Zuca bags?

[Casey]

I've seen plenty of boys/men with Zuca bags, though most seem to favor just a rolling suitcase.

I think it's rather close minded to say a boy shouldn't have the fairies insert.  Whatever appeals to them.   I think it's ridiculous that it is expected a girl can have anything a boy can, but boys should only have boy things.

It is ridiculous but it's the world we live in. I secretly like this design a lot, though I would never actually buy/use it:



  Maybe if it didn't have the crystals... I am not above putting one of those figure skater emblems on the back of my car at some point though.

Probably I'll get this one:

[ChristyRN]

I have the purple and teal Zuca. They didn't have a purple frame when I got my first one, and I coveted it when it came out. I found a buyer for my first one and talked the proshop into giving me the military discount and got it. I love it I've seen one other skater with the same version and she's also a redhead. I find it funny the both the redhead skaters got the same bag.

[littlerain]

That purple one is nice! One woman at the rink I took classes at while traveling for work had that one.

I spent the last hour looking up zuca bags and frame combos, and also looking at the pro artist one. Can't believe the pro one is so much more, but I like the idea of it being carry on appropriate

[AgnesNitt]

Have fun.

http://icedoesntcare.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-great-skate-bag-debate.html

[Neverdull44]

I'm an adult with a Zuca!  My husband bought it for me for Christmas last year.  It has "happy faces" on them, and he said, "Skating makes you happy" on my Christmas card.   

[littlerain]

Have fun.

http://icedoesntcare.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-great-skate-bag-debate.html

Lol!!

[Casey]

Have fun.

http://icedoesntcare.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-great-skate-bag-debate.html

Haha, the preppy traffic cone is hideous! Unfortunately they no longer offer an orange frame. I saw a pink-and-camouflage backpack that would match that army bimbo model prefectly at Macy's yesterday. Interestingly, one of my wife's favorites was a light blue insert like you liked, though it doesn't seem to have grey as the accent color anymore but brown instead, so she liked the brown frame with it.

[twinskaters]

I love the cow print with red frame. Hilarious!

I would love to have a zuca for the long walk from the far parking lot in winter when the near lot is always full in the afternoon. But my house can barely manage to store the two that belong to my kids! When they get older and are too cool for them, I guess I will inherit.

[littlerain]

I was chatting to a friend about zucas (we both are a bit makeup obsessed and lately some famous makeup artists have talked about their makeup lots in zucas) and she said that lots of flight attendants use them! Including her husband who determined he needed to pack more lol!

[AgnesNitt]

For those of you who want a frame or insert not presently on the zuca site, there are ebay sellers who sell them. They seem to have quite a stock, so it may be zuca unloaded them when they changed designs.

[saje]

I've been reading through this thread and wanted to add my opinions on the Zuca bag.  I understand why little kiddos are attracted to these bags, but as an adult, I don't see the point of a Zuca.  My cheap duffle bag does the job just fine.  (Plus, my big bottom wouldn't fit on that little seat anyway).  To each their own, though! 

[CaraSkates]

I love my Zuca!! I just got a new one to replace the one I had for 7 years. It is so nice to have a seat at competitions in crowded locker rooms - and I am an adult who fits just fine. I also like all the little zipper compartments for storing things. I had actually switched to a backpack while in college as I had to bike to the rink. I switched back to my Zuca my first competition as an adult, after college, intending to go back to the backpack and never went back. They are $$ but mine held up for 7 years.

[DressmakingMomma]

My 2 cents: zuca does some things well but the little design flaws bug me since it is so dang expensive.

Irritations (considering the price):

• No reinforcement in the back of the bag so that eventually skate blades wear holes in the bag even if they do have on soakers.
• Glue that holds velcro to stick top of bag to bottom of seat eventually wears out and the bag sags - would prefer a clip system.
• One of the side net pockets would be more useful if it was designed with pockets to hold skate guards, music CD's, water bottle, and box of tissue instead of a big net that everything gets tangled up in, flips out of or tips sideways and leaks.
• Handle sticks when sliding up and down (ours gets tons of use, but $100 for a frame, parts should be high quality and last).
• Screws are not stainless and are rusting, happens when you pull it to the car in the winter or rain - again, for $100 they should be stainless screws.

I like the variety of zipper pockets both inside and outside of the bag, all the fun ways you can make it yours, having something DD can easily tote behind her while I'm juggling the blanket, coat, and other various extras that go back and forth to the rink, and a built in seat for when the rink is crowded.

DD wouldn't want a backpack or duffle bag because it is so fun to pick out a frame and bag that expresses your personality and says "I'm a figure skater!". In that way, I think the zuca is pretty brilliant.

[fsk8r]

My 2 cents: zuca does some things well but the little design flaws bug me since it is so dang expensive.

Irritations (considering the price):

• No reinforcement in the back of the bag so that eventually skate blades wear holes in the bag even if they do have on soakers.
• Glue that holds velcro to stick top of bag to bottom of seat eventually wears out and the bag sags - would prefer a clip system.
• One of the side net pockets would be more useful if it was designed with pockets to hold skate guards, music CD's, water bottle, and box of tissue instead of a big net that everything gets tangled up in, flips out of or tips sideways and leaks.
• Handle sticks when sliding up and down (ours gets tons of use, but $100 for a frame, parts should be high quality and last).
• Screws are not stainless and are rusting, happens when you pull it to the car in the winter or rain - again, for $100 they should be stainless screws.

Completely agree with your list of irritations. I keep expecting when I get a new insert (every few years when the hole at the back gets too big) that they will have reinforced the back of the bag, but they have yet to do that.
I also agree with the side mesh pockets. I've stipped using them other than for bits of paper as I got fed up with that, and now use the two big side pockets, but they're hard to squeeze everything in, but at least the mesh isn't then sticking out so if gets snagged.

[twinskaters]

Glue that holds velcro to stick top of bag to bottom of seat eventually wears out and the bag sags - would prefer a clip system.[/li][/list]

Ugh, I just discovered this on one of my girls' bags. Annoying. Have you found the best way to fix it? I was going to just hot glue it but wonder if there's a better trick.

[ChristyRN]

My first Zuca had a sticky/touchy handle, holes in the bag from skate backs and velcro that didn't stick. I don't have any problems with my new one but I do wish the back was reinforced and the side pockets were solid, maybe even zipped.  I might take the bag out and reinforce it myself. I wonder how iron on patches would work or if I actually have to sew something in.

[DressmakingMomma]

Hmmm, maybe I have a new sewing project... I'll have to look closely today to see if I can sew something up to replace the side mesh pockets. I need to find a good way to strap on a yoga mat as well, since DD brings that to the rink for stretching sometimes.

As for the velcro, we lived with it until DD saved up for a new bag insert. When she bought the new insert it came with fresh velcro. I wonder if you asked where you bought it if they had extra sets of velcro or called/emailed zuca.

Iron-on patches sounds like a good idea. We already have tears in the new bag insert so I'll bet that would at least keep it from getting worse.

[AgnesNitt]

I'm surprised that no one's come up with a business making custom inserts. YOu'd need a commercial sewing machine, but really, zuca's inserts are lousy (one of the two reasons I don't buy one.)

[fsk8r]

Ugh, I just discovered this on one of my girls' bags. Annoying. Have you found the best way to fix it? I was going to just hot glue it but wonder if there's a better trick.

I used superglue to keep the top bit of velcro attached to the frame as that seemed to be the bit which was coming away. It now just needs a press upwards from the inside of the bag every now and then to keep the shape.
But I'm surprised they've not improved this bit of the design (along with all the other gripes).

Really interested if anyone has a good way to reinforce the bag from blade holes.

[twinskaters]

Thanks, I will try the superglue today. Haven't gotten blade holes yet. Maybe because their skates are fairly small so the blades don't hit the sides as much?

[Live2Sk8]

I really like my Zuca - it was a gift and I would not have bought one for myself but it is nice.  I still have to carry a small tote bag to hold my skating notebook and change of clothes.  I snagged one of my mesh side pockets in my car trunk and made a fairly large hole, which became larger as it is now more prone to re-snag in the trunk.  Has anyone come up with a clever way to repair holes in the mesh?  I could try just stitching it together but if anyone has something more clever, I'd love the input.

I haven't had any problems with holes from the blades or with the Velcro becoming unglued but my Zuca is only 18 months old.

[CaraSkates]

I really like my Zuca - it was a gift and I would not have bought one for myself but it is nice.  I still have to carry a small tote bag to hold my skating notebook and change of clothes.  I snagged one of my mesh side pockets in my car trunk and made a fairly large hole, which became larger as it is now more prone to re-snag in the trunk.  Has anyone come up with a clever way to repair holes in the mesh?  I could try just stitching it together but if anyone has something more clever, I'd love the input.

I haven't had any problems with holes from the blades or with the Velcro becoming unglued but my Zuca is only 18 months old.

I always stitched the holes in the mesh side pockets with embroidery floss - a little sturdier then regular thread.

[littlerain]

I've been reading through this thread and wanted to add my opinions on the Zuca bag.  I understand why little kiddos are attracted to these bags, but as an adult, I don't see the point of a Zuca.  My cheap duffle bag does the job just fine.  (Plus, my big bottom wouldn't fit on that little seat anyway).  To each their own, though!

I'm using a purse/tote that my fiance's brother's girlfriend gave me for Christmas one year. It's too big and not exactly my style for daytime wear, but it's perfect for toting skates! 

I am, on the other hand, a marketer's dream.  LOL. Thankfully, I'm a bit more practical these days but gosh, as a kid I would have been all over the zuca/Chloe Noel's/light up whatevers. Actually, I remember being quite jealous of the zucas as a kid haha!!

[Loops]

So this thread has piqued my interest.  I had written these things off as something for the kids.  While I double I'll be investing on one for skating any time soon, I wish their travel bags were a little more colorful.  As soon as someone mentioned "overhead bin compatible" these things went on my radar....

[fsk8r]

So this thread has piqued my interest.  I had written these things off as something for the kids.  While I double I'll be investing on one for skating any time soon, I wish their travel bags were a little more colorful.  As soon as someone mentioned "overhead bin compatible" these things went on my radar....

I don't think they give the travel ones the flashy wheely, but I must say I LOVE the reaction when you wheel one through a hotel lobby. You've just got to be really brave and not look back. But EVERYONE is staring at them and commenting and wanting one. My neighbour loves my Zuca and gets quite upset if I don't take it out the house with me.