Disclosure: Meeple Mountain received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This review is not intended to be an endorsement.
I’m always on the hunt for interesting board game related products to cover for the site. So when I stumbled upon the Raven YATA bag via a marketing email from the designer, I was intrigued. What caught my eye was the sleek design of the bag—more high end suitcase than some knockoff cajon carrying case. But once I received the shipment containing the bag I was simply blown away by the quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. Check it out!
For Tyler’s video review of the Raven YATA bag, jump to the bottom.
Raven YATA Board Game Bag
At Meeple Mountain we grade all board game bags using the same 4 sets of criteria: Straps, Functionality & Durability, Capacity and Portability, Price & Availability. How did the Raven YATA Board Game Bag do against our metrics? Let’s find out…
Straps
The first thing you’ll notice when looking at the Raven YATA are the multiple straps, buckles, and various ways to expand, collapse, and secure the bag. The dimensions of the bag are 16” tall, 13” wide, and between 7” – 10” deep (depending on your needs). Carrying options include a shoulder strap, backpack straps, and a carrying handle. All the straps are a smooth, shiny (almost polished) type of nylon that is soft to the touch, while the pouches and flaps have double-stitched edging. The exterior of the bag is thick nylon with just a bit of sheen to it and the interior is a smooth finished fabric.
The shoulder strap has polished pewter buckles with a squeeze to open mechanism and attaches to the bag via a double stitched D-ring, which is further secured by a nylon band which covers three sides of the bag. It also includes a 10” long and 4” wide pad covered in a breathable mesh.
I’m a tall person and the shoulder strap was able to be adjusted so that my elbow rested perfectly on top of the bag.
In backpack mode, the Raven YATA bag can be adjusted to sit as low or high on your back as you like. This bag offers two sets of adjustments for each strap: standard buckles near the bottom of the strap, and an additional set of buckles at the very top of the bag which allow the straps to be adjusted so that the bag sits higher, near your shoulders—a very nice touch.
The carrying handle is fine, and while comfortable, could benefit from some padding to make it easier to carry in this mode.
Functionality & Durability
The designer seems to have thought of everything when it comes to making this thing tough. Metal rivets connect the backpack straps to the bag, metal D-rings stitched and strapped to the body, metal connectors for the shoulder strap, and metal feet for the bottom (for real, they look like ½” ball bearings split in half.
Earlier I mentioned that the depth of the bag was between 7” and 10”. That’s because the designers provided the ability to collapse the bag front to back in order to slim down the profile. After speaking with the designer, they indicated that this was helpful when traveling on crowded public transportation. The bag also includes top and bottom buckles on each side to secure the depth to your desired preference. I’ll discuss that more in the Capacity section. But thanks to the 3 different carry modes, the expandability, and the multiple pockets, this bag gets high marks in the functionality department.
It’s worth noting that while the Raven YATA makes a great backpack, it might not be ideal for everyday use as it lacks a few features that other daypacks have. For example, while it has pockets capable of carrying electronics like an iPad, not every pocket has a flap or closure. Also, many packs these days offer dedicated holes for charging cables, or even built in battery packs.
Capacity
Unlike bags like the Game Haul Bag 3rd Edition and the BoardGameTables.com bag, the Raven YATA opens and closes at the top rather than unzipping all the way down the front. This allows a sizable front pocket which will never need to be laid on a table when the bag is opened.
Based on the provided dimensions, the Raven YATA bag has almost 1.5 cubic feet of space at maximum capacity. That’s pretty impressive for a bag with such a low profile. In addition to the main storage space, there are three pockets. The front of the bag has a large pocket capable of storing a coffee-table sized book or a small sized game like Point Salad. Each side of the bag has a pocket which can fit a paperback book or a game the size of Faraway.
The interior of the bag is the perfect width for many “Ticket to Ride” sized games, and can even store a longer-than-average box like Power Grid or King of Monster Island, or even a game as massive as Frosthaven.
One feature I’m astonished by is the inclusion of a lightweight aluminum frame around the top, bottom, and face of the bag. This allows the bag to easily stand upright on its own, while still maintaining its shape. The frame is also removable via velcro fasteners along the sides of the bag. This frame is also what allows the Raven YATA bag to expand and collapse it’s profile for convenience.
Portability, Price, & Availability
The bag by itself weighs about 3-4 pounds, thanks to all of the metal gear, but punches way above its weight in portability. It’s very easy to carry about thanks to the 3 different usage modes, and even though the bag opens at the top, it can still be laid on its back to allow games to slide out horizontally.
As of this writing, the Raven YATA bag is available on Kickstarter.
The price on this bag is much higher than comparable bags, at the IndieGogo price of $242. Unfortunately this keeps it out of the range of all but the most diehard of gamers, given the far lower price of bags in the $60-$100 price range, even if those bags don’t have anywhere near the durability and functionality of this bag.
That said, if you’re looking for a unique form factor, with all the bells and whistles, then the price might be acceptable. I also imagine that the price will come down if they’re able to take into a larger production run.
Final Thoughts on the Raven YATA Board Game Bag
When I compare all the game bags I’ve owned over the years, the Raven YATA is definitely near the top. I used to focus solely on capacity. While reviewing the Rothco Canvas Parachute bag I was able to cram 27 games into it. Then later on I realized that capacity wasn’t everything, and not only did I not want the weight, but there was no way I was playing that many games. Now I mostly focus on comfort and convenience: I want to bring 3 or 4 games with me, in the easiest way possible.
The Raven YATA bag almost perfectly fits my needs: the backpack straps are comfortable and easy to adjust, the streamlined size helps me avoid carrying lots of weight on my shoulders, and should I need to slim it down even more, I can take out the metal frame and really cinch it down.
If you’re looking for a top of the line game bag, then the Raven YATA should be at, or near, the top of your list.
$250 for a bag is utter insanity. I spent $35 on a Meeple Mountain one that has been suitable for years. What a joke.