The Chobe has an MSRP of $299.00 USD (without the camera insert, it drops to $249.00 USD) while the Endeavor has an MSRP of $124.95 USD (comes with the camera insert and can be found for $112.49 online).  The Chobe and the Endeavor are SO similar (see image below and this link) that I would think that one of the two companies would sue the other for patent infringement.  I am sure that Gura Gear would argue that their bag has $174 worth of differences over the Mountainsmith.  Would they be right?  I hope to settle that question in this article.

The Chobe as a CCB

The Gura Gear Chobe has a lot of unusual features that make it a great Crossover Commuter Bag (CCB) even before I begin the comparative analysis.  It is expandable from 19L - 24L, has an unzip-to-open water bottle pocket, and is built with a nylon that is obviously (after seeing it live) a step up from the typical nylon used in most CCBs.  The other thing that I really like is that it is compact in the right-to-left and up-and-down dimensions when compared to most CCBs.  (Indeed it is wider front-to-back, but not appreciably so once I fill any bag with my stuff.)

Like other good CCBs, it has a separate compartment for your laptop or tablet, an organizer panel (in this case two) outside of the main compartment, a set of handles that are centered front-to-back, and a main compartment that is wide enough to fit my camera insert.  Of course, the Chobe does come with an insert, but I will discuss its problems further down. All-in-all, you can see that the bag has a high overall score and a high accessibility score.

Note that the overall and accessibility score of the Mountainsmith Endeavor are 17.5 and 6.3, respectively.  High, but not has high as the Gura Gear Chobe's scores of 20 and 9!  Why does it score higher?  Read on and find out.

Chobe's Extra Features

First let's list what the Chobe has over the Endeavor and some comments about whether or not that feature is a good thing:

1.  The Chobe material is much more expensive.  As I have written elsewhere, the Chobe's primary material is X-Pac (VX-21) which is $20/yard (at Rockywood.com). The Endeavor's primary material is 500D Kodra = Can't find an online source, but 500D Kodra is the cheapo knock-off version of 500D Cordura which is $11/yard (also at Rockywoods.com).  The X-Pac feels like a better material.  It is just as stiff, but it is a smooth sail cloth as opposed to the rough Cordura that will pill your clothing.  I am not a huge fan of the diamond shape rip-stop pattern, however.  It makes the material pucker as you can see in the overall photo above (that photo has all my stuff in the bag, too). Despite the quality edge to the Chobe, I will call this a tie because the Chobe loses significant credibility in the office with its wrinkled brown paper bag look.

2. The Chobe has the ability to expand.  This seems like a great feature on the surface, but in reality expansion makes the bag too fat in use.  If I need to put that much stuff in a bag, I will likely turn towards my backpack instead of the CCB option.  Also, the only way to use the camera insert in the bag IS to expand it.  That is a bummer.  You will note that the insert is organized horizontally rather than vertically (see photo below).  While it gives you easier access to your photo gear, it is not the most efficient use of space.  A lot of volume sits above the equipment.  The bonus, of course, is that the insert walls are so low that it will not block the pockets in this section.  This was not the case with the Endeavor's vertically set camera insert.  In the end, if I was going to keep this bag, I would simply use my own insert (second photo below) that would allow me to keep the more compact bag shape. (Of course, that would also mean that I just paid $50 for something I will not use!)  I give this one to the Chobe, but barely.

3.  Metal hardware for the shoulder strap and the key hook.  In this day and age, I am not sure that it is better than Mountainsmith's plastic bits in terms of strength, but I will give the Chobe this one.

4. The better shoulder pad is on the Gura Gear Chobe.  The Mountainsmith Endeavor's shoulder pad is pretty skimpy and lacks the rubbery underside of the Chobe pad that allows it to stay on your shoulder better.  There is an issue with the Chobe, however.  If you are someone who alternates between carrying this bag across the body as opposed to on the shoulder, you will hate the fact that you cannot quickly adjust where the pad falls (it WILL need to shift to a different place depending on how you carry the bag).  The Endeavor's pad can slide along the strap and therefore its placement can be adjusted nearly instantaneously.  To move the location of the pad on the Chobe you must shorten or lengthen the strap on BOTH SIDES of the pad.  This is not worth the trouble, so you essentially are locked into carrying this bag comfortably in one way.  I always wear my CCB across body, so this is a non-issue for me unless I want to switch shoulders...I give this one to the Chobe but only because of the way I carry my bag.

5.  The zippers are WAY more stout and smoother on the Chobe.  This was the reason the Endeavor scored so low on the accessibility score.  The only place where I would have put a smaller gauge zipper would have been with the expandable section where it does bind due to the large size of the zipper and the turns it must make.  The zipper on the right pocket runs in the wrong directions - just like in the Endeavor.  Score one for the Chobe here.

6.  The placement of the zipper to the main compartment is back away from the organizer pockets.  This makes it a lot easier to open without interference.  The Chobe zipper opens effortlessly.  Another one for the Chobe.

7.  The organizer pockets seem to compete less for volume in the Chobe making them much easier to access.  This might be due to the fact that there is more volume in these pockets over the Endeavor, or it might be due to more volume in the main compartment over the Endeavor.  Whatever it is, it makes the organizer pockets a cinch to use. Chobe gets another point.

8.  The Chobe's camera insert comes with enough dividers to build a small Velcro cottage. However, the who insert is horizontally set (first photo below).  As discussed above, this could go either way.  It holds more gear, but it forces the bag to be in the expanded mode.  I don't need so many dividers and I prefer the vertical insert orientation of the Endeavor for its compactness (second photo below).  I call this a tie.

9.  The Chobe has two more pockets in the main compartment (along the front wall that is shared with the organizer pockets).  They are simply slip in pockets, but you can never have too many pockets.  In the photo, I am holding the two mesh organizer pockets out of the way (also found in the Endeavor). Chalk one up for the Chobe.

10.  The Chobe does not tip or tilt in any way (see first photo below).  It is a solid stander filled or empty.  The Endeavor lists  forward in all situations (see second photo below).  A big point for Chobe.

The Endeavor's Extra Features

Here is a (short) list of the things that the Endeavor has that the Chobe does not.

1.  There is an additional outside file folder pocket on the back of the Endeavor.  This is a full sized pocket that does not double up as the the luggage piggy-back sleeve as the half sized one on the Chobe. Put one in the Endeavor column.

2.  The Endeavor has a super bright yellow interior while the Chobe is lined in light grey.  This does make the Chobe more professional as you do not light up a room when you open your bag, but you typically are opening a bag under a table during a meeting.  It is really nice to have a built-in night light of sorts to see into the dark corners of your bag. Point for the Endeavor.

3.  The handles on the Endeavor are designed to naturally stay on top of the bag making it easy to grab-and-go quickly (first photo).  The Chobe handles are designed to naturally fall to the side (second photo) making it easier for you to access the zippers to the main and laptop compartments.  This is a wash.

On Balance

When you total all these up, the Chobe has +8 on the Endeavor while the Endeavor has +2 on the Chobe.  Overall, then, it is not a shock that the Chobe has a higher overall score and accessibility score (see the accessibility score breakdown below).

This brings us back to the question: Is the Chobe $174 better than the Endeavor?  Nope. $174 should get you more than a 6 point bump.  Make it out of leather?  Add fleece-lined pockets?  Make a dedicated sunglasses pocket on top?  Get a sherpa to carry it for you?  May then (especially the last one), it would be worth it.  As is, it's not even close.  That said, the Endeavor is such a pain to access that, even at only $125 USD,  I would not consider it the bag of my dreams either.

[Caveat:  I was able to get this bag for only $150 through one of B&H Photo's 24 hour "Deal Zone" specials.  At $150, I think this bag is not only worth $25 more than the Endeavor, I think it could fall into being a better bag than any that I have reviewed so far!  Of course the scores bear this out.]

Accessibility:

A bag's accessibility is rated on a 1 - 10 scale (10 = most).  Three major compartments are judged.  The accessibility score for this bag:

Organizer pocket(s) = 8. I do wish that they unzipped more fully and therefore opened more widely.  The wrong way zipper on the right front pocket also hurts the score.  Not sure why they only use single zipper pulls on these pockets, too.  However, the zippers do open easily and these organizers are right on the outside of the pack.  Roomy once inside.
Main compartment = 10. Superb and smooth zipper in a perfect place.  Opens wide enough to get into the main compartment with only a small bit of resistance.
Laptop/tablet compartment = 9. Well done, but why not extend the zippers down the sides and make this a TSA friendly bag.  It would have required adding an interior padded pocket and clasp, but at $299 I expect this kind feature.

Overall accessibility: 9.0 out of 10.

Additional Photos:

Front of Gura Gear Chobe

Rear of Gura Gear Chobe

Top of Gura Gear Chobe

Left organizer pocket of Gura Gear Chobe

Right organizer pocket of Gura Gear Chobe

Inside of main compartment showing front wall (my camera insert in place)

Inside of main compartment showing rear wall with file folder pocket

Laptop compartment (will fit a 15 inch laptop) holding iPad mini

Right side of bag in expanded conformation

Left side of bag in expanded conformation showing water bottle pocket in expanded mode

Left side of bag in expanded conformation showing water bottle pocket in collapsed mode

Left side of bag in compact conformation showing water bottle pocket in use (750 mL bottle in place)

Left organizer pocket showing iPad pocket holding an iPad mini

The unzipped lower pocket that allows the bag to slide over the handle of rolling luggage

The zipper held in place by bit of fabric and Velcro to prevent inadvertent unzipping for the pocket that doubles as the rolling luggage piggy-back sleeve

Long pocket beside piggy-back sleeve

Long pocket beside piggy-back sleeve

Score sheet:

Item	Points +	This Bag	Notes
Made with Cordura or similar nylon material	2	2
Straight stitching, doubled in high stress zones, taped seams - well put together	1	1
Made with soft polyester making it flexible, quiet, gentle on clothing	2	1	gentle on clothing
Stout zippers, large pulls, and hardware	1	1
Reinforced bottom for durability and/or weather resistance	1
Compression straps to slim bag	0.5
Large external water bottle pockets	2	2
Separate, external access to laptop compartment	3	3
Separate iPad pocket	3	1	not padded
Fleece-lined external pocket for eyeglasses or phone	3
External pocket for eyeglasses or phone	2
Large rounded or paddded handle	1	1
Handle centrally placed (front to back)	0.5	0.5
Multitude of pockets for organization	2	2
Open slide in pocket for file folders (internal)	2	2
Open slide in pocket for file folders (external)	2
Ability to slide over handle of rolling luggage	1	1
Laptop section that is TSA friendly (opens up without laptop removal)	1
Flat bottom and perpendicular sides allow bag to stand on own	2	2
Organizer panel within an outer pocket to allow to easy access	1	1
A dedicated cell-phone pocket	1	1	poorly implmnt'd
A dedicated cell-phone pocket that is large enough to fit an iPhone 6	0.5
Large padded shoulder pad with stick coating	1	1
No Velcro used to keep flap closed (quiet and professional)	2		no flap
Xtra bright inner lining allowing you to see items easily	2
Light inner lining allowing you to see items easily	1	1
Stiff build that maintains the pack's structure when loading/placing	2	2
Outer lashing points for attaching accessories	1
	Total	25.5
Item	Points -	This Bag	Notes
Soft material that will not wear as well as nylon	-1
Simple handle that digs into hand	-0.5
Cannot stay upright due to design	-3
Tips forward when sitting - unstable	-1
No fleece lining in outside pocket for glasses	-1	-1
No fleece lining in the laptop or tablet pockets	-0.5	-0.5
No pass through for attaching to rolling luggage	-1
No dedicated tablet pocket	-2
No external pocket for glasses, phone	-1	-1
No flap for weatherproofing	-1	-1
No external pocket for holding a water bottle	-1
No lash points	-0.5	-0.5
Handle in middle prevents easily hanging bag on hook	-0.5
Poor hardware choice or design (small zippers, placement of compression straps, etc.)	-1
Lack of reinforced bottom allow for excess wear and poor weatherproofing	-1	-1
Black interior making it hard to see item in the bottom of bag	-1
No open file folder pocket	-2
Velcro closure for main flap (loud and unnecessary)	-2
No strap or buckle to hold laptop in pocket if in main compartment	-1
The dedicated cell phone pocket will only fit a small phone	-0.5	-0.5
Thin or nonexistent shoulder pad	-1
Handle is located in such a way that picking up the bag kicks it into your knee	-0.5
Deep zipper covers that impede opening	-2
	Total	-5.5