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Gamers Satchel:CHN 4001.Charon Products UK. $35.00/£25.00Being the fickle
breed that we are, gamers will often find themselves wishing that they more than
two hands, what with all the rules, supplements, maps, screens and miniatures
that we often take with us on our travels, it can sometimes seem like a war of
attrition just to make it to a friends home with your books, tucked under your
arm and your well crafted and painstakingly painted miniatures rattling around
in an old biscuit tin! Well help is at hand for those of us who like to
carry more than our own far share of games products and an excellent new product
has just hit the market in the form of the Gamers Satchel from Charon Products!
There are many carry cases available on the games market, and each has
its own merits and flaws that separate it from its competitors, but the addition
of the Gamers Satchel could be a godsend for many roleplayers who like to add
that bit of an extra dimension to their gaming table. On first glance the
Gamers Satchel looks very much like a standard laptop case, the kind of thing
that you would likely take with you to the office or school, hanging neatly from
your shoulder and made from a tough and resilient material. But when one looks
further it is obvious that this was designed with the gamer in mind, as beneath
its Velcro flap the real meat of the beast lies, all but hidden from view. Once
you pull open the flap of the Gamers Satchel you will find inside a variety of
compartments, selves and such that will allow you to fit most roleplaying or table
top paraphernalia, pens and pencils and dice, all comfortably nestled inside.
At the back of the interior of the satchel is a large slipcase that is edged with
a double zipper system and contains when opened a foam inlay sheet and a foam
miniature tray, capable of holding up to thirty-two miniatures of standard 30mm
size with ease. The overall specifications of the Gamers Satchel are as
follows: Satchel
17" wide x 13" height
6 compartments
(including two zipped compartments)
Slipcase
15" wide x 12"
height
Foam slip
32 slots of 1½" wide x 2" height
x 1"depth
Calculator
Basic function calculator Due to
the way the slipcase is designed, the miniatures will remain static even when
confronted with the roughest of hands, keeping all that hard work painting intact
and scratch free. Of course this does not mean that you can go out and play football
with the slipcase, or even toss the thing around, that would be foolish, but for
the most part if treated with respect the miniatures inside will remain in the
same condition you placed them in. Each of the slots for the miniatures
will accommodate most standard figures due in part to the flexibility of the foam
itself. However if you find that you have a larger scale figure that is bigger
than the slots provided, it's a simple matter really of just cutting into the
foam and making the slots large enough to fit a figure of even troll like proportions,
just don't throw away the excess foam as it can always be placed back into the
case again when needed. The real secret of the slipcase of the Gamers Satchel
is its flexibility rather than its sturdiness. By doing away with the standard
heavy plastic outer shell, you are left with an extremely light weight affair,
and the addition of a few pieces of rigged board give strength to the case itself
and help to keep it firm. Of course direct weight onto the slipcase could result
in problems, but it can stand up to quite a bit of punishment and not have any
real stress or breakages show. Once you have placed the slipcase back inside
the satchel itself; the whole thing becomes even sturdier and again only goes
to help protect the miniatures and stop them from rattling around. The compartments
are deep and plentiful and each can hold a large amount before the case becomes
too full to close securely. I did however manage to fit into my satchel two-core
rulebooks, dice, pens and pencils, character sheets and the slipcase filled with
miniatures, as well as a Games Master screen! I could have perhaps fitted a little
more into the satchel but I was running late for a gaming session. The
Gamers Satchel has an adjustable strap for the larger or smaller frame and it
sits comfortably over the shoulder, even when filled to capacity. Perhaps the
only real thing that is missing from this excellent product is a mobile phone
holder, but beggars cant be choosers as they say. As if this wasn't enough
for a busy gamer, those kind people at Charon have seen fit to include a free
calculator into the package, making this truly an excellent choice for those gamers
who play games such as Heroclix™ or MageKnight™, as not only can they
carry all their miniatures, maps and rules, the can also work out points values
as they play!
Conclusions
Well this is an excellent product
from a company which is becoming famous for making high quality products. It is
well worth the low price and unlike many other cases of this style, the Gamers
Satchel gives excellent value for money without cutting corners. Many thanks go
to Malcolm from Charon UK for all his help.
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