| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + high-quality workmanship | - absence of a shoulder strap |
| + durable material | - absence of a back system |
| + multifunctionality | - thicker handle |
When I had to choose a product to test from the Mammut brand, I thought for a long time about which one it would be. After studying the offer in more detail, I chose an unusual bag called Cargon. At first glance, it caught my attention with its variability. You can choose whether you want to carry it as a classic bag by grabbing the handle or as a backpack. The handle can be unfastened, creating two anatomically shaped wide straps, like those seen on outdoor backpacks. I decided to try this unusual combination of a bag and a backpack and share my experience with this hybrid with you.
Immediately after the initial enthusiasm for the multifunctionality of this bag faded, doubts and fears began to emerge in my head that if something is hybrid or multifunctional, the individual functions will not be nearly as good as they could be if they were the only prominent feature of the product. But let's not jump to conclusions prematurely and let's take a look at it together step by step.
Material is key
At first glance, the Cargon looks very nice as a classic sports bag. It is obvious that it is made of very high-quality materials. The bottom is even made of abrasion-resistant fabric, which is very important and essential for bags of this type. The bottom suffers the most after the handle during use, and in lower-quality bags, it wears through in certain places very quickly. If you are interested in the materials in more detail, 2520D Poly Ballistic with PU and 1000D Nylon Epo materials were used to make the Cargon.
Bag or backpack?
The Cargon is carried somewhat strangely as a bag. First of all, I found it very strange, even incomprehensible, why no shoulder strap was added, which every bag I have had the opportunity to come into contact with so far has (and there haven't been exactly few of them, considering I work in a store full of luggage :-) ). The second drawback turned out to be the handle for gripping the bag, which is quite thick. So if you don't have larger-than-average hands, it's quite possible that it won't fit you as well as it did me. The handle has a tendency to fall out or, rather, "slip out of the palm," which is not exactly ideal when transporting the bag over longer distances.
On the other hand, I must praise the well-crafted organizer, which divides the main compartment into three sections. And two internal pockets for small items and a standard external pocket also come in handy.
If we look at the Cargon as a backpack, it performs a bit better in my eyes than as a bag. As I mentioned above, it has very successful anatomically shaped straps that allow for even weight distribution on the shoulders, and it almost rivals high-quality outdoor backpacks.
But when I focus on the back system, I simply have to note that it basically doesn't have one. Here, one really cannot talk about any longer movements with a full backpack. The back part of the backpack has no reinforcement, so it is soft, and the back therefore rests only on the top lid of the bag. Carrying the Cargon as a backpack can therefore be used only for shorter movements or for medium-length ones, but with minimal load. I am convinced that with a larger load on the backpack over longer distances, carrying it would be very uncomfortable.
Final verdict
The multifunctional Mammut Cargon 40 l bag is an interesting product, and I believe it can be a suitable helper for many of you for transporting things to the gym, pool, and similar places. Subsequently, you can also use it as a backpack, for example, when you stop to buy food on the way home. For this purpose, this bag seems ideal to me.
But if you wanted to use the Cargon as a bag that can be carried over the shoulder for longer distances and possibly turn it into a backpack and use it for longer movements around the city and occasionally take it on a hike into nature, in that case, I would recommend you look for something else.
It would be ideal to buy two products – a high-quality bag with a shoulder strap (and perhaps even a ventilated section for storing shoes) and a high-quality outdoor backpack with a reinforced back system with ventilation, possibly even with a rain cover.
