The short answer: It depends on how many discs you carry. With fewer than 10 discs, a shoulder bag like the Latitude 64 Slim Hex is enough. It is light and has room for your regular discs and a water bottle. If you play regularly and carry 10-20 discs, go for a backpack like the MVP Shuttle Bag, our best-selling backpack. It spreads the weight across both shoulders for the whole round.
What to look for
Start with the number of discs. Count the ones you have now and add a few, because most players buy more over time. A bag that is full from day one soon becomes too small.
Then shoulder bag or backpack. A shoulder bag is light and quick to grab, but all the weight hangs on one shoulder. A backpack with padded straps is more comfortable when it is full of discs and the round is long.
Finally, the pockets. Look for a water bottle holder, a pocket for your phone, keys and scorecard, and ideally a pocket that keeps your putter within easy reach. Water-resistant material and a hard base that keeps the bag standing also make a difference on wet days.
Our picks, by what you need
A few discs and quick rounds
The Latitude 64 Slim Hex from the short answer has room for 6-7 drivers and midranges plus an outside pocket for your putter, and it is made of water-resistant nylon. Axiom's Cell Shoulder Bag has a little more room, 10-12 discs, a hard padded base so it stands steady when you put it down, and a zipped front pocket for your putter. Both work as a first bag and for the quick round when you do not feel like hauling the big one.
Cell Shoulder BagYou will find more under Small disc golf bags.
Your first backpack
The MVP Shuttle Bag from the short answer is compact and light, with room for 12-16 discs in the main compartment and up to 6 more in the top pocket. The Shuttle Bag with Velcro is the larger version, with room for 18-20 discs in the main compartment, padded straps and back panel, and a Velcro panel on the side for patches and pins. The Discmania Fanatic Go is our cheapest backpack, with room for 14-18 discs and two putters in the top, a water bottle holder and water-resistant material.
You will find all our backpacks under Disc golf backpacks.
More room and comfort
The MVP Voyager Lite is 25% lighter than MVP's earlier Voyager bags, holds 20-22 discs and is made of hard-wearing polyester with a reinforced base and rubber feet. The Discmania Fanatic Sky is Discmania's largest bag, with room for more than 30 discs, two putter pockets in the top, a padded back, shoulder straps and lumbar support, and a hard base so it stays upright.
Room for everything, cooler included
The Squatch Legend 3.0 holds 30-35 discs across the main compartment, top pocket, side pockets and front pocket, has room for a hydration bladder behind the putter pocket, and comes with a cooler that fits in one of the side pockets.
Legend 3.0For practice
The Prodigy Practice Bag V2 is not for the round but for practice. It holds up to 30 putters or 45 drivers, has a double zip on top and a side pocket for your phone and small items, so you can take all your practice discs out to the field or to the basket.
Practice Bag V2